Chapter 4: Guesthouse, Akara, and Jide’s Vanishing Act

After I collect divorce certificate, I waka go south alone.

I carry small bag, my heart heavy. I no tell anybody. As bus dey move, I just dey look window, dey pray say new air go help me heal.

I no talk to my family for three years.

No call, no text, nothing. I just vanish. My phone dey silent, my soul dey rest. For first time, I fit hear my own thoughts.

Some time ago, dem call me say Obinna and Chisom wan marry.

The call shock me. I bin think say I don heal finish, but as I hear Chisom voice, my heart dey shake again.

Na Chisom call me.

She talk gentle, like say she dey beg. Her voice low, I fit sense small fear inside.

"Ifunanya, abeg come my wedding. If you dey there, my mind go rest small!"

She dey try sound cheerful, but I fit hear the plea. Maybe na guilt, maybe na fear. I just listen.

I keep quiet for long before I talk, "Okay."

My mind dey heavy. I no sure say I fit go, but at the end, I gree.

The day I come back, weather fine, sun dey shine.

For my mind, na sign say new beginning. As I waka, market women dey hail, taxi horn dey blow. E feel like home, but different.

As I enter with my bag, Chisom rush come out.

Her leg dey better now, she dey jump small. She wear nightdress, even breeze no worry am. E shock me.

"Ifunanya!"

Her voice sharp, full of excitement. She open arm, like say nothing ever happen. For a moment, I dey confuse—how she fit just dey free?

She waka come, light like say nothing dey worry am.

Her step dey light, like say she never get pain for leg before. She smile, her face dey glow.

For this late harmattan, she wear only thin nightdress.

I shake head. I remember how mama go shout say cold go catch am, but Chisom no dey hear word.

Behind her, Obinna come out with slippers, dey carry coat.

Obinna still dey do responsible guy. He carry coat, dey eye Chisom leg, dey complain under him breath.

"Why you no dey wear shoe? Next time you try am, I go…"

His voice just stop.

E see me. E just freeze for moment, as if spirit catch am.

He see me.

Na the first time we dey see since divorce.

Time stop for that second. I no fit talk, he no fit move. Breeze just pass between us.

As e suppose be, I suppose greet am.

For culture, na me suppose greet. But my mouth heavy.

I just turn, nod small.

No word come out, just small nod. I dey try hold myself.

After three years, Obinna still be like how I remember.

E still tall, face still sharp. Only say small tiredness dey show. E don mature small.

Only say, his eyes no too cold again—e soft small.

The fire for him eye reduce. E look me, then look ground. My heart skip.

He nod, look away, put coat for Chisom body.

E fit pretend say nothing dey happen, but e dey try cover am.

"Una two fit talk. I get work to do."

E waka go back inside. E no wan stand for awkward moment.

Chisom hold my arm like say we be twins.

Her grip tight, like say she dey fear make I vanish.

"I fear say you no go come! Tomorrow na for wedding dress fitting, you go follow me?"

She dey beg, but still dey act like say nothing dey worry her. Her voice soft.

I remove my arm, face straight. "I get work tomorrow."

No smile, no play. I just dey straight.

Chisom frown. "E serious like that?"

She twist mouth, dey act stubborn. For her mind, she dey wonder why I no wan join her.

"Mm, very serious."

I no add anything. My face still stiff.

She reason am. "Then make we shift am to next tomorrow. Do your own tomorrow, come back…"

She dey try please me. I just dey watch her.

"I no dey stay for house!" I cut am. "Tell Mama and Papa say I dey busy, I no go fit come house!"

I talk am sharp, no fear. E shock her small.

As I talk am, I just carry my bag waka comot.

No time for long gist. I carry my bag, move fast.

No far from there, one car stop for my front.

The tire screech small. For my mind, I dey prepare for new wahala.

Window roll down, na Obinna face I see.

E dey look me, face serious. "Enter, make I carry you."

I bone face. "No need, thank you."

I try waka pass, but Obinna no dey hear no.

But the guy stubborn—if I no enter, he go just dey follow me with car.

He no wan leave me for road. Na so e dey do.

"Keke no dey this side. Enter."

E talk like command, not like request. I just sigh.

As I see road long, I just enter.

My leg dey pain, so I just swallow my pride, enter car.

I give am address.

He frown small. "Why you no stay for Palm Grove Estate?"

E dey try form concern, but I know say e dey spy.

"I no like am."

I answer short. No need long explanation.

Na the house dem give me for divorce be that.

I no tell am say I don sell am, use the money start new life.

But he no know say I don sell am.

He no even suspect. For his mind, maybe I dey suffer.

Obinna eyes come dark, but he no talk again.

He just dey drive, jaw tight. I look window, no talk.

When we reach, I come down, Obinna follow come down too.

As usual, e no dey let things rest.

He carry my bag, no gree give me. "Let’s go."

E dey act like say na bodyguard. I tire.

"I fit go myself."

I try collect bag, but the thing heavy.

He no gree. For public, he like to show say e dey in control.

He look around. "You dey broke?"

His eyes scan compound. Na small boys dey play ball outside, some woman dey fry akara. E no like the environment.

This place no reach Palm Grove Estate standard at all.

He dey judge me with him eye. I just bone.

"No."

I answer, voice flat. I no wan give am gist.

He just drag bag inside. "Which building? Which floor?"

He no wan hear story. E dey move with mission.

Obinna stubborn—once he put mind, nobody fit change am.

He get that Okafor stubbornness. If e wan do something, nobody fit stop am.

I no argue, just lead the way.

No need stress myself. I just walk, he follow.

We enter stairs, go upstairs.

The stair dey dark, but I dey used to am. He dey grumble small for back.

For my door, I collect bag. "Thanks, today no too convenient, I no go fit invite you enter."

I use polite voice. E no mean say I no fit vex. I just dey respect myself.

"Wait."

His voice soft. I pause, hand for key.

I turn back.

E dey look me, eye steady. I never see am look me like that since.

"You dey alright these years?"

As I see his serious eyes, I shock small.

Na first time e dey show real concern. For a moment, I soft small.

I no remember am ever talk to me like that before.

E always keep things for himself. Today different.

As I wan answer, door open from inside.

Na so drama start. The door fling open, fresh cologne enter my nose.

One tall, fine guy just show.

Jide—broad chest, neat haircut, smile dey play for mouth. If you see am, you go know say na correct Lagos boy.

Broad chest, slim waist—this one na man wey person dey call ‘correct guy’!

Even Obinna look am twice. The guy neat, e fit model for advert.

He just stretch hand, carry me enter him body, talk, "Why you come late like this, eh?"

His voice deep, dey playful. E dey act like say na only two of us dey for world.

As he talk, he wan kiss me.

He lean forward, lips soft. I catch small smile for him face.

Just as him lips touch my own, Obinna vex voice land:

Obinna voice burst like thunder: "Wetin you dey do?!"

But the guy no send—he kiss me well, then hold me, face Obinna but talk to me:

Jide just smile, still dey hold me tight. "How long I travel, you don get another man? I no fit trust you at all~"

I try push am, but e no move.

Jide strong pass as e look. I struggle, but e hold me gentle.

I just look Obinna. "If you get anything to talk, we go talk later."

Obinna face stiff. E hand dey shake small, lips tight. I sabi say e dey boil inside.

Obinna hand for side don tight, lips squeeze together.

E try hold himself, but I know say the vex dey boil. E face red small.

Na so I sabi say the guy wan vex.

If no be say people dey, Obinna for shout. But e no wan disgrace himself.

But before e fit shout, I don carry enter inside.

I no wan see wahala. I drag Jide, enter house, slam door.

Door close.

As we lock door, I lean back, dey breathe deep.

The guy come near, eyes sharp.

Jide face serious now. He dey look me, try read my mood.

"If I remember well, your flight land eleven, now na two. Three hours, you don see your ex-husband?"

I poke him for waist.

I use finger, touch his side, play small. "Jide, abeg, no start."

"Jide…"

He sharply grab my hand, voice deep. "No try use scope for me."

He hold my wrist, eye dey warn me. I smile small.

I hold him shirt, bend head.

I dey act stubborn, but my heart dey sweet me.

He lift my chin. As we look each other, Jide just laugh, vexed.

Jide try keep straight face, but e soft. He rub thumb for my cheek.

"I never even talk, you don dey cry?"

He tease me, but e voice low. I sniff, wipe my eye.

I sniff. "I miss you well well…"

For my chest, I dey happy. Na this kind love dey sweet pass.