Beautiful Poison (A Nigerian Love Story)

Chapter 19

It’s Complicated

The next morning, Daniel came by at 9 AM, as usual.

He walked in, saw Simi in the kitchen making tea, and raised an eyebrow.

“Morning,” he said.

“Morning,” Simi said, not looking up.

Daniel turned to David. “So. How was Gusto’s?”

David froze. “How do you know about Gusto’s?”

“The neighbour’s wife saw you,” Daniel said. “She said you looked very happy. With a different girl.”

David sat down heavily.

Daniel sat across from him. “You’re a mess, you know that?”

“I know,” David said.

Daniel sighed. “You can’t keep doing this, David. You have Simi here, you have Chidimma calling every week, you have Chandeline 400 kilometers away thinking you’re serious, and now you’re taking Janet to expensive restaurants.”

“I know,” David said again.

“Knowing isn’t fixing,” Daniel said.

David looked at Simi. She was pretending to be busy with the tea.

“I’ll talk to them,” David said.

“When?” Daniel asked.

“Soon,” David said.

Daniel stood up. “Soon is what got you into this mess. Soon is why Chidimma was knocking for thirty minutes. Soon is why Chandeline sounds like she’s about to give up.”

David didn’t reply.

Daniel grabbed his bag. “I’ll be back on Thursday. Try not to burn the house down before then.”

At 1 PM, Chandeline called.

David picked up.

“Happy birthday to me,” she said. Her voice was flat.

“Happy birthday,” David said. “Sorry about yesterday.”

“It’s okay,” Chandeline said. “I get it. You’re busy.”

David swallowed. “Can we talk?”

“About what?” Chandeline asked.

“About us,” David said.

Chandeline was quiet for a long time.

“David,” she said finally. “What do you have to say?”

David opened his mouth. Closed it.

“I don’t know,” he said honestly.

Chandeline exhaled. “Okay. Then let me know when you do.”

She hung up.

Simi heard the whole thing.

She came out of the kitchen with two cups of tea.

“Here,” she said, handing him one.

David took it.

“You’re going to lose her,” Simi said.

“I know,” David said.

“Then why are you still sitting here?” Simi asked.

David didn’t have an answer.

At 6 PM, Janet texted: Thanks again for yesterday. You’re a good guy, David.

David stared at the message.

He didn’t reply.

At 9 PM, Chidimma called.

“David, I’m coming to Kano next week,” she said.

David closed his eyes.

“Okay,” he said.

“Good,” Chidimma said. “We need to talk.”

“Okay,” David said again.

That night, David lay in bed with Simi asleep beside him, his phone on silent, and five girls’ names in his head.

Matilda, gone.

Chidimma, coming.

Chandeline, slipping away.

Janet, smiling at him from across a restaurant table.

And Simi, here, in his house, asking questions he didn’t want to answer.

He was 31 years old. He had a government job. He had a plot of land in Karshi.

And he had no idea what he was doing.

The phone buzzed once.

He didn’t check it.

Let it buzz.

Let it all wait until tomorrow.