Chapter 1: Peacock of Palm Grove Estate

Dem dey always call am the peacock of Palm Grove Estate—him waka dey draw eye, even sun dey shine brighter for where e dey. The most noble and handsome young man of the Okonkwo family, him name na legend for the estate.

But e no concern me at all. True, the guy fine, ehn, but wetin concern agbalagba and red oil? I just dey my lane, I no send am, na im business be dat.

But one day, the guy just grab my sleeve, eyes red like say him wan cry. Rain dey threaten to fall, breeze dey blow my gele small small. The smell of wet sand begin rise. The kain pain wey dey inside him eye ehn, na only person wey don lose goat wey get belle fit sabi. For my mind, I dey wonder, "Wetin dey worry this one?"

"Time still dey. We never divorce yet..."

Him voice dey tremble small, as if na inside him chest e dey squeeze those words out. Im hand cold for my sleeve, I no know if na fear or shame dey hold am.

"Make we start afresh for this life."

The air just hang one kain—like when NEPA take light during Champions League. I dey busy dey chop nkwobi, my teeth still dey on top the meat when I freeze. I look am, my heart dey jump. I swallow spit, pretend say I no dey shake. I reply, "Ehm, but I no even get plan to marry you before."

Everybody for the joint just pause, even my nkwobi soup dey look me with side-eye. My leg dey shake under table, but I bone face. Na my life, abeg.