LOVE IN THE DAYS OF DANFO.

LOVE IN THE DAYS OF DANFO.

"What do you see in that ruffian of a guy, sef?" ife asked, as they walked down the road to board  a bus going to Maryland. They were going to the Maryland mall to see the new Living In Bondage movie.

"I seriously don't understand why she loves him that much. Not with him being a tout, with the dreads, tattoos and what not. How do you even kiss him with all that beards looking so shabby?" Sharon chipped in, as she took selfies of them while they walked.

" It's my relationship now. Why are you both bothered about it though? I love him and he loves me and that's what matters. " Stephanie shrugged as she rolled her eyes at her friends' half-assed concern.

She knew them too well and knew that their concerns were not truthful. They were just being silly and hypocritical about things.

She knew they didn't like her boo, Wasiu; they have been on about how rough he looks and all since they started dating 4 months ago.

They wonder why she chose him, out of all the clean and seemingly tush guys who came after her after her breakup with Sean.

Of a truth, after her relationship with Sean ended 7 months ago, leaving her emotionally drained and dejected; she had different guys asking her out.

But there was something about Wasiu that made her choose him from the whole lot.

Wasiu was a tout, an agbero who drove a danfo; who dressed like an agbero, who spoke like an agbero, but who loves her like a real man.

Wasiu was everything these other suitors were not. Wasiu was calm with her. He loves her and it was obvious from the attention, love and care he showed her and everything that involves her.

Wasiu was caring. He could go to the ends of the world to bring back the Phoenix for her.

He was there whenever she wanted him to be. And on days he was at work, driving through the crowded and traffic jammed Lagos roads, Wasiu made sure he called her at least ten times before they saw later in the night.

And when he came back from his day trip, he was always bearing goodies for her and her siblings. Wasiu was sensitive to her feelings and won't mind fighting anyone who disrespected her.

These were the things her friends didnt understand, but who cares if they understood or not. She loved Wasiu, he loved her too and that was all that mattered in the world.

"We know it's your relationship, but we are your friends and we know what's  best for you. Trust me, Wasiu is not the best for you and your status. Damn!!! You are a famous girl on Instagram and Facebook ; how do you think your followers and friends will feel if they know you are dating someone like that?" Sharon continued, looking at Ife to back her up.

Ife didn't disappoint too. She backed Sharon's point by shrugging her shoulders in concordance.

" You guys really need to drop this. I love Wasiu with my life and I am not ready to leave him for anyone. You both better get used to us." Stephanie replied, as she opened her Facebook app, posted a picture of her and Wasiu on her Timeline and captioned it" Bonnie and Clyde" with the love emoji

She went to her Instagram page too and replicated her action there.

"Anyway, it's your life. Do to it as you wish. Walahi, this sun is killing ooooo, and buses are not forthcoming now. How to do now?" Ife lamented as her makeup was getting smeared by the sweat running down her face.

"I am trying to chat Damian up to come and pick us but he is saying that he is busy.. Imagine oooo, Damian that stays just there ooo." Sharon replied, pointing to another road, indicating where her boyfriend stays.

" Maybe, he is busy now." Stephanie comforted her already agitated friend." Let me see if I can get through to loml. Maybe he can come pick us."

" Kikikikikikikikikiki... You say wha?? Wasiu come and pick us. Is his route not Ikorodu ni? How do you want him to come and pick us at Ojota from Ikorodu? Are you sure he is not sleeping off a shepe hangover somewhere. Or is that not what these danfo drivers do in the afternoon, drink shepe and lay with any available girl? " Sharon taunted her friend, the later not bothered by the comment one bit.

"my friend, that's what they do.. And that brings me to asking why Steph is with this agbero again." ife chipped in, as she tried to clean the smeared part of her makeup.

Before Steph could answer them, a loud noise coming from afar arrested their attention, and before they could blink, Wasiu's Danfo was  parked in front of them in a huge trail of dust.

Wasiu rushed to where they stood and scooped Stephanie in a big bear hug, and kissed her in the full glare of everyone, not minding the stares and glares they were getting from passersby.

Stephanie, obviously loving the attention, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. They were entwined like this for a long time before a cough from Sharon broke their embrace.

"Guu afternu, ladies." an excited and lovestruck Wasiu greeted the two ladies, as he dropped Steph on the ground, still holding her in a cute embrace.

"Good afternoon afternoon, Wasiu. How are you doing this afternoon?" Ife asked half-assedly, not like she cared if he was coming from hell or not.

"I fine, I no fine. I fine cos I saw my queen now but I no fine cos my queen stay under sun since. Das why I run with my danfo from 'Koodu to here so I can carry my queen to May'land. I teh my passenger say" Com Dan, com Dan, mo fe lo gbe Iya yin. I gif them their owo back ooo. I even pass BRT lane, dem no born Lasma well to stop me." Wasiu, replied in his half baked English and agbero voice, as he bent to kiss Steph one more time.

If horses were on a race in Stephanie's tummy, they won't stumble or fall. She was giddy with excitement and love. She knew Wasiu loved her, but hearing that he dropped his passengers and came all the way down here, beating traffic and LASTMA officials for her was beyond her reasonable.

She held him and kissed him deeply to show her appreciation.

After which she told him she was ready to go to Maryland. Wasiu collected her hand bag and helped her into the passenger's side of the bus, while her friends got into the back.

Wasiu got into the bus, and started the car, honking noisily for other vehicles to make way for him.

"Wait!!! Is that not Damian who said he was busy minutes ago?" an enraged Sharon screamed as she saw her boyfriend drove past with another woman in the passenger's seat. They were cuddly and giggling like lovers do.

"Oh my God! Menareskum walahi. Sorry dear, I had always known that stupid Damian was up to no good." Ife comforted Sharon who was at the verge of tears already.

"Sorry love, I am so sorry about this. Do you want us to go back home?" Steph asked, concern written all over her face.

"Noooo!! No way am I allowing a fuck boy ruin my day. We are going to the mall." Sharon replied, dabbing tears from her eyes.

In the midst of all these, Stephanie realized how lucky she was to have Wasiu love her the way he does.

Yes, he was a secondary school drop out and an agbero, but he cared for her and would never cheat on her like this.

"I love you, Wasiu" Steph declared in a whisper, hoping he'd hear. She was placing her heart on a platter of gold before the rough and rugged agbero, but at this junction she didn't mind. She loved him too much to care.

And he did hear.

Grinning like a goat at the sight of yam peelings, he replied "I lof you too" before he pressed on the throttle and drove to Maryland, like the lovestruck maniac that he was.

©Aderonke Adeyeye 2019