It was Mid January when work started to come. It was a time I needed to get my mind off things. Clothes and needles came to the rescue so I gathered a lot of work till my legs started to hurt. I did not mind but the urgency they always stated was maddening! Though I knew I could meet up. Most days, I worked until midnight like I'm conducting a clothing vigil.
Aku mostly sold the clothes on display and she was good with the customers, especially the ones that wanted to eat off my profit and cost price. She was good with all of them. She was a beautiful girl, cheerful and easy going. She was always patient. I think most of the customers even amused her because of the way she twitched up her lips when they were negotiating. When we had no customers she would sit on a white plastic seat reading an old newspaper or revising her books for JAMB.
It was already noon by the time I completed the third dress. Coming out from the office, Aku was sleeping in a chair. I ignored her and went downstairs. I only saw Tunde in the mornings when I was passing his office to my shop or when I was leaving in the evening. Our greetings were always neighbourly, 'Good morning', 'Have a nice day', 'Drive safely'.
He had not come to my office after the 'introduction day' and that was a visit that was well explained but this one, what was my explanation?
"Hello, I came to give you a neighbourly visit." That did not sound alright. I tried again:
"I came to re introduce myself to you." That one sounded better. Maybe he would laugh and think I am funny.
I saw him standing outside with De Pascal, the man that sold plastics in one of the shops downstairs.
Right. The other neighbors were back, unlike that day when it was just two of us in the whole building. We were both jobless and easily passed as companions that day.
He turned his head then turned again sharply like he saw me only briefly at first. He waved his hand signalling me to come closer. Seeing me at the rail close to his office, he must have known I came looking for him.
"My lady," Tunde said, bowing. The other man laughed and I laughed along with him.
"Forgive me, my lady," De Pascal said
I laughed again before saying, "You people are playing with me, abi? "
Tunde held my hand as he continued talking with De Pascal then suddenly he squeezed my hands. " Is it not a nice idea?"
"Umm _" I began then I shook my head hoping Tunde would narrate the subject of discussion again. I did not want to ask because all the time while they talked I had debated with myself for reasons why my hand should be in his hands building up heat.
"Yes, it is indeed a nice idea," I said knowing Tunde was a smart man; whatever seemed nice to him was definitely nice. As I said that, he nodded with a smile.
De pascal hit our arms. "Ngwanu, Later, " he said before hurrying back to his shop.
I freed my hand from Tunde as I followed him back to his office. Displayed in his office were frames of landscape drawing. "Do you draw? " I asked stupidly when I could remember he said it in my office .
"Yes," he replied.
I allowed my eyes to travel around his office which was larger than mine. His table and seat were at the wall then he had a wooden stool and a bench that was padded with a brown suede. They were at the other side of the room, very close to the door. He used the place that I called my shop as an office and I wondered what was going on in the cubicle that was an office to me.
"I planned to come greet you before the week runs out," he said, half sitting on the table.
"Well, I beat you to it," I replied, shifting to my left leg, trying to find a stronger leg to balance my weight on.
With that movement, he came to his senses. "I'm sorry, please sit," he said hurriedly dusting the suede padded bench with his hands.
"I have been so busy lately, " he said, still standing.
"I think January is always busy," I replied.
"What you said yes to outside, when do you think we should begin? "
"Begin? " I asked, using my hand to cover my amusement.
He shook his head. "I knew you weren't listening to that conversation. "
"I'm sorry. What was it about? " I asked, a little ashamed .
"De was asking if you had visited my home and I said, you would - this Sunday and then you gave your approval." His eyes danced around with amusement.
I narrowed my eyes in slits. "You are joking."
"Nah, he thought something was going on between us, With me calling you, my lady."
"Tunde you are joking, aren't you ? " I asked in a serious tone.
"Come on, my lady. Easy now. I am joking "he said, bending to hit my arm playfully.
"So what did I say yes to? " I asked, with the same seriousness.
"The gutter issue. He was telling me how the cleaning was formerly rotated amongst shop owners which the sales assistants took care of," He began explaining.
"Now, that does not favour me because I work alone. I suggested we get people who will be cleaning the area and place them on monthly allowance. Because, Baby it would not be nice to see me cleaning the gutter."
I laughed at the image, really imagining him at the gutter with his trousers rolled up to his knees.
"What do you think? "
"Hmm," I hummed in thoughts. "How do you think we'll distribute the payment? "
"All shop owners will be making weekly contributions which will sum up for the monthly allowance."
My approval seemed to be for a good course but I knew some people like the woman who sold second hand bags upstairs who would oppose the new improvement. She would definitely prefer that poor boy who walked with her to clean the gutters.
Tunde went round his table and pulled out the drawer. He came up with a magazine and handed it to me.
"What do I offer you? " he asked as I began to flip through the pages. I smiled then told him I was okay. It was a fashion magazine, a male fashion magazine.
"They are beautiful clothes, " I said.
"I want you to help me choose which you will make for me."
"I'm sorry, I don't _ "
My phone began to ring, cutting short my excuse. I looked at the caller briefly. "I don't make male clothes," I finished before picking up the call.
"Nene, what time are you coming around ?" the caller asked.
I had totally forgotten I had a delivery to make. I checked my watch, it was almost four o'clock.
"I'll be coming now," I said before I ended the call.
I looked at Tunde who was looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "I have got to go. It's a customer, " I said apologetically.
"That's alright, " he said, reaching into his drawer again. "Please dial your phone number in my phone so I can call you if you get missing. " He handed me the phone, a Gionee product. I smiled and tapped my digits into the phone.
The customer's house was a house I knew too well. She only came to the shop a few times then I started to come to her house for her measurements and to deliver the clothes.
Hooting at the gate, the gate man peeped and recognized my car then he opened the gate.
"Madam, the madam! " he hailed as I drove past not out of respect for me but the money in my bag. He just did not know that it was not like some days. There was no money on ground.
I came down with the customer's clothes and checked my tyres after I had packed.
"Nene! "
I looked up. She was at the balcony as expected. "Good evening, ma!" I shouted.
"Come upstairs," she replied.
Mrs Idika was always upstairs, like she loved punishing me. I hated stairs. They did nothing to me but I would prefer an elevator anytime. That's just how my laziness talks. I was lucky to get an apartment that was downstairs where I could even park my car right in front of my door. Luck now left me when it came to my work place.
"My beautiful baby," she smiled, extending her hands for a hug when I got upstairs . I went in for the hug, bending to wrap my hands around her also.
" I have not seen you this year and you look so radiant," she said, using my hand to urge me to spin, and I did.
"Thank you ma," I said. She always made me feel younger and beautiful and I could not control my blushing.
I brought out the clothes I made for her while she sat relaxed, smiling at me. She examined them with constant, 'this is good' , 'this is good'. I would have been heartbroken if she said otherwise because I always introduced most of my new designs with her clothes.
When I was ready to go it was already dark. She had persuaded me to wait till she finished cooking and I stayed, at that time I thought that was all till she said,
"Can you wait for me to bathe so I can walk you to your car?"
I did not understand that. "No, ma. I'm good," I tried to disagree but she was not having that. I did not understand her insistence but I waited anyway. She took a very long time bathing. When she came out, I stood up saying I was ready to go.
She pushed up her lips in a pout then said, "My son, he has not gone back since after Christmas and new year celebration. I want you to meet him."
I nodded slowly, realization setting in. That seemed a better explanation for keeping me longer. "Mummy, I will come another day. I need to get home, it's dark already. "
"Nene, we have spare rooms. I just want you to see him, just seeing. "
She looked so cute and funny while pouting. I knew I was not going to win that war so I stretched my legs in front of me and made myself at home on the couch while we waited for her son.