Chapter 4: The Last Call

As I reach house, I pack my load move out. For three days, I no message Tobi at all.

Na my neighbour, Aunty Bisi, help me with carton, dey ask if na family wahala. I just smile, no talk much. Inside, my heart dey pound.

He hardly dey call on him own:

He drop short call, voice dry: "Hey, dress fine this night. Follow me go one dinner."

Him voice dey stiff, but na rare chance for am to give me way to settle.

I dey expect apology, but na command I get. My mind just cold.

But I just talk:

"I no dey come. Find another person."

I add am with style, my voice calm, but my mind dey burn.

He pause, sound shock:

"Find another person? Everybody dey come with their babe. Who you want make I carry?"

The way he ask am, e sound like say I get power to decide who go enter his car.

I say, "Anybody. Morayo or Fatima, any one dey."

I talk am plain, my chest dey rise and fall.

"Simi, how many times I go tell you—we na just friends. Why you dey bring up old matter?"

He dey try explain, but my mind dey made up.

"Na you talk say you go break up and date her. You wan make I repeat wetin you talk?"

For the other side, him breath dey heavy, like say anger wan finish am:

I imagine his hand dey grip steering, knuckle white: "Fine, make we break up. I wan see who go first beg for makeup like dog."

Tobi always sure for himself. Him boys no even know say we don break before. He dey always leave way to return, never talk am clear. Many times, when Tobi talk "break up," wetin he mean be: "I dey vex, pet me, we go settle."

The story always be say na man dey rule, woman go beg. This time, I tell myself say I no go play the role again.

But if na only one person dey always gree, no matter how love dey, e go pain at last.

I take deep breath, voice steady: "Then make we break up," I talk.

Whether na for bar or even before, I don tire since. Now I don understand, for Tobi mind, my care na control. My call dey make am shame and vex. If na so, make I free am.

Tobi, I go give you the freedom wey you dey find.

The words heavy for my mouth, but e come out as if breeze dey push am. For my heart, something break, but I gree make I move.