Chapter 6: Divorce Letter

I slam door, carry the red deed for my meat shop from top of cupboard. For day, I don already find shopkeepers, plan to sell the shop. Everything wey WhatsApp status dey talk dey happen. People don dey find Ikenna for street. If I no wan end up like that, I gats comot.

As I dey fold my shop paper, my hand dey shake small. For this Naija, if you no sharp, dem go collect everything from you. I no wan make my village people laugh me.

I bring out paper and biro, spread am for table. For day, I ask the bookshop man: for law now, if husband and wife wan separate, dem must write divorce letter.

Na lawyer for street tell me say na paper work matter. E talk say, "Make you write, two witness sign, e go stand for chief court." My head dey swell, say I go finally free myself.

Ikenna value him name pass anything. So make e no hold me, I plan write the divorce letter first.

I dey plan sharp sharp. If I leave am first, e no go fit use e own pride against me for front of people.

But I no sabi write. My hand ugly, ink dey drip for paper. I no even know wetin to write.

As I dey try form big grammar, ink stain my wrapper. My handwriting dey resemble fowl wey dance for mud. Even my neighbor, Mama Chika, for laugh if she see am—say na small pikin dey learn A, B, C. Na wah!

Knock come for door—two times. Ikenna enter, him voice dry: "Come chop first."

He carry tray come my side, set hot yam porridge, pepper soup, and water. If na before, e no fit cook ordinary rice. But now, e dey manage small.

I no look up. Before, he no even sabi light fire or cook. Lucky say he quick learn. If no be those WhatsApp status, I for really believe…

For my mind, I dey pray say this matter no go end with me for Okpoko mass grave or for people mouth. But as I see him shadow for my door, something for my chest melt small. I still stubborn, I no show am.

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*For olden days Nigeria, divorce letter na official paper wey dem need to end marriage.*

The elders go gather, chief go stamp am, everybody go hear say the marriage don scatter. E no easy, but sometimes, na only way person fit breathe for this life.

But for this Palm Grove, everybody get eye—na who get courage go survive. I ready.