MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 9)

ANNIE

Annie felt lucky. Somehow; since she started private stripping, she had only strip danced to two other clients in the past two weeks and it was horrible. Each had stared at her lecherously and one had asked her for a blow job. She had ran out of the room. The other had asked her to get on with a fellow stripper while he watched. She had cringed and had also ran out of the room too. Kayla and Olise had been appalled; they had scolded her thoroughly about bolting from customers and she had complained about their weird preferences. But, what shocked them was that each had left envelopes with a hundred thousand Naira each which was asides the fee they had paid already for the private dance. They had paid that much with the hope that Annie would do as they wished the next time they showed up.

Annie had been more shocked because, she had known she was going to strip dance but she hadn't expected the weird requests she had gotten from those men. But she was still surprised because she couldn't believe that she had made three hundred thousand just like that. She had hurriedly paid her rent which was sixty thousand, stocked up her house with enough food stuff to last her for a month and had deposited some in her account. Thus, as she lay on her bed in her room, she recalled her first night at Silver fox.

She had been scared out of her wit's end but that stranger had made it easy for her. He hadn't tried to touch her like the others; though he had acted really strange by walking out abruptly, he had been decent enough to keeps his hands to himself. She hadn't seen his face but he was at least six foot tall, really dark in complexion and had such an aura of authority that made him walk straight. She wished she could see him again and dance for him. Maybe he'll stay for the full one hour he'll be paying for.

She was lost in her thoughts when she started hearing the annoying noise that always comes from Bros Zik's room. This time, he was the one shouting with reckless abandon.

"Oh yes! Oooooh yes! Ah! you don finish work today! Ah! Baby! Make I come?"
The girl in turn hissed her answer, "No o! Never come abeg. I want fess you come!"

Annie rolled her eyes in exasperation. She felt like screaming. Like why the hell were they arguing about cumming?! Can they just cum already?! Jeez! she thought out loud. She decided to distract herself with her laptop; thankfully, PHCN decided to bless them with light. She checked her mails first and one in particular caught her attention. She couldn't believe it. The mail was from Excel Global, the audit firm she had had an interview with two months back. She hadn't heard from them anymore until now and she was quite surprised. They were inviting her for another interview the next day. She was shaken but happy all the same because she had even forgotten about them; she had lost all hope of them ever calling her back and now they finally did. She prayed she got the job. She would stop stripping if she did, she would move out of this house, she would put her parents on a monthly stipend, she would start saving for her Masters degree, she would start saving for weekend trips to African countries nearby and she would be alright.

.........................


That night, she had a restless sleep.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 8)

DAREN

Monday had started out brutal for Daren and as he kept staring at the pile of files on his table, he concluded that he would break down if he continued receiving more stress punches. The files were much and each needed the same level of urgency as the other. He had passed them on to his secretary to attend to but she had been too preoccupied with other tasks he had assigned to her that she forgot to attend to them. He had a lot on his plate as well being that it was the season of accounts reconciliation for most of their top clients. He had to do the final vetting according to his company's policy before the final results were delivered to their clients. He checked his watch; it was almost time for lunch with his Mom so he hibernated his computer, took his car keys, his phone and his tablet before leaving. Mom was a time keeper. A minute's delay could tick her off and she would start calling his phone non stop.

..........................

As he drove, he recalled the events of two weeks back. The place, the scene, the sound, the people, the costumes, the ambiance, that girl..., that shy, unsure stripper with skin like caramel and slightly parted lips panting slowly with every move she made. The scent of her skin when she ...  The view of Marcopolo drew him out of his reverie. He drove into the spacious compound and saw Mom's car with the driver napping inside. He smiled at the sight as he walked into the Nigerian version of a Chinese restaurant. When Mom had told him about the place, he had laughed at the thought of what a Chinese restaurant would look like in Lagos but  looking at this one now, he was impressed. Though, very spacious, the Decor of gold mixed with red gave the place that Chinese feel except for the fact that there was no Chinese song playing in the background so he was still conscious of being in Lagos.

He saw Mom sitting pretty and straight like a Queen at their table. She was looking out to the water front through the full length glass windows beside their table. Daren smiled fondly. This woman; this beautiful 60 year old Hausa woman with the body of a 40 year old and the mind of a 25 year old, this strong woman was a rare gem. To people; she was cold and unfriendly but to him she was everything he could ever wish for in a mother. She was warm, strict to a fault but overly caring. Although sometimes, she put up the front of an overbearing slave master to their staff, he knew it was all an act to curtail any form of insubordination. He loved her and respected her decisions especially those she made for their family and even when she was the third out of three wives she had the reigns to her husband's businesses.

Daren laughed this time when she turned and saw him. She stretched out her hand to him and when he took it, she gave him that heart warming smile that always made her look more youthful.

........................

They ordered for long bean noodles, prawns and some side dishes to go with. As they ate, they talked about the business. Then Daren recalled he had asked for an assistant before arriving Nigeria so he reminded her.

"Don't tell me that Lagos's short of hard working youths who aren't competent enough to be my assistant Mom"
She took her time to chew before responding. "Well, you never can tell unless you test them. We actually had quite a number of interviews the month before you arrived but we weren't satisfied with the candidates"
"How many were they?" Daren asked
"About a hundred or more"
Daren sighed. Dear mother, always hard to please. He shook his head in amusement before saying;
"Okay, ask the HR manager to send me the CVs of the top twenty. I'll look through myself and call for another interview."
"Don't worry son, we'll handle it" she said in her conclusive tone before sipping some water but Daren wouldn't let it slip so he insisted.
"No Mom. I'm being swallowed by work and I need an assistant ASAP"
She sighed in defeat cos she knew her son. He could go ahead and call for the interviews without her anyways. He was just as stubborn as she was so she decided on compromise.
"Alright. We'll do it this way. We'll call the top twenty this Friday and then you'll be a part of the selection committee so that you can decide for yourself. But I must warn you, you won't be so much impressed."

Daren rolled his eyes and said; "At this point, I'll take that chance. Tomorrow it will be. John should send me the CVs at the close of work today, I'll look at them overnight, the candidates will be notified tomorrow and the interview will take place on Wednesday. By Friday I want an assistant so I can live long. That's final Mom. Now let's talk about something else"

She looked at him narrow eyed and they both burst into laughter at the same time. She threw the napkin at him before saying, "If you aren't so strong headed then I'll conclude that you aren't my son"

Daren winked at her.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 7)

ANNIE

Annie didn't really know what to do next that was why she had sat down on the lone chair in the room. She was in a Strip Club; a live one. This was the place Terry had told her that his friend managed and though, everyone looked naked, it all looked magical; like a sort of fantasy island where your erotic wishes are granted. Terry's friend; Olise had taken one look at her and had concluded that she would do well entertaining guests privately than on the pole and she had been grateful for his decision cos she was going to ask for that exactly. Olise had handed her over to Kayla who was in charge of the girls as well as their costumes. Kayla had looked at her like a foreign dish to be devoured and had said;

"Hmm, if I had that body, I'll have every man that comes into this place at my beck and call. Use it wisely. Don't get all cocky about it but always remember that your body is your weapon. Draw strength from that thought. Your patron might want you to do some extras while you dance, do it without hesitation. Maintain eye contact and make him feel like in his being is your existence. Touch yourself while you dance. It'll turn him on. Lastly, serenade him with your body like your life depends on it."

Annie's throat went dry and she stuttered; "This is my first time doing this Kayla"
Kayla looked at her with her usual poker face and said in a not so assuring way, "Just think about the money you'll make and you'll be fine"

Annie smiled and nodded with gratitude after receiving her costume. She suspected that that was a perfectly rehearsed line Kayla used for all the girls especially the new ones. It sounded good but she felt it sounded too easy. For one, she had never seen herself as "sexy" and when people ogled at her body, she wondered what they saw.

So she had worn the lingerie, the comfortable heels she came with and had tied her hair in a ponytail. She hadn't worn makeup cos she needed her face to breathe out the pent up tension she was feeling but she had used her gloss and lastly, a face mask that covered just her eyes. She wouldn't want anyone to recognize her outside this place.

She had taken a deep breath, exhaled, checked herself once more in the huge wall mirror and then left the changing room to start this phase in her life.

......................

Deep, dark searching eyes welcomed her as she walked in through the door. She felt exposed like an article on display at an exhibition and as she walked she felt those eyes following her. When she sat, she didn't know what to do next and to worsen the situation, her patron in question said nothing. Instead, he had an amused but sort of daring expression on his face. What was he expecting she wondered? They were both quiet for some minutes then she heard Future's "Mask Off" and she began to move sinuously on the chair. She moved sideways; twisting her hips slowly. Then she put her hands to her neck, caressing slowly, gently moving them down to her chest and as she got closer to her breasts, she stopped and gracefully stood up. With her left hand holding the chair, she moved her right hand down her stomach, slowly deliberately allowing his eyes to linger on her hand as it trailed an invisible path on her stomach, down to the space between her legs. Then she trailed her thighs downwards and then up again, this time, putting her fingers on her lips. She threw her head backwards, revealing the smooth skin on her neck and then with her left hand, she caressed her neck down to her breasts. Then she stood up and took a few steps towards him.  When she was standing right in front of him, she raised a leg and placed it on the bed he was seated. Then just like she had seen Christiana Aguilera do in the movie "Burlesque", she bent down slowly and started rolling down her sheer tights to reveal some skin. She noticed that he had narrowed his eyes as if in concentration so she took that as a sign that she was doing great and moving to Dj Khaled's "Be with You", she stood straight and was slowly winding her waist but just as she was about sitting on his thighs, he stood up and left the room.

His sudden movement had taken her unawares and she almost fell to the ground. She looked at the shut door but couldn't move. What had she done wrong? Had she made the wrong move by attempting to sit on his thighs? This is crazy Annie thought as she sat on the sofa shaking.

..................

She had packed up her little bag and was about leaving when Olise called her and handed her an envelop with a smile on his face. He said;
"Your Patron was very generous. Well done."
Annie didn't understand what that meant so she opened the envelop and found a bunch of one thousand naira notes and on the wrap up paper, she saw "one hundred thousand naira" written on it. She was shocked. She looked at Olise and as if understanding what she wanted to ask, he said quickly before leaving to go back inside.

"About our percentage, he paid for that separately already. By the way, I'll advise you lodge into an hotel for tonight instead of going back to Ajegunle. Lagos isn't that friendly"

Annie couldn't comprehend the weird but fruitful turn of events of the night but one thing she could understand is. that man, whoever he is, is a weird one.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 6)

DAREN

The night was still young according to Femi's mental clock. Though it was already 12:00 midnight, Femi insisted that, that was the time for the fun to begin. He had given Daren a head's up that 12 midnight was when the real fun seekers of Lagos came out. From Daren's office, they had gone to Craft Gourmet for dinner, NOK for drinks and then Silver Fox for the peak of the night.

As they drove to Silver Fox, Daren tried to visualize what it would look like in his mind but he couldn't. He had been to strip clubs in England and other cities around the world he had traveled to but it had been the same experience. The pretty girls, getting naked, acting all coy and dancing seductively, smiling invitingly, and baring it all on the pole, he had seen it all. He wanted to see something different, something fresh, something unexpected and different from the norm and he hoped he could see it tonight. So as they got to the gate, he noticed that the security men recognized Femi immediately from the way they greeted him. Femi had already made reservations so even when they got in and the place was crowded, they had their special table ready.

......................

Daren fed his eyes. He was impressed and amazed that such a place existed in Lagos, Nigeria. The girls were all beautiful and well sculpted. They had on sexy lingeries and really high heels; the famous stripper's heels that looked like mobile platforms that helped them find their balance when they walked. He liked the way they came to pay their respects to Femi and him in the famous stripper way. Every stripper is supposed to formally greet every guest with a smile and a handshake that stopped at the tip of the fingers. It was a flirty greeting that expressed that desire to give you a lap dance and also keep your table company all through the evening. So when they came to Daren and Femi's table, Daren noticed that they smelled really nice and clean which was key for him. So he relaxed, sipping his drink and taking in the whole scenario.

He noticed that the dance stage for the strippers was round and almost split in two so there were two separate poles for them to dance. The strippers were graceful on the pole and their skill was almost like those of the strippers abroad but somehow, it felt so unreal. It felt like they were trying too hard to be sexy and foreign. He sighed and asked Femi,
"When will our people learn to be original?"
Femi who was obviously enjoying himself looked at Daren like he was weird before replying,
"I don't understand Man. What do you mean?"
Daren took a sip of his drink before answering.
"Well,  I wasn't expecting so much twerking. I don't know. I just feel like I'm seeing the same thing I've seen before"
Femi rolled his eyes. Since Daren returned from England, he had become very difficult to please. He was always looking for the "original" in everything. So, he simply patted Daren on the back and said,
"Just enjoy the moment man! Just loosen up and enjoy the moment! Trust me, you won't be disappointed anymore than you are now.

Daren shrugged slightly and hoped to enjoy the evening. He wasn't feeling the whole display of nakedness. They're good no doubt but, he just wasn't feeling the part where they opened their veevee completely for everyone to see what's in there. It's supposed to be a "strip" club not a "hurry to show off your veevee club". He felt like the girls were too in a hurry to show what was down there instead of taking their time to tease the customers, make them want more before going for the kill. His craving was wearing out and he wasn't in the mood anymore so he switched his attention to his phone, with the loud erotic music teasing his mind and his senses.

..................

Daren was fiddling with his phone at about 1:30am. He had fed his eyes with everything around him and it was still a case of the same ol' same ol'. Though the music was great, he enjoyed the music more than the lap dances so he rejected any that was offered. Femi had even tried bringing the prettiest girl to him for a lap dance but he had declined then Femi excused himself and when he returned, he asked Daren to follow him to another section of the club.

There was a private room upstairs and Femi had paid for one and had asked the manager of the place to make Daren "Happy". Daren had found it funny but he relaxed in the room anyways; happy to be away from all that unrealness to waiting for whatever surprise they had in store for him.

He waited ten minutes in the dimly lit room in sky blue, the ambiance was just right and there was slow music playing in the background. There was a single white vanity chair in the middle of the room and as he waited for whatever it was that would make him happy, he heard the door open slowly. Someone walked in. A girl. She had on just a simple black outfit; a black lacy lingerie with net sheer tights. She didn't wear the regular stripper heels but she wore a face mask that concealed just her eyes but Daren could see her lips. They were small without lipstick but just gloss. Her hair was packed up in a ponytail and she had on black lacy gloves. She wasn't light skinned; she was chocolate and lithe as a gazelle. When she walked, she wasn't in a hurry, she walked slowly, almost afraid for her tiny feet to touch the plush rug on the floor and then gently, she sat on the lone chair in the middle of the room. Daren was intrigued and so he waited to see what would happen next.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 5)

ANNIE

When they got to the venue of the place, Annie couldn't help but observe that she had passed this particular place in Victoria Island several times during the day when she job hunts but had never really given thought to what the place was. She noticed that while the "bouncers" searched the bags of the other girls at the gate, her bag wasn't searched. Terry tipped the guys and they both went into the compound. It was nice. It had a pool side on the far right with little groups of people sitting, drinking, smoking and chatting excitedly. She noticed that in the little groups, there were girls her age or younger who were scantily clad in two piece outfits or simple body con gowns, their makeup was too much and sort of overly exaggerated for a simple sit out. The men on the other hand looked more composed, mature and smelt of wealth. Of course, the smell of their perfumes spoke volumes. She watched Terry moving from group to group, exchanging pleasantries, taking a drag of smoke from shisha pots and laughing out loud at a joke or two. Then he returned to her side and led her to a flight of stairs she hadn't noticed before.

It was concealed by some pot plants that were neatly lined up and the beautiful leaves which spread out like palm fronds had concealed the fact that the stairs actually led to the main entrance of the bar. The sight that greeted Annie when they finally reached the top of the stairs was intriguing. Unlike downstairs where there was a mixed crowd of men and girls, up here was a different sight to behold. The setting looked like a coven for females only. The population of girls against that of the men there was ninety against ten. Annie was rooted to the spot she had to draw Terry back.

"Terry, what is this place?" she asked trying to be audible above the loud music
Terry smiled and answered without looking at her, ''A bar obviously"

Annie wasn't convinced but she followed him anyways and as they walked to the end of the large room, she couldn't help but notice that most of the girls had on cheap perfume and some had none at all which caused the place to have a mixed smell of cigarette, alcohol, cheap perfumes and body odor. Just like the others downstairs, they were scantily dressed with too  much makeup and they were dancing with so much effort to the overly loud Nigerian mix tape playing. And because there wasn't enough men to go round, the few men that were present,; mostly Indians, Lebanese and few Nigerians had this confused crease on their foreheads as they struggled to decide on who to focus on amongst the five or more girls gathered around their table, sharing their drinks and competing for attention with seductive dance moves. Annie could swear she felt piercing stares on her back as she walked with Terry to the end of the room and it made her wonder if these girls saw her as a competition or a bad omen.

..................

The room Terry took her looked like the VVIP section of the place. There were a few people there unlike the other side but Annie still wasn't comfortable. Terry noticed and suggested that they move to the pool side instead which she gladly agreed to but first, she needed to use the rest room.

....................

The rest room was packed with girls; all of them at the mirror adjusting either their clothes or their makeup then one of the girls started talking about a man who wanted to take her home for fifteen thousand Naira. Immediately, the other girls exclaimed in amazement and one said,
"Babe you lucky o!"
The "lucky girl" sounded reluctant "erm, him no be my type"
The others shouted again and they all started talking at once. One said,
'' You no get sense o! You know how much dem they give us for here? 5k or 8k still, you dey complain"
The "lucky girl" whined, "But him no be my type"
"Hmmm, hungry go catch you!" one said maliciously
Another said, "Abeg, give me the man if you no want"

When Annie came out of the rest room, she looked at the girls from the side of her eyes and noticed that they looked envious. The "lucky girl" sighed and shrugged as she said,
"Ha! make I go meet am o! Before dem steal am from me" then she left

Annie quickly left the rest room too. She was ashamed of what she had just heard.

....................

As the waiter brought their drinks, Terry started the same conversation he always emphasized on whenever he saw Annie.

"So, you still haven't told me what you want to do yet Annie. How else do you want to help yourself? I've told you the money is good"
Annie wasn't convinced "Terry, I can't do what those girls are doing. They look so desperate competing for attention from men who didn't even look interested. And I feel like I'll be really exposed if I'm here"
"So you think you're better than those girls?" Terry asked with one brow raised
"I didn't say that Terry. What I mean is, I'm a private person, if I'm gonna do this, then it has to be private."

Terry dragged on his cigarette and blew out the smoke before saying,

"Okay, this is what I'll do for you. There's this other place my friend manages. It's a strip club but they have a private boot for high paying guests. I'll hook you up"
Annie was shocked "Seriously Terry, you want me to strip?!" she asked
Terry was exasperated already. What does the girl want for Christ's sake. "Yes Annie! But in a private way! You want privacy don't you?"
"Yes but, must I strip? It's the same thing as what these girls do!" she struggled to keep her voice low

Terry scratched his head and said, "Look Annie, I'm only trying to help you. This is what I do; I hook girls up. Your rent is due, you're broke and jobless, your family can't help you, you can't get a bank loan cos you're not even sure of when you'll pay back not to talk of having people to stand as guarantors and all that shit. You're twenty six, you've got the body of an eighteen year old, you're sexy as fuck even if you don't know it, you can help yourself  and this is the only way I can fix you up Annie. Take it or leave it." he finished, sipped his drink and stood up.

Annie felt reality like a sharp sting. She thought of any possibility at all of  a change but none was readily available. Terry had refused to lend her any money. According to him, he would rather teach her how to fish than give her the fish. Though, his way wasn't the only way but it was the only available way she could get a quick solution to her current situation so she stood up and  called out to Terry who had walked to the far side of the pool.

"I'm in" she said
Terry smiled and as he walked towards her, his smile broadened into a laugh and he said, "Trust me, we're gonna be rich! Lagos isn't ready for us!"
 

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 4)

DAREN

This Friday made it a month since Daren has been in Nigeria and it has been a sour experience for him. First, his Mom was always hovering. She had refused to employ a live in Help to tend to the house and had instead gone into contract with a cleaning agency to do the job. Then for food, she ensured her own cook stocked his fridge with fresh food everyday. Her reasons were, she didn't trust these Lagos Helps who in most cases, became their bosses mistress. Some of them eventually became the madame of the manor and for her, that was completely unacceptable. This school of thought really upset Daren but he had to accept his Mom's judgement. After all, she had more experience in such matters and has lived in Nigeria far longer than him.

He hadn't even had time to explore Lagos as much as he wanted because, Mom kept organizing a welcome home party every weekend. The parties which were more like a networking summit always had in attendance prestigious personalities, top CEOs and representatives of world class organizations who were very excited at the prospect of working with the just returned son of one of the strongest female business mogul in Nigeria, Mrs. Danjuma.

Although, he had resumed work immediately he had settled in against the insistence of his Mom for him to take time off, he really wanted to see how the company was faring. His Dad had started the company years back and had found interest in other ventures thus leaving the company under the care of his Mom and him. Mom had done a great job overseeing all affairs which yielded remarkable growth while he on the other hand had stayed back in England, referring and investing in more businesses. Now, she wants to retire and had demanded that he returned home to take full charge of the business. He wasn't ready to relocate but he badly needed to leave England so he obliged her.

At 40, he was still single and wasn't looking forward to settling down anytime soon. He loved and valued his solitude cos it gave him enough time to be; just to be. Yes, his culture required him to have been married with kids already but he wasn't a man of the conventional. His idiosyncrasy followed no rules. He usually thought of himself as a free soul and wouldn't subject himself to a way of life that boxed his thoughts. So, he took the growth of his company more serious than growing a relationship that would lead to marriage.

For weeks, he had been looking forward to having a taste of the upbeat lifestyle of Lagos since Femi had always made it a point of duty to feed him with his night time escapades whenever he visited England and he had thought of trying out one or two things he had learnt from their conversations but now, it looked like his Mom had taken over his weekends. He had to look for another way out.

........................

Femi picked on the first ring and this made Daren smile.
"What's up Buddy!" Femi exclaimed
"Hey Flash! what you been up to?" Daren teased knowingly.  They both laughed cos they both understood that question.

Femi knew happening spots in Lagos and even though he was married with two kids, he never failed to keep his Friday dates with at least 3 bars in VI Lagos after work before going home. Thus, his friends called him "Flash".

Femi answered "I'm packing up to leave the office now. What about you?"
"Been done since 6. Just decided to stay here for a bit before going back to that depressing zone if you know what I mean" Daren said
Femi laughed "I totally understand man. I'm sorry to say but your Mom is a pain in the ass. Jeez! How do you cope?"
Daren laughed as he replied, "Hey, don't hate. She's still my jewel. Anyways, I feel like going out tonight and I'll need you to be my Chaperon. Are you game?"
"Of course! Yes Man! I can't wait to spoil you silly my friend! You know what, I'm coming to get you" he chattered excitedly
"Alright. I'm here"

Daren smiled at the thought of what was to come. He knew he was in for an interesting evening but the details of it wasn't something he coul predict. Anyways, he was ready for anything.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 3)

ANNIE

Annie had walked to the end of the long street before finally going back home the day she had the interview. That night, sleep eluded her. She had prayed more than ever that night and had conversed with her subconscious about the worse that could happen if she didn't get that job. She had decided that a lot of worse things will happen if she didn't get the job or any other soon. She had to do something quickly.

Today made it a month since after the interview and still no feedback from that company. Even the other companies she applied to still haven't called her. Most days, she felt depressed and frustrated, other days she felt completely disconnected from the world, her environment and her family. She had stopped calling home and stopped taking their calls as well. she had stopped going to church and totally blanked out from even herself. She needed that closure.

On this particular night, she decided to visit her regular online job sites to check for vacancies and to apply. The light had been fluctuating since morning and just as she was about plugging in her laptop to charge, it was lights out again. So she decided to go for her routine stroll.

...............

The stroll was therapeutic as usual. She was able to enjoy the noise and the chaos of Idewu street. The noise came in varieties; cars honking, okadas zooming past like flying bats with the riders not caring if they knocked the wind out of anyone in their way and the passengers cussing and praying under their breath to arrive their destination without breaking a leg, film rentals shop owners competing for attention as they blasted igbo, yoruba and foreign songs, barbing salons entertaining just one customer with hit songs from Wizkid and other young Nigerian artistes, little kids playing outside their compounds and waiting for their parents to return from work or their hustles and full time housewives who's decided to trade in the evenings only, displaying their wares of sweets, oranges and roasted corn by the road side, haggling prices with customers excitedly.

It was indeed a beautiful chaotic symphony of voices and people she thought as she walked back home.

......................

The light was back by the time she got home and she quickly plugged her laptop. She heard a knock on her door and went to check reluctantly. It was Mama David. Gosh! the woman was a pain in her neck.

"Good evening Mama David"
"Erm, Annie, how nau? Abeg give me salt there"
"Okay. I'm coming"
Annie went to her cupboard and brought out a sachet of salt and handed it over to Mama David. With her face lit up in excitement, Mama David exclaimed with gratitude.
"Hei! Thank you o! Chai, this one go last me for one month. Eya! You do well for me my dear."
Annie rolled her eyes and quickly smiled as she replied,
"No wahala Ma. Good night"

Annie sighed with relief as she bolted her door. Her neighbors won't be the death of her she mused. They were always coming to borrow one thing or the other from her and she was tired already cos she couldn't find herself refusing them. Mama David was a mother of five and a full time house wife whose husband found joy in bashing her face every month like a tradition so she found herself particularly nice to the woman. The other women in the compound found her as a resource house too and sometimes, it could be really exhausting but she indulged them anyways. In this part of Lagos, no man or woman is an Island.

...........................

She was undressing for bed when her phone rang. She picked it up to check and when she saw the caller ID, she cussed under her breath as this was the last person she wanted to speak with but she picked anyways.

"Hi Terry"
"Hey babe! What's up?"
"I'm alright, thanks." Terry said excitedly
"Ummm, look Terry, I thought about our conversation. I'll give it a shot but you'll have to give me more time" Annie said
"Nada babe, I'm outside your house like right now. We have to go now. I already talked to the manager of the place about you and he's dying to meet you in person"
"Oh no... I'm not prepared Terry" Annie replied worried
"Come on! Just wear whatever you have and I'll handle the rest"
Annie hesitated for a bit before replying "Okay. Just give me some minutes"

Annie hung up and scratched her head. This is going to be a long night, she thought out loud. She was scared but she had to go with the flow. What she's going for, who she's going to meet, was something she'll beat herself over when she returned in the morning for now, she wasn't going to over think things.

She dressed up and went out to meet Terry.

MEMOIRS OF PISCES (episode 2)

DAREN 

Daren was already exhausted by the time he got home. He didn't find the experience at the airport funny at all; although, he had been given a heads up by his friend, Femi. The moment he had arrived at the MMIA, he had received the warmest and most sycophantic welcome ever. The attendants at the airport were so friendly and helpful that he had fallen completely for their over resourcefulness. Everyone wanted to be of help to him and try as he might to assure them that he could manage his luggage, they insisted. By the time he was cleared, he had spent over twenty thousand Naira out of the money he could manage to change, on "settling" everyone that "helped" him. He had been washed with relief when he had finally sighted his good friend, Femi.

Now, as they drove through the streets of Lagos catching up on old times, he couldn't help but marvel at how things had changed. Everywhere looked so beautiful. Not particularly spic and span but really different from the Lagos he had left fifteen years ago as a teenager.

By the time they drove into Lekki, he was amazed. Femi noticed the look on his face and laughed. He was more impressed when they finally got to the house that his Mom had prepared for him. She knew he liked white and thus ensured that the house was white in every way possible; just like the one he had left in England. He didn't like it; yes he was impressed but he didn't like it. It looked too fake; almost like the architect wanted to clone his house back home.  He looked at Femi and frowned. Femi knew that look and immediately went defensive,

"Come on Buddy, tell me you love this place. It took us a lot of time and effort to get this one for you"
"Well, not really but it'll do for a week at least and then I'll move out" Daren replied in his rich British accent while still looking around
"A week?!" Femi exclaimed trying to hold in his laughter before continuing. "Daren, your Mom has paid for this place, two years in advance. She totally loves it and feels it'll be like home away from home" he paused to see if that would have any effect on Daren.

Daren wasn't surprised but he was upset that as usual, his Mom has had her way again. He sighed and asked,
"How many rooms are there?"
"Three rooms" Femi answered
"Alright" he shrugged  and followed Femi as he gave him a tour of the house.

............................

It was a three bedroom serviced apartment with a gym, a pool side and a view of the Ikoyi link Bridge. It was tastefully furnished and the furniture was completely French. Everything had Mom's name written all over it and though, the house looked sophisticated with a great view, he still didn't like it. It reminded him of England which has no place in his reveries yet but still he would have to learn to like the house if he was going to live in it for two years.

..............................

The door bell rang and without waiting for a response, the visitor opened the door and walked in with sure unhurried steps. Daren rolled his eyes and smiling fondly, he went to the living room to meet the only woman he could never argue with. Mom.

DAY 1 (LOLA'S 12 DAYS OF XMAS)

Mid Morning

I hate Xmas, I hate driving myself, I hate Lagos' traffic, I hate the fact that I'm going home to fulfill all righteousness of upholding Mom's tradition of family spending time together during Christmas. Dearest Mom, if I had my way I would stop honoring this annoying tradition cos trust me, the drama that follows could fill up a history book far more than the Cold War. Yeah, my family's very dramatic. They exaggerate everything and it gets really irritating and sometimes, I can't even deal. Gosh! that's why I ensure they only see me once a year when I've got to sacrifice 12 whole days of my precious time, putting my life on hold to grace them with my presence.

Oops! Sorry. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lola Peters. I'm 35, unmarried, very beautiful, classy and sophisticated. I'm a financial expert with one of the world's largest transport and logistics firm and of course, I've got my own fish farm on the side. I'm happy, I'm comfortable and I'm rich. Boyfriend? Well, I've got Lawyer man Jeff. He's alright but sometimes, I wonder if I really need him.

Anyways, I'm driving to Mom's now and the traffic is so annoying. What I still can't understand is how Fashola was able to give these crazy tanker drivers a 48 hours ultimatum to evacuate the highways and Ambode can't do same. This is just another reason I hate coming to the mainland. A thirty minutes trip always ends up becoming an hour's trip or more.  I've honked my horn several times but everything and everyone seems to be dragging. Oh hell! my phone's ringing again and it's Mom. I had given her a heads up about me arriving the house today and she's been calling like I'm driving all the way from abroad. This better be good.

"Yes Mami"
"Lola omo mi, ba wo ni?" she sounded worried
"Mami, the traffic is terrible but I should be home in the next fifteen minutes"
"Okay dear. I've prepared your favorite dish of semo and eforiro okay?"
"Mami I appreciate but I've told you before, that used to be my favorite dish but now, it's simply veggies, no fat at all. And besides, I'm watching my weight. So, just send Bayo to get me some veggies instead will you?"
"What weight are you watching ni?! You that looks like a bonga fish!"
"It's called being "slim and healthy" Mami. Just send for the veggies will you?"
"Okay!"
"And please Mami, stop calling you're making me nervous"
"Hian! okay o! See you soon Ife mi"
"Yes Ma"

Jeez! Mom can be so annoying. I always end up adding weight when I visit her so I had to make a resolve to stop eating her meals. It breaks her heart but, my weight is more important to keep in check. Oh Lord, make this holiday worth this stress and sacrifice of my time.

............................


Noon

So, fifteen minutes turned into thirty minutes extra, added to the one hour I had already spent on the road. I was fagged out by the time I got to the gate of the compound. I cringed when I heard screams and loud footsteps bounding down the stairs towards me. Oh no! they're here. My younger sister's kids; two boys and a girl. Tinu had married early and at the age of thirty, she still looked beautiful. I leaned on my car to keep myself from falling as the kids jumped on me. They're so adorable but they looked dirty and I had to gently push them off before they stained my white boubou gown. Tinu who stood aside was looking at us with a funny smile on her face cos she understood my dislike for dirty kids. We hugged after I had successfully untangled myself from the strong hold of the giggling kids.

"Sister mi, you look amazing as ever" Tinu said with obvious envy

I smiled fondly at her and said "For a mother of three, I must say that you look healthy"

"Oh please, don't flatter me. I've told Darey that if I find his thing in me again, I'll kill him."

That cracked me up cos I knew she was joking. Her and her husband were a pair  and I'm sure he'll be joing us soon. We all went inside and the moment Mom heard my voice, she rushed out of the kitchen and was all over me, checking my vitals, from the tip of my hair to the soles of my feet. I had to struggle not to continue rolling my eyes. Before I knew it, she was leading me to the dinning table to eat from what looked like a buffet. There was the legendary Efo riro, semo, amala, assorted meats in stew, catfish pepper soup, ewedu soup, and of course, a small portion of my veggies diced on a platter. I was baffled and as I turned to look at Mom in amazement, she shrugged before turning to call Bayo to take my bags to my room. Bayo, a distant relative of ours has been staying with Mom for ten years now since Dad died and I pay for his education just like I pay for everything that concerns Mom. I turned to leave as well but Mom stopped me and asked,

''Ah han! se oni jehun ni Lola?" (won't you eat Lola?)

"Ejor Mami, mo fe lo wena. Ese Ma"  (Please Mom, I want to shower first) with that, I hurried to my room before we argued about it.

..........................

Evening

I had fallen into a deep sleep after having my bath and when I checked my phone, I saw ten missed calls from Jeff. That pissed me off. Sometimes, he behaved exactly like my Mom, too intrusive for my liking. I wonder how we've been together for five years. I should have dumped his sorry ass long ago but, he fits the role perfectly. He's 38, handsome, successful and responds whenever I want him. Exactly what I want in a man. I dropped the phone on the bed to go back to sleep but it started ringing again. I picked it up angrily and shouted,

"What is it Jeff?! You've called ten times already!"
"Hey Lolly, I'm glad you're alright. I was worried sick" he sounded relieved
"And why were you worried?"
"Well, cos this is the first time this year you're visiting your Mom so I was worried you wouldn't remember the route anymore and might end up getting lost"
"Seriously Jeff? You know what, don't call me, I'll call you when I want. And don't even think about coming here either. I've got to go now. Bye"
"Hey, hey, hey! hold it babe" he sounded soft now for a tough man with a domineering height like him and it always pissed me off whenever he got that way.
"What?!" I asked impatiently
"I miss you already"
"Noted. Now bye Jeff. Later" I hung up

Dear Jeff, I wonder how I put up with him. He's always fussing and it's irritating. Yes, he cares about me and wants us to do things together most of the time but time is what I don't have for all of that mushy crap. Imagine him wanting to come to Mom's with me. Ugh! What a man!

I tiptoed to the door to listen for any sound but there was none. I quietly opened my door and went to the dinning. The table was empty thankfully. Mom must be mad at me already for not eating at all. It was late already and even if I ate, she would conclude that I didn't so, I sneakily went back to my room to prepare myself for day two. Who knows what drama awaits to unfold tomorrow? Right now, all I want to do is sleep again.

BURNT (EPISODE 16)

Coming back to Nigeria was sort of huge relief for Mila. No doubt; she had had fun and enjoyed being spoilt by the first class hospitality of the Cokers especially from Simi and Bode but somehow, she longed for Lagos. She longed for her job as well for in her job, she found solace. If she threw herself into it's intensity, she might succeed in getting her mind away from all of these plaguing thoughts about Tunji. She still hadn't read or even replied his messages. She still wasn't ready to. She already knew what he would say.

He would say that he was sorry for hurting her. His apology would not be for not telling her that he was married, it would be for getting caught in the act of being deeply in love with his wife. He would be explaining himself from so many angles but it would all still bore down to one thing; he was married. And, there was no point in listening to whatever he had to say cos it wouldn't lead anywhere. It wasn't like he would leave his wife for her and the good Lord knows that that wasn't what she wanted. No way! She wasn't a home breaker and has never planned to be one. What happened with Nathan was a mistake but with Tunji, it was complete naivete and stupidity on her on part.

How naive could one be at the age of 25? Why didn't she ask Tunji the right questions? He was a 36 year old CEO with everything any human could ask for to live a comfortable life. Why did she ever think that he wouldn't have a girlfriend, fiancee or wife somewhere? "Oh Mila, you got served" Mila pinched herself for the hundredth time. She looked out the window of the aircraft, enjoying the beautiful display of the clouds gathered together as if acknowledging her return home. She looked down just as the pilot was announcing that the plane would land in fifteen minutes. Mila shuddered with dread at what lay in store for her. She tried reciting her new year resolution; something she never took serious. She shut her eyes and chanted it like a mantra over and over again as the plane took it's descent, "get over Tunji Jacobs and move on". 

.......................

She arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, at about 5 pm Monday evening. The airport was crowded as throngs of people kept moving at a fast pace to either book a flight or catch their flight. It was the perfect scene of an organized chaos. Mila understood this; it was the Lagos style. Even when there's no rush, people just find themselves rushing naturally. "My Lagos, I have missed you" Mila mused to herself as she checked out her luggage and headed towards the parking lot.

She had called her mom before leaving London to inform her of her coming home so she hoped the usual Lagos traffic would be merciful enough to allow her get home early. Thankfully, she found a cab. She turned on her phone and scrolled through her social media apps. There wasn't anything serious going on save for the New Year festivities still ongoing. Then she moved on to her Whatsapp messages and replied Simi's, Bode's and some other people's messages, most of them New Year's wishes for her. She still had about fifty messages from Tunji she hadn't read.  "What's the worse that could happen if I read his messages?" she thought to herself. She took a deep breath before opening Tunji's chat and it said;

Dec. 15, 2015

Mila, I can explain
What you saw isn't what you think
Please, just take my calls

Mila, I'm so sorry, I never ever meant to hurt you

Please take my calls

I heard you collapsed. Please, I want to see you.
I need to see you Mila
I need to know you weren't hurt

I'm outside your house right now and the gate is locked. 
Please let me in.

I'm still here Mila. I'm not leaving anytime soon. (1:00 am)

Mila, I'm sorry.
Atleast, allow me in.
I have to see you and be sure that you're alright.


Mila...
It's 2: 00 am now. Please, take my calls

Dec. 16, 2015

Hey Sunshine, I hope you're well. 
May I come see you today?

Please, let's meet. 
I have a lot to tell you

Mila, please talk to me

I know what I did was horrible, but at least give me a chance to explain myself

I need to talk to you Mila

She paused as she felt the tears stinging her eyes then she read on. They were many so she quickly scrolled through some then she slowed down on the rest.

Dec. 25, 2015

Merry Christmas Mila.
I was at your place yesterday and your Mom told me you traveled with Simi 

Where are you?

Dec. 28, 2015

I'm in London right now Mila. I came with Leo but Simi's refusing to allow me see you.

Mila, who's Bode?
You've refused to talk to me or even see me and now, you've moved on with someone else?
Please, talk to me...

Jan 1, 2016

Mila, I've searched for you in most of the hotels around but none can identify you.
Leo just told me you're at Simi's.
Please send me Simi's address so I can come meet with you or meet me at Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow Hotel.
That's where I'm lodged.

Your silence is killing me Mila
I'm sorry about everything
All I ask for now is to see your face again and make things right with you.

I'm not giving you up for anyone Mila
I'm not letting you go

Jan 4, 2016

I'm at the Heathrow airport. I'm heading back to Nigeria now but I'll wait for you there

I know I messed up Mila but at least, give me a chance to see you and talk to you.

I love you Mila
I'll wait for you.

Mila was crying by the time she finished reading Tunji's chats. She was tearing up with so many emotions at the same time. She was angry, sad, and happy. She was angry that Tunji had come search for her in London and Simi and Bode had refused to allow him see her. They hadn't even told her that he was around, she was so pissed. But, she won't blame them cos they were only trying to help her through her healing process. She understood what they had done. She was sad that she had put Tunji through so much stress. No matter what he had done, she still loved him and didn't wish to make him feel just as miserable as she felt. She was happy because, he had gone out of his way to go search for her in London. He had mentioned that he loved her and would wait for her but was she ready to see him yet? She wasn't sure of anything anymore but she'd take her chances.

She clicked on Tunji's profile and dialed his number. He picked on the first ring.

..........................

"Where are you?" she asked without the usual curtsy

"At home. I need to see you Mila" Tunji said sounding weak

Mila melted at the sound of his voice. She exhaled slowly before saying,

"I'm on my way home from the airport now. Pick me up by 8 pm" then she hung up.

She would hear whatever he had to say when they saw each other.For now, she needed to strengthen her defenses against any impending distractions to their conversation.

She closed her eyes again and continued chanting her New Year's resolution;

"get over Tunji Jacobs and move on". 

8 SOCIAL STRUGGLES OF BEING A SINGLE FEMALE IN LAGOS.

So, I think I was about 11 years old before I fully realized that I was FEMALE. My naivete knew no bounds and try as my family might to educate me about that fact, I was just too much of a free soul reveling in the fun of just existing without the burdens of understanding my gender. I didn't grow my hair while growing up; I was on a low cut till after secondary school. I wasn't really a tom boy but I just didn't wear much skirts, I never did makeup until my sister's wedding in 2013 after which I never did anymore until late 2014. I was in the university when I started noticing the mannerisms of most of the girls on campus. Not like I was too special or different but I noticed that I was almost acting like a guy, completely different from how the other girls would act.

For instance, the way I walked then was deemed manly cos I walked fast, I carried my weaves for at least one month before removing it unlike other girls who would hurry to have theirs changed after a week or two. I never tweezed my brows cos I just didn't care while most girls made it a point of duty to trim theirs every week. I found a guy's unnecessary flirting with me irritating and for that, I was labelled a "Lebanese" if you know what I mean. lol. I had 4 jean trousers which I wore with many tops while my roommates thought I was weird as they had so many trousers and skirts to change into at different times of the day. I was really ebony dark in complexion and I loved it that way but most of the girls then started buying goat milk for bath wash so that they could whiten up.

The list is endless.

I've adjusted a bit to the role of being female however, the struggles are real more especially because, society has always had this expectation of us to be in a certain kind of way and we have unconsciously bought into that role and even gone ahead to create more higher expectations for ourselves. And since returning to Lagos since schooling and serving elsewhere, I've observed so many more struggles. How stressful can it get? Well, before I start sounding like a radical feminist, here are 8 out of the numerous social struggles of being a single female in Lagos.

• You're expected to always smile, be nice, be cheerful, never pick offence but just smile. 

Seriously though, must it always be so? What if I just want to wear my poker face and not worry about who's looking? What if I'm not in the mood to be cheerful cos it could be quite exhausting sometimes? and what if I'm sick and tired of being nice all the time cos a lot of people have taken my niceness for stupidity and gotten away with it.  What if a guy spanks my behind in public? If I react, people'll be like, " Wooo, she's got a temper". If I don't react but just smile at the guy they go like, "she's a cheap one". Really?! 

• Slay all the time. 

Thanks to social media, we keep getting the same impression everyday that we have to slay with our make up and outfit even in the toilet, bathroom, market, gym, spa, closet, kitchen, pool, and all the awkward places in this life. What if I love my face natural and without makeup? what if I love to dress down and feel relaxed in those places without looking too serious like I'm going for a photo shoot? And my sisters on Instagram are not helping matters at all so the pressure to always kit up could burn down your sense of just being you. Jeez!

• To be light complexioned 

The expectation of most single females to be light in complexion hasn't been an easy feat to conquer as everyday, there is an increase in the population of converts from the dark skinned club to the white chicks club. Some call it, "just a little bit of toning to make me glow" and then, before you know it, the process begins from toning to looking like a burnt plantain and then the full blown whiteness. Although, there's a slang on Instagram called  "Melanin" that tries to promote dark skinned girls but the reality of it is that, when you go out to the hot spots in Lagos at any time, the percentage of light skinned girls supersedes that of dark skinned girls and most of the time, the light ones get most of the men's attention. What a life!

• Have at least 3 different human hair weaves or more handy 
  

Apparently, everyone knows it as a fact that most single females in Lagos have human hair weaves and the rich display of it all is seen at gatherings. Gone are those days when as a single female, you can comfortably and confidently rock your shuku/ Ghana weaving to a top notch event and be admired by almost everyone on how cultured you look. Now, it's the other way round. Even those who claim to be doing the natural hair thingy too find themselves wearing a human hair wig for an event. 

What if I'm tired of spending too much on other human's hair to look good, does it really reduce my wife material from a million yards to nothing? ugh!

• Live on the Island 

As a single female in Lagos, this one particularly is major. Gosh! you've got no idea. Every hustling guy or babe expects you to live at Lekki (note, there's  a HUGE difference between Lekki phase 1 and lekki. Those who know knows), VI or Oniru. Surulere can be considered if you have a car. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a tenant paying rent or  a squatter patching up with friends, just live on the Island and you'll earn some level of attention. Most girls will attest to this fact. I once visited a male friend with a female friend of mine and we met his relatives at home. Then one of them started a conversation with us in this manner;

Him: (to my friend) where do you live?

My Friend:  Lekki phase 1 

Him: (to me) do you also live here at Lekki phase 1?

Me: no. I live on the Mainland

Him: ( swiftly changes focus to my friend) so, which street is it?

And thus, the conversation continued in that light about Lekki for a while before the topic changed to a general one. I was shook. lol. I thought, " Uncle, you don't even know Mainland!". Well, I wasn't bothered as long as I have a roof over my head and my laptop to write.

• To use an Iphone 

I don't know how I notice these things but I do and I think it's because I'm a writer so I tend to observe a lot. This is so true cos I actually did an opinion poll with friends and they confirmed it. In this regard, even the Samsung Galaxy S8 doesn't stand a chance of being regarded as a high budget gadget. How sad. Some of the ladies I questioned lamented almost the same thing;

"Babe, that money for Iphone 6s or 7s would really go a long way in supporting my career but I just need to have it for packaging. Babes need to belong too now."

See what I mean?

• Know someone who knows someone.

This one happens a lot at hang outs. As a single female in Lagos, you are expected to know at least someone that knows anyone in a high position. If you don't know anyone, then what the hell are you doing being single in Lagos? I've hung out with some friends a couple of times before and usually, it amazes me when I realize that I'm probably the only person at the table who doesn't know the owner of the place or the cute sophisticated looking male or high class babe that walked in. See job of knowing! Not like it's wrong to know people but this one is serious. Sisters, you gotta know someone so that your journey to the alter will be quicker. lol

• "Asides Uber and Taxify, always have a cab man's number handy". 
  

A friend once asked me how I was getting home after work and I answered that I was taking my usual route where I would board a public bus. She looked surprised and started a lecture on the need for me to have the Uber and Taxify apps on my phone. She told me that from the office to my home, they'll simply charge me #2000. She went ahead to explain that, I should also have a cab man's number on my phone to always be available should any of those taxi companies mess up. According to her, it only cost her #150,000 on transportation for a month and more so, it maintains her standard as a high class single babe living on the Island. I thanked her for her advice and then started my calculations.

So, at that time, my salary wasn't up to #200,000. I calculated 2000 by 30 days and I came up with 60,000. Then I calculated my office feeding expenses for the month, excluding feeding at home  and it ran into 15,000 . At the end of it all, I wasn't left with much to cater for other miscellaneous expenses not to talk of saving.  I decided that for that time being, public transport was okay for me except on occasions where I have to go out to events or hang out with friends. Biko, I cannot come and die.

Sisters; truth is, it could be really tough keeping up this standard and then you might end up finding yourself in unnecessary competition with yourself, thereby neglecting your priorities (that's if they're really important to you). My way of handling these struggles; I just do me and of course maintain my dark complexion.

There're still so many other struggles but I'll leave you all to comment on them below in the comments section.  Guys!, what are your own struggles? Feel free to also share your experiences too.

Cheers!

BURNT (EPISODE 3)

Mila was amazed at the numbers and brands of cars she saw all lined up from the beginning of Akin Adesola street to the spot they finally parked. She saw a red Ferrari parked discreetly at a corner, there was also a wine colored Porsche car parked neatly somewhere. Although, she didn't know what model it was, but she could see the name "Porsche"" clearly written on it's sleek behind. Another thing that shocked her the most was the fact that, there were so many G-Wagon cars parked neatly and arranged as if set for a convoy. And then, varieties of car brands that she had no knowledge of but they looked so new and expensive and black like all the owners had planned a show of black sophistication that evening. 

She got out of the car and stood looking across the road to see more cars and a simple gate with beautiful details and at least four mean looking "bouncers" inspecting people before they were allowed access into the place.

"What is this place?" she thought out loud

Simi who was adjusting her skirt and her hair  as well as surveying the entire environment answered with a satisfied smile and nod of of approval.

"This my friend, is ZENBAH the hub of all the freshest and wealthiest professionals in Lagos" 

"Professionals?" Mila couldn't believe it. How could Professionals pull off this show of wealth and sophistication all in one night?

"I tell you dear. We might even run into Mr. Duke here"

Mila was taken aback "Oh no! What would he think?"

"Haba? Can't somebody have fun again? Abeg come, let's go in and please, walk with class else, they'll think you're cheap"

Mila didn't understand what that meant so she asked "And why should I try so hard to not look cheap?"

"Wait until you see the class of girls we'll meet inside and by the way, they only allow babes with tush dudes access but don't worry, I've got you covered"

They were allowed in after Simi had had a brief chat with the "bouncers" and true to her words , ZENBAH wasn't a baby's playroom. The energy in the room was thick with smoke from the shisha smokers, cool foreign hip hop music, coded dance moves that looked like nobody was dancing while in fact they were, light conversations that sent people's heads rolling back with heavy laughter, the bright red and nude lipsticks gracing the perfectly shaped lips of the ladies Snap Chatting and the rich scent of the perfumes that oozed from the sharply tailored suits hugging and revealing the tight muscles ( some of the men looked soft though) of the men they walked past. Everyone looked so sophisticated and they looked like they had come directly from the office to breathe even if it meant breathing in the thick aroma clouding the atmosphere from the shisha pots.  Most people knew most people. It was a small community of friends, associates and believers of  "all work and no play, makes me a dullard". 

Simi was in her elements. She had hugged and greeted five people already and each time, she introduced Mila who smiled politely but couldn't pretend to be as excited as she was still too dazed by the entire scene of glamour displayed before her eyes. They found their way to a table without chairs but with three men; one being Simi's date as she put it and so they had to stand whilst exchanging pleasantries. Simi and Chris, her date excused themselves to go get their drinks while Mila stood, feeding her eyes and wondering if she was going to die standing in her heels that evening. She tried engaging in the conversation ongoing between the other men about football. God knows she hated that sport with a passion so she feigned interest and smiled when she should but she couldn't help moving her head to the familiar sound of Ja Rule and Ashanti's "Always on Time".  She loved that song.

Simi and Chris returned with their drinks in what looked like an  angry Zuma beer mug but  the details of the sculpting perfectly enhanced the features of the Zuma monster on the mug making it's tightly shut eyes and clenched fists look so cute. They cheered to the evening and Mila lifted the mug and took a long swing of the drink for she had become thirsty. It sent sparks down her spine and she had to close her eyes to savor the bitter sweet taste. 

"You like?" Simi who had been watching her all along to see her reaction asked

"Yeah! this is really good!" Mila exclaimed "It's like rockets shooting through my veins" she continued feeling excited all of a sudden

"I knew you'd like it" Simi responded with the same fervor.

They were both now swaying to the music and taking turns to sing each line like it was karaoke then Simi suddenly stopped and was staring at someone on the other side of the room. Mila couldn't see who it was but she could tell from the way the person stood that it was a man. She looked back at Simi and asked,

"Someone you know?"

"Yeah. I've been looking for that dude's contact like forever after I misplaced my old phone and now, there he is with his friends and here I am and I can't seem to go get it"  she finished and turned away from staring.  

Mila took a closer look at the person she was refering to and realized that the dude was really a fine man wearing transparent glasses. 

"But why can't you go and get it?" Mila asked looking puzzled

"Well, Chris will be pissed cos he actually invited me here and I wouldn't want to seem ungrateful" she replied trying to keep her voice low above the loud music.

"What's his name" Mila asked

"Leo" Simi answered and then turned her attention back to Chris who was now beside her to dance.

Mila thought of what could possibly happen if she tried being the hero of the evening to rescue Simi from her plight and decided that nothing could go wrong. She scanned the area where the said gentleman was with his friends and and noticed that he had left but there was a lady and another man there. Then she shocked herself by walking up to them. She didn't know why but she was shivering as she moved. She felt self conscious about what she was wearing and tried walking more gracefully in her Lemon colored chiffon shirt dress that stopped just above her knees. Even if the dress was buttoned up to her neck like a bishop's collar, she still felt cold and tried to walk straight in her black heels.

She got to the spot and gently tapped Leo's friend on shoulder saying "Excuse me''

He turned around and looked at her with a slight frown of curiosity on his forehead, waiting for her to talk. Mila on the other hand couldn't talk. She stood there looking and almost forgetting her reason for calling his attention.

"Yes?" He asked politely with a glass of Hennessy drink in his well manicured hand

Mila wasn't talking. She was looking at something else. Something else that really did subtly call for her attention and she gladly gave it all the attention it was beguiling her to give.