Same Difference [A Queer Nigerian Experience]

7 | #JUSTICEFOREHIS

"Who's 'we'? You're bringing man over?" Ossai toyed, and I was reaching my breaking point, nearly losing my cool; I was about to explode on him.

Maxwell reached out for my phone, and I thought he was going to give Ossai a piece of his mind, which I found appealing. I handed it over calmly, thinking he'd unleash on him. "Bro, how far? We been dey wait you. Sorry to disturb your sleep..." Maxwell had a knack for swaying men, which irritated me. I anticipated a different response from him, but it wasn't shocking that he handled it that way.

I missed hearing Ossai's reply, but Maxwell appeared to have everything under control. I heard a door opening from inside the compound, presuming it was Ossai, followed by the sound of slippers shuffling closer to unlock the gate ahead of us. The gate swung open to reveal a drowsy Ossai in a sleeveless undershirt and boxer shorts.

"Thank you boss. You na gee normally" Maxwell thanked him warmly, as if they were already acquainted.

I rolled my eyes, irritated by how long it took for Ossai to respond, noticing he only perked up when Maxwell addressed him. Finally home, I swiftly locked the gate behind me, relieved yet again, despite feeling a wave of nausea hitting me. I just wanted to collapse on my bed. I pushed through until I reached my room door with Maxwell. At first, I couldn't feel my keys in my pocket, but luckily, they were there. I opened the door, unaware that Ossai was still with us.

I had a list of things I wanted to do, like changing my clothes, taking off my shoes, and hopping into the shower. Instead, I collapsed straight onto my bed, everything fading to black.
...

In the morning, I blinked my eyes open and glanced to my left, spotting Maxwell beside me, his dreads tousled on the pillow. We were both shirtless, covered by a wrapper below our waists. I scanned the room, momentarily not recognizing it, until some faint memories of the previous night started trickling back. The last thing I recalled was collapsing onto the bed. Now, I was gripped by a massive headache, a throbbing pain in my head, making it difficult to move. My legs felt sore and uncomfortable. I shut my eyes again, hoping to ease the pain.

...

I opened my eyes once more and observed Maxwell slipping into his flannel shirt, fastening the buttons. It was unclear whether he had already taken a bath or was just putting it on regardless. What was certain was that a considerable amount of time had elapsed since I last closed my eyes. Maxwell's gaze met mine as he completed buttoning his shirt. "You're finally awake. Last night was crazy." he remarked.

I resisted acknowledging the implication behind his statement, trying to assume it meant something else. Then, I shifted my gaze to the right and noticed my shirt and jean jacket strewn across the chair and table, as if I had hurriedly taken them off. Everything hinted at what might have occurred the night before. Subtly, I lifted the wrapper to check, finding that I still had my trousers on, yet doubts lingered. These uncertainties needed clarification, so I turned to Maxwell, who was pacing around my room.

I struggled with how to approach the question, torn between my weakness and the desire to answer the door when someone knocked. Despite my efforts, my body refused to cooperate. Maxwell hurried to answer it, revealing Ossai on the other side. I let out a sigh, though it came out raspy, hoping Ossai didn't misinterpret it as a sigh directed at him. I simply didn't want any disturbances in my vulnerable state, nor did I want Ossai saying or doing anything embarrassing in front of Maxwell.

The two exchanged enthusiastic greetings while I struggled to lift my head or sit properly. Ossai glanced at me from where he stood by the door, then entered and perched on the edge of the bed near my abdomen, leaning towards me and placing his hand on my head. "How're you feeling now?" he asked, making me ponder why he asked but also feeling grateful that he did.