Chapter 6: Egusi Soup and Small Withdrawal

Night reach, as I come house, Lanre dey kitchen dey cook egusi soup. As e see me, e happy,

He tie apron, sweat for forehead, music dey play low from radio. He dey dance small, stir soup, taste am. When I enter, he grin, "Babe, you don come!"

"Baby, I see goat meat for market, thirty percent off, I buy am do soup for you."

He raise pot cover, let aroma fly. He dey proud of him find.

"Rest small, e go soon done."

I just twist my mouth. How person fit dey like this?

My mind dey busy. I dey look the man wey dey cook for me, dey remember wetin him talk for buka, dey confuse if na the same person.

Person wey fit spend thirty million for wedding, still dey buy promo meat?

Na the paradox. For Lagos, people fit get money, still dey price ogbono for market.

Lanre carry soup come. "Drink am hot."

He serve me big bowl, smile like chef. I pick spoon, taste small.

I just sip small. "E too salty, the smell no too good."

I talk am sharp. For first time, I no fit pretend.

Lanre shock.

He open mouth, look me. Na first time wey I ever criticize him food.

Before, anytime e cook, I go always pity am—after work still dey cook, I go clear everything.

My mind dey flash back to times wey I dey praise am, even when pepper choke throat. Today, I no fit pretend.

I never talk say food no sweet before.

Today, my chest dey block. No room for fake smile.

Na today be first time.

Lanre just carry bowl, still dey gentle.

He try smile, but e no reach eye. "No drink am then. Wetin you wan chop? Make I order food."

"I no hungry. Chop your own."

I stand up, drop spoon. My mind dey far.

E ask me gently, "You dey okay?"

He try touch my hand. I withdraw small. My hand dey shake, but I no let am see. I just dey count ceiling, dey beg God for strength.

I just look down. "Body just weak."

My voice dey tremble. The lie heavy, but I no fit open mouth.

Lanre begin massage my shoulder.

His touch soft, careful, but my body stiff. I dey wish say I fit melt disappear.

"Why your company go make you work weekend? Next time no go."

He dey reason say na office stress dey worry me. I just nod, no talk.

E no sabi say I dey do wedding planner work.

I dey hide am from am, as if na small secret go save me from big heartbreak.

As e dey rub, hand wan waka go where e no suppose.

He slide hand near my waist, but I shift, carry fake medical report wey I print from online.

I stop am, give am medical report.

"Doctor talk say my womb get small wahala, so I no fit do for one month."

He take the paper, dey look am with concern. I dey watch him face, dey hope say he go reason say something dey off.

Of course, na fake paper.

I no even know how to forge well, but I hope say he no go notice.

I just no want breakup sex.

My body no fit carry any more lies. I just wan rest, sleep without wahala.

I even dey hope say e go talk truth, end this play.

Maybe if I push am, he go finally open up.

But Lanre just frown.

He pinch lip, squeeze my hand.

"Na me injure you like that?"

He talk am with guilt. I dey surprise, cos he never show this kind worry before.

"Sorry..."

He rub my back, like say e dey massage my pain away.

"No worry, I go take care of you well."

He talk am like vow. But my own heart no gree soft.

Me: "..."

I no fit reply. My own wahala dey block mouth.

Why e no dey go the way I plan?

I dey reason why the play no dey end the way film dey end. E be like I dey stuck for another person script.