Yaayi stood outside Mr. Folu's door, hesitating whether to knock or call out to him.
Taking in the dimly lit hallway and the refreshing scent of air freshener, she couldn't help but appreciate her handiwork on the gleaming tiles.
With a deep breath, she finally gave the door a firm tap, its echo resonating down the hallway.
Receiving no response, she tapped again, this time with more force. "He must be really tired not to have heard such loud banging," Yaayi muttered to herself, shifting impatiently from side to side.
She could hear movement from within, imagining Mr. Folu lazily donning his clothes and rising from his bed. As she waited, she couldn't help but reflect on the disparity of their stations. She tried to recall the last time she had leisurely left her bed without feeling burdened by the weight of the world.
The door suddenly swung open, nearly causing Yaayi to stumble into the room. She quickly regained her balance, careful not to trap her hands in the door.
"Hey, what is it! You almost broke the door!" Mr. Folu glared at her irritably.
"Not my fault. You said to remind you when your guest arrived. Just came to let you know, si.." Yaayi trailed off, noticing Mr. Folu's raised eyebrows at her use of 'sir'.
"I shouldn't be much older than you, Yaayi. How old are you, by the way?"
"I'm 21."
"Pretty young then. But that shouldn't warrant you calling me 'sir'."
He let out a sigh. "Look, let me make this clear to you. No matter how much my mother yells, her bark is worse than her bite. She can't hurt a fly. You're not a slave here; you're part of the family."
"I don't feel like a slave!" Yaayi responded, clearly annoyed by Mr. Folu's implication that she had an inferiority complex.
"It's not about how you feel. By using 'sir,' 'ma,' and 'keetow' with everyone you meet because of your position, you're putting yourself under their power. No matter your life experiences, you should never think less of yourself," he explained.
Taking her hand, he admired its delicacy. "I'd say the same to my sister if I had one. You're a woman, and some men will take advantage of you if you feel inferior."
Ignoring Yaayi's angry glare, he left to meet his guests, leaving the door open for her to glimpse his rumpled bed.
"Hey! You wait! You're not my shrink, okay?" Yaayi almost shouted after him, realizing he was right. She couldn't contain the emotions rising in her throat as she felt berated like a child and a fool.
Wiping away her tears, annoyed at letting his lecture affect her, she entered his room to make his bed.
But as she struggled with the duvet, her anger boiled over. She took out her frustration on the innocent fabric, kicking it with all her might until she slumped to the floor, exhausted.
Realizing the futility of her outburst, she sighed and began to straighten the rumpled duvet, feeling foolish for taking her anger out on it.
"It's my job. The duvet served its purpose-to release my pent-up emotions," she muttered to herself.
Yaayi cleaned the room meticulously, noticing the absence of scattered clothing or towels on the floor, unlike what she had seen from wealthy kids on TV. She couldn't help but admire the expensive-looking laptop on the bedside table, longing for one of her own, at least it will help her with some online courses. She promised herself to save up more.
With one last glance to ensure everything was in order, she closed the door with a satisfying click.
...
Yaayi's father had once told her what her name meant:
Silence.
The kind that comes from being alone with the wind, brushing against one's face, making a wisp-splash on thoughts.
She had been trying to live up to that name recently, not to be silent, but to avoid situations where her calm would be disrupted.
With the recent guests around, she thought it necessary to maintain a semblance of composure, even as she forced a smile on her oval face, remembering how Miss Feyi's attitude had almost made her lose her cool.
Yaayi wondered if her name was a curse or a blessing. It seemed to demand a level of self-control that was sometimes difficult to maintain.
It had started with her choice of breakfast that morning, which everyone had praised for its good taste. However, Miss Feyi became nasty when Yaayi brought the food to the dining room, saying that wasn't what she had asked for.
Folu had saved the day by confirming that it was indeed what she had requested.
Yaayi couldn't help but notice the way Miss Feyi's eyes narrowed when Folu spoke up. It was as if she was trying to challenge him, to see who would back down first.
"At least there was an audience when you requested for fried eggs and boiled plantain," Folu had said playfully, throwing his arm over Miss Feyi's shoulder.
Perhaps to keep her continuous outburst in check. Yaayi knew she had gained more dislike from the lady with the angry looks she had thrown at her over Folu's outstretched arm.
Yaayi couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the way Miss Feyi's face had fallen when Folu had spoken up. It was as if she had been deflated, her anger dissipating into nothingness.
Letting out a deep sigh, Yaayi couldn't be more thankful for their impending departure in the evening.
Her madam's daily complaint was enough to contend with, and she wouldn't want to experience its double.
Feeling dejected, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a guest who was actually pleasant to be around.
Someone who didn't constantly complain or make unreasonable demands. She had heard stories of such guests, maybe like Mr. Ayoade, she smiled. He had been so kind!
But having his types around was hard to come by.
...
"I really appreciate your visit, bro. It's really nice to have a familiar face around," Folu said with pleasure as he escorted his guests towards the garage.
"I think you have a familiar face around, but you don't seem to acknowledge it," Ayoade replied with a wink, retrieving the car keys.
"I am lost. What familiar face?" Folu asked, frowning.
"Your little househelp, of course! Was she not that lady you bantered with at my place of work that day? Or is it because I chose not to broach the subject?" He leaned on his car, ignoring the impatience sounds of his sister in the car and seeming like a man on a mission.
"And you couldn't even keep your eyes off her. You even defended her when Feyi tried to pick up on her, which was a first. I know you, Folu. You have never been possessive."
"I absolutely have no idea of the nonsense you just spurted," Folu replied, shrugging and flipping a non-existent speck of dust from his pant.
"I have zero interest in the girl. And mind you, about the staring part, I just stared because she is different from us. The Hausas that look like Fulanis are usually stared at at this end," he finished with his eyebrow raised in challenge, daring his friend to keep up his interrogation.
"But wait...I am your little sis boyfriend and I wouldn't want her to hear what you are saying!" Ayoade looked at his friend as if he were an alien.
"Boyfriend? You are as different as the human fingers! You have nothing in common!"
He literally pushed his friend into his car. "Just go. You've done enough to last a month thinking!"
"Bye, dear! Feyi waved at him. Please don't forget that handbag you promised," she said with a pout.
"Ok, love! He winked. I won't! He promised, turning after he saw the retreating vehicle disappear out of the gate.
Folu couldn't help but feel relieved that Ayoade had finally left. He had been on edge the entire time, worried that his friend would somehow discover his secret. But now that he was gone, Folu could finally relax.
He felt as if a weight had just been lifted from his shoulder as he retreated indoors. Feyi had been a handful during this visit, he admitted.
He almost hit his forehead. "I must be crazy. Of course, she was different! But she had been that way from the years he had known her. And above all, she was his girlfriend and he adored her in his own way."
Folu couldn't help but smile as he thought of Yaayi.
He had been staring at her because she was different too.
She was different, yes, but that was part of what made her so special.
She had a quiet strength that he admired, and a sense of calm that he found himself drawn to.
He knew that he can't fully understand his growing feelings for the girl, but he also knew that he didn't need to.
They are a world apart.