Chapter 2: The Contract or Love?

Ifedayo plane don already fly. I lock myself inside the lounge, just drop one tear.

That tear stubborn, e hang for my chin like dew. The AC dey cold, but my body dey hot. I smell small vanilla from my cake, but e dey bitter for my mouth. Heat just dey my chest. I hold myself strong, because people for outside fit peep. I no wan give dem gist abeg.

Outside, my papa dey vex, dey curse anyhow. Uncle Ade dey call, dey call, no wan gree, say he must catch Ifedayo once he land.

My papa dey shout 'God punish am! Tufiakwa!' for corridor. My mama dey hold am for waist, dey beg. Uncle Ade dey vibrate for phone, 'I go show am pepper for New York, make him try come back.' Everybody dey run up and down. If not for my wedding gown, I for don enter the wahala myself.

Two messages dey my phone.

Ifedayo: [Ngozi, wait for me. I go come back explain.]

The other one na Ifedayo picture.

He dey waka go boarding gate, head down, dey talk for phone. Na the suit wey I suffer design for am for wedding day him wear. The tie wey I choose, just dey his neck anyhow.

I notice say e tie never even straight, e bend one kind. I for help am adjust am, but who go help me adjust my own broken heart? Na that kain small thing dey pain woman pass. My hand dey shake as I dey zoom the picture. I even see say him shoe lace never correct.

Him face soft, eyes full of love, like say na person wey him dey pet for phone.

E shock me, because as I dey look am, na so e resemble that time wey we still dey play for compound—Ifedayo with him soft look, like person wey dey carry everybody for mind. I bite my lip small.

Anybody wey see am go talk: The babe wey him dey pet, na lucky girl be that.

Even security man fit see that kain picture go talk, 'Ehen, see true love o.' My mind just dey run.

I zoom the picture, dey look am for long.

I no fit drop the phone. My hand dey heavy, but my heart dey heavier. I just dey ask myself, 'Ngozi, you still wan cry for this boy?'

E no easy to let go.

I dey fight with myself, say make I just bone, but memory dey rush me. The laughter, the play, all the sweet things. I drag long sigh, like woman wey dey finish market hustle.

But I don give am chance, na him choose.

I talk am for my mind, make I no go disgrace my Okafor people. Wetin dem go talk if dem see me dey beg man? I draw strength, wipe my eye. 'Ngozi, no fall hand.'

You suppose move on, no dey look back.

I repeat am for my mind like church chorus. E dey pain, but I know say na truth. You go chop breakfast, you go move on. I carry myself up.

I fix my makeup, gather my wedding gown, open the lounge door, greet all the elders wey dey wait, no matter as dem dey look me.

My leg dey shake, but my smile dey strong. As I enter, Auntie Rose hug me, dey whisper for ear, 'O di mma, nwa m.' I nod, greet everybody. I no allow anybody see say my eye don red from cry.

The wedding go as dem plan am.

Everything wey dem write for program, we still do am. Pastor still pray, choir still sing. Na only the groom side empty. Small pikin dey run, dey laugh, adults dey look me with respect and pity join. I dey shine teeth, even as my mind dey think far.

But as I dey look the BL contract, I dey ask myself—this na the price of love or just business?