Chapter 7: The Night Everything Changed

I no sleep that night at all. Next day, I call Ifunanya, apologise.

Sleep run from my eye like debtor run from landlord. I reason am, then call her early. My voice soft, "Babe, abeg, no vex for me. Yesterday na bad mood carry me, no be your fault. I love you, I believe say we go last."

Ifunanya accept my apology, and to show say I serious, I arrange dinner with her.

She no too smile, but she gree. I arrange nice place, small jollof, even carry Maltina. The babe begin shine eye, dey laugh small.

But my real plan na to monitor Yellow Hair and Mr. Nwachukwu.

As I dey chop, I dey check phone for updates. Any small message, my heart go jump.

For dinner, I just bring up her papa matter casually.

I dey talk like say I no too send, but I dey watch her reaction.

Her face change. She say her papa come see her again that day.

She just look ground, voice low. E pain her, I fit feel am.

My heart skip, but I just form vex: "He disturb you again?"

I dey act like big man wey wan fight for his woman.

Ifunanya shake head. "Not this time. He just look me and waka."

Her voice dey shake. You fit see say she no trust the matter, but she dey try relax.

I ask if Mr. Nwachukwu talk anything.

I dey probe small, make she talk more.

"He say he tire to dey hide from debt, wan go find work, stop gambling."

She sound like person wey wan believe hope. E dey pain me for her, but I know say na scam.

After she talk, Ifunanya ask, "You think he dey talk true?"

She dey search my eye, like say na only me fit tell her the future. I dey feel small guilt, but I just smile.

My heart dey beat. I know say Mr. Nwachukwu don start acting. But I just say, "Everybody deserve chance."

I dey act philosopher. Inside, I dey laugh. If you dey Naija, you go know say people fit change story like cloth.

Next two days, Mr. Nwachukwu tell Ifunanya to help book bus ticket back to village. Of course, she no refuse.

She dey happy small, say maybe this time her papa go change. Me, I dey play along.

And I no go lie, blood strong pass anything.

For Naija, family dey always get second chance. Even if you wicked, people go still pity you small.

Mr. Nwachukwu act for Ifunanya, and with my encouragement, she begin believe am small small.

She dey buy him food, dey reason with him, dey talk say maybe things go better. I dey support am, dey tell her say everything go work out.

Everything dey go as plan. On the third afternoon, Mr. Nwachukwu, pretend say he dey go home, invite Ifunanya to his place for one last meal. She agree.

She reason say na family thing. I tell her say make she enjoy. Inside me, I dey count hour.

By 9pm that night, Yellow Hair message me: everything set, I fit move.

Omo, my hand dey shake. I wipe sweat, wear new shirt, pack my bag. Tonight na the night.

Truth be say, I don dey wait near Mr. Nwachukwu house for over two hours, watch as Ifunanya enter inside.

Mosquito dey bite, gutter dey smell, and my heart dey jump like frog for nylon bag.

My heart dey beat. I dey hide for corner, dey watch light for window. Every small sound dey shock me. But I ready.

And Mr. Nwachukwu just waka commot.

Him lock door, drop key for ground. I dey see as he dey waka with his phone, dey call person for street.

He leave key for where we agree, enter keke.

He no look back, just dey go like person wey finish deal. For Naija, money dey blind man eye.

I send Yellow Hair the second payment, change into clothes I never wear before, enter Mr. Nwachukwu house.

I wear brown kaftan, cap wey cover my face. Na so I enter. My body dey tremble.

Everything na as I imagine. For Mr. Nwachukwu bed, fresh bedsheet, Ifunanya dey lie down, unconscious.

Omo, I stand for door, dey look her. My hand dey shake. Breeze from window dey blow small. For my mind, I dey thank God, but my heart dey fear. Tonight, everything go change—either I go gain, or devil go dance for my head.