Ifeanyi watched as Ademola walked majestically into the factory, greeting all that greeted him and shaking hands with anyone who brought their hands for a shake.

It had always awed Ifeanyi how Ademola gained this much popularity. He was more popular than the owner of the factory himself. Ifeanyi wondered if it was due to his frequent visit to the factory or the fact that he was rich.

As Ifeanyi watched him, he folded his jumpsuit into his bag; his helmet was on a stool at the factory. If Felicia had not asked him out on a date, he wouldn't had bothered bringing extra clothing.

He turned his gaze to Felicia who was chatting with two other females. Her eyes caught his and she smiled brightly at him. He returned her smile and his attention shifted to Somto and three other workers who were walking towards Ademola to greet him. The factory in Lagos was much more advanced with more workers: both female and male.

Ifeanyi had stuck to his word; doing all that he said he would do. He had focused more on his work and paid no attention to the women around him.

Of course, it was very hard especially when most of them gawked at him like he wore a special mask. He wondered if he wasn't the same Ifeanyi who had left years ago. He wondered what had changed in him and why they gave him a kind of special treatment.

Just two days of returning to Lagos, a lady who had been leaving his compound bumped into him at the gate. He had never seen her before so he quickly apologized even when he had nothing to apologise for.

He had turned to go after offering his apology only to be stopped by her. She introduced herself to him - a name he couldn't remember anymore - and had wanted to know if he lived in that compound.

Ever since then, he noticed that she came frequently to the house. He found out that she had a friend living in that same compound with him - a friend who had moved in while he had been in Enugu; a new neighbour of his.

It was still a mystery to Ifeanyi how he had ended up in the lady's room only a week of knowing her.

Things had happened so quickly: from various outing to finally ending in her room; on her bed.

Maybe he had taken advantage of the fact that she had been interested in him; he had seen it in her eyes - that glint of want and desire; a very familiar look he had seen in many girls' eyes especially those he had given his heart to: the look of a hungry lady seeking whom to devour.

But then, she had given herself freely to him. She had wanted him first - perhaps, to use and dump him like the others; he couldn't tell; however, he didn't take chances. He had played along with her and beaten her to her own game using her rules in her own room.

He had vowed after his last heartbreak never to spend a dime on any woman and so he hadn't spent anything on the lady instead she did all the spending; she had seemed happy to do so.

It was not like he was a predator; searching for fragile girls to toy with. Not at all! He had even avoided her but she kept forcing herself on him; throwing unexpected visits at him. Since she had wanted to play, he had simply given in; teaching her how to play and showing her how it was done: the using and dumping game.

Never again would he give a woman a weapon to hurt him: Love! He was done with those four lettered words.

The lady had come banging on his door after their first night and when he had welcomed her, she revealed her wish to bring him to her mother as her husband to be.

Ifeanyi had nearly choked in his drink when he heard that. He had looked at the lady straight in her eyes and had told her plainly he would never marry her. He had wanted that to be clear and straightforward so as to wipe any foolish thought going on in her head.

She had blinked twice and had asked him why he had said that. Though Ifeanyi had felt bad for her, he told her nevertheless that their relationship had been for fun; nothing more.

He had gestured with his fingers to her; back and forth just as Obiageli had done to him the first time he had confessed his love for her - she had acted like his love was something insignificant and unimportant.

The lady had looked at him with tear-streaked face and had jumped up from her seat, throwing her cup of drink to the floor and grabbing him by the shirt.

She had thrown several punches at him and when he couldn't take it anymore, he had captured her hands in his and had walked her out of his house; politely - he was such a gentle man.

Till this day, her friend: his new neighbour, had bore great hatred towards him and a big enmity had ensued due to what had happened.

Was he bothered? Definitely not! He had better things to be bothered about like the bevy of ladies dying for his attention.

The lady had not been the only one. There had been many more after her, both from the factory and at other places. It was funny and incredible that he had dated virtually all the female workers in the factory.

Funny enough, he never spent a penny on them. They paid for the dates: the food, the drinks, and whatsoever thing that needed payments. Ifeanyi wondered if they were in such haste to use him since they flocked around him like flies around a poo.

Felicia had only joined the factory some weeks ago and was on a journey with him.

Ifeanyi wondered if her women folks hadn't warned her about him. He had been shocked when she came to meet him one day. According to her, she was familiarizing with her fellow workers and so wanted to know his name. Of course, he had told her and had continued his work, only for her to ask him to put her through since she was new.

Then again, he had obliged and had taken it upon himself to show and enlighten her about things he felt she needed to know. Glares and murmurs had filled the air by the women folks and even the men folks. They had cast dark looks at them.

That afternoon of the same day, Felicia had asked him to come along with her in search of a place to buy food. She had complained that the food at the factory's canteen made her nauseous. Who was Ifeanyi not to accept such proposal? He had gone with her and from then, they became friends - or whatever they were.

Right now, Felicia wanted him to accompany her to the movie theatre to watch a movie. He had accepted hence the extra cloth he brought but seeing Ademola at the factory was threatening to spoil everything for him. Each time Ademola graced the factory with his honourable self, they left together. It had always been that way, but now that he had a date, things would have to change.

Ademola would either choose to return to wherever he came from or go with the others: Somto and two others. Somto lived at the same street with Ademola while the rest lived closed to the factory but only got into the car with Ademola because of the comfort.

However, Ifeanyi lived far from them all and so was always the last to drop. Each time, Ademola came to the factory, it meant he wanted to spend the night at Ifeanyi's.

Still standing at the same spot, Ademola finally got to him. He smiled at him but Ifeanyi frowned - playfully. He brought his hand out for a shake but Ademola drew him in a hug.

"You need to stop hanging out with girls. You're already so girly." Ifeanyi pulled away from his embrace; totally embarrassed.

Ademola guffawed; climbing on a nearby table and settling comfortably on it. Somto and the regular two who went home with Ademola had come closer.

"What's with the outfit?" Ademola raised his brow.

"You look like you're going on a date." Somto chirped in and the others laughed.

"Well, that's because I am." Ifeanyi placed his hands on his waist.

The men gasped as their lips curved in an 'o' shape.

"A date? With who?" Somto asked.

"With her." Ifeanyi pointed. Just like it had been planned, Felicia looked at them and winked at Ifeanyi.

The men gasped again. Felicia was a smart looking lady with a pretty face and an air of superiority. She had the most menacing gait a woman could ever have. She was sophisticated and so was a big catch to the men.

"Baba o!" Ademola brought his hands to the air; smirking hard at him.

"What happened to Grace?" Somto asked; a slight frown on his face.

"Who's Grace? Omo, I don miss tire o." Ademola's interest was piqued.

"A girl he met at a canteen. They went along pretty well. They even went on a date last week. I'm surprised he's saying Felicia now."

"It's only a date, Somto. It's not like I'm getting married to her." Ifeanyi rolled his eyes.

"What about Tosin, Nneka, Joy, Aduke, and what's that other girl's name o?" Somto held his head.

"Uche." The other guy reminded and Somto nodded.

"Uche. What about all those ladies?"

Ademola laughed. "Those ones are history."

"Who's even Uche?" Ifeanyi asked, looking genuinely confused.

"You see, they are too many you can't remember their names." Somto shook his head.

"What do you expect? Like father, like son." Ademola winked and Ifeanyi scoffed. He waved to the men and walked to Felicia who had already signalled him she was ready.

The men walked out of the factory into the car after the duo had gone. Ademola dropped the two other workers at their house as he turned the car away from their street.

He threw a glance at Somto who was sitting with drooped shoulders. He looked deep in thought and Ademola wondered what he was thinking about.

"Hey bro? Wetin happen? Why are you looking like a man whose bride ran away on his wedding day?" Ademola asked. His eyes never leaving the road.

Somto let out a very deep sigh and turned to look out of the closed window.

"I'm just thinking about Ifeanyi." He spoke softly.

"Why? Since when did he become your wife?" Ademola teased.

"It's serious, Demo. This is not the Ify we know. Ify isn't one to act like this."

Ademola sighed. "You're right. I wonder what changed him. I guess Enugu must be a state for me." Ademola joked.

"It's all that girl's fault. She changed Ifeanyi." Somto clasped his fingers together.

Ademola's eyes widened as he looked at Somto briefly. "Which girl?"

"A girl Ifeanyi fell madly in love with at Enugu. They were such a sweet couple; the apple of everyone's eyes. Everyone awaited their wedding. They had plans to return to Lagos together after Ifeanyi's father's burial."

"So what happened?" Ademola asked; totally shocked.

"He didn't tell you?"

"No! That he-goat didn't. I can't believe he kept such thing from me."

"You can't blame him. It hurt just to talk about it. He didn't want to tell me too; I had to persuade him. I asked him where our wife was. His face fell immediately I asked that. I knew something was amiss immediately; it took a while to pry the news out of him."

"What's the news?"

"She ran away with another man. Imagine!"

"Damn!" Ademola slapped the steering wheel. "Why does this keep happening to him?"

"Let's say he's really unlucky at love. But honestly, they were so serious with each other. I still find it so hard to believe she did such a thing. I really didn't expect such."

"No one does." Ademola rubbed his face with his palm.

"Do you know what I'm scared of? I'm scared he might never recover. He's bottling up those bitter feelings in him and that's not the way out. He ought to let it out and be free."

"He will definitely recover. This is not the first time. I will make sure he does recover." Ademola gritted his teeth. "Stupid girl."

He stopped the car when they got to Somto's house and Ademola waved at him and pulled out of the drive way. He was going somewhere else.
☆

Ifeanyi was startled to see Ademola sitting on his couch in his room watching the television when he returned from his date in the night. He held his thudding chest as he glared at him.

"You scared me!" He yelled but Ademola shrugged.

"What were you thinking? You ditch me and go scot free?" Ademola questioned without looking at him.

Ifeanyi rolled his eyes as he made way to his bedroom. Maybe he should take his key back from Ademola and return his own house key back to him. Perhaps, this nonsense would stop. They had given their spare keys to each other, years back.

"How was your date?" Ademola called out.

"It was great. Felicia is a pretty little thing." Ifeanyi walked into the bathroom and had his bath. Ademola waited patiently for him; trying to calm his raging blood. He was hurt that Ifeanyi had not told him something this serious. He was angry that Ifeanyi still hid things from him.

Ifeanyi padded to the sitting room in only shorts; his hairy chest bare. He sat comfortably next to Ademola as he increased the volume of the muted television but Ademola grabbed the remote from him and muted the television.

Ifeanyi turned to look at him; surprise plain on his face.

"What was that for?"

"What is what you're doing for?"
Ademola fired.

"I don't get you."

"Why didn't you tell me about the lady you met in Enugu? Why didn't you tell me that you were jilted again?"

Ifeanyi's face darkened as he turned away.

"I'm talking to you, Oga." Ademola jumped from the chair and into the bedroom Ifeanyi had just walked into.

"What do you want me to say?" Ifeanyi yelled. "Do you think it is sweet to keep talking about the same thing every time? Do you know how miserable that makes me feel? I feel like a fool to keep falling into the same trap everytime. "

"That's because you're a softball." Ademola smirked.

Ademola was just so free that he found it easy to change his mood and countenance.
"Now you agree you are, right?"

"I'm not." Ifeanyi sighed. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." He looked at Ademola who placed a hand on his shoulder instead.

"How can a father get angry at his son? His only son for that matter?"

Ifeanyi shook his head gently as he joined in Ademola's laughter. Ademola had always claimed to be his father ever since his last breakup. Ifeanyi had tried to make him stop to no avail and had no choice but to put up with it. He wondered what was with people calling him their son - Chinaza had called him her son back then.

Perhaps, he truly was a child; after all, he had been the one acting like a child when he wanted to kill himself for a woman.

"So spill the beans." Ademola fell to the bed, propping a hand under his chin. Ifeanyi sighed. He knew this was coming soon.

He sat on the other side of the bed and began his story. Ademola listened to him quietly.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you would feel. . .I didn't want you to be disappointed in me. I keep falling into the same trap everytime." Ifeanyi concluded.

Ademola squeezed his shoulder. "They are the ones at loss not you. They don't know what they've lost. Besides, I can never be disappointed in my son. He makes me proud everytime."

"Can you please cut this father and son thingy off? I'm older than you by six months, remember? I should be the father here." Ifeanyi said smugly.

"Get used to it, baba. I'm hungry. What do you have in your kitchen?" Ademola stood up from the bed and walked to the kitchen, rampaging through the fridge. A bunch of plantain was lying at the fourth row of the fridge. It was already black; it meant it was about spoiling.

Ademola brought out the plantain and began peeling them off. Ifeanyi walked into the kitchen and gasped immediately he saw the plantains. He had bought the bunch about a week or so but due to the numerous dates he had been taken to, he forgot about his plantains.

That night as Ifeanyi laid on the bed opposite Ademola, his mind wandered back to all they had discussed. He had assured Ademola that he had gotten over Obiageli whereas he thought about her every day.

The betrayal, pain, and hurt were still fresh in his mind. It felt like it was yesterday it all happened. Tears rolled out of his eyes as he thought of those happy times he had with her: when they ate together; talked to each other; laughed. . .Oh God! He missed her badly. No lady had been able to fill up the gap she had left.