Chapter 4: The Banquet and Betrayal

Few months later,

Wedding season land with noise. Drums, laughter dey roll from neighbour house, but our own compound quiet like say everybody dey wait for something wey no go ever come.

I see Halima again for one big banquet before my wedding.

The room bright with lantern, tables heavy with jollof rice, fried fish, and steaming pepper soup. Suya dey smoke for one corner, puff-puff dey pile high, and the sweet smell of chin-chin dey everywhere. Laughter dey fly for air, but I just dey one corner, my heart dey beat like talking drum.

I stand for one side, dey watch as Halima enter, admirers full everywhere like star around moon.

People dey turn head, old men dey nod, small girls dey press hand for cheek, dey giggle for back.

Halima fine pass before—his name dey open door everywhere, politician dey drag am, mama dey pray make he be son-in-law.

He wear cream agbada, tall, fresh, eyes bright, brow sharp—

He stand like king, every step dey shine for gold embroidery. He carry himself with calm wey pass his age—youth and maturity join together, make girls dey blush.

He waka straight, voice cool, eye no dey stay one place—except one second, e land for my face.

My heart jump.

Time fold on itself, memory rush me—laughter for moonlight, gentle hand dey shape my brow.

Before I know, I move two step close.

Na only him name I dey hear for people mouth, my leg dey move like dem get mind of their own.

Halima catch am, look up at me.

Our eye jam—just for one heartbeat—I see old Halima, the one wey love me before, flash for his face.

Next thing, one girl for pink lace rush meet am, scatter the gaze.

Her laugh dey jingle like cowrie, perfume sweet and strong. I sabi am sharp sharp.

“Halima, you dey wear the belt wey I make for you today!”

She dey finger him beaded sash, smile wide, eye dey shine. Her voice loud, make sure everybody hear am.

I just reset for mind.

Embarrassment heat my body, shame dey bite me. I feel foolish say I still dey hope.

Governor last daughter, Zainab, hold Halima sleeve, dey show everybody say na she get am.

Her hand tight for his arm, bold, like say make I try challenge am.

Halima wey dey cold before, now just let her stay, no even bone face.

He smile, eye soft small. Crowd dey murmur—alliances dey form for every move.

After many round of chop-chop,

Music loud, air thick with plantain and camphor. People dey pair up, dey whisper behind lace fan.

Maid come call me—say Zainab wan talk about painting.

I raise brow—Zainab never talk pass two words with me. But if governor daughter call, you no fit refuse.

Protocol no dey my side. I follow maid, heart dey shake.

We waka pass frangipani tree, flower pale for dusk, reach lakeside, lantern dey shine for water.

As I stop, hot slap land for my face.

I bite my tongue make I no cry out—if I shout, dem go say I weak. My hand fly go cheek, shock hold me.

Before I fit talk, two maid press me kneel.

Their hand strong, face blank. My knee hit cold stone, pain shoot reach bone.

Zainab look me down, talk, "Sade Adeyemi, you really be bush rat wey dey eye palace chicken—how you take get mind dey eye Halima!"

Her accent thick, word sharp like knife. She spit for ground, eye narrow.

I try talk, "Zainab, you dey mistake, I don get engagement—"

My voice dey shake, my cheek dey burn.

Before I finish, Zainab cut in:

She lean near, perfume choke. “Keep quiet. You dey form innocent, but I sabi you well.”

"You dirty pass rat wey enter gutter, dey follow Halima everywhere, even dey push sachet give am."

She throw torn sachet for my front—heart skip.

Sachet thread dey scatter, but I know the palm embroidery. My secret don burst.

The palm embroidery don almost disappear.

E dirty, e tear, but I know am. Na the one wey I take send Halima money years ago. How e reach Zainab hand?

I dey look am, mouth dry, question dey jam for my head. Na Halima betray me so?

Zainab answer the question wey dey my face:

She smirk, come close. "Halima talk say you dey disturb am, dey refuse all suitor because of am, dey give am wahala."

Her word bitter for my ear, like poison.

"He too kind to push you go, so he send me to handle you."

Thunder strike my heart, I dey look the sachet wey scatter for floor.

Hand dey shake, eye dey turn. Na this man I love for two life?

I no understand.

Pain dey twist my belle. Why Halima go use shame pay me?

Even if no fate, all those years for old life mean nothing?

If Halima yarn me before, I for waka comot, carry my pride.

Why he collect my money, still dey run from me?

Tears dey gather, but I hold am. Zainab no go see me cry.

Zainab dey enjoy my shock.

She smile, mouth curve as if she dey drink sweet palm wine.

Suddenly, maid announce say Halima don land.

Everywhere quiet. Zainab straighten, eye shine like say she get new plan. She whisper, "Today, I go make you leave am for good."

Familiar footstep land for back.

His waka steady, sure, always in control.

Zainab shout, "Halima, save me!"

She scream, grab my arm, drag me go lakeside.

As she talk, she jump inside water, carry me follow body.

Water cold like ogbono soup wey dem forget for fridge. I sink, water enter my mouth, nose, fear full body.

I dey beg God, “Abeg, make I no die for another person wahala.”

Mind blank, body dey heavy, darkness dey close.

I remember the year my mama die, as wicked maid push me for river.

Memory flash—my mama scream, strong hand drag me from water, her face pale. Since that day, water na my enemy.

Cold dey bite, I dey lose myself.

Body dey numb, darkness dey cover my eye.

Inside water, I dey beg God, “Abeg, make I no die for another person wahala.”

For my despair, I see Halima dive in.

Hope quick spark. After everything, maybe he go save me first.

He know say I no sabi swim, know my fear for water.

For old life, he dey tease me, say he go teach me swim, laugh as I dey hold him for riverbank.

But he swim straight reach Zainab, no even look my side.

He rush, panic for face, but eye no touch my own.

Zainab dey act drama, maids for shore no even worry.

Their face calm, like say dem don see am before.

This acting cheap—Halima wey live two life, he suppose know Zainab style by now. Or maybe e no just care.

But he care.

He pull her out, cover her with his wrapper. People cheer, nobody see me.

From beginning to end, he no look me once.

My body heavy, my will dey fade…

I just let go, welcome darkness. Maybe this time, no rebirth for me.

Just then, dark shadow—fast like shooting star—jump inside water.

Strong arms drag me out, and I hear, “Na God save you today, Sade. No let dem win.”

By evening, everybody for compound don hear say Zainab try drown Sade—Mama Chinedu dey swear for her from balcony.