Chapter 7: The Agreement

"Sit down."

She point chair, her voice cold as AC. My body stiff as I sit down. As I enter office, Morayo treat me like visitor. Na stranger I be now. No more 'Kunle, you wan drink malt?' Just straight to business.

I look the sofa, see plenty expensive game controllers on top. Playstation controllers scatter everywhere. Before, na my books full that shelf. The shelf wey dey carry books before now dey display game discs. All her novels don vanish. E be like game parlour now.

The private lounge door no close well. You fit see designer shoes, small towel for chair. Na sign say Tunde dey lodge here steady. Through the small space, I see clothes just throw for bed. Boxers, shirts. E pain me but I just face my file.

Morayo look me, her face no show anything. Her face stiff, na only small line for her forehead dey move. I quickly look away, make e no be like say I dey spy. I no wan give her excuse to para for me again.

"The agreement?"

She dey business mode, hand the file with her left hand. Morayo give me the divorce agreement from her table. She push the file gently, no look my eye. As I dey read am, her eye still dey my body. You fit feel her stare, like say she dey monitor if I go shout.

"We don dey together for years, you no go lack. Any car or house you want, choose. If you get any other request, talk am."

Her voice calm, almost like she dey pity me. Na big offer, but I just bone face.

Na compensation be this? For my mind, I dey reason—na money dey replace love? Na only that thought pass my mind. But e no slow me down.

I sharp sign where I suppose sign, no delay. For the agreement, wetin Morayo give me, even if I live many lives, I no go fit finish am. I dey wonder how much peace worth for this Lagos.

She always dey generous, no dey stingy for these things. She dey always help, even for my mama hospital bill, she dey pay steady.

"No need. Just these ones and the flat wey I dey stay, just give me that one."

I talk. My voice no shake, I just wan commot from this chapter. I sign am sharp sharp, return am to Morayo. I no even look her face, just pass am back.

She look like she wan talk more. Her lips dey move, but she swallow the words. Because I see as she open mouth, then close am again because of my action. She surprise say I no drag matter.

Morayo just dey look me, like she no believe say everything don finish in less than five minutes. She dey expect drama, but I no give am.

I stand up. I adjust my shirt, clear my throat, ready to waka.

"One month cooling-off period for divorce. I go reach you in one month."

As I talk, I turn go. I just dey hope say this be the last time I go sit for her office like this.

"Kunle."

Her voice low. I pause, my hand for door.

"Anything again?"

She dey look my back, her face lost.

"You no get anything wey you wan talk give me?"

She dey expect apology or last words. But wetin remain? Morayo frown small. Her eyes look confused, even her voice get small disbelief. She no believe say na just like that I dey end am.

I look her, see say she really dey ask. Her eyes soft, na different Morayo I dey see. I reason am, then reply serious:

"For this point, you want make I wish you and Tunde long life and plenty children, abi?"

Even if I don let go, my mind never reach that level of 'Saint Kunle'. I no reach that level of generosity. Na true talk. My heart still dey heal, abeg.

"..."

She no fit talk. She just press lips, eyes dey wet but she no cry. Morayo just dey look me, her eyes dey shine like water, but I no fit read her mind. She dey fight herself, na only God know wetin dey her chest.

As I put hand for door handle, her voice call me from back.

"Kunle, na me wrong you. I go always take care of your mama hospital bills."

Her voice dey shake, e be like say na confession she dey do. Na only once I see Morayo this humble.

As she mention my mama, I stop small. Na the only thing wey fit touch my heart sharp sharp. My mama matter na sacred for my life.

If anybody no want make me and Morayo divorce, na my mama be number one supporter for our marriage. She no dey hide am, always pray for us.