Chapter 7: The Last Round

He dey used to my silence for phone, just dey laugh.

Na so e be—man go dey pretend say nothing dey shake am. Him laugh dey sound empty. Me, I dey wait.

“Ozi Ozi, you too dey cute.”

E dey always talk am, but now e dey empty. I no smile.

“I tell you say na just acting.”

He dey try convince me, maybe himself too.

“So,” him voice dey happy,

E dey try make joke out of pain. Some people sabi mask sorrow with laughter.

“make we continue the acting. Follow me go Marriage Registry collect divorce certificate tomorrow?”

He dey yarn like say na play. But I know say na real. I just nod for phone.

I hold phone.

My palm dey sweat, phone dey hot for hand. I dey hold am like say if I drop am, everything go scatter.

“Ozi Ozi, no fear, na just—”

He wan talk, but I cut am. My voice surprise me.

“Okay,” I talk.

Just that. I drop phone. Na small victory.

“Whoa~~~”

Noise bust from their side.

Boys dey hail am. I hear chair push, glass dey knock table. My mind just dey float.

I cut call.

I no get energy for drama.

Send him the time for WhatsApp.

Sharp sharp. No need long story. I dey ready.

Next day, I wake early.

Sleep no even show for my eye. I arrange my hair, wear clean dress. I dey pray make today quick finish.

Olawale late, as usual.

I sit for Registry gate, dey watch children run. E pain me, but I dey used to am. Na him way.

Maybe because of Amaka, I see small bite mark for him mouth.

I no talk. The mark red, e sharp. Na love bite. I look another way.

He pretend say nothing dey.

Olawale dey form calm. E dey look phone, dey act busy.

I pretend say I no see.

I dey play my own part. Na only me know how my heart dey beat.

Process even quick pass last time.

Na today government dey efficient. Clerk sharp, sign quick. I dey thank God say pain short today.

No reach five minutes.

Five minutes to end three years. Na so life fit change.

“Ozi Ozi, I go give you surprise tomorrow.”

He dey whisper am, like say na secret lover. I no even blink.

Olawale use leg touch my own small.

E dey test water. I shift leg small, no drama.

I pack my divorce certificate. “Olawale, you free tonight?”

E shock am. My voice clear. I dey look am for eye.

I look am. “I get something wey I wan tell you.”

E no expect am. I dey see as him eye open.

Olawale shock.

He mouth wide. The boy wey dey sure of himself no dey here today.

Since we marry, I dey call am ‘husband.’

This one different. Today na just Olawale.

Next thing, he smile, use the red booklet play for hand:

He dey form control, but I see say he dey shake small.

“No wahala.”

For first time, na my own rule dey play.

Sun dey burn my back, but inside, cold still dey.