Chapter 10: Endings and New Beginnings
This one na one of Tunde victory for my matter. Guy dey count am like trophy, na clear win for am. E clear say e happy well. Even his body dey show am. I just dey look am, my mind dey far. His smile just dey big. If na match, he go dey raise hand for fans.
I look am, remind am:
"You forget wetin I do that day? If you no remember, I fit show you again."
My eye serious, make am know say some wounds no dey heal. Tunde face change sharp sharp. He bone, mouth stiff. You go know say e remember. I sabi say e never forget. Na wound wey pain deep. He no dey like to remember am.
That night, I burst enter the private room, vexed. My leg kick door open. Everybody shock. I drag Tunde from Morayo. E be like film—Tunde dey shiver, I hold am tight. Before anybody fit react, I give am two blows. One for mouth, one for jaw. E stumble. Then grab him neck, press am for table. I hold am steady, my knuckle dey bleed small.
"Laugh abi? E funny? You know wetin happen to that mad man later?"
My voice low, my anger dey vibrate. I vex, break one wine bottle. The sound loud, everybody run back. As glass scatter, Tunde scream. Him voice high, e never shout like that before. I hold the sharp edge near his face, make am dey shake for my hand. His body dey tremble, e dey beg small small.
"Just like today, I finish am."
My voice cold, everybody freeze.
"Kunle."
Morayo voice sharp, fear dey her face.
"Kunle."
People dey beg, but na Morayo finally get mind drag me back. Nobody for room breathe. You fit hear pin drop. Na Morayo stop me last last. She push me hard, throw me one side. She almost fall, but she steady herself, face red. Tunde hide behind her, face white, like person wey no get strength. Tunde dey shiver, dey whisper her name.
"Morayo, see am."
She dey point me, as if na me be the problem. Morayo eye dey red with anger. She raise hand, slap me hard. Her palm loud, my face burn. I shock.
As she wan slap me again, her hand hang, she see say I dey boil, my eye red. She stop as she see the anger for my eyes.
For small second, we dey look each other—two strangers, nothing remain.
"Kunle..."
Her voice low, almost like plea. Her eyes look like say e pain her. If you look well, you go see small water for her eye. But pride no let am drop.
"Morayo, you no fit slap me, abi?"
My voice loud. Na challenge I throw. Me, I fit. I raise my hand, pain still dey my palm. I land am, she shock. As she just dey look me, I slap her back. Na my own pain I return—years of hurt inside that slap. I use all my power. Na full force, my own face dey shake. After the slap, my hand just dey shake. My knuckle red, my heart dey drum for chest.
Na there my break with Morayo start. From that day, trust just die. E no get medicine again. After that day, she ask for divorce. Two days later, lawyer paper land for my WhatsApp. She move out from our house, go stay with Tunde. Everything wey we build, she just lock door, throw key.
Tunde no dey try me. Since that day, guy respect my lane. He dey fear my wahala. Because he know say if I vex, I fit do anything. I dey unpredictable, like fuel price for Nigeria. He look me with anger. His face tight, but he no fit talk rubbish.
"Now wey Morayo don divorce you, you still dey form boss?"
His voice get small envy. He dey expect make I beg am.
I answer: "No concern you," then waka go. My leg dey shake, but my heart calm. I no get time for childish talk.
As I reach house, I start to pack my things. Na like say new life dey call me. I dey arrange my books, pack my shirts inside Ghana-must-go. Even though I want the house, I no plan stay long. Na just walls, no happiness dey again.
All these years of pain with Morayo, I just dey swim inside am. Na ocean, my mind dey drown every night. Now, to see everything for this house just dey make me feel like stranger. Even my own pillow no gree give me sleep again.
I put the house for market sharp sharp. Agent dey call me every hour, people dey come inspect. I start to buy plane ticket. Lagos wahala too much. I just need air—maybe Dubai small, maybe South Africa. Since Morayo give me plenty money, make I use am well. I go chop life small, at least make I see different thing. I decide to travel small, come back when time reach for divorce certificate. Na plan. I need space, I need peace.
The day before I travel, Na that time e happen. My phone buzz, new message. I get new message.
[Hello Mr. Kunle, I be the blogger Time Capsule. Your street interview video go post by 7 pm on Sunday. Just confirm one last time, you no mind?]
As I see the message, I just nod, no shock for my mind. Life na movie. I no surprise. After all the wahala, na only street camera fit catch my true story. You fit no believe—But na so e happen, coincidence dey play for Lagos like lottery.
The day after I see Morayo and Tunde video, I just dey waka for street, no direction. My leg just dey carry me, my mind far. E be like say na spirit dey move me. The same blogger approach me for street interview. Same yellow microphone, same question. I just laugh. Same question. 'What you go tell yourself five years ago?' E shock me, but I answer. That time, I just laugh. My voice dry, but my mind don free small.
But see as life be. E be like say God wan balance story—her own video, my own video. I no reject the interview, and as I answer, I just dey wonder—Wetin Morayo go feel if she see my own side?
If Morayo see my own video, how her heart go move? Na question wey no get answer. How she go feel? I just drop my own, let world judge.
[I no mind, post am.]
I reply. I press send, close my eyes, breath out. Relief catch me. Same time, I finish pack my last load, waka commot with free mind.
As I dey step out of my flat for the last time, sun just set—na fresh chapter, na new breeze for my body. Tomorrow fit be better. I no know, but I ready to try.
As I dey pack my load, I wonder if love ever dey finish or na just people dey tire. I no look back—if I turn, my heart fit betray me.