Chapter 16
384 Words
Don’t Hate the Player; Hate the Game
Sunday morning, 10:47 AM.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
David was in the kitchen with Matilda, both of them half-asleep, when the knocking started.
“Who is that?” Matilda asked, pulling her wrapper tighter.
“Probably Daniel,” David said.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He went to the door, looked through the peephole, and froze.
Chidimma.
David didn’t open the door.
“David?” Chidimma’s voice came through, loud enough for the whole corridor to hear. “I know you’re in there. I saw your shoes outside.”
Matilda froze, spoon halfway to her mouth. “Who’s she?”
“Nobody,” David said quickly. “Just a friend.”
“A friend that knocks like a debt collector?” Matilda said.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“David, open the door!” Chidimma said.
Matilda was now standing behind David, arms crossed.
Chidimma hadn’t stopped knocking.
Chidimma turned around, and walked away.
She didn’t cry. She didn’t shout. She just walked, her back straight, her steps fast.
After thirty minutes of knocking, she’d gotten her answer.
David closed the curtains slowly.
The flat went quiet.
Matilda turned to David.
“So,” she said. “Who is she?”
David sighed. “A mistake.”
“A dangerous mistake.” Matilda said.
“I’ll explain,” David said.
“Explain later,” Matilda said, “First, we eat.”
---
Later that evening, Chandeline called.
“Why didn’t you pick up my call at 2 PM?” she asked.
David sat on the bed, rubbing his temples.
“Network,” he said.
Chandeline was quiet for a second. “David, are you lying to me?”
“No,” David said too fast.
“Okay,” she said. “Good night, David.”
She hung up.
Daniel texted at 9 PM: How’s the damage control going?
David replied: I think I need a new life.
Daniel replied: NewYork market opens in 8 hours. New life can wait.
David put his phone down and stared at the ceiling.
He had a girl in Kano who cooked.
And another one who knocked for thirty minutes.
He had a girl in Abuja on the phone who might be done with him.
And he had a neighbors who kept receipts.
Playboy life was tiring.
- Writer
