Chapter 2: Broken Mirrors, Old Flames

When Ifeanyi pushed open the door, me and Halima just come out from the bathroom, never even wear cloth finish.

The steam from the bathroom still dey hang for the air, the two of us dey giggle like small pikin. I no expect anybody, so as I hear the door open, na so my heart skip. Lagos wahala fit turn to war in seconds.

As our eyes jam, I just sharply block Halima behind me by instinct.

Na reflex, I no even plan am. As I see Ifeanyi face dey blank, I reason say make I protect Halima at least small, even if na just for face.

"Why you dey protect me? I be your legal wife now, no be side chick."

Halima push me aside and face Ifeanyi directly.

Her voice hot like ata rodo, no get filter. She no dey fear anybody, she dey ready for wahala. She stand full chest, raise shoulder like person wey dey contest election.

But to my surprise, Ifeanyi just dey calm.

She look me and ask, "So, the whole buying house for school district na just excuse, the real reason na to marry this woman?"

I see say her eyes dey shine, but her mouth steady. E shock me say she no even shake. Her calm fit fear person.

At first, small shame dey prick my chest, but I brush am aside. For Naija, man no suppose soft for this kind matter.

But as she still dey calm for all this wahala, my body just vex immediately.

I dey expect drama, she dey do like say nothing spoil. E dey vex me say my plan no shake her.

"Yes. The same day we collect divorce certificate, I marry her straight."

I talk am with bold face, no even shake. Make she know say na so e be.

Ifeanyi just frown small. "If you want divorce, you for just talk. Why you go dey do all this plenty trick?"

Her voice no rise, but e get weight. I dey feel small for where I stand. She dey talk true, but I no gree show am for face.

I no even know wetin to talk.

I just dey look her, dey find lie to talk, but nothing dey come.

Halima just hiss. "Ifeanyi, abeg stop to dey form understanding woman here.

Who no know say you love my husband die? If we tell you directly, you for gree leave am?

Even if you fit leave, why my husband go split him sweat with you half-half?"

Halima face dey shine, she carry hand for waist. She dey show say na she get the house now. Her mouth dey sharp, she no dey fear anybody.

Ifeanyi look her straight. "Person wey dey scatter another person home no get right to talk to me."

She talk am with steady eye, no blink. For Naija, if you dey correct person, your eye must strong. Ifeanyi no dey carry last for respect.

I no fit bear make she insult Halima, so I fire back sharp sharp, "Ifeanyi, Halima na my first love from secondary school. I know her before I meet you."

My voice high, I dey try defend Halima. No be today I don dey hear people yarn say I choose wrong woman.

Ifeanyi just smile. "So na me spoil una two before?"

She twist mouth small, her smile get small pain. That question cut me deep, but I just carry face.

I no even get reply for her.

My mind dey blank, I dey feel say maybe na true. But my pride no go allow me talk.

That time, the reason why me and Halima break up no get anything to do with Ifeanyi.

Na because Halima think say I too poor that time.

I remember that day for secondary school, rain beat me as I waka go house. Halima tell me say she no fit suffer with me. My body cold that day, tears almost drop.

"Me and my husband na example of ‘old pot still dey cook sweet soup’, you understand?" Halima talk without any shame. "Na this kind love dey sweet pass—after many years, even if we no see, we still dey remember each other."

Halima dey talk as if na movie. Her mouth sharp, she dey proud. She hold my hand tight, dey squeeze am like say na gold.

As I hear am, my mind just dey sweet me.

I dey smile like goat wey see yam. I come dey proud say I fit get Halima back. For my mind, na jackpot.

True, to fit be with Halima today no easy at all.

If person hear our gist, dem go say na Nollywood script. But na real life, na struggle I struggle before today come.

We pass the test of time.

E no easy. Years go, years come, but we still find each other.

No be this kind true love people dey always talk about?

Na the kind gist wey dem dey use do wedding toast. Ifeanyi for just gree say na her destiny be this, abeg.

"Ifeanyi."

Halima point her finger at Ifeanyi.

Her finger long, nail red. She point am like school headmistress. She no send anybody.

"See your old face. As woman, you no even sabi makeup. Wetin give you right to still be wife of successful man like my husband?"

She waka small, shoe dey make kpa-kpa for tile. Halima dey show say na her reign start today.

"No dey dream say you go get anything from here.

Let me remind you again, me and my husband don marry legally.

This na my house now.

Oya, carry your load, make you no let my shadow cross you for door."

Halima voice rise, even neighbours fit hear. She snap finger join. That time, her face dey shine, no fear anywhere.

Ifeanyi just bone face.

She look me for eye for long, then ask, "Where Amarachi dey? Wetin go happen to Amarachi now?"

Her voice shake small. Even if she try act strong, I see say her eye dey red. Amarachi na her heart.

My heart just cut.

I swallow spit, look away. I remember how Amarachi dey shout “Daddy!” anytime I reach house, her small hand always sticky with biscuit. For Naija, pikin matter deep pass marriage. But my pride no gree make me show weakness.

Amarachi na my daughter with Ifeanyi.

She just turn five last month, sharp and lively, very cute.

That pikin get my eyes, but get her mama stubbornness. She too smart. Birthday just pass, she dance Shakira for family front.

That moment, Halima pinch me.

Halima dey look me with warning eye, as if say make I no gree.

I grit my teeth, "I no go care for Amarachi again. I want fresh life."

The words heavy, but I gree talk am. Make the matter rest.

"Okay."

Her reply short. She no show emotion, just dey stare me down. I know say she dey try hold herself.

"Make sure say you remember wetin you talk."

Her voice cold, she talk am like warning. For Naija, when woman talk like that, you suppose dey careful.

Ifeanyi drag her suitcase, turn calmly, waka commot for the house.

She no look back, no cry, just waka steady like person wey get plan. Even as the door slam, everywhere quiet. Halima hiss, come dey bounce up and down.

That time e be like say my heart empty, but at the same time strong—no fit explain the feeling.

I no know if na relief or fear. I just stand there dey reason say this na new beginning. I force smile, tell myself say na better thing.

Na when Halima, with her Ankara wrapper already tying anyhow, leg just dey show small, show for my front, I come return to myself.

She sway her waist, laugh like market woman. Her perfume heavy for air. She look me with big eye.

"Husband, you try well well just now.

I go give you big reward.

Reward you with..."

She lick lips, dey eye me. Her voice low, as if na secret she dey share.

I no even wait make she finish, I just push her for sofa.

She shout small, laugh loud. I jump follow, kiss her neck. My body dey hot, no care if anybody dey hear noise. Na enjoyment full my mind.

I kneel down begin enjoy my new life like mad man.

All my wahala fly. Na so I dey craze with joy, like person wey just hammer lottery.