Chapter 9: Withdrawn Messages

My hand dey shake as I send am WhatsApp.

I dey stare my screen for long. I no know if I go get reply, but I press send all the same.

[Where you dey?]

Surprisingly, he reply sharp sharp.

[No fear, I dey here, I always dey here.]

The speed shock me. Na so love dey work? Before I fit reply, message vanish. E withdraw am sharp.

Before I know, he withdraw the message.

I blink, dey try process. Why e dey rush? Na mistake?

Na for her he send am, but as my message land, he send am to me by mistake.

Pain hit me. So even my message na error for am. Na her him dey plan encourage, not me.

My over thirty missed calls and messages—he never reply. The one time he reply sharp, na mistake.

The irony dey mad. After all the times I beg, na this slipup I get. My chest squeeze.

“Madam, you dey okay?”

Na stranger for road ask me, na then I realize say tears and catarrh don mix for my face, my body dey shake.

I clean face, try smile, but my body dey tremble. The stranger even pity, dash me pure water.

That night, Ifedike come find me.

As he see my swollen eye, he no talk anything, just say sorry calmly.

His voice gentle, almost whisper. He touch my shoulder, squeeze softly, "Sorry, Temi." My heart dey break.

“Sorry, something urgent happen. I go make up for your birthday.”

I bow my head, eye too swell, talk softly.

Voice weak, I no fit shout. I just dey hold tears, dey swallow words.

“Ifedike, fit help me for one thing?”

My voice dey shake, but my mind dey set. E be like say I don reach breaking point.

Maybe my voice too serious, or maybe na the first time I call am full name. He just hug me tight.

The hug dey tight, like say e wan melt inside my body. E shock am, he stiff small.

“Okay, talk, anything.”

Him voice soft, fear dey inside.

“Fit… delete Halima?”

I feel as he stiff for body as he hug me.

The way him hand pause, I know say wahala dey. Na that moment, I see my place for him heart.

No need look, I sabi say him face don change, anger dey show.

E step back, eye red. Even the air between us cold.