Scars (Romola 2)

46: Market Gossip

Her meeting with Victoria was scheduled to hold soon. But she wasn’t sure she was going yet. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to leave Sekemi alone in the store. But it also wasn’t necessary for her to meet Olumide’s fiancée. She and Victoria had nothing linking them except a dead weight in the name of Olumide.

The girl kept flitting from one end of the store to another. Romola had lost interest in watching Sekemi play assistant to everyone who entered in the store. While Romola was concerned with watching the shoppers on the security monitor, Sekemi kept following them around.

“You know, people are capable of making their choices by themselves.”

Sekemi walked past her like she hadn’t said anything. Romola shook her head as Sekemi zoned in on another victim at the end of the aisle beside their desk. The man dropped the can he held on the biscuit shelf and backed away till he left the store. That was the third customer that had left the store without approaching the check-out table.

“These people don’t even know how to keep things well.” Sekemi complained, picking up the can drink and moving towards the large freezer in the store. “Romola, can you go and get Iya Bunmi to come and man the shelves. I want to mop the floor.”

“Honestly, Sekemi, I think you are doing too much. You mopped the floor like what, two hours ago?”

“And so?” Sekemi placed her hand on her hips then eyed her. “Don’t you know there is a plandemic in the country?”

“Pandemic.”

“Plandemic. I’m sure they planned this thing so that they can kill everyone in Africa but look at them. They are the ones suffering now.”

Romola rolled her eyes and turned over her phone as she continued to update the inventory. The price of dollar was on the steady rise and Iya Tobi wanted her good to match the rise even though her goods were old stick bought long before the increase.

“Romola, come and stand in front of the store.”

“No.” Romola shook her head. “I’m not paid to do me-guard work.”

“You are so lazy. I can’t believe baba Tobi talks about you like you are gold.” Sekemi hissed, walking past her into the inner staff room.

Romola rolled her eyes as she scrolled down the list on her phone. She came to the next line. Special white wheat bread. Sunbo’s favourite.

Romola placed her elbows on the counter. She actually hadn’t heard from her sister all week. She wondered if Sunbo was fine or if the poor girl hadn’t broken down and been thrown off the dance platform into prison. One of the reasons, she had refused the job was because her bones were stiff and it would take more than a week’s training to get her back in shape The second reason wasn’t something she could fix.

A notification ping had her picking up her phone. A scowl stole the space on her lips. She hoped Iya Tobi was not sending an updated list of the things she had already updated. Iya Tonbi better not be marking up the dollar price.

The message featured her mother’s name.

MOM: My dear, can you please send me 10,000 naira? I will pay you back when I get money.

Romola’s brow rose. This was the second time this week. Did her mother think she was a money tree? Even trees bore fruits in seasons. Was this the same mother that didn’t care to know about her job? Romola picked up her phone just as Sekemi entered the main space pushing the purple mop bucket in front of her.

Romola stepped out of the paying desk and marched into the toilet. She dialled her mother’s number.

“Hel-”