Chapter 7

Monday's at work has always been hectic.

From checking out guests to attending staffs meetings and to checking in new guests.

But this monday, I didnt bother about the stress at all, I was happy to be busy just so I won't have to deliberate on my call with Sandra.

'Why will her Husband even say such a thing' I still pondered.

As I carried on with my activities, a guest walked in to my desk.

'We need a room please' The girl in front said.

'Good afternoon ma' Welcome to Emerald Hotel'

'What kind of room do you want'? I smiled.

There were three girls.

'We want a standard room' The same girl answered.

'Okay ma' I said as I began typing in on my computer.

'I know you!' one of the girls shouted as she came closely to me.

On hearing that, I stopped typing and looked at them.

'I know you, she said again.

'You are that corper that slept with someone's baby daddy' last year, she laughed.

'While I was mute and shocked, the other girls started laughing'

'All these Hotel workers' naso them dey do. The first girl said.

'See her like better person' The last girl broke her silence.

'I felt goosebumps all over me, I couldn't say a word, I just went on with registering their details and handed a room key to them'

As they walked away laughing

I trembled.

Cherry heard everything and she too burst into laughter.

'Madam Lisa' You too'? I thought it was wrong to date 2 guys o, but sleeping with someone's baby daddy is even worst, atleast na 2 I get, I no dey take person o. she said amused.

Cherry once had a chaotic experience on Valentine's day, when her 2 boyfriends showed up at the same time to surprise her.

Her giggles and words was like her revenge on me for Laughing at her that day.

'The words soon spread like wildfire among the other staffs, and for the rest of the day, everyone looked at me amused'

I could never had expected this to happen.

'After my break up with Emma, I was transferred to a private school in another community' I stayed in the corper's lodge where I met Jide.

I had decided to move on with my life and forget all that had happened to me when I became friends with Jide.

Jide was also a corper in the school, while I shared a room with two girls, Favour and Precious.

Jide had his own room, he was the only male corper.

We were both 28years old and we were the oldest corpers.

I had thought, 2023, was my life changing year. Living as a corper in a new enviromnent was the first step to moving on from all the sad experiences I had.

As, we got really close, I would spend most nights at Jide's room.

Jide has told me he had a two years old son that lived with his parents.

'What about the girl that gave birth to him for you' I had asked him.

'We went our seperate ways when he clocked One, and the boy has been living with my parents since then' was his reply and I believed him.

Soon, things got really fast and deep between us, I was not only spending nights in his room but had also started staying in his room.

We were already dating, it was 4 months already, he had promised to even start up his life in Delta State after our service and for me it was a lovely decision.

While Emma had influenced my Service, making me a Deltan serving in Delta State, Jide was from Ogun state and was posted to Delta State. I had heard from Chika that Blessing was Posted to the North. serves her right was my response.

I didnt blamed Chika for my break up with Emma though it really pained me, but I never paid her a visit cause I hated her husband.

'I will look for a good job here, and we will plan our lives together' Jide assured me.

On our sixth month together, on Jide's birthday.

We heard a car drove into the corper's lodge.

Thinking that it could be one of either Favour or Precious boyfriend's I rested my head comfortably on Jide's chest, it was sunday and we were all in the lodge.

Jide!!! Baba Ade!! came a knock on Jide's door.

Jide!! jumped up immediately.

He was restless.

What is it? I asked.

Before Jide could say a word, we heard a push and the door opened.

It was a girl, dressed as a typical yoruba. In a native attire.

'Who is she?' I asked, standing to my feet.

'who are you' she fired back as she made her way to me.

'Daddy' a little boy called out trying to get into the room.

'My eyes widened'

Who are you? She asked again, but this time her hands were already on my clothes.

'Stop it o' Jide pleaded, as he tried to take her hands off me.

'Who is she Jide'? I asked as I struggled with her.

'She is my baby mama' Jide answered.

'I be him wife' Na me born this boy, she pointed at the two years old that looked exactly like Jide

'We go marry if he finish service' she added.

'Tears flowed freely from my eyes'

I pushed both of them and ran out.

'What happened? Favour and Blessing asked as I rushed in.

'I couldn't say anything'

I started arranging some clothes into my travelling bag.

There was no way I could stay in the lodge, perhaps I should go away for some days. I thought.

As I got to my father's house that day, I was still in shock.

'How could Jide lie to me?' I cried bitterly.

I stayed at home for two weeks before I returned back to my ppa.

Jide never said a word to me, he was probably ashamed.

His baby mama too refused to travel back, she and their son resulted to living with him in the room.

Favour and Precious later heard what happened.

'Men are scum' 'This is why I hate to date corpers, they would use you to cure their sexual urges and return to where they came from' They said.

It was odd at first, many times Jide's baby mama would rain curses at me, call me different sort of names.

As she resulted to living with him till he was done, she started making hair for people, and would gist them about what transpired between me and Jide.

The first time I heard her gossiping about me to a customer, I shouted at them and it turned into a quarrel. this happened continously till I reported to the school authorities.

'The lodge is for corpers, not for your family and friends' the principal said to Jide.

'Please ask your wife to leave and end this whole drama' he added.

'You are a smart woman, Corper Lisa, you should known better than to be having an affair with your fellow corper knowing he has a family back home' was the principals words to me.

'I felt ashamed, but it was a huge relief that Jide's baby mama would finally leave'

On the day they were to travel back, Jide's baby mama came to knock on our door.

We were preparing to go for our monthly Clearance that morning.

'You don report us abi, them don pursue us, you dey happy abi? she shouted

It was Favour who went out to answer her.

'Abeg carry your noise dey go'.

'All of ona na ashavwo' she clapped her hands at Favour.

It was after she and their son had travelled back that Jide finally came to apologize to me.

'Please get out! I hissed.

Till we were done with our service, none of us ever spoke a word to the other.

'Just maybe this girl was one of the customers that Jide's baby mama had.

'That moment, I hated my decision of starting up my life at Oku town after my service.

'I should have returned home' I should have moved to a new place' I cried.