Chapter 5: Betrayal and Hustle

After I finish with Zainab, I waka alone for street wey sun dey shine, mango trees full everywhere, then call my padi, Sade.

My shoe dey bite leg, my phone almost fall from hand. Lagos noise dey my ear, but na my own wahala loud pass.

Everything wey I dey hold inside just burst come out.

As Sade pick, I no fit hold am. Tears just dey drop, my voice crack.

My voice dey shake with cry.

"Lanre wan marry another person."

The way I talk am, people for bus stop turn look me. But I no send. My whole world dey scatter for my hand.

Sade voice just dey busy, answer anyhow,

She dey inside traffic, horn dey blow for her background. "Amaka, abeg, calm down. Wetin you dey talk?"

"Abeg, Amaka, forget that guy. You go find better man—Lagos full ground."

Her voice sharp, but I know say na tough love.

"But me and Lanre don... sleep together."

My hand dey shake, I dey look ground. My voice just dey fade.

By the time I talk finish, my voice small like mosquito.

The shame dey pain me. My friend dey try help me, but she no sabi the weight wey dey my chest.

Sade just hiss.

Her hiss loud, like generator wey no gree start. "So? Wetin happen?"

"You old school people too stubborn."

Her tone soften small. I dey feel say maybe she go still reason my side.

After I yarn everything, she quiet small, then talk gently,

Her voice low. "Amaka, we go handle am. No worry. E go pain small, but you go heal."

"Amaka, make we finish this work first?"

She switch to business, try help me focus. I wipe my face, nod even though she no dey see me.

"No be say I must collect this client, but I dey pity you."

She dey reason say if I fit focus, I go forget the pain small. Na true.

"Why you go let them use you play?"

She dey para for my matter. I dey feel am, but my mind still dey scatter.

"Miss Zainab talk say if she like the wedding, apart from normal money, she go give you extra three million naira."

I freeze. Three million? Na money wey fit change my story.

"After company cut their share, all the profit na your own."

Her voice sharp. "No dull yourself. You no go kill yourself because of man wey no reason your own happiness."

"No dull. Love no reach, you still need to chop."

The advice pain me, but e sweet. I dey lucky to get friend wey sabi street.

Last last, I gree with Sade.

I swallow spit, wipe tears. "You dey right. I go focus."

Lanre, I go plan you wedding wey nobody go ever forget.

For my mind, I dey plot: I go use all my energy, all my pain, make the wedding shine so tey dem go always remember say Amaka run am.

My chest dey cold. I just close eye, whisper small prayer: "God, abeg, make I no break."