Chapter 2: Silent Moves and Shakara

After I send that message, everywhere just quiet like graveyard. You know that type of silence wey be like say light don go for compound—nobody dey talk, na only generator hum you dey hear. My mind sef calm, I no even reason am again, I just continue my day.

But my mind dey do ping-pong, but I bone face, no let am show. Na my fiancé, Timi, come call me instead.

As my phone ring, I see him name, I quick compose my voice, put small shakara, like say I dey inside salon wey AC dey blow me. Sometimes you go package for phone, e dey help keep respect.

I answer quick, put on my sweet voice: “Baby, why you call me first? You get time this weekend make we hang out?”

I even add small giggle, make e feel say I dey miss am. Na so we dey run love for Naija, even if body dey pepper you, you go still form.

Timi quiet for some seconds before he answer with cold voice, “Mm. No be you dey always talk say you wan meet my friends? This weekend, I go carry you go meet them.”

I fit hear as him voice cold reach—like harmattan breeze for Jos. Normally, I for fear, but I know say e dey plan one kind thing. I keep my voice soft.

“Huh?” I reply with ginger. “So you dey accept me now? You don dey like me small? You dey reason marriage?”

I talk am with that playful whine, the type wey you go use hold man for work. No be today I start this game.

This time, Timi keep quiet reach another level. Na that silence wey be like say network cut, but you know say call still dey. I just hold phone, dey wait, no panic.

“Heh. Just wait.”

He cut call just like that.

Ehn, just like that, he off me. If na before, I go dey worry, but as I don sabi him level, e no surprise me again. I just hiss, drop phone for bed, carry remote, change channel.

But me, I don dey used to him wahala, so e no vex me at all.

For my mind, I dey reason say, abeg, all this one na forming. Make e continue. I go just dey play my role.

Heh, na forming be this.

Make I finish chop your money, we go see whether you go still dey do hard guy.

I even text my bestie, Joke, make she dey ready for update. She sef dey enjoy the gist.