Chapter 8: Endings and New Beginnings

Chijioke no answer quick, so I know say I talk true.

His silence loud, my heart dey break more. The truth dey always show for quiet moments.

I wipe my tears, look am well. "Chijioke, make we end am peacefully."

I try smile, but my lips no gree move. My chest dey twist.

"Baby, e no be like that..." He shake head, eyes red, still dey try explain.

He dey reach for words, but na only pain dey come out.

"Chijioke, abeg, make we give ourselves small respect."

I talk with finality, voice low but firm. Na the only way I fit free both of us.

With that, I close the door, no wan see his broken face again.

My hand dey shake as I lock the door. I press my back against the wood, slide down.

I slide down for ground, hear his laugh and cry outside.

His voice dey mix with thunder, laugh dey turn to cry, cry dey turn to curse. E dey pain my soul.

And the sound of him dey knock wall. "How you fit get heart like this..."

He dey knock wall, each sound dey hit my spirit. I hug my knees, try block the noise.

I no fit bear his pain again, so I put on earphones, message Chijioke parents, make dem come carry am go.

I play Asa music, try drown the sound. I send text to his mama: "Please, come carry him. I no fit again."

Then I apply for abroad.

I open JAMB portal, start search scholarship. Na that way I fit run from all this wahala.

I no know when Chijioke leave, but when I wake, drip dey my hand.

I faint from stress. Dem carry me hospital. I wake, the smell of antiseptic greet me.

Doctor say na acute pneumonia—luckily, dem catch am early.

Nurse dey smile, "You get luck o. Stress no good."

As my mama see me wake, she hug me, dey cry.

She dey sob, her tears soak my hospital gown. I try console her, but na she dey console me.

"Baby, no cry. Me and your papa go always love you."

Her words warm my heart. I squeeze her hand, nod my head.

After I calm her, I talk about going abroad.

Her eyes wide, shock for her face. She wan protest, but I hold her hand.

My mama shock, wan talk but hold herself.

She shake head, wipe her face, try compose herself.

My papa pat her, tell her go check food.

He wink, say, "Go prepare food. I go talk to Kamsi."

When room clear, my papa sit near me, face serious.

He clear throat, eyes sharp. Na the way he dey act when he wan talk deep matter.

"Kamsi, wetin you pass through?"

His voice soft, but I fit hear the worry inside.

I hold my bedsheet, wan dodge.

I dey shake, try hide my face.

But my papa hand me file—inside, all the evidence of wetin I do for Makurdi.

I shock, sweat full my palm. He lay the file for my lap, no talk for some seconds.

I shock, cold sweat full me. If my papa fit find out, Chijioke fit too.

My heart dey hammer, fear grip me. Wetin I go do if Chijioke find out?

But now, Chijioke just dey focus on how to get me back. He no get time to check who set am up, and he no go ever think say na me be the woman that night.

My papa voice low, he pat my shoulder. "No worry, my pikin. Na who wear shoe know where e dey pain am. But next time, talk to papa first."

But if he calm down, who know?

I dey pray make life keep him too busy to ever suspect me.

I whisper, "Papa..."

My voice low, I dey expect him vex.

Before I talk, my papa don understand. "I don help you clean everything. That Chijioke boy no go find out."

He talk am calm, but his eyes dey heavy with worry. He go any length for his child.

I breathe relief.

I hug am, tears dey my eyes. At least one person still dey my side.

"But you gats tell me true. You be my pikin. Anything wey happen, papa dey your back."

His hand firm for my shoulder. He dey remind me say family no be only for when things good.

My heart soft, tears dey my eyes. For the book, my parents be like this too—use threat and money chase Amina, end up destroyed.

I hug my papa, promise myself say I no go allow that one happen. No matter how e pain me.

I quiet for some time, then tell am about the book—just no talk say I die because of Amina.

He listen, face strong. I no know if he believe, but he no cut me short.

My papa frown after he hear. I no know if he believe or not.

He just pat my hand, eyes soft. "Go where you go find peace."

But he help me fast track my abroad plan.

Next week, visa process dey speed up. Papa get connect, I no ask how. Before I blink, my ticket ready.