GUY, YOU WANT TO MARRY?

Bisi Coker shook her head. Seun and Fola were at it again. They played and fought in equal proportion just like children.

Seun was her sweet cousin of whom she was fond of while Fola was a corps member serving at Sunrise, a publishing firm where Seun and her were members of staff.

It was Bisi’s birthday and Fola the ‘olowo sibi’ made the vegetable soup, Basmati rice and cake for her guests. She was also going to make-up the birthday celebrant as well. Who said being nice to people didn’t pay off? She was nice to Fola so she enjoyed the wonderful priviledges.

She never really understood what existed between Seun and Fola. Seun was in a relationship and the wedding was coming up in a few months time but he liked Fola. In his own words, she ‘cured some of his craze’.

As she dressed up, she wondered what was going on. Fola would laugh briefly and later it would turn into screams. She quickly got into the beautiful yellow silk gown she bought for the purpose of her birthday because the contrast on her chocolate skin made her colour pop. Stepping into her slippers she dashed into the living room.

Read: HUSBAND PALAVA.

“Ahhhhhh” Fola screamed “Seun, my leg o”

“Seun leave her this instant. Even if you will kill her it shouldn’t be in my house. Oya oya fi le jo” (leave her alone)  

“Agbaya” shouted Fola as she was trying to laugh and catch her breath at the same time. “Ntorr” she said as she pulled down the flesh on her cheeks with her index fingers in such a way that the inner part of her lower eyelids show. Ntorr was a way of making fun of someone. She laughed again as he wanted to charge at her but she dodged behind Bisi.

“Sister Bisi wherever on earth did you get this cousin of yours, he’s a bully” said a happy-still-ready-to-play Fola.

“I would shut up that wild mouth of yours” said an equally eager Seun.

“Both of you should save your strength. Madam oya its make-up time lets go inside.” She practically had to drag Fola inside. Fola could be playful but it had never been to this extent. Knowing how erratic Fola was, she knew Fola had something up her sleeves. 

As she applied make-up on Bisi’s face, she kept throwing light darts of words at him and Seun was silly enough to let it stick. 

He walked past them and Fola stepped on his feet. He shouted and she said “Didn’t you see, or did you put chewing gum between your eyelids? He got a little upset and shook her vigorously while she screamed “O ti pa mi o (he has killed me). Bisi came to her rescue and begged Seun to leave her alone. 

When he went to the toilet, she sang him a mock song of how troubled and scattered his tummy was.  She told him he was to get scrubbing brush and bleach to wash it out so he wouldn’t affect his kids and generation. 

Bisi continued to laugh but she noticed it was affecting Seun. He came out and she told him he stank and she was sorry for his generation. 

Thank God for Bisi who pleaded with him as she looked at Fola and shook her head. The girl was just in a mood for trouble. It was funny to think that people at work who didn't know her felt Fola was an introvert who didn’t talk.

Fola continued to laugh and Bisi wondered what had come over her. While she was still thinking, her phone rang. Her friends from work were around and she needed to bring them in. She gave up asking Seun to bring them into the house as he was only focused on Fola. 

As she ushered them into the compound with Charles leading the way, they were welcomed with Fola’s scream as she jumped on Charles and pushed him in front of Seun while she hid behind him to catch her breath.

Charles and the others who came from the office were surprised to find out Fola was playing that way. She kept throwing darts at an irritated Seun who couldn’t take the heat. When he ate she said he ate like a lizard because he made noise with his mouth as he was chewing and he poured his cold juice into her dress. The drama served as entertainment for Bisi’s guests.

After 20 minutes of non-stop drama, darts of words, beating and screams. Charles dragged Fola to the seat opposite him to ask her what was going on.

“Fola, I’ve never seen you like this before” he said “what happened to your arm?” he asked pointing at her peeled elbow.

“Don’t mind that evil genius, when you see him at work in suit, you’ll think he’s the firstborn of Angel Gabriel meanwhile, he’s the devil’s...”

She hadn’t finished the sentence when Seun grabbed her from behind. He pinned her to the ground and twisted her left hand while asking her if she would ever say that again. She screamed out shouting “I’ll never say that again in my life, Seun please”. 

As soon as he released her, she was about to start shouting when Charles dragged her off and asked her what her game was. Trust Bisi, she supported him, telling him to ask her.

“I’m doing it for his own good o,” she said

“And I’ll hammer you into shape for your own good as well.” He replied

“This is what I mean” she explained “Seun is getting married in 3 months yet he doesn’t know he has anger issues, if I just said it without this display, he wouldn’t believe me. You’re a Christian right, so if you’re acting this way how do you deal with a woman with love just ‘as’ Christ did? Do you know what it even means to be patient? 

Sebi you are married Charles, doesn’t your wife do more than this? You still have a lot to learn o.”

A deep silence fell into the room as she walked out of the flat.

Photo credit: organsmicchef.com