Chapter 7: Gossip, Tease, and the Ride Home

Suleiman just elbow Chuka for belle, shut am up.

The sound loud. Everybody look. Chuka hold belle, dey laugh.

I hear that name, shock catch me.

My ear dey ring, my head dey hot. I dey try keep composure.

Ifeoma, she don come back?

My fear dey grow. I dey imagine all the old days.

Olumide dey see her...

I dey try join the dots. My mind dey race.

"See am, I talk am. Abeni just ask for address to pick her husband go house."

Chuka dey misbehave, dey add pepper for the matter. I dey frown, dey hold my own hand.

"Olumide—"

Suleiman just drag Olumide come, push him arm for my hand.

The force small, but e pass message. E dey act like referee wey wan end match.

"Make una dey go house. Go, go."

E dey rush us, dey smile as if say e no mean anything.

"Abeni, Olumide don high—e high well. You fit do anything wey you wan with am~"

The tease enter. Everybody dey laugh, but I dey shy.

I shock, look up see Suleiman dey wink Olumide.

The wink sharp. Olumide just smile, e face still straight.

I look Olumide, dey confuse.

I dey try check if e really high. But e eyes clear, e steady for ground.

Only small alcohol smell dey him body, him eyes clear, him leg stand strong—no sign of drunkenness.

E fit walk straight, dey answer people normal. I dey suspect say e just dey use excuse.

As I dey reason am,

I dey check him face for sign. But e dey act normal.

Suddenly, Olumide eyes shadow cover, him tall body shake small.

E sigh, then lower head. E dey show small weakness, but e still dey guard himself.

Then, he just bury him head for the space between my neck and shoulder.

E feel warm, e dey breath heavy. I shiver small, dey hold my bag tight.

"E dey turn me," he talk, voice rough.

E dey whisper, e breath dey hot. The sound make me blush.

"Dem force me drink... Abeni, you waka come here just to carry me go house?"

E voice low, almost like pikin. My heart melt small.

Olumide warm breath dey touch my neck, make me shiver.

I no fit talk. I just dey nod, dey hold am. E soft, e tender.

As Suleiman and others dey tease,

Dem dey make noise, dey clap. I dey shy, but I gree.

I no know wetin to do, just manage answer, "Mm."

My voice small, but Olumide hear am. E smile, dey squeeze my hand.

Olumide smile, gently hold my hand with him own.

E hand big, dey wrap my own. I dey feel safe, like say I fit face anything.

I bow my head, dey lead am go out.

We waka slow, but my chest dey do drum. The whole world fit dey look, but I no care.

[This na the first time my wife dey come pick me go house.]

The thought land for my mind. E sound sweet, like compliment wey you no expect.

Olumide deep voice just ring for my ear.

E dey echo, dey bounce for my head. I dey smile, dey form strong.

I shock, turn look am.

I dey find clue for him face. E dey grin small, e mouth bend for corner.

Olumide mouth just dey bend small, like say he dey proud, Adam apple dey move.

E swallow, then smile wider. E face soft, e eye dey bright.

He no talk, but I hear am again:

The words dey ring. I dey blush, dey look ground.

[Suleiman advice really make sense.]

Na true, sometimes na friends dey see your heart pass yourself.

[My wife too fine when she dey shy.]

I dey laugh inside. I dey hope say e dey talk true.

[Hmm, I fit use the third box of ultra-thin 001 tonight?]

I nearly burst laugh. But I just pinch am small, make e behave.

Chuka, your mouth dey run like tap wey dem no fit close!