Pelummi would be here at any moment. I need to hurry. I checked the tons of outfits lying carelessly on the bed, wondering which one would serve its purpose judiciously this hot afternoon. I flung the camisole aside impatiently. The scorching heat this afternoon would peel off my skin if I ever wore this, plus it would never make a good fashion statement for the runs I'm about to do.
Contrary to popular opinion, a prostitute got more leverage in the afternoon. Some men were not nocturnal creatures. They preferred to move during the day. It was only the smartest of us who made good with such opportunities. And I was smart.
A sparkly blue dress caught my eyes. Is this not my bumper gown that always knocked men off when I wore it? I grabbed it from its hidden spot underneath my grey sweatshirt. I was right. This was it.
Pelummi would be here at any moment. I need to hurry. I checked the tons of outfits lying carelessly on the bed, wondering which one would serve its purpose judiciously this hot afternoon. I flung the camisole aside impatiently. The scorching heat this afternoon would peel off my skin if I ever wore this, plus it would never make a good fashion statement for the runs I'm about to do. Contrary to popular opinion, a prostitute got more leverage in the afternoon. Some men were not nocturnal creatures. They preferred to move during the day. It was only the smartest of us who made good with such opportunities. And I was smart. A sparkly blue dress caught my eyes. Is this not my bumper gown that always knocked men off when I wore it? I grabbed it from its hidden spot underneath my grey sweatshirt. I was right. This was it.
I stared at the wall that enclosed I and Ade in this room, away from prying eyes and ears, my mind going awol. I had arrived at this hotel fifteen minutes ago, but I was still feeling woozy and so worried. I was worried about leaving my baby, Success at the pub. I honestly hope, Pelummi has left that place. Should I call her?"Babe, I'm hungry for you." Ade's voice was dangerously close to my ear, jolting me upright. His hands caressed my arms roughly. "You've been staring at this wall. How can I be like CR7, if you're like this." He whined.I rolled my eyes. "A little wait won't hurt." I teased.In one slight movement, I pushed him on the bed, then climbed up on him. His hand grabbed my bare butt greedily. I stilled myself in other not to show how cringe this whole thing was. Ye
Three weeks passed without much event. I was getting antsy every passing minute. I wasn't used to waiting around for something to happen. Though, there was nothing I could do in this case. I just needed to pull all my resources into moving out of this house. Though, so far, it has proven abortive. My resources were falling short at every turn. Although, I loved staying with my baby, I wasn't oblivious to the fact that my business has suffered as a result. I wasn't making as much money as I used to before Success was born. I don't want to think this way, but I can't help it. There was so much to do. The fees were cutthroats. It was my fear that moving out of here wouldn't be easy, and it was slowly turning into a reality. I let my eyes rove the expanse of the compound, as I took a drag from the cancer stick. Why was it that only Jumoke could enjoy all these with peace of mind, and we, taking the brunt of the work gets showered with peanuts? It's not fair at all.
I grabbed a wad of cash from my drawer, then pushed it into my purse. This money should be ok. If they wanted more, I will have to stall for more time. I hope my ill luck stays far from me today. I don’t want anything to go wrong. A quick glance at the wall clock heightened my anxiety. It was 3:20 pm. I better hurry. I walked quickly to my wardrobe and brought out the first cloth I touched. This will have to do. It was a floral mid-length gown that I always wore when I wanted to be respectable. Thank God, I bought it at the thrift shop that time. It always got the work done. I had a quick change and grabbed my purse from the bed, heading back to Jumoke. We need to leave early so that we can see things clearly. Darkness sometimes played a trick with decisions. Who else would know this, other than me? “Let’s go,” I said, immediately I stepped out of the house. Pelummi looked up from her phone. “You’re qui
After taking so many wrong turns, we finally arrived at the location. The street was filled with bumps, and I found myself holding onto Antonio’s hands at intervals to stabilise myself. It was slightly discomfiting but weirdly intimate at the same time. It was difficult to concentrate on why I was here. The closeness with Antonio made it difficult to achieve and even his dry jokes was another issue. Forcing myself to look away from him to my immediate surroundings, I was appalled by the sight in front of me. The houses were shabby looking and so out of tune with the lifestyle, I led at the moment. Is this where Pelummi had brought me to, with all the hype and pump? I doubted it. I turned my head to the backseat, watching as Pelummi cleaned the drool on the sides of Success’s lips using a pink napkin. Why do I have the feeling she’s avoiding my eyes? “Are you sure we’re at the right location, Pelummi?” I asked tentatively. “I’m sure, Ada,” Pelummi assured me w
“I don’t mean to get ahead of myself, but I can see you’ve truly approved of this place. I would love to pay all fees incurred.” Antonio said softly, looking directly into my eyes.I was momentarily stunned by his request. He looked so earnest as he implored me with his facial expressions to say yes. Though, I wanted to, I mean, it would get some of the stress off my shoulders, I couldn’t do it. I didn’t want him to think I was stringing him along for benefits. It’s a weird feeling to have as I did that weekly, but I still couldn’t do it.“I appreciate the offer, but I’m sorry I can’t accept it.”“What?” Pelummi practically shouted in disbelief.Why does she have to show her greed at every point? Couldn’t she hide her greed for a moment? It was becoming annoying and I might stop stringing her along when I’m out w
Jumoke had called me late at night to inform me of her rash decision to drive Adanna out of the house. I was beyond pissed. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t because I gave a hoot about Adanna and her feelings,but the fact my business would suffer as a result.She was one of the most sort after girls in the trade. I hadn’t been wrong to support Jumi when she’d brought her in. It was one of the best decisions we’d made. It is true that Jumoke wasn’t my slaveanymore, and we were almost equals, though, she still had a long way to go to measure up to me. Yet, we oftentimes shared contracts. I signed some of her girls to my top clients, and in turn, I sharedthe money between us. It was how it worked.Right now, I hoped to remind Jumoke that this girl has been a great source of income to us. The other girls tried, but they couldn’t measure up. There was something about her youth, that turnedmen on. I’m pretty sure th
We arrived at the street. It was as busy as it had been yesterday. I had a feeling that schools were on holiday. That was the only explanation I could conceive of children loitering around so early in the morning. I don’t know much about schools like I’d used to, because I don’t like to think about what I’d lost. It never solved anything.I stepped out of the taxi with Success in my arms, feeling a sigh on my heart. It was easier to look at things now without feeling any external pressure. I would be living here, in this fierce environment. Now, that I was here, I knew I couldn’t call it ghetto. There were worse places than here. Yet, it had this offbeat feel to it. It was the type of place that everyone knew everyone. Nothing escaped their eyes. This was quite evident in the way some people looked at me coyly, and others openly as I looked around. “Madam, where do I keep your bags?” The driver’s voice pulled me