Chapter 9: Family Dinner and Cold Exit

Few days later, her parents invite us for dinner. For road, she still dey form strong face.

As we dey drive, I dey try gist, but she dey look window, dey press phone. Her eye dey blank.

Mama sabi her pikin. Her mama quick notice, pretend scold her: “Ify, you don dey stubborn again? Chuka stay for here because of you, dey work, buy house. No dey lose temper anyhow.”

Her mama dey eye her, dey use eye signal say make she change. Papa just dey nod head, dey read newspaper. After mama scolds Ifeoma, papa mutter, 'Nwunye, biko, no let small fire burn big house.'

I no be from this town. I plan go back Kaduna after school—I get better job offer—but for Ifeoma, I stay.

Na true, my mind dey always go back north, but I sacrifice for love. For her house, dem sabi say na because of Ifeoma I stay.

As her mama talk, Ifeoma face soft small.

She look ground, dey play with spoon. You go see say her heart dey move.

Na that time, doorbell ring. Her mama go open. “Na Musa—chop?”

Everybody face light. Musa dey outside, dey shine teeth, dey wave nylon with meat pie.

“I don chop. I hear say Ify dey house, I come ask her out.”

He dey talk soft, dey look Ifeoma. Her eye shine small.

He enter like say na him get house, sit down for table.

He drop phone, dey gist with papa, dey tease mama. Everybody dey laugh, I dey look clock.

Ify look me, shake head, “No, we get plans after food.”

She dey try form say she get sense, but I sabi say her mind dey Musa side.

Musa shock, try persuade, “We never hang out since. Tunde and others dey—everybody wan see you.”

He dey beg, dey use puppy eye. Ifeoma dey reason am, dey look me, dey tap finger.

Ify dey reason am, look me.

She dey wait for my eye, maybe I go talk make she follow dem. I just bone face.

I dodge her eye, no talk.

I dey tap table, dey pretend dey read news for phone.

Musa catch the sign, invite me join, “Chuka, follow us now. All of us na Ify padi.”

He dey talk like say he wan me come, but e dey clear say he no want.

He no really want make I come, but must do as if e no mean.

For family, e no pure to show you dey jealous. Na why e dey pretend.

My in-laws no even see the tension, dey smile, “You young people, dey play together.”

Dem dey happy, dey see all of us as one big happy family. Na so e dey be for Igbo house, dem go join anybody wey make pikin smile.

Musa hug dem, dey joke, “Uncle, Aunty, you sef young—join us.”

He dey do like say na comedian. Everybody dey laugh, dey cheer.

Everybody dey laugh, like say na one big happy family.

For my mind, I dey wish say make dem see the pain wey I dey hide.

But me, I just be outsider.

I dey my own, dey look as dem dey move.

I stand up, “Una enjoy. I dey tired—dey go house.”

I dey try hide my pain, but e dey show for my eye. I just dey go.

“Baby…” Ifeoma call me.

Her voice low, like person wey dey beg.

I turn. She bite lip, finally talk, “Drive well. I go come house early.”

She dey look me, voice dey shake small. I just nod, no talk.

Heh, I just laugh.

I let out small laugh, no loud, just inside throat. The thing dey pain me but I no show am.

I smile, turn, waka.

As I dey waka go gate, my shadow long for ground, my heart dey heavy like cement.