Chapter 8: Wedding Countdown

Seven days to wedding, workers show.

I dey coordinate, dey shout instruction, make sure all dem wey dey carry flower no drop am for gutter. My phone dey ring every ten minutes. My leg dey pain.

Six days, host first appear.

The host wear suit, carry confidence. Him handshake strong. I dey tick names for checklist, dey reason how I go survive till wedding day.

Na TV host, Musa and Lanre family friend, come specially for the wedding.

E greet everybody, dey snap picture. Everybody dey hail am. Zainab dey shine.

I listen to the plan; e make sense.

I dey take note, dey adjust program. My own pride dey grow. Na my hand dey run things.

No too emotional, but e sweet.

People dey laugh, dey gist. The energy dey good. I fit see my handiwork dey form shape.

Five days to wedding, I use my hand do rainbow for hall center.

I dey up ladder, dey tie silk. My hand dey pain, but the joy for my mind dey lift me.

Handmade silk from abroad, plenty meters.

The silk soft, shine like morning sun after rain. I dey arrange am with care, dey hum song my mama teach me.

Hall high reach 8 meters, every thread we assemble for there.

My staff dey help, but na my hand dey control final look. E dey give me pride.

From color, to blend, na me run everything.

I dey pick thread one by one, dey make sure say no space show. My eye sharp, even though dem talk say e no good.

Two days and night I use.

I no sleep, I no even chop well. I just dey run on energy and painkiller. My own wahala na make beauty show.

"Halo"—e no really be rainbow, but e fine pass. Sun from skylight dey shine the whole place.

When I finish, I stand for center, dey admire my handwork. The rainbow glow, the hall bright. I snap picture, send Sade.

Zainab just dey look am, eyes dey shine like tear wan drop.

She walk come, eyes wet. She touch my arm, voice soft.

"Wetin you call this design?"

Her voice get hope, like say she dey look for magic.

I pause small, then answer soft,

I dey shy, but I talk. "Na Halo. E no be rainbow, but e dey show hope after rain."

"When you meet correct person, na like say you see rainbow for first time."

I look her face, smile. She nod, dey reason my words.

Zainab force smile, look me.

She try act strong, but I see the softness for her eye. She sabi say love no dey here, but still want small magic.

"On wedding day, I wan throw bouquet give you."

She wink, I laugh. "Abeg, no try am. I no ready for another wahala."

I wan talk no, but Lanre voice come from far.

His voice loud, familiar. I freeze.

"This rainbow make sense. Who do am?"

He dey ask, but I dey hide for partition. My heart dey race.

Zainab greet am. "How you take get time today?"

She smile wide, act like say she dey happy.

Lanre just snap picture, yarn small, then face him phone.

He no even greet anybody well. E just take picture, drop compliment, then focus on screen. I dey hide, dey peep.

Next thing, my phone vibrate.

I check. Na message from Lanre.

Na Lanre message, with photo.

[Baby, see the hall for company event. No be fine?]

I wan laugh, but pain dey my chest. This same hall, na me dey run am for another woman.

Same time, Lanre hear sound, come frown, look partition side.

He dey suspect person dey hide. He move near partition.

"Who dey there?"

His voice sharp. My heart skip.