Chapter 6: Reunions, Regrets, and Moving Forward

Five years later.

Class reunion.

E shock me say na five years don waka pass. My old shoes dey laugh, but I still iron my best shirt.

About half the class show.

Old faces, new bodies. Some people don fat, some don bleach. Everybody dey try form big boy, big babe.

Classmates wey never see me for years dey look my okada.

I hear whisper for back, “Ah, so Morayo dey use okada now?” I just bone, face front.

“Na Morayo be that?” person talk.

I just wave, dey smile. No time to feel shame—Lagos life nor dey give chance.

I greet am, “Long time no see…”

She dey look me from up to down, I just dey pray make my wig no shift.

Before I finish, Benz park. Fine woman step out from passenger seat, wear Chanel-style suit, look younger than all of us.

Engine off, everybody dey look. The woman cat-walk, make-up correct, perfume fill the air. Na class drama be this.

I look well—na Halima wife, Tomi. She junior us by four or five years, skin smooth, even toenail fine, Chanel bag for hand.

Tomi na babe wey dem dey call "fresh fish". From her heels to her eyelashes, na better money talk.

“Halima force me come, but I no know anybody here. E dey somehow,” she talk, dey form pity.

She dey talk like say she no dey comfortable, but eye dey shine, dey count all the big people.

Somebody try make am soft, “Just come more, you go know people.”

Another person offer Malt, try break ice. Everybody dey do nice, dey try enter her circle.

Everybody gather around her, enter inside. The guy wey greet me before no look my side again.

All of us dey follow am like say she be celeb. Me, I just carry my small bag, sit for edge.

As we sit down, best seat dey for Tomi and Halima, wey still dey park car. I find seat for corner.

I dey observe table from my angle, dey calculate who dey loyal, who just dey follow trend.

Soon, talk reach my side.

As dem dey gist, person point my direction. I straighten my back, adjust my scarf.

Tomi look me. “You be Sister Morayo?”

I nearly laugh. Sister? For where? Na for church dem dey call me that, no be for reunion.

Sister Morayo?

Na that one scatter me pass. Which kin wahala title be that? I just smile, no show say e dey pain me.

I shock. Nobody dey call me that—na Madam Morayo dem dey call me.

For work, na "Madam" dem dey hail. Sister na for church, abeg.

“Halima don tell me about you,” she talk. “I come apologize for am.”

Na so she begin yarn, dey look my eye like judge. Everybody dey expect drama.

She talk ‘sorry’, but face no show am.

E be like say she dey mark attendance for apology. No single emotion, only small smirk.

“You people too young that time, and she no know say girls like you no fit waste time. Na only youth you get.”

The shade loud, but everybody just dey pretend say e no reach. Her words dey cut, but na truth dey inside.

Her mouth na razor, e cut silence for hall. Nobody stop her. Everybody just dey watch, some dey pity, some dey happy.

Some dey nod, some dey sip drink, dey wait for next episode. I just dey hold my bottle water.

Tomi look my hand, see say ring no dey, laugh. “So you still never marry?”

Her laughter sharp, e cut silence for hall. People dey look me, dey wait for my answer.

“Halima company just employ new guy, still dey single for him thirties. E short small, e dey bald, but e be better person. Abeg, Morayo, make I hook you up—no dulling!”

She dey market me like say I be spare tyre. My head dey hot, but I just dey smile.

That time, Halima walk in. Maybe work no too stress am—at thirty-three, she still dey fresh. Wear Canada Goose jacket, carry black LV bag, just dey like those Instagram big girls.

Her waka get swag. She nod for people, no even look my side. Everybody dey hail am, "Madam HR!"

She see me sharp sharp. Her eye pause one second, then look away.

She glance at me, eyebrow move small. We lock eyes, then she face front. That brief second talk pass plenty words.

She sit beside Tomi, pinch her cheek, say, “No dey talk that one. That guy get babe already.”

She dey play with Tomi hair, dey form close. I remember those days when na my own she dey pamper.

Tomi squeeze face, “Ah, na wah.”

She twist mouth, but deep down, e be like say she dey enjoy all the attention.

As I dey watch Halima dey pet Tomi, my mind just dey drift. Memories wey I hide for years flash for my head. That time, Halima dey like to hold me like that—no wan let me go.

I close eye small. I dey feel old feelings dey tap door, but I no open.

As I dey hear their gist, e be like say their life sweet—travel together, get one small dog.

Dem dey yarn about Paris trip, small dog wey get own Instagram page. Everybody dey laugh, dey admire.

Back for university, my roommate hear how me and Halima meet, she talk, “She get good heart—sure wife material.” I dey hope for future, no know say she never plan to marry me at all.

That day come back my mind, like old radio. I dey remember that hope wey nor get leg.

Everybody dey praise Halima—young, successful, HR manager for big company, correct babe.

Some dey yarn, “If to say na me get her head, I for don dey chop life since.” E pain me small, but I just dey smile.

One female classmate enter talk, “Talk of correct people, una see last week finance magazine? Osaze Tech partner, just twenty-seven, don hammer, now e dey go ring bell for Nasdaq.”

Her voice sharp. Everybody pause, dey wait for gist.

She show us photo—young guy, wear suit, sharp face, resemble oyibo mix. Too fine, everybody just dey wow.

Dem dey pass phone round, dey hail, "See correct spec!" Some dey screenshot.

If Halima na person you fit envy because she born well, this guy na another level—e far, you no fit even jealous.

E be like say dem born am with spoon wey gold pass our own. Nobody fit even try compete.

That time, my phone buzz. Na Damilola message me:

Na my guy from work days. E always get beta gist.

[Boss, I don reach New York.]

E dey always call me boss, even though na age mate.

He send photo for airport, but na himself full the picture. Even though weather cold, he don remove suit, loosen tie, unbutton shirt. He fine pass as e show for magazine.

I look photo, smile enter my face. Na correct person, always dey shine anyhow.

Suddenly, person talk, “Tomi dey rush introduce people, but she never ask whether Morayo get boyfriend?”

Voice just loud, scatter gist. All eyes turn my side. E be like say spotlight shine for my face.

Without think am, I reply, “I don marry.”

E shock even me. I just talk am, no plan, no fear.

Everywhere quiet. Halima stop, shrimp wey she dey peel for Tomi hand hang for air.

You fit hear pin drop. Some dey open mouth, others dey watch Halima face.

“Morayo, abeg no dey play. We never hear say you marry. So, why your husband no show today?”

She dey try catch me. I just relax, dey form cool.

I smile. “He dey ring bell for Nasdaq.”

I fit see Halima mouth hang small, Tomi just blink. Me, I sip zobo like say I dey inside Forbes list.

I dey squeeze my phone tight, dey remind myself say, even if na okada I take come, my story never finish.