Chapter 5: The Price of Loyalty

Ten years ago, after university, me and Ayo start business with big dream.

We dey hustle for small shop, no AC, just fan wey dey blow hot air. We dey dream say we go make am big, buy house for Lekki, travel abroad.

But life show us pepper.

NEPA dey cut light, we dey drink garri, landlord dey chase us for rent. I dey run market, he dey look for customer. We dey suffer together.

Just as things dey move, enemy frame us.

Na jealous people wey no want make we grow. Dem plan set up, carry police come one morning, say we thief money.

Dem carry Ayo go police cell.

I remember how I cry for station, beg DPO, call all the church elders. Nobody fit help. Dem say na big case.

No help anywhere, I go beg the enemy.

I kneel for their office, dey beg, my pride drop. I say, 'abeg, anything, just free my man.'

Say make dem free Ayo, I go do anything.

My voice low, my eyes red. Dem just dey look me. I no care, I gats save Ayo.

Three days later, dem carry me hospital, body full wound.

The pain deep. My cloth tear, my body dey pain, but I dey thank God say I no die. I dey wish say the pain go end.

Soon, Ayo come out.

He enter room, see my state, begin cry. He hold me, his body dey shake. I try smile for am.

But enemy send am video.

His hand dey shake as he watch am, I dey cover face. Shame nearly kill me. I wish say the earth go swallow me.

For the video, I dey naked, kneel down, three men dey insult me.

The voice loud, the insult dey heavy. My heart dey break every time I remember. I dey pray make God wipe my memory.

Ayo break everything for room, hold me dey cry.

He break TV, scatter chair, cry with me. We two dey hold each other, dey curse the day we enter business.

He say he go finish them.

His anger hot. He dey shout, promise say e go revenge. I just dey beg am, 'no do anything stupid.'

He say he go marry me, treat me well forever.

He kneel, beg me, say, 'I no go ever let you go.' My heart dey break, but I believe am.

Later, he do am.

He keep his word. He marry me, treat me like queen. People dey talk, but we no send.

Now, Ayo Group no be that small company again.

We get office for Makurdi, staff plenty. Money dey flow, enemies dey jealous. We dey enjoy small, but wahala still dey.

He suffer, drink anyhow for business.

He dey go meeting from morning till night, dey do deals, dey fight to make us rich. Sometimes, he dey forget to chop.

He swallow pride, step by step, become big man for Makurdi.

E no easy, but he try. He make friends with big politicians, even join Rotary Club. Money start to flow.

Six years ago, when company go public, he propose with joy.

He buy ring, call all our friends. He kneel for Sheraton Ikeja lobby, propose. People clap, dey video.

I refuse.

My mind dey heavy. I no want marry because of pity. I dey fear say my past go destroy our future.

I no wan marry out of pity.

I dey struggle, dey ask God, 'I deserve this happiness?' I dey cry every night.

Every night, the shame of that night dey play for my mind.

The scene dey replay, like bad movie. I dey wake with sweat, dey shout for sleep.

E dey torment me.

My spirit dey heavy. I dey feel say I go die from the pain. I dey withdraw from people.

I feel say I no clean, no deserve love.

My mind dey tell me say I be curse, say I no fit get happiness. I dey lose weight, my face dey dull.

But Ayo no give up. He follow me therapy, dey try surprise me every day.

He dey buy flower, dey write letter, dey take me out. He sit with me for therapy, dey talk, dey encourage me.

Because of one thing I talk, he jump cold river go find my lost bracelet.

That day, I lose my mama bracelet for stream. He no even think, he jump inside, search till he find am. All my friends dey shout, say, 'see love!'

Every ten days, he go propose again, talk say he love me.

No tire. Every time, he go kneel, beg me. Sometimes for public, sometimes for house. I dey laugh, dey cry.

Finally, after 33 times, I gree.

He hug me, lift me, dey shout. He dance for street, people dey look. My heart dey warm.

He happy die, wan announce am, but I stop am.

I dey beg am, 'Abeg, make we no make noise.' I dey fear village people.

I fear too much.

I dey look back, dey worry say something go spoil am. I no want evil eye.

I dey worry say people blessing fit spoil my happiness.

I believe say if I too show, dem fit plan bad thing. For Naija, joy no dey loud for mouth.

I just dey enjoy my love quietly.

We dey travel small, dey go cinema, dey chop suya together. Na only close friends know our story.

Small small, I get better, try forgive myself.

With time, therapy, prayer, I begin smile again. I dey cook, dey laugh, dey dance for parlor.

No more nightmares, only warm embrace.

I dey sleep, Ayo dey hold me. Peace dey my heart. I dey thank God say I fit heal.

But just five years, the man wey call me best girl now dey use my past insult me.

This one pain me pass. My chest dey bleed. So after everything, na this betrayal remain?

The same person wey cover my shame, now dey use my video play with side chick.

Tears fall for my face. Na so life be. I dey wonder if true love really dey exist.