Emelda tasted her microphone, it wasn’t working well. She said some words into it again, it wasn’t sounding perfectly. There must be a technical glitch somewhere, she said. She stepped into the other department, looking for the technician. She didn’t have time and needed to fix everything as quickly as possible. They had been postponing the programme. Every time it was near, something sudden would happen and it would be truncated. Today was the mic and unfortunately, it was all three in the studio that were having this fault. She was full of nerves, watching as the technician worked on it. She needed to calm down, to think, so she sat beside and slipped into pensiveness. What excuse would she announce to her audience today? And she wouldn’t bear it any longer because she would be having a guest today… who was on his way. What would she tell him? That the mics were having some problems and they couldn’t fix them until there was no time and the programme was cancelled? What a silly

Emelda told him that the business he was managing should be making more profit than they were recording, having studied Business Administration abroad. She hadn’t finished talking to him about where the problem had sprouted from when she looked up and saw sad lines all over his face. He had endured it till this moment…enough of her waffle. She wasn’t going to listen to her empty business nuggets. What did she know about business? “I have heard you. I will make effort to improve. Love you,” he said in a subdued tone. He didn’t quite have the energy to impress her with his business knowledge. “Prof called,” Emelda said. “What about him?” “He seriously asked where this relationship was headed.” “Fuck him. After all that he did to you” “He did nothing, Don” “But he would have” “But he didn’t” “Had you given him the chance to…he would have dipped his dick into…” “Please, don’t want to hear those vulgars” she cut him off mid-sentence. “That is rude, you know” “Prof is an honour

Donald sat with his friend and listened to him with rapt attention.But he paused when he saw a lady sitting beside them, alone. He gave Donald a sign, pointing out that she looked beautiful and he would convince her to join them in a jiffy.Donald didn’t argue with him and said he had mastered how to persuade a girl…that he was the one that taught him. They laughed and made more jokes. “Hi, Pretty. I am Stan”“Ella”“Ella. You look sweet”“Thank you” “Uh. You came alone?”“Yeah”“Can I introduce you to my friend?”“I came alone because I wish to be left alone”“I am invading your privacy?”“You said so”Stan thought of the next thing to say that wouldn’t sound stupid. She looked very smart and one had to choose one’s words with care. “Stan, what can I do for you?” she said after waiting for him to utter his intention. “Many things”“Like?”“Your company,” he smiled. “Did you know why I am here?” she said. “Not at all”“Because I don’t need any company,” she said. “Oh. You don’

Emelda made a new hair and looked very much different. She was walking with unusual confidence. Now and then, she looked at herself from toe to chest as though she was going for a beauty pageant and needed to validate herself before anybody else. She fixed long nails, something she rarely did; was it why she didn’t feel comfortable wearing it? As she walked down the market, she would always look at her nails and feel it didn’t just synch with every other opulent fitting in her body. Ben, Obinna or Donald would be wowed to see her new look and she could imagine them shower her some compliments and she would smile and do inyanga for them. She had done it intentionally, at least to attract more eyeballs on herself. For it was the desire of every woman, most women she would rather say, to look attractive and be able to get attention, men’s attention. This new look, she thought, she overdid it. Even her boss would not recognize her for she looked less simple than she ever did. Deep

Emelda was having a good time with her younger sister when Donald badged in with bunched brow. When he saw her with Favour, he tried to control his temper not to utter anything obnoxious until later.But Emelda was already alarmed. She got up immediately and approached him. Held his hand and asked what was wrong. He said nothing and smiled wryly. Turning back to leave as soon as he had come, he said they would talk later. But on reaching the door, he paused and turned back; Emelda was standing, speechless, staring at him.“Why can’t you admit that you like him?” Donald said finally without intending to. He looked at Favour instead of her as though he was reporting her to the sister. He wanted to see the shock Favour would express in learning that her sister cheated on him.But all Favour saw was someone who would agree that her sister was a cheat and should be punished severely for that. Favour wasn’t moved; he would repeat himself several times and she would still not be shaken.Why