Ayo had staggered into the compound at about 2:45pm. He was exhausted and starving. Ayotunde was playing a game of Suwe with her friends when she saw her father. She ran towards him and he carried her up and hugged her. Even though he was exhausted, Ayotunde always desired a hug from him. As he dropped his daughter, she held his hand. ‘Papa, Madam Nice…..’ She was saying when Ayorinde interrupted her.
‘Welcome Papa. How was work?’ He said as he looked at his father. ‘Ayotunde, go and play.’ He said to his sister. She obeyed immediately and went back to join her friends in the game.
‘Work was fine.’ Ayo said as he looked at his son. ‘What happened to Madam Something Nice?’
‘Don’t mind Ayotunde. I think she wanted to tell you that Madam Something Nice passed by here last night.’
‘Hmm…..’ Ayo said as he shook his head. ‘God will deliver that woman. I must never see her near my family.’
‘Yes Papa.’ Ayorinde replied as he walked into the room with his father.
As Ayo sat on the mattress to take off his boots, Kevwe walked in. She looked at the face of her son trying to decipher information from his face but Ayorinde’s face was blank like a plain sheet of paper.
‘My husband, welcome back.’ She said faking a smile as she looked at Ayo.
‘Thank you.’ Ayo replied unsmiling.
‘I don make pounded yam and egusi soup. Make I go bring am.’ She said as she touched her husband’s shoulders gingerly. ‘Ayorinde, get up. Make you come help me serve your papa.’
Ayorinde obeyed his mother and trudged behind her to the common kitchen shared by all the neighbours. When they were out of earshot, Kevwe pulled her son’s ears. ‘If you tell your papa anything, make you just know say you don die.’
Ayorinde looked at his mum, eyes unblinking.
‘You hear me?’ Kevwe asked.
‘I hear you.’ Ayorinde replied and turned to serve his father’s food into the bowl his mother had placed beside their stove.
Kevwe looked at her son’s back as he served the food. ‘You don dey grow wing, abi? Ehen? I go help you cut that your wing, you hear?’ She said as she scooped the pounded yam from the mortar into another bowl.
Years later, Kevwe still remained a troublesome woman and a source of concern to Ayo and his children. She complained about everything and anything. Her father had been a drunk while her mother was a prostitute. Her mother sold her to a client at the age of fifteen when she couldn’t pay up the debt she owed. Her father never bothered about her and her absence in the house was never mentioned.
At the age of fifteen, she became a prostitute as her madam was a pimp who traded girls for sex. She was sent to the houses of men who slept with her and paid directly to Madam for services rendered. She got an accommodation, clothes and food in return from Madam. She therefore had no reason to look back at the life she previously lived with her parents who never showed her love. As long as Madam took care of her needs, she was fine.
*****
She met Ayo one morning when she was coming back from a client’s house. She had been waiting to flag down a taxi when Ayo drove past in a grey Hyundai accent. He reversed the car and rolled down the window.
‘Hello beautiful, where are you going this morning?’
‘Obalende.’ She said as she used her hand to flick her weaves backward.
‘Come in. I am going that way as well.’
Kevwe opened the passenger door and eased herself into the car. She was wearing a low cut V-neck black mini gown which barely covered her bust and her thighs.
‘Thank you.’ She said as she smiled at Ayo.
‘So do you live in Obalende?’ Ayo asked as he looked at her thighs.
‘Yes.’ Kevwe replied as she threw her head back to expose her bust.
‘Hmm…..’ Ayo grunted as he looked towards the direction of her bust.
‘What about you?’ She asked as she glided her hands on her thighs.
Ayo noticed her hand movement and looked away. ‘I don’t stay in Obalende. I am actually going to the mechanic.’
‘Oh.’ Kevwe giggled. “I fit keep you company at the mechanic’s workshop nau. Abi, wetin you think?’
Ayo shrugged. ‘Okay. If it is fine by you.’
‘Of course.’ Kevwe giggled again.
In a few minutes, they were at the mechanic’s workshop. Ayo dropped the car and asked the mechanic to call him once he was done. There was a bar close by and Ayo decided to take Kevwe there while he awaited the mechanic’s call. They ordered a bottle of beer each and Kevwe gulped hers down in a hurry. Ayo teased her asking if she could handle another bottle and she asked him if he wanted to bet on it.
Ayo ordered another bottle for her and in a few minutes, she was done with the second bottle while Ayo was still on the first. After about forty minutes, the mechanic called Ayo to inform him that the car was ready. Kevwe asked Ayo if he would not mind giving her his number. He obliged as he reeled out his number to her. He drove off later while she went back to Madam’s house.
The encounter between them signaled a series of phone flashing from Kevwe. Ayo would always call back anytime she did; sometimes talking for long hours on the phone. However, Ayo never called her back during the day. He always made sure his calls to her were at night. Whenever Kevwe asked why he never called her back during the day, his response was that he was usually busy during the day. Kevwe however, would have preferred their discussions during the day as she was usually busy at night whenever Madam sent her to her clients. She was only free on the nights that she had no clients to attend to.
One night, during one their long calls, Kevwe told Ayo that she would like to visit him during the weekend. Ayo declined stating that he was travelling that weekend.
‘Okay, what about next weekend? Abi, you neva come back by that time?’
‘I will be back but I won’t be able to see you that weekend too. I have a family event to attend.’
‘You no wan invite me?’
Ayo breathed deeply. ‘It’s not that. You will visit me when the time is right, don’t worry.’
‘Okay oh. I don hear. This one wey you dey refuse make I come your house, I hope say no be say you don marry and you no wan tell me.’
Ayo guffawed. ‘Marry ke? Kevwe, abeg no make me laugh.’
‘Wetin dey funny dia? Your mates neva marry?’ Kevwe asked as she snorted.
‘I’m not married, Kevwe.’
Ayo decided to change the topic and Kevwe laughed heartily as they discussed into the night.
Four weeks later, Ayo called Kevwe one night that he was at the mechanic’s place at Obalende. He asked her if she could meet him there. Kevwe thought about where she would tell Madam she was going to. Today was her free day and she did not want to miss out on being with Ayo. She told him to give her about thirty minutes. She immediately put on a black round neck Tee-shirt on a red mini skirt and wore black ballet flats. She picked up a small handbag and ran down the stairs.
Madam was sitting in the living room watching the 7.00pm news. Kevwe coughed to catch her attention.
Madam looked up at Kevwe. ‘Where are you going? Is today not your free day?’
‘Yes ma.’ Kevwe curtsied. ‘I just wan see my friend. She wan give me something, I no go tey.’
Madam wrinkled her nose. ‘Hmm…mm, your friend.’
‘Yes ma.’
‘What time is light out?’
‘Twelve midnight ma.’ Kevwe said as she looked at her feet.
‘Make sure you are back before then.’ Madam said as she flicked her hand to dismiss her.
‘Yes ma. Thank you ma.’ Kevwe said as she curtsied again and walked out of the house.
Immediately she was out of the house, she turned into a dark corner around the building. She opened her handbag and took out a black transparent lacy blouse. She removed the Tee-shirt she was wearing quickly and put on the blouse. It hugged her bosom revealing her chest. She put the tee-shirt into her handbag and half-ran to the bus-stop to catch a bus to Obalende. As she boarded the bus, she put a call to Ayo to inform him that she was on her way.
Ayo was seated in the beer parlour opposite the mechanic’s workshop with a bottle of Gulder when Kevwe arrived there. He asked her if she would like to have a beer and she accepted. The waiter served Kevwe a bottle of cold Gulder and she took her time to drink it. Ayo smiled as he looked at her.
‘Wetin dey make you smile?’ Kewve asked.
Ayo shrugged. ‘The last time we were here, you rushed two bottles of beer. I’m wondering how come you are sipping this.’
Kevwe laughed heartily. ‘I no want make e finish on time.’
‘Well, you have to finish this on time if we are going out together.’
Kevwe’s eyes lit up. ‘You wan take me out. To where?’
‘Just finish your drink and let’s go.’ Ayo replied.
Kevwe gulped down her drink in one swig and Ayo had to laugh. He paid the waiter and they both walked out of the parlour. As Kevwe eased into his hyundai accent car, she looked at Ayo and asked again.
‘Tell me where we dey go nau.’
‘Be patient.’ Ayo replied as he switched on the engine.
‘I no be Patience.’
One thing Ayo loved about her was her sense of humour. ‘Okay, since you insist. I am going to watch a movie and I decided to take you with me.’ He smiled as he took his eyes off the road for a few seconds and looked at her.
‘Movie? For cinema?’ Kevwe asked.
‘Yes, at the cinema.’
Kevwe began to dance to an imaginary tune and Ayo laughed.
‘Why are you dancing?’ He asked as a smile played on his lips.
‘Because you dey take me go cinema nau. Nobody don take me go cinema before.’
‘Hmmm….’ Ayo hummed.
‘Yes oh. Who wan take me?’ She asked as she raised her palms up.
‘Well, we are here now.’ Ayo said as he parked his car in front of the Movieroll Cinemas. They both eased out of the car and Ayo held Kevwe by the hand when he noticed she looked a bit apprehensive. They walked to the ticket booth, paid for their tickets and got popcorn and a drink each. Ayo still held on to Kevwe’s hand as their tickets were scanned by the security. They walked into the hall and Ayo found a seat for two at the far end of the hall.
An hour and forty-five minutes later, they both walked out of the hall. Kevwe was all smiles as she eased back into Ayo’s car. Ayo noticed and laughed.
‘I can see you had fun.’ He said.
‘Ha, yes oh. I no no say na like dis inside cinema be sef.’
‘I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.’
‘Thank you Ayo.’
‘You are welcome.’ Ayo smiled as he kicked the ignition and started driving. Ten minutes later, Ayo honked in front of a enormous gate.
‘Which place be dis?’ Kevwe asked.
‘Well, you had been asking to know where I live.’ Ayo smiled as he looked at her.
‘Na your house be dis?’ Kevwe asked as her eyes grew big.
Ayo chuckled. No, this is not my house. We would get to my house soon.’
A security guard opened the gate and Ayo drove into an expansive estate. The estate had mostly duplexes and some bungalows. Some were in varied stages of construction while those that were completed were imposing structures.
Kevwe had her mouth agape as she looked around her. All the streets were well-lit and the environment had a peaceful ambience. Ayo parked his car in front of a white massive duplex. He killed the ignition and looked at Kevwe who was still looking around like a lost child.
‘Are you ready to go in?’ He asked her.
Kevwe turned to look at Ayo. ‘This na your house?’
‘No, Kevwe. It is not mine. It is my Uncle’s house but I also live here. So will you quit the questions and come inside with me?’
Ayo opened his door and stepped out of the car. Kevwe did same and walked towards him.
‘My Uncle lives in the big house. He gave me the boys’ quarters; so I stay at the back. He travelled with his family for vacation; so the house is currently empty.’ Ayo said as he retrieved a bunch of keys from his pocket. He opened the small side gate and led the way into the huge compound. Walking towards the back of the expansive building revealed another building; a bungalow also painted white.
Ayo inserted another key into the keyhole and opened the door of the bungalow. He asked Kevwe to go in while he followed behind. He touched the light button on the wall and Kevwe gasped when she saw the room interior.
‘This one na boy’s quarters?’ She asked as she walked further into the room and touched the white leather couch. It was a seven-seat settee. Kevwe looked round and was amazed. The room had grey wallpapers on the wall and there was a music system at the far end of the room. On the left, there was an en-suite room which was simply furnished. A small kitchen lay on the far right of the living room. Kevwe could not hide her astonishment as she kept looking from one room to the other while Ayo followed closely.
‘Your uncle dey very rich oh.’ She said when she eventually found her tongue.
‘Well….’ Ayo said as he walked towards the settee, picked up a remote control from the centre table and put on the TV. ‘Come over here.’ He said sitting down and patting the seat beside him.
Kevwe; still stunned kept looking around.
‘C’mon, come sit with me. I am sure you have seen bigger houses, so why are you surprised?’
Kevwe grunted. ‘Bigger houses? Guy, house get levels. If your BQ dey like this, how the main house go come dey?’
‘I’m sure you are exaggerating.’ Ayo stood up and pulled Kevwe to sit by him. ‘I want us to talk.’ He continued.
‘Okay.’ Kevwe said as she sat down and faced him.
‘I won’t pretend not to know what you do; and sincerely, I am in no position to tell you what to do and what not to do. I don’t know what pushed you into it but I just want to let you know that I don’t like it and I would be happy if you stopped.’
Kevwe took a deep breath. ‘Ayo, I know wetin you dey talk about but I no get person.’
‘You have me.’
‘You? You wey never see wetin dey under my dress.’
‘I don’t have to see it yet. The time will come; besides, is that the only way you would know that I will always be there for you?’
‘Hmmm.’ Kevwe grunted. ‘I no no wetin to talk. You know how many men don talk to me but all of them na my body dem want. After that, I no dey see them again.’
‘I’m sorry about that. I can only speak for myself.’
‘So wetin you want?’
‘I want you to stop this business you are into.’
Kevwe burst out into laughter. ‘Ayo, you no no anything oh. Business wey dey give me food chop, dey buy me cloth, give me house and everything wey I need.’
‘Is that all?’ Ayo asked her.
‘Wetin remain wey I dey find?’
Ayo sighed. ‘If I give you money monthly for your upkeep, will that be fine? Will it make you stop?’
Kevwe smiled. ‘Ayo, e no fit make me stop. The money you wan give me na to chop. Wetin I wan tell Madam wey give me house if she say make I go work?’
Ayo looked confused. ‘Madam?’
Kevwe hissed. ‘Ayo, make we leave this mata, abeg. You no go understand.’
‘But I want to. Please explain it to me. Who is Madam? You never mentioned you were staying with someone.’
‘How I go tell you?’ Kevwe queried.
‘Please tell me all about it.’ Ayo said as he took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.
Kevwe unable to hold his gaze dropped her head and sighed heavily. Over the past eight weeks, she had grown fond of Ayo and her day wasn’t complete if she had not spoken to him. He looked, dressed and talked decently and he was someone she would like to spend the rest of her life with. But she knew that wish was impossible. She knew this whirlwind romance between them would end one day as he would look for someone in his class and not a low-life like her. It hurt but she had learned to accept her fate. In times past, she wished she was not born into the family she was, but pondering over that only made her depressed. She had therefore decided to be happy and make the best use of every opportunity she had or came by.
‘I’m listening.’ Ayo said as he lifted up her chin.
Kevwe started her story right from when she was young. Her drunk father, her prostitute mother and the lack of care. She told him about how she was sold to Madam because her mother could not pay up the debt she owed. She told him about how Madam had been her sole source of help as she gave her food, clothes and accommodation. Madam told her for every help she rendered, she needed to payback by being her service girl. She had had no choice and her journey to prostitution began.
Tears spilled down Kevwe’s cheeks as she spoke. It wasn’t the kind of life she wanted but she had no choice in the situation. If she wasn’t wanted by her parents, who would want her? She was not ready to go looking for either her mum or dad’s family. As far as she was concerned, her parents and their families were all dead to her.
Ayo’s heart broke as he listened to her. What a life. He immediately felt sorry that he had judged her in his heart. He knew she had a story but he never imagined it was this bad. Kevwe tried to continue her story but she sobbed so much that she began to gasp as she spoke. Ayo pulled her closer and hugged her.
‘It is okay, darling. Please stop talking about it.’ He said as he caressed her hair. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through all this. I am here now.’
‘I….I….’ Kevwe was saying but she was hushed by Ayo.
‘Sshhh. It is okay.’ Ayo whispered and wiped her tears with his thumb. ‘I’m glad I know all this now.’ He said as he lifted her chin and kissed her lips tenderly.
Kevwe kissed him back and held on to him tightly. She caressed him as she did and Ayo’s body began to come alive. He tried to push her back but Kevwe refused to let him go as she continued to kiss him. She began to unbutton his shirt in a hurry. Ayo knowing what she wanted, stopped her as he held her back.
‘I’m not ready for this.’ He said; holding on to her hands.
‘Why?’ Kevwe asked astonished and breathing hard.
‘The time is not right.’
‘Wetin you dey talk for mouth, Ayo? Why you come bring me to your house?’
‘Kevwe, I wanted us to talk. That is why I brought you here.’
Kevwe was dumbfounded. ‘I no understand. You bring me come your house because you wan talk. Why you no talk for cinema? Why you dey ask me all these questions?’
Ayo breathed hard as he looked at Kevwe and took her face in his hands.
Kevwe slapped his hands away and stood up abruptly. ‘Come carry me go house. I no fit sleep outside if I no dey work. Madam go don dey look time for me.’
Ayo looked at his wrist watch. It was a quarter to 11p.m. ‘Don’t you think you should sleep here? It is late already.’
Kevwe burst into laughter and Ayo was confused.
She sneered. ‘Me, Kevwe? Sleep for your house? You wey dey speak English now as I touch you. You wan make I sleep for your house. You no serious. Abeg, come carry me go my house, jare. If you no fit carry me go, give me money make I go charter taxi.’
Ayo sighed and stood up. ‘If that is what you want, I will take you home.’
In a few minutes, they both eased into Ayo’s car. Kevwe was quiet all through the journey while Ayo was confused. He really liked Kevwe but he was not ready to sleep with her yet. Uppermost on his mind at the moment was getting her out of prostitution.
