LET ME LOVE YOU

Chapter 9 - Hajiya's Good Books

Aya

"I need everyone to be serious please, we have to get this done today so can we not burst into laughter in the middle of a freaking scene?! I know it's funny but save the laughs for the season premiere, am I clear?!" The Director, Dolapo Lola Adeleke (LowlaDee) bellowed at the cast and crew after we had interrupted the third take of scene 5 with laughter one again.

"Yes ma'am. Sorry Ma'am" we said in unison, to which she curtly nodded and went back to her seat "everyone take your places" she ordered "Haya, put in more efforts on those facial expressions, I care about those more than your lines, so please, get them right, and most importantly, DO NOT LAUGH!" She said to me. I swallowed a lump in my throat and nodded at her with a smile, I don't know why but when I find myself in a funny situation in which it would be inappropriate to laugh or someone tells me not to laugh, I feel myself wanting to laugh more than anything, and the way she pronounced my name didn't make it any better.

"ACTION!"

The scene was about me and my grandmother, she had sent me to the market with 5000 naira to get her enough foodstuff for the week but I came back with one tuber of yam, three pieces of tomato, two red bell peppers, three scotch bonnet peppers and one tin of palm oil. The funny part of it was her reaction to the careless spending and use of Yoruba language, anytime she said that 'weldone ma, Omo Jeff bezos' the laughter must make its way out no matter how hard I tried to control it, and that's what upsets lowladee to the core.

Thankfully though, we got the scene right that time and laughed out hearts out afterwards, even lowladee herself couldn't resist. After that, we shout three more scenes and called it a day. We're actually moving really quick, we'd finish shooting the whole season a lot sooner than everyone expected and have enough time to rest before season three starts, well...season three doesn't concern me actually because I had decided to leave the set after season two. I do love the story line and all but shooting series is not at all pleasing to me, it takes way too much time and a lot more work than shooting normal movies, and I'm married now, at least in the eyes of people I am, I can't be away from my home for three months or so, thank goodness season two is even taking place in Abuja, but season three is to be shot in England, which makes it a capital NO for me.

So yeah, after this it's bye bye to the set of a Mary holiday. Sad? Yes, but at some point I feel more relief than remorse.

"Your coffee, Ma" said Linda as soon as we got into my car, I was driving and she was in the passengers seat.

"Thanks" I smiled and took a quick sip "whats next?"

"You're all done for today. There was supposed to be a photoshoot with Pepsi but something happened on their end so they rescheduled to tomorrow afternoon" she said "they sincerely apologized for the inconvenience and asked if you'd like the photo shoot to take place in your home tomorrow?"

"really?"

"Yeah"

Oh wow, I'd really love that, but it's not really up to me.

"I'll ask Hafeez if he's okay with it and let you know" I Said.

"okay Ma"

I dropped her off at her apartment before embarking on the journey to Asokoro, it took me 15 minutes to get back home. I was so so knackered that I didn't bother to park the car under the various canopies, I just parked it somewhere on the driveway behind Hafeez's Ford Mustang and made a mental note to park it properly a bit later, I'm not sure I've ever seen him drive that mustang though so it's not really a big deal.