Chapter 4: Shame, Rain, and Family Secrets

As I wan come downstairs leave,

My steps slow, but I force myself. I dey grip my bag, as if na shield.

Olumide’s assistant still dey for the hall.

E face pale, e eyes dey follow me like shadow.

The guests wey suppose don go still dey.

Some dey linger, dey wait for next drama. Others dey pack their wrapper, dey whisper among themselves. I fit hear "chai, see as e end."

He just dey look the box wey I carry, eyes wide.

Maybe e dey pity me, maybe e dey fear for himself. The box heavy, but my spirit dey light small.

“Madam, oga dey come back now now.”

His voice dey tremble, as if e dey pray make I no go. The fear dey show for e face.

“If you waka now, oga go really vex.”

E step small closer, but I no look am. My mind dey far.

Oga dey come back…

That line just sound like threat. My heart no even shake again. I just dey tired.

I just laugh low.

E shock me, say I fit laugh for this kind moment. The sound small, but e clear my mind.

When Olumide answer that WhatsApp video call, I dey stand near am.

I dey hold am for elbow, but e no even notice. The call dey ring, e pick fast.

The girl for the video pale, eyes close, dey lie for hospital bed.

E dey soft for the other side. I hear the beeping sound of hospital machine. I dey see the room, white bedsheet, drip stand by the window.

Olumide happy and surprise, voice dey shake.

E smile wide, e eyes dey shine for the first time since months. Even my hand dey tremble as I dey hold am.

“Na true?”

E voice soft, almost like whisper.

“You sure say you no see am wrong? Nnenna really wake up?”

Hope and fear dey fight for him voice. E dey press phone like say e fit enter the screen.

I gently remove my hand from his arm, but still, I try beg am.

I hold am, my palm cold. E no even look my face.

“You fit wait make I cut cake finish before you go?”

My voice break, but I try hide am. I dey beg, even though my pride dey wound.

As I expect,

E just hiss, waka commot without even look back.

The sound loud, like slap. People just dey watch, some dey shake head. I stand, hold my own hand for chest, as if e go stop the pain.

At the end, nobody cut cake.

The cake dey stand for table, untouched. The candle dey melt, the icing dey crack. Nobody even near the table again.

As Olumide waka, more than half of the guests follow am commot.

Na so crowd dey move for Naija party. Where big man waka, followers go waka. Even people wey no know am, just dey join.

The rest stay to watch as dem dey shame me.

Dem no even try hide am. Some dey do live video, others dey throw side eye. My skin dey crawl, but I stand my ground.

As if na fate, na that time the assistant bring him babe come meet me.

The timing perfect, like Nollywood story—too perfect to be real. I just dey shake head for my mind.

I no send the guests, just smile to myself.

My smile bitter, but e be like shield.

“Na so?”

I raise eyebrow, act like say I no care.

“Abeg help me tell am: I no wan be Mrs. Okoye again.”

I talk am clear, my voice loud. I no even look the assistant face.

I look the assistant, drop those words, waka commot from the house.

My footsteps dey echo for corridor. I no turn back, no even pick my phone. Na so I waka leave shame and pride behind.

Nnenna don wake up.

The news go soon spread. E go reach even my village for Benue.

Olumide no go come back.

I know am. If he love me, e for show long ago.

The Mrs. Okoye position na for her from the start.

Na so destiny sometimes dey play, but I no go die because of man matter.