Chapter 7: New Arrangements
Next day, Pei Yan mama land from abroad. Everywhere scatter with perfume, colour, and loud greeting.
She hear wetin happen, rush come comfort me. She sit for bed edge, hand dey fly like bird.
"Mianmian, you dey better now?" She cup my face, dey check for sickness.
"I don scold that stubborn boy tire. Aunty don help you vex for am." She wink, gist dey sweet her.
Pei Yan stand for side, dey rub head like pikin wey chop forbidden meat.
She pat my hand, sigh. Her ring dey click—old sound from childhood.
"Pei Yan don dey too stubborn now." She shake head, half vex, half proud.
"We plan say after you finish secondary school soon, make una do engagement." She smile, hope full her face.
"So he go calm down." She squeeze my hand, like she dey pass message.
Pei Yan jaw tight, face cold. Lips press, eye no gree meet mine.
Before he fit talk, I first talk.
"No need, Aunty." I keep voice soft but strong.
"No rush for engagement." I smile, try soften am.
Pei Yan surprise. He look me like say I never talk no before.
He quiet, watch me gently talk Aunty Pei till she commot. Door close, silence full room.
He look deep in thought. Hand run through hair, lost.
He swallow, voice casual,
"Last year for your birthday, no be you say make we settle after graduation?" Him eye dey my face, searching.
Old spark don die.
"Why you no dey rush again?" Him tone tease, but I hear the worry.
Pei Yan hard to read. E act like world suppose wait for am.
He always dey first refuse. Now as I say no, he no happy.
But when I refuse for am, he no still smile. Maybe he just want make decision dey his hand.
No excuse come my mind. I just shrug, look away.
Aunty Pei come back, call am, end the matter. I breathe out.
Door close, room quiet. Only clock tick dey talk.
I on phone, hand small shake as I check message.
[Mr. Okoli: Tao Mian, the transfer process go take about one week. Since e remain small make you finish, abeg still dey come school during this time.]
I read am twice, reality settle. My time here dey finish.