Chapter 5: Pride and Fallout

Early next morning, I waka go her house again.

Cocks never finish crow when I enter their compound. Ground cold, my steps dey echo for cement floor. I brace myself for wahala.

₦6.6 million na just another loan—if I hustle well, maybe four or five years I go clear am.

For my mind, I begin calculate how many late nights, how many okada I go enter to raise the money. Sleep no be my friend again.

But her brother own, I no fit gree. The guy dey strong—why I go dey hustle for am?

E dey pain me reach marrow. Wetin the boy ever do for me?

Truth be say, Ngozi don dey under her family control since. For their mind, boy na king. Her papa put price for her, she no even see am as pain—she see am as normal.

I pity her, really. Some people no dey see chain for their own neck.

But e no matter. My parents dey good to her, and I believe say I fit give her better family.

I promise myself—if this marriage work, I go show her better love, free her from bondage.

Her family dey chop breakfast.

Yam porridge smell full parlour. Their laughter loud, but e stop when I enter. Silence cut air like knife.

When dem see me, her papa no even look up.

He just dey eat, eyes fix for plate.

“Sir, about yesterday, we don discuss for house.”

My voice steady, but leg nearly fail me.

“Oh.”

He no look up, just wipe mouth, dey wait.

“To find ₦9 million once no easy at all.”

I try explain, hand dey gesture anyhow.

“Stop to form poor man. I sabi una level.”

Voice sharp, no mercy. My heart fall.

I swallow my vex. “Abeg, I fit borrow from friends for the party, gold and chop money, fit arrange am in few days. Bride price, I no get all now…”

I dey pray make he understand small. I no wan disgrace myself before family.

“No money, you still wan marry my sister?” her brother shout. “You no dey shame?”

Brother voice sharp like blade. I just hold fist, dey try hold myself.

Her papa shout, “You dey play with me this morning? Oya, carry yourself comot.”

Voice thunder. Women just look away, like say dem don see this drama before.

“I no say I no go pay, but abeg, make I pay small small. We fit sign agreement—I go finish am in five years, ₦1.21 million per year,” I say. “I get less than ₦50,000 now. Nothing remain.”

My words come out desperate, but na truth.

Her papa face calm small. “Okay, but add ₦500,000 interest… and about your brother-in-law…”

He lean back, like say he dey consider, but eyes dey shine calculation.

“I no fit buy house for am,” I say. “We dey marry, no be say una dey sell person. Me and Ngozi go dey visit una, but your son dey healthy—why my family go dey feed am?”

Room tight. My words hang for air, heavy.

Her brother rush, eye red. “Who you dey call cripple?”

He jump up, fist balled. I shift back, shock for his anger.

Her papa throw my gifts outside. “Then get out.”

He fling box of Milo through door, Hennessy bottle follow. My face dey hot with shame.

I force laugh—no joy inside, but na only pride remain for me to hold.

Her papa face change. “You wan break engagement?”

Eyes big, shock and vex dey fight for face.

I say, “I don show enough seriousness, but your family just dey do anyhow. Any normal person go vex.”

Voice low, but message clear.

Her brother push me hard. I fall, ready to fight, but Ngozi rush pull me up.

She stand between me and her brother, hand dey shake. “Abeg, stop!” she shout, voice hoarse.

“I don try—why your family dey push me?” I ask.

My eye beg her to choose, but her face lost, stuck between two worlds.

She say, “Abeg, no talk this one now, just go.”

Voice dey beg, but e far, like say something inside don break.

That moment, e be like thunder knock my head—my brain dey turn. Na the same Ngozi be this?

Everything just dey strange. I look her face, see person I no recognize.

Just then, my phone ring. I pick, hear my mama dey cry.

My body cold. Something bad don happen.

“Come back quick! Your papa dey hospital…”

Her words echo for my ear, the house noise just disappear.