Chapter 3: Guilt, Games, and Hospital Dramas

When my brother rush hospital, I dey cross leg for bed, dey chop apple. My brother dey pace, sweat. I dey browse magazine. Nurse dey look me, dey wonder my case.

Baba Musa stand for door, no gree make Chijioke enter. Chijioke dey beg, Baba Musa dey bounce head—'Madam dey rest.'

The lighter wey explode—Baba Musa don test am. E just dey make noise, e no injure anybody. Na only show I wan do.

If not, why I go risk my life? For Naija, person wey get sense no dey risk anyhow.

Whether I faint or weak, na acting. Only Oscar remain for me. My papa for hospital dey shake head.

My aim: break the deadlock Amaka villainy leave.

My brother—Obinna—get time to nag. Him voice loud, eyebrow up like teacher: "Amaka, you dey craze? Every day, na new wahala. You wan give Papa heart attack?"

"Na that dancer you dey follow everywhere, disgrace us. Wetin change?"

"After all that drama, you dey mix with cripple?"

"I hear say that dancer propose, you disgrace am for public—shameful!"

I snort, disdainful: "Him? Marry me? He no reach."

For original plot, Femi suppose be Nwafor in-law, dey chop soft life. If I follow script, Femi for dey lounge, dey collect pocket money.

But when Chijioke return, finish Nwafor, Femi run faster than keke during fuel scarcity. Pack all Amaka money, run, even curse am join.

"When I come, that cripple dey shout, say e must see you, dey desperate."

"He never know na you break him leg?"

I munch apple, no send: "No need see am. When you dey go, put two people for door—let am wait small."

"Be careful, he cripple because of you. No cause more wahala."

I roll eyes. "I dey help am. Guy get business brain."

"Which future dey for just dancing?"

At first, I wan just settle Amaka mess. But after meet Chijioke, my mind change. The way he dey struggle dey impress me. Maybe na me suppose dey him side.

Days pass, Chijioke dey come hospital daily, even make soup, send Baba Musa deliver am. No matter how tired, e go cook, package. If I no chop, Baba Musa collect blame.

He dey bring two flasks—Zainab still dey hospital. Me and Zainab dey compete, but e no see am like fight.

How I go drink same soup with another woman? I pour everything away. My face too important.

Femi hear I dey hospital, come with big bouquet. Flower sef nor fresh, but e try. As luck get am, e jam Chijioke for door.

"Why you dey here?" Femi voice high, dey form boss, leg dey shake.

Femi see cooler, dey mock: "So na soup boy you be? You no dey shame?"

"You still dey please Amaka? You fit return stage like this?"

"See yourself—how you wan compare with me now?"

Chijioke hiss, refuse back down: "Na only by licking boots you dey get roles—wetin you dey brag for?"

Femi vex, start fight. With Chijioke bad leg, e quick push am down, soup pour everywhere, shame catch am.

Zainab pass with food flask, rush come break fight. "Abeg, make una no fight! This na hospital o!"

I open ward door, see Chijioke hold Zainab, protect am. Something bite my chest. E pain me.