Jollof Love

5- Sweet and Savory Surprises

Nini discovered she had the super ability to hold back her comments and mind her business when she was dishing the customer's food before her. She looked at the plate holding plain stew, okra and Efon riro, and piled on top of that was fish and meat of different varieties.

"Is that all, Sir?" Nini asked the bespectacled suited man before her. Please let that be all, she wanted to beg him.

"Is that ugwu?" The man asked, pointing to the soup in the large aluminum dish.

"It's Egusi soup Sir," Nini answered.

"Add that one, one spoon, and one boiled egg. That's all."

"Si..Sir?" Nini had to make sure she heard him right. The customer repeated the same order, and she clamped down her lips she proceeded to serve him.

"Give me a wrap of Fufu and pounded yam, or can you mix those two together to become one?" The customer asked.

Over my dead body, Nini should have said to him, instead, she shook her head. "No Sir, both the pounded yam and Fufu cannot be mixed together. They are served as separate meals."

"How come you can't mix it together?" The customer asked.

Because we make human meals. "That's how it's done, Sir."

"Okay, just bring it, how much is my money?"

He paid and went to sit at a table. Nini tried hard not to look his way, and she focused her eyes on serving the next customer in front of her.

"How did you not scream when he kept ordering all of that?" Ayomide said next to her.

Nini glanced her way. "So you saw?"

"It's hard not to. If he has stomach problems after, he shouldn't come to complain here," Ayomide said, scooping two ladles of steaming Jollof rice unto a plate. "Nini, look at him. Look quickly! He's using a part of the boiled egg to scoop the okra into his mouth, iyama!"

"I won't look, I can't," Nini said. She could feel the irritation course all through her body.

"Okay oo, but your friend is here sha,"  Ayomide said.

Nini looked up at that. Making her way toward her was none other than Dara, walking that familiar walk of hers, chest puffed out like a soldier, her hands fisted by her sides, as if she was always ready to throw blows anytime. Nini had told her several times that she looked like the Nigerian version of Moana with her build. Dara's strong jaw softened when a smile drew across her face as she spotted Nini's eyes on her.

Nini looked away and scooped the next customer's food.

"Nini, Nini!" Dara said as a way of greeting. She had entered behind the counter, and was standing next to her friend. "Ayomide, how far na?"

"I dey oo," Ayomide responded.

"Nini," Dara tapped her friend's cheek. "What happened? I was greeting you."

"Good afternoon, can you please be going?" Nini requested.

"So I came all the way here and you want me to leave?" Dara asked.

"Why didn't you call me?" Nini asked, stopping the scooping for a while. "I was down for days and you didn't even bother to come around or call."

"Nini," Dara put a hand on her friend's shoulder, to which Nini shrugged away. "Oya, I'm sorry. Happy?"

"I don't accept your apology," Nini said, and returned to her work.

"You too, you didn't call me. And you don't see me angry, do you?" Dara threw back at her.