The Exchange
Episode 12
I smiled but said nothing because I was too happy and dazzled to talk. We were there for a while as Baba T showed us the various section of the building, he began to unfold my dream which I had discussed with him the day we went for lunch during Laide’s wedding as how the Salon would work. There was a section for the ladies’ Salon with a walk-in pedicure & manicure section; the space beside it will be for the sales of beauty & hair products. He walked us to another area that will be the men section (barging, shaving, pedicure & manicure). He said he already talked to a friend of his in the UK that would be helping to ship the products whenever I am ready. The area set up for manicure and pedicure was bigger than my entire salon back home…the comfortable seats would make anyone sleep off during a pedicure session.
“I want people to step in here and never bother to try another place for their haircare needs again. I want this to be a one-stop shop for everything haircare & beauty product. I want to help you build a beauty empire not just a business, where a family will feel comfortable & relaxed to visit. I want your name to be synonymous with beauty. I was in awe; he showed us a comfortable executive office with a staircase we took upstairs to a huge empty hall. He said when I was settled in, then we can add a spar & a boutique or I could do anything I chose. I was just looking around me with saucer eyes; this was too much for me to comprehend. From my analysis & estimate, considering the location & all the services u would offer, this place should pay for itself in 2 years” BabaT concluded. The confidence with which he spoke & my ideas which he has brought into reality, made me look at him with respect. He must be very brilliant, his business acumen & the excellence he exuded in all these things, endeared him to me. I was amazed at this side of him; he sounded like a man with THE plan, like someone that knew where he was going & how he intended to get there.
“This must be what I saw in him as being proud, this isn’t pride? This is confidence” I thought to myself.
I had to ask him if he had ever invested in anything like this because he sounded like a pro & he responded that “Business is business, it is all about providing services & cashing in…it doesn’t really matter what your products or services are; once we know your desire, we deliver it to you.”
Baba T wanted to took us to a restaurant somewhere close & spoiled us silly but I reminded him I was in Lagos for a reason and since there is still time, I wanted to get it done so that I could return home the next day. He said he wanted to ‘wash’ the project but I said if we hurried now, we could do it in the evening & Bola will be able to join us.
Laide opted out of our shopping arrangement and said she had to go make lunch for her husband. We drove back to their house and dropped her off. She hugged me, as she & whispered in my ear “I’m so happy for you.. You have no idea how happy I am”. We left for Balogun market and I left Baba T in the jeep but before I got down he said he was hoping that I would have opened the Salon before Christmas but I said I would prefer a new project for a new year and I couldn’t abandon my workers just like that. He said he understood and added 50 thousand Naira to my business money because he knew I would not have enough since I wasn’t planning on coming this week. I looked into his eyes and I saw he was being sincere so I took the money, thanked him quickly and rushed out of the vehicle before I allowed my body make we do something my heart wasn’t ready for. By 4:30pm after severaI trips to and from the car, I finished buying and was ready to leave. Baba T said he would drop me off at Laide’s, go home to change then come back to pick us later in the evening for the outing. It was at the restaurant that he told me his mum will not hear of it if I left Lagos without visiting. I was reluctant because I didn’t know what to call our relationship and I told him so but he asked me to relax because his mum knew we are good friends and when I told her about your dream Salon she bought into it totally. You know she already likes you and she’s always praising your mom for bringing you up to be such a good, respectful and responsible young woman. I know she really want to spend some time with you, he said.
When we finally got to Baba T’s house, I found out that though he isn’t living with his parents; his own apartment was within the same compound. “My parents are a little overprotective. After my UK issue, my dad never wanted me out of his sight. So they made me stay with them” he quickly informed me. He also told me that marriage would be his freedom from that ‘bondage’ as that would be his dad’s only acceptable/valid reason for moving out of the house.
When I stepped into the sitting room, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. I’m not exaggerating, but I never knew there was a sitting room that beautiful in Nigeria. It was like a page in one of those luxury furniture magazines from outside the country. There was a huge picture of Baba T’s dad with the current Head of State hanging on the wall. There was a staircase in the sitting room that led upstairs. The floors were sparkling clean & shining like someone polished them. Baba T told me to make myself at home & took the stairs to inform his mum that I was around. There must have been like three domestic staff that came to ask if I was okay or if I wanted anything within a period of like five minutes. Baba T’s mum called me from upstairs “my dear, máa b?” meaning come upstairs. I was scared-stiff as Baba T came to take me upstairs but she was so nice to me, she kept using endearing words & phrases for me. She said she was really happy to see me & that she ‘accepted me whole heartedly’ if I agreed to marry her son. I looked at Baba T, who made a gesture that I should just go with the flow. Her room was like an apartment on its own…she told me to come sit by her on the bed. She was bringing out clothes & jewelries for me to try on. She told Baba T to leave us and go find something else to do. From the things she was saying, it was as if she already saw me as her son’s wife.
”I’m sure you know that Babatunde is our only son; the wedding will be one in town. I will go all out to make that day memorable. Lagos will know that someone is getting married. Don’t worry my dear; I will so take care of you. “Ile n’ile e o” (meaning that the house is yours o) and in this our house, you will give us twins, triplets & many more”. She was just saying all these things and I had to just laugh along although I was puzzled and very confused because I still haven’t given Baba T any answer.
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