Chapter 2: Gossip, Family Wahala, and Broken Promises

"I hear say Ifunanya don come back!"

My ears prick as I dey climb corridor. Na market women voice, sharp sharp like pepper. Some dey lower voice, others dey loud am like say na them be town crier. Na so dem dey always yarn when dem see any gist.

"I remember, na she ask for the divorce, abi?"

One woman wey get mouth like basket add, "She be sharp babe o! But na wa for am sha."

"Now wey Obinna be oga for Okafor family, I wonder if she dey regret am!"

Another voice, deep like mama Eze, join: "Regret wetin? She na thief, she carry her sister marriage chop. Now she just dey return am to who get am!"

…

As I reach the door of the private room, I hear people dey talk about me.

E no surprise me again. For this my community, gossip na daily bread. Even if you sneeze, person go add sauce join am. I just adjust my wrapper, deep breath, try brace for wetin dey come.

For the past three years, dem don talk plenty things about me.

Sometimes, if breeze blow my name, people go twist am like chin-chin. I don hear all sorts: say I be witch, say I be gold digger, say na me scatter Okafor family. The thing tire me.

Dem say na me dey play hard to get.

As if say na game I dey play. Na so-so blame I dey collect. People forget say na person heart dey involved.

Even my own parents believe am!

The kind wahala I see for family meeting eh! My papa no even reason my side, my mama just dey nod anyhow, follow people talk. I just dey wonder if na me dem born.

The day we divorced, my mama tell me straight:

"Since una don divorce, no dey disturb am again! Your sister wound her leg, na now she need Obinna pass. Abeg, no come dey worry am!"

As I just bend my head keep quiet, she add:

The thing cut me deep, as if na blade. I feel am for bone. My mama voice sharp, like say she dey warn market thief.

"This marriage suppose be your sister own. If no be say she travel go abroad, you for no see am!"

I just look her, my eyes red. E pain me say my own mama fit talk am.

My sister, Chisom, and Obinna—na dem everybody for our circle dey envy!

For town, if you mention Chisom and Obinna, people go begin list achievement—how dem fine, how dem fit, how their children for resemble angels. Even for church, prayer point dey reach their matter.

But the night before their wedding, Chisom run away!

Na big scandal. My papa nearly faint, mama dey cry like say heaven fall. People dey rush house, dey ask question. For our family, na big shame.

By then, everybody don hear say the two families go marry.

Invitation don waka, even tailor don sew aso-ebi finish. Market people don buy food for party. The disgrace na real.

As pressure come too much, Okafor family elders just sharply decide make I replace am!

My head spin that night. I dey fear, dey ask God question for my mind. Elders gather for parlour, dey do serious talk. My papa dey reason, my mama dey nod. Before I know am, na me dem choose.

I no know how dem take convince Obinna, but he finally agree to marry me.

I still remember Obinna face that morning—just blank. He no even look my eye. Na so e wear white, stand for altar. People dey snap picture, but the thing no sweet me at all.

For three years wey we marry, he treat me like say nothing dey happen—just normal.

E go work, come back, eat, sleep. No laughter, no gist. Na just like say I dey rent house with stranger. I go prepare food, sometimes he no go even touch am.

But everybody sabi—even after marriage, his mind never leave Chisom.

Small thing, he go dey call her name, dey look her picture for phone. I go dey pretend say I no notice, but my heart dey bleed. I try make am happy—cook, dress well, still nothing.

He no gree make I enter the study.

That study, na him sacred place. He fit lock am like say na shrine. Sometimes, I go knock, he go shout, "Wait outside!" I tire.

One day, he forget close door. I peep small, na so cold catch me like say I fall inside freezer.

I tiptoe, just wan see small, but as I see wetin dey for wall, my leg weak. The air for the study cold, smell of old paper and dust. My hand dey shake as I touch the frame—na only Chisom face dey smile back. The cold for inside choke me pass harmattan breeze.

The whole study wall na wedding pictures of him and Chisom!

Pictures full everywhere—Chisom with white dress, Obinna dey carry her, both of them dey smile. Different pose, different angle. No single picture of me. I shock.

I never see Obinna like that before.

For all the pictures, e dey look Chisom like say she be only woman for world. Even the smile reach him eye. For me, I never even see that kind love.

His face dey shine, dey show love—his whole body and mind na for Chisom only.

The thing weak me. I no fit cry sef, tears just dry for my eye. I just waka commot, sit for toilet dey reason life.

Na that day I start dey think about divorce.

The thought no easy me, but I know say if I stay, I go die for inside house.

The day wey I finally ask for divorce, I hear am dey talk for phone.

I dey come kitchen, I hear soft voice. E dey whisper, e dey pet like say na new born pikin dey the other side.

He dey talk soft, dey pamper the person for the other side:

His voice get one kind softness wey I never hear before. I stop for corner, dey listen. My heart dey race.

"Mm, no fear, I go reach there in ten minutes… No move, just wait for me, abeg."

The way e take talk "abeg", e sweet for mouth. I feel as if my chest dey tear.

As he turn back, he see me.

For one second, both of us freeze. I just dey hold soup spoon, e dey hold phone. Silence everywhere.

I just tell am, "Food dey done. Chop before you go."

My voice no even loud. I just dey try manage myself. I no wan shout, no wan cry.

He just pause small, then waka go out.

He pause, look me, then sharply turn face. E walk out like say e no even hear me. The breeze wey follow am, e cold.

"You fit chop, no wait for me."

His voice faint, as if e dey pity me small. I just nod, no talk.

As he almost reach door, I call am again.

My heart dey beat, but I no fit keep quiet. I no fit hold the pain again.

His face come dey show vex. "Wetin again?"

The vex for his face sharp, e no even try hide am. E look me like say na burden I be.

"Obinna," I talk, "make we divorce."

The words heavy for my mouth, but as e drop, my body just relax. E shock am, he no expect am at all. But I no fit stay silent again.