Chapter 5: Final Blows

The bullet comments just dey hot.

Dem dey loud for my head, like market noise for Monday morning. Some dey hail me, some dey curse me. Even my own mind dey join them. Wetin I do?

The more I dey read, the more e dey funny me.

Sometimes e be like say my own story no dey my hand, na people for outside dey control am. I dey watch my life like film, no fit press pause.

"If you still dey worry, I fit promise you, I go try avoid Seyi for future."

She talk am as if na easy thing. I just dey look her. Five years wey I dey beg for small attention, today she dey give promise—na for this kind matter.

Maybe as she see say I no dey react, na why she talk am.

Maybe she dey fear say I fit really walk away. But I don already leave for mind. Na only body remain here.

Five years of marriage, na today she first promise me anything, and na for this kind wahala.

The irony no lost for me. Person go beg for little, but na when wahala come, promise go full ground.

But her promise no mean anything to me again.

E be like say she dey beg out of duty, not love. I no fit force myself again. My mind don check out.

"No need."

I talk am.

My voice dry, almost like whisper. I dey turn my wedding ring for finger like prayer bead, dey count all my regrets.

"What?"

Morayo look me, no sure wetin I mean.

Her face be like person wey never hear English before. She dey wait make I explain.

"Whether you see Seyi or not, e no concern me. We dey divorce."

I talk am slow, make she hear. Na final bus stop.

"Tunde, you never tire!"

Morayo just vex.

She shake head, eye red. Her hand dey tremble, she grab chair for support. Voice dey shake like thunder.

I no even know why she dey para like that.

If you check am, once we divorce, she fit stay with Seyi openly—no be better for her?

For my mind, e be like say I dey do her favour. At least, Seyi go fit take care of her. Me, I go rest.

Maybe, na me bring up divorce pain her pride.

Maybe she dey shame for her family, or she dey fear wetin people go talk. Na so e dey be sometimes. My own pain no matter.

Morayo press her lips, small fire dey her eyes.

Her mouth dey tight, like say she dey swallow insult. Her nostrils flare. She dey try hold herself, but her body dey shake.

I just look her, calm.

My eye dey steady. My mind blank. If she like, make she break plate, I no go move.

Na her phone vibrate for table, the screen dey flash Seyi name like warning light. The sound loud, like alarm for 5am. We both jump small. She reach for phone, look screen.

Morayo look me small, then pick am.

She look me, eye sharp, like say she dey weigh my next move. Then she answer.

Na Seyi voice I hear from the other side.

His voice dey thick, deep Yoruba accent, words quick. Na only Seyi dey call her that way. My heart cold.

"Morayo, abeg come outside make we talk. I get plenty things to yarn you."

His voice low, urgent. E be like say him dey outside gate, no wan enter house.

"Wetin you wan talk? Just talk am for phone."

She try form hard, but her voice dey shake. My ear dey sharp, I dey listen.

"No, e no go work for phone. Come out, abeg. No go take time."

He beg again, voice soft. I hear car horn for background. My hand fit break phone if I hold am now.

"...Okay, I hear you."

She pause, then cut the call.

She sigh, close eye for one second. I dey watch her, my own mind dey run marathon.

Outside, Mama Chinyere dey shout price for tomatoes, her voice mix with the market wahala. Morayo arrange her bag, spray perfume, and as she waka go door, her perfume still dey hang for air after she slam the door, the smell dey remind me say she don waka.