Chapter 5: Family Pain, Family Strength

Everybody just dey look.

Na pin drop silence. Even generator no fit drown the tension. My own heart dey hammer for chest.

Nobody expect my mother-in-law to talk like that.

People dey shake head, eyes wide. Some dey whisper prayers. This one pass wahala.

I no fit bring out ₦50 million.

Even if I sell all my shoes, I no fit see half.

But I no fit just waka go either.

The shame too much. I dey think of my family for house, all the people wey travel come. Na disgrace be that one.

My brother-in-law saw I kept quiet and sneered, “Go now. You no get mind, abi?”

He hiss, face like say he win lottery. My blood dey boil.

Anger just rise for my body.

I grip fist, but Efe sense am quick.

Efe quickly tapped my shoulder. “Tunde, abeg calm down.”

He whisper close, eye dey beg me. "No fall hand for here."

Two voices dey my head.

One dey say: Just go. Why you dey take all this wahala?

The other one: The woman wey you wan marry dey inside. If you waka go, wetin go happen to her?

My heart dey heavy, confusion dey reign. I dey sweat, but body cold.

In my 27 years, I never see this kind shame and pain.

My eyes dey red, mind dey wander—why me?

My girlfriend just dey look me and her mama, her face confused, but she no talk.

She dey twist her handkerchief, lips pressed. You fit see say she dey sorry, but fear no let her talk.

My friends too just dey. Nobody fit decide for me.

Everybody dey look me, some dey signal make I calm down.

Na that time, I hear worried voice for the door:

“Tunde, why you still dey here? Mama and Papa don dey worry!”

Na familiar voice. The way she call my name, e carry love and worry join.

My sister don come.

She enter with small bag, face worried, her eyes scan everybody. The room feel softer small.

She carry my four-year-old niece come.

The small girl dey drag her hand, face full of innocent question. Her pink ribbon nearly loose.

My niece squeeze pass crowd, jump enter my arms. “Uncle, grandma dey call you but you no answer, so I follow mummy come. Where your glasses? Why your face wound?”

She touch my face with her small soft hand. The touch just cool my heart, remind me of my family love.

As I think of my family, all of them happy, waiting for me to bring bride come house, my chest just heavy with sorrow.

I swallow hard, eyes almost wet. For my mind, I dey imagine mama for house dey pray say make everything go well.

I suddenly felt so sorry for them.

Na me bring everybody into this wahala. The guilt heavy like stone.

My sister saw my rough look, shocked. “Wetin happen? How you take reach like this?”

She rush hold my arm, eyes full of worry. Even her voice crack small.

I just kept quiet.

I no fit explain, words no dey come out.

My mother-in-law saw my sister and turned her face away.

She no want talk. Maybe small shame dey bite her.

Everywhere just quiet.

Na deep silence wey carry weight.

My sister frowned. “Wetin dey happen?”

Her eyes sharp, voice steady. Everybody dey look her, some dey expect drama.

That yeye brother-in-law shouted, “Ask your brother! Who dey marry wey dem no block for door and collect something? Your family just dey do as if dem no sabi tradition.”

E talk am loud, voice harsh. Some elders frown, some just hiss quietly. The thing pain me well.

I remember how mama sell her gold chain just to support this wedding. Papa borrow money from cooperative.

Everybody dey wait wetin go happen next. But for my mind, I know say after today, nothing go ever remain the same for both families.