Chapter 5: New Script, Old Pain

"Why na Halima?"

Some people dey murmur, faces squeeze like people wey chop bad ogbono.

"She no even fit the heroine character..."

Some dey talk am loud. Na true—Halima get baby face, small small voice. How she wan carry mature role?

People around me just dey confused like me.

The talk dey go round. Some dey pity her, some dey pity Nnamdi, but most just dey look.

The heroine for 'Palm Breeze' na woman wey see many wahala, from young to adult, suppose get mature look.

Na kind role wey require eyes wey don see thing, heart wey don break and heal. But Halima just dey look like JSS3 student.

But this Halima wey Nnamdi choose, her face still be like small pikin—how she wan act that kind role?

E dey like say dem wan run play for us.

Nnamdi talk again.

I tune ear, dey wait for explanation. My mind dey do maths—maybe dem wan try new style?

"We don change script small, focus more on the heroine school days. For everything, Halima fit pass..." Him voice still dey calm.

I dey try process am—school days? Wetin happen to the adult story? E be like say na new direction.

I shock.

My heart miss beat. Na as if dem use hand carry my future shift go corner.

Script change?

This kain shift, e no be ordinary. I dey sense something deeper.

Nnamdi dey talk about new script, and the more I hear, the more I dey surprised.

The lines, the beats, everything dey different. No more long monologue, no more moody shots.

This one no be the 'Palm Breeze' I sabi at all.

My memory dey fight with reality—my version vs this new thing.

New script get more action, fast pace—almost like commercial popcorn film.

Na as if dem wan do Netflix blockbuster. I dey wonder if na producer force am or if na him plan.

This one no be Nnamdi style at all.

My own Nnamdi dey like slow fire, dey roast story sotay e sweet. This one na microwave.

Other actors, even though dem no too happy, just accept am.

Everybody dey reason hustle. Nobody wan lose chance. Na so industry be.

I pack my bag, follow crowd commot, my head just dey turn.

As I waka slow, I dey try balance myself. My mind full, my leg dey heavy.

Suddenly, I hear one girl dey gossip:

"I hear say Nnamdi and Halima dey date. No be just favouritism be this? Dem just do audition for show."

I stop.

My leg stiff. Na so gist dey fly for Lagos—one small spark, everywhere go catch fire.

Lie lie.

I shake head. My Nnamdi no fit do that kain thing.

Nnamdi no be that kind person.

He get integrity, I know am pass anybody.

My body just move on its own, I run go back, stand for lounge door.

Curiosity dey push me. I hide for door, heart dey beat.

Door small open, I hear Halima voice:

Her voice dey soft, almost like whisper. I bend ear, dey listen.

"Uncle Nnamdi, I think say you go avoid wahala, no go choose me..."

She dey fear backlash, na normal for person wey know say dem dey watch am.

I remember—Halima be Nnamdi acting student before.

For class, she dey quiet. Sometimes e go praise her, but no be overdo.

The Nnamdi I know always dey calm and steady.

He dey talk slow, no dey rush, always get reason for every move.

Last life, even when internet drag am, he no dey panic.

Even when dem insult him mama join, he go just shake head, smile small, then go back edit suite.

Even for our wedding, na just small extra smile he get.

No be man of many words, but when e talk, everybody dey listen.

...I never see am lose guard before.

If e vex, e just go silent. But today, e dey different.

But now, he just drag Halima enter him chest, hold her tight.

I blink sotay my eye pain me. Nnamdi, the Nnamdi I sabi, dey hug another woman with passion. Na real shock.

The way he hold am, e shock me.

E no be ordinary comfort—na love dey inside. The kain hold wey person reserve for who e no wan lose.

"Silly girl, na why I change script—to pick you. You no dey see am?"

His voice get small frustration, but e still gentle. He dey try make am understand.

Halima just burst cry. "Last month, after I tell you my mind, you say make we no see again..."

Her sob dey break heart. I feel am from my spot, as if she dey call for help.

"Na me mess up." Nnamdi look her, voice low but no dey shake.

He dey confess, open chest for her. E rare.

"Do as you like. I no go hide my feelings again."

For Nnamdi to talk like this, na deep matter. He no dey expose himself anyhow.

"But you must promise me, anyhow e be, you go live well."

He dey beg am, make she no break again. That line choke me.

Halima just look am, shock.

She dey try understand if na dream or reality.

Nnamdi smile, bend, kiss her cheek.

Na public declaration be this. No be small play.

As I dey go back school, heavy rain just start. I no get umbrella.

Rain wey dey fall for Lagos, na so e dey surprise person. E no dey warn.

Rain dey soak my hair, wet my cloth, cold dey enter my body. Gutter water dey rush for roadside, okada riders dey shout, "Madam, enter!" but I just waka pass.

I dey shiver, but I just waka dey go, no care who dey look me. Water dey drip for my face, but na tears dey mix with am.

But the cold for my heart pass the one outside.

Na heartbreak cold—na the one wey no dey cure with sweater or hot tea.

Na now I understand—Nnamdi too don come back to life.

E clear—no be only me waka come. Fate dey play with all of us.

He must come back before me.

E fit be say him spirit no rest until he fix old wound.

Na why he change script, remake 'Palm Breeze' for Halima.

E wan give her wetin she no get last life. He dey rewrite both our destinies.

E be like say I suppose go ask am why.

My heart dey push me—make I go confront am, demand answer.

Why you do am? Why you no find me? Wetin come happen to all the things for last life?

Questions dey line up. My mouth dey heavy.

But wetin be my right? For everybody eye, Nnamdi and Amaka still be strangers.

I no get any claim. Our history dey inside my chest alone. Na pain wey person no fit share.

Yes, the love wey I think say no fit break—na for past life e end.

Some love na for season. E pain, but I dey learn.

Nnamdi just wan, for this life, choose another road.

E dey chase closure, happiness, maybe forgiveness.

Road wey no get me.

For now, I just dey outside dey look. Na so life be sometimes.