EPISODE 38: LOVE WAHALA III [PART B]

Tunde started the car again and drove towards the market. In his mind, he was silently praying, “God, please… help me find an akara vendor, please… Gold has asked for something for the first time and that too so much. I don’t want to disappoint her.”

Just then, Tunde noticed a stall with a sign that read in big letters: “Akara Vendor.”

He immediately drove towards it, told Gold to stay in the car and got out to approach the stall. The stall was closed. Of course, because who keeps their stall open at 3 a.m.?

Tunde looked around and saw a small house nearby. He went there and knocked on the door!

After knocking for a long time, a man came out, wearing an old T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

The man’s face clearly showed that he had been in a deep sleep. He opened the door with an irritated expression, looked Tunde up and down and said angrily, “Who are you man? You don’t want to sleep, but why are you disturbing others’ sleep?”

Tunde understood his situation but cared only about Gold right now. He asked the man, “Sorry for disturbing you at this hour, but can you tell me whose stall that is over there?”

The man looked at the stall Tunde mentioned, then glared at Tunde and asked, “What do you need?”

“I need to talk to the owner,” Tunde replied.

“I’m the owner. What do you want?” the man asked.

Hearing this, Tunde felt happy and said, “Oh, great! It’s your stall. Perfect! Now quickly make some akara for me. It’s urgent, and I’ll pay you double.”

The man looked at Tunde in surprise, thinking he was crazy and then scolded him, “Have you been drinking? Asking for akara at this hour like it’s some chocolate you can just take out of a box.”

Tunde tried to explain, “Look, I said it’s urgent, and I’ll pay you extra.”

“I don’t want your extra money! Akara isn’t made just like that. Now get lost… at this time of night, I don’t know where people come from.”

The man started closing the door in Tunde’s face. But Tunde stopped the door with his hand. The man glared at Tunde, but now Tunde’s face had also turned red with anger. He was tired. After explaining politely so many times, the man still wouldn’t listen.

Tunde decided he would now explain in his own way.

Just as the man was about to say something, Tunde pushed the door open and took out the gun he always carried in his back pocket.

Due to his business, Tunde had many enemies in the industry and had been attacked several times. So for his safety, he always kept a gun with him, his family didn’t know about it. Only Olamide knew.

Pointing the gun at the man, Tunde’s heavy voice thundered, “I’m asking politely. If you value your life, make akara quietly. I’m giving you 15 minutes.”

The man, scared out of his wits, started stammering. Now he was sure that Tunde was completely crazy—ready to kill someone for akara.

With his other hand Tunde pulled out a bundle of 10000-naira notes and placed it in the man’s hand, threatening him, “Take these, and make the akara. You have 15 minutes.”

The man stared at the bundle of money with wide eyes. So much money just for some akara! It would take him days to earn that much. Out of fear and greed, he quickly nodded and started gathering the ingredients.

Tunde threatened the stall owner to make akara. The man was scared, started preparing immediately.

Meanwhile, Gold was sitting in the car, feeling bored. After instructing the vendor, Tunde went straight to Gold. She was busy changing the music repeatedly on the car’s sound system.

Tunde approached her and said, “Listen, Miss Rabbit.”

Seeing him, Gold immediately asked with excitement, “Akara?”

“Yes, madam. Your akara is ready! Eat as much as you want,” Tunde said, smiling.

Gold became extremely happy but then, placing her fingers on her cheeks and pretending to think, she asked, “But where did you get it? The shop was closed.”

“Yes, but I got it opened,” Tunde replied casually.

“What??” Gold asked in surprise.

Tunde didn’t say anything, and seeing this, Gold remarked, “You are just like my father… He also once got an ice cream shop opened for me at midnight.”

“Of course, your parents loved you a lot,” Tunde said. Hearing this, tears welled up in Gold’s eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED……