Chapter 2: Broken and Exposed

I ran through the heavy rain to find Ifeanyi.

As I dey run, water dey slap my leg, my slippers nearly fly commot. Rain and gutter smell dey choke my nose. I dey dodge pothole, my heart dey beat like talking drum. Na so I dey pray make I see am, make this pain no swallow me whole.

My white lab coat from the hospital was soaked, sticking to my skin like ice.

Rain don wash all my make-up, hair net don scatter. The cold dey punish me, teeth dey knock like generator. If person see me, dem go think say na mad woman dey waka for rain, but I no send anybody.

But all that no reach those words—every one of them dey pain me for chest like knife, make my whole body dey shake.

Those words dey replay for my head. Ifeanyi voice, those boys laughter, everything dey do me like arrow wey pierce chest. My throat dry, legs dey weak, but I push go front.

Inside the private lounge, the conversation continued.

Through glass, I dey see their head dey move. Light inside fine, everywhere dey glow, Afrobeats dey play low for background, men dey laugh, dey drink Hennessy and Star. Waitress with tribal marks dey move round. Na another world, but na my Ifeanyi dey there.

“Ehn, if she find out, she go craze, no be small.”

“Na true talk, omo. Girl go run mad if she hear wetin dey ground. No be beans.”

“She keep fine boy for three years, and he fit just donate hundred million anyhow. Even for Nollywood film, e no reach.”

Dem dey use my life do comedy, dey measure my worth for table. The pain just dey increase, my head dey ring.

“So, Oga Ifeanyi, you wan dump her like that?”

Dem dey probe am, dey push am make e show himself. Their eyes dey shine, dem dey wait drama. One girl even whisper, her face get wicked smile.

Ifeanyi raised his hand, told the waiter to open another bottle, talking anyhow.

He stretch hand, like king for lounge. Waiter run open another Orijin sharp sharp, glass dey full everywhere. He dey use alcohol cover him mind.

“Dump her? I never even enjoy finish.”

He talk am with swagger, voice low. The thing wey dey sweet am, dey kill me. He dey use me cruise for him friends. For my mind, I dey break.

He pinched his chin, eyes down like he dey think. After a while, he grinned, that small scar near his eye just dey show.

That small scar near left eye, e be like charm. E dey show when e dey plan mischief. He look ground, look up, lips curl—mischief for face, my mind dey shake.

“Make I try talk breakup, just to fear am small? After all, my salary na just three thousand—how I go dey hold her back?”

He dey whine, dey form poor boy. Everybody laugh, dey hail am. Person for corner raise glass, dey toast am. I dey outside dey hear, heart dey sink.

“Oga Ifeanyi, no be say she go really leave you if you continue dey play?”

Dem dey warn am, but na play. For dem, love na street, you fit waka anyhow.

“You no understand. Guy don talk breakup plenty times, every time Ngozi go just dey beg, dey cry.”

He raise shoulder, dey boast. My tears na small thing for him, as if my pain dey give am power.

Ifeanyi just dey enjoy himself, raise glass lazily for the person side.

He raise glass slow, drink dey catch light. E sure say nobody fit challenge am.

The person quickly raise their own glass, happy.

Sharp sharp, person raise glass, dey fawn. The whole lounge full with fake laughter, na who fit hail pass.

Someone nearby hissed.

For edge, person hiss—sound sharp like mosquito. Face squeeze, like pepper enter eye.

“So pitiful, like stray dog nobody want. Just dey let people use am anyhow…”

Dem talk am like say I be rag, say na only pity dey keep me. Ifeanyi just dey, no react. The room small, tension dey rise.

Outside the private lounge, I no fit hear again. My legs heavy, I waka comot like person wey no know road.

Rain still dey fall, body dey drip, mind blank. I waka slow, like person wey dem pause with remote. Road dey wet, people dey run, but I no see dem. My eyes dey ground, but na inside I dey look—all the years, all the lie.

I reach into my pocket, as my hand touch the ring box, I pull am out like say e burn me.

Small ring box cold, heavy. I drag am out, fingers dey shake. I look am, my hand dey tremble. That ring na my three years savings—sweat, hope, everything. I wan propose, but now e dey burn like pepper. I for throw am inside gutter if no be say small shame still hold me.

Behind me, the private lounge started to quiet down.

I hear dem quiet small, maybe tension don high. Music low, only faint gist dey enter my ear. My shadow long for ground, light from inside dey scatter for the wet floor.

Ifeanyi slouched in his chair, dey spin wine glass for hand, face blank as he look the person wey talk.

E body no get ginger again, e just bend for chair. The glass dey spin, eyes dead. Everybody dey wait am, na him word dem dey fear.

Everybody dey watch am.

Silence carry weight, even cough dey loud. All of dem—boys, girls, dey watch Ifeanyi, dey wait him move.

All of them na big men pikin for Abuja, but levels still dey.

Yes, dem get level, but Ifeanyi own pass. Papa get hand for everywhere—politics, business, army. For this Abuja, na him family dey call shot. Some respect am out of fear, some dey envy.

Ifeanyi family get power for politics, business, and military. Ifeanyi na the heir wey the old man groom by himself. Nobody dey fit run him anyhow.

E clear for the way dem dey arrange for am, dey respect his every word. If person no know, e go think say na governor son dey there.

“Oga Ifeanyi, abeg, I drink too much. I no suppose talk bad about madam.”

The guy rush talk, voice dey beg. Him raise hand, face tight, like say he wan cry join. Fear of power dey worry am.

The person raise hand, slap himself hard, dey beg.

Loud slap echo, everybody shock. Guy dey sweat, mouth dey tremble. E dey beg make wahala no reach him papa office.

The others try settle am.

Dem gather, dey pat him back. “No vex. Abeg, no let Oga vex. Madam na good person.” Everybody wan calm Ifeanyi.

“See this mumu, you no know say madam na researcher for Uni Abuja? Na big babe—who you be?”

Dem dey hail me, dey use my job cover my name. I hear dem, but e no sweet me at all. Ifeanyi just watch, face blank.

When the guy face don swell, Ifeanyi finally talk, voice calm.

He talk low, but e carry weight. “E don do.” That voice fit stop fight for Owerri market.

“You dey from Musa family, abi? The one wey get pharma company?”

Ifeanyi eye sharp, e sabi everybody background. He call am out, guy nod quick, no wan vex am.

Musa nod sharp sharp.

Like police dey question am, Musa no waste time. Head dey nod like agama. You go know say e fear.

Ifeanyi lean forward, rest cheek for hand, raise glass.

E go forward, cheek rest for palm. Na boss move. Wine dey swirl, face cool, no smile, no frown.

“Abuja’s latest research…”

Voice calm, but e fit mean anything. Everybody dey listen, dem dey careful.

“Oga Ifeanyi, I understand, I understand. Thank you for giving me chance to respect madam.”

Musa quick cut am, voice dey tremble. E dey try save himself, dey thank am for nothing. Everybody sigh, tension drop small.

Before he finish, Musa cut in, dey panic.

Guy mouth no gree close, e dey rush talk, even voice crack. Hand still dey face, dey beg. All of dem gather, dey manage laugh, wahala nearly pass house.