Chapter 5: Showdown and Slap

My eyebrow raise.

If you see the way I take eye am ehn, even stone go melt. My blood dey boil, but I hold myself.

This kind talk, e even fit come from human being?

Wetin I do this guy? After everything? Na now him get mouth?

I glare am. "Tunde, you no know the truth? All these years you dey chop my money, now you get mind talk like this?"

My voice steady, but if to say curse dey work, thunder for don strike am from window.

Tunde face no change. He just talk like say na normal thing:

He even cross leg, look Amarachi with one eye. The confidence dey surprise me. Na so men dey act for Lagos when dem get backup.

"Just because you be jobless orphan, and Amarachi na proper princess since school. Anything she want, I go get am for her."

He talk am like say na Olympic gold. Amarachi blush, even shift near am.

"Maybe you no know, but Amarachi parents na teachers. For everything, she better pass you by far."

Amarachi use that chance nod. Na so some people dey form better person because of family background.

Boyfriend wey I dey date since uni now dey use me shine, dey talk rubbish.

Na me cook, na me wash, na me dey support am when him dey find work. Now, I be rag because him see new pikin.

He only know say I be single-parent pikin, say I move out because me and my mama no too gel.

If only him sabi say family get story wey pass him level.

But e no know say my mama na West Africa CEO for multinational company.

If him hear my mama name, e go dey prostrate dey greet for airport.

When my papa die, he leave us money wey get nine zeros.

I no dey brag, but my own suffer dey voluntary. Na me run from family, no be say poverty dey chase me.

Truth be say, if I no stay here dodge family business,

I for dey fly private jet now, dey eat breakfast for Paris.

Tunde for no even fit see me for him life.

I no fit even recognize am for my real circle, na just school wahala join us.

As I keep quiet, Tunde think say e pain me. He sneer, continue:

He even shift, arrange shirt. The pride for him face dey shine like new shoe.

"Some people na princess from birth. Some, no matter how dem try, na just maid dem go be forever."

He look Amarachi, wink. Like say na film dem dey act.

"If na me, I go waka comot, leave everything for Amarachi."

He dey talk am with pride, dey expect make I beg. Amarachi squeeze hand, dey do puppy eye.

"Why you still stand there? Go Facebook, beg Amarachi, or no blame me for wetin go happen next—"

He point finger, but before e fit finish, my hand don ready.

Tunde hiss, add, "You dey behave like village pikin wey never see better thing."

But before e finish, I raise hand, give Tunde hot slap.

The slap loud, e echo reach compound. Even Amarachi jump, hold chest. My palm red, but I no feel am.

The slap loud, e head turn one side.

E stagger, hold wall. Amarachi mouth open like say she wan swallow air.

He look me, eye red like say blood dey pour.

E dey find words, but na spit dey come out.

"Ifeoma, you fit slap me?"

He shock, but I no send. Na today?

Amarachi shout, jump back two steps, carry phone begin record.

She dey hope say video go trend. E no know say Naija people dey always find new thing to drag.

But I fling her phone, grab my box, push the two of them aside.

Her phone fly land for floor, screen crack. I no look back. My box heavy, but anger dey ginger me.

All my vex, I pour am, scatter everywhere. I no even plan carry anything.

The rage dey boil me. I throw flower vase, break mug. Anything my hand touch, I just dey vex.

"Since una like my things, take all!"

I open wardrobe, scatter my old clothes. Even Amarachi perfume, I throw am for dustbin. Let them enjoy my leftover.

Everywhere scatter, anything my hand touch, I break am.

Na so glass dey fly, books dey drop, even my old laptop I throw for bed.

I open door, waka comot from the small house wey I stay for three years.

I breathe in deep, step into evening breeze. Na freedom. I no look back.