Chapter 3: Invitations and Insults

Nobody sabi how our breakup take bad.

One person push me go meet Musa, dey laugh, “Oga Musa that year love Ifeoma so tey e no send im own life. How e take let am go?”

Everybody begin talk say make we come back together.

Musa friend look me, hiss, com talk, “Abeg, which babe Musa no fit get? Who be Ifeoma, why my guy go dey think of am?”

E talk say one babe dey with Musa for three years now.

She fine pass me, gentle pass me, better to be Musa babe.

Musa and the babe don dey for three years. All im guys dey call her madam, dem say marriage dey near.

Laughter stop. Na only Musa friend still dey smile, dey invite everybody come Musa wedding.

E throw invitation card for my face. E land for my lap.

The card dey heavy for my hand, red and gold, embossed like all those Abuja party style, with small sachet of groundnut for inside as souvenir. I see the jollof-stained thumbprint for corner, e remind me say life no dey clean for anybody. As I touch the card, my hand shake small, memories dey rush like harmattan breeze for inside bus.

I look down, see Musa name for invitation, and another girl name by side.

That girl name na Halima. Even the name show say she get sense.

I reason am, she go sabi behave, no go dey stubborn like me, no go dey make Musa vex.

Six years wey we no see, to see say Musa dey okay—na enough be that.

I hold my tears, look up, tell Musa, “Congrats.”

I try smile, but e hard. My voice crack small, but nobody notice except one old classmate wey just eye me, nod head, like person wey sabi pain wey dem no fit talk for public.

Musa just dey look me. As I talk congrats, e just smile, press cigarette for ashtray, talk coldly, “Ifeoma, no come my wedding.”

“If my wife see you, she no go happy. If she no happy, na wahala for me.”

I hold the thin red invitation, shock.

I smile, nod, talk soft, “No wahala.”

The silence heavy for table. One woman cough, another shift chair. The small generator for corner hum louder, as if e dey cover our pain. Deep inside me, I dey beg make nobody see how my hand dey shake.