Chapter 3: Sisters by Chance, Rivals by Fate

The bride, Halima Musa, na my client.

Na big woman for her own right, sharp, full of energy. Her head dey there.

Half month ago, she come my gallery, wan buy painting decorate her new house.

She enter with confidence, dey look painting like person wey sabi value art. From her dressing, you go know say she no dey struggle.

As we see each other, both of us shock—no lie, we resemble well, at least sixty, seventy percent.

Even one of my sales girls talk say, "Aunty, abeg, una be sisters?" We just laugh.

Na so we take become close.

She begin dey gist me about her family, work, and small small wedding plans. Before I know, we dey follow each other for Instagram.

Halima visit gallery like four, five times, pick eight paintings, pay five million naira with black card.

When she sign her cheque, even my boss open mouth. "Na big madam you be o!" She just smile.

As she dey go, she give me her estate address, invite me well to her wedding.

She write am for expensive gold card. "Morayo, abeg, you must come!"

She dey always talk about her fiancé, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not—young, sharp, second-generation rich, fine boy, dey generous.

She go dey play with her ring, dey blush. "Morayo, my Ade fit do anything for me. E no dey look money."

Just wedding prep alone cost pass ten million naira.

She dey yarn me gist of vendors, decorators, even imported cake from Dubai. Na money dey talk.

Anytime she talk about am, Halima face go just dey shine, dey thank her luck.

That her smile dey real. I see am, I know say na genuine happiness.

She just finish school, from normal family, but see as she hammer.

Her papa dey sell spare parts for Dugbe, but see as God run am.

She lucky pass me.

No be lie. My own luck na lesson for person wey dey hustle.

When I finish school, na Ifeanyi I meet.

I still remember as my friend Sade laugh me. "You wey graduate with first class, see as you dey follow boy wey never see ten k together."

But he insist say he broke.

Ifeanyi no dey ever shake for mouth. "Morayo, make we build together." That time, I think say na wisdom.

Not only say he no dey spend money for me, na my own money he dey chop.

I dey cook, dey pay light bill, sometimes e go say e go pay later. Na me dey cover up.

Three years pass, still no plan to marry me.

All my friends dey marry, dey do baby shower. Me, I dey wait promise.

Since Halima na big client and I dey find more connections, I gree go her wedding.

For this Lagos, connection na everything. Even if belle dey pain you, you go still show face for big wedding.

But I no ever expect say na Ifeanyi go be her groom.

I almost laugh out for church. This life no balance at all.