Chapter 7: The Final Stand

Me and Jide agree to go together.

We plan dress, even pick same colour. I dey excited, dey pretend say I no care, but my heart dey jump.

Morning, he say urgent thing dey, make I go first.

He kiss my forehead, tell me to relax, say e go join me soon. I no suspect anything.

As I reach private room door, I hear people still dey gossip me.

As usual, the town people dey run their mouth. I just take deep breath, dey pep myself up.

The talk inside dey harsh pass before.

E dey pain me, but I don dey used to am.

Inside the noise, I hear Chisom voice!

Her voice dey sweet, like person wey dey win award.

She dey talk, "Everybody sabi say na my sister Ifunanya marry Obinna for my place! Those three years of marriage affect her well. I hope say when she come, una no go give her wahala!"

She dey try do peacemaker, but I know say if e pain her, she for stop the whole talk.

Chisom sabi talk sweet!

She always get mouth to arrange her matter. Her voice fit calm lion.

If she really care about my name, she for stop them from start!

But true true, she just dey watch. I shake head.

But she no do am!

I no surprise. Na so she be.

"Make we talk."

Obinna voice land for my ear like command. I turn, see am.

I no know when Obinna show for my side.

He don stand behind me, face serious. E wear suit, look like say e dey go board meeting.

He wear suit wey fit am well, look sharp.

Na true, the cloth fit am like skin. But my mind no dey there.

"Nothing to talk."

I try sidestep, but e block me. My chest dey beat.

I look down, try waka pass, but he block me.

Obinna no wan gree today. E plant foot for ground.

"Why you no answer my call?"

His voice dey low, but I sabi say vex dey hide inside.

"Busy."

I answer sharp. I no dey ready for wahala.

"Busy with wetin? You busy reach to no reply for hours?"

Obinna dey act like say e get right to my life. I look up, eye dey red small.

I look up, face am. "If I dey with my boyfriend, work plenty!"

I talk am with chest. People dey look, but I no send.

Whatever he think, his face just harden.

He jaw tight, eye dey burn. I no send.

People dey peep from corner, dey wait for fight. For my mind, I dey ready—today na today.

"You know who Jide be, and you dey… date am?!"

E dey act like say e get right over me. I hiss.

I just cool. "I no know who you be that time, but I still marry you!"

I remind am say na choice I make. E pain am.

"Na different."

He dey shake head. E no wan hear anything.

"How e different?"

I dey push am. Make e talk the truth.

Before he fit answer, I add, "Yes, me and Jide dey together by choice!"

I no dey hide. My voice clear. Everybody dey look.

Maybe my voice too strong, Obinna face freeze.

E shock, like say thunder strike am. For him mind, e no expect am.

I turn go, but as I move, he grab my hand.

His grip strong. I dey vex.

"When you and Jide start?"

He dey try dig. I no gree answer.

"How e take concern you?"

I dey fire back. E no like am.

I try remove my hand, but he hold am tight.

E grip me like say I be property.

"Ifunanya, you rush divorce me that time na for am?"

E voice shake. I hiss.

"I no know wetin you dey talk. Free me!"

I no get energy for am. I pull harder.

He no gree. "You fit follow anybody, but no be am!"

E voice rise. I tire.

"You dey craze?!"

I match him leg hard. E release me, I waka.

He leave me, I sharply waka back.

My head high. People dey watch. I no send.

"Go do your wedding, brother-in-law!"

I drop am, dey waka away. E shock.

Obinna face just pale.

E look me, mouth open. E no fit talk.

His lips move, but no word come out.

For a moment, I feel small joy. Revenge dey sweet, but e quick fade.

I no go lie, small revenge dey sweet me!

I smile small, but my mind quickly return to reality.

But e no last, na sharp sharp clear mind enter.

I gather myself, remember who I be. Time to let go.

"Tell Chisom—wetin I owe her, I don pay. From today, we no owe each other again!"

As I waka go, my spirit dey light like fresh harmattan morning. No more shadow, no more debt—my own life just dey start.