Chapter 1: Marriage Na War

Tunde and I were like goat and yam thief for market—no peace at all in this marriage. Always abusing each other, throwing blows, and at the end, we both swore: whoever no divorce, na real bastard! Neighbours dey peep curtain, dey bet for who go pack load first.

Na wah, see marriage wey suppose be partnership, but our own be like Nollywood part two, always quarreling, shouting, neighbours even dey gossip say our matter pass episode for Africa Magic. If to say dem dey award best quarrelers, na gold we go collect! People go dey fear to pass our window, na so shout dey fly every day—chai, life no balance at all.

On our way to end the marriage, we exchanged all the worst curses we fit think of, dragging each other’s name through the gutter!

If you hear the kain swear wey we dey rain on top each other head, you go fear. "Thunder fire you!", "May your yam never cook!" Even the driver wey dey take us look mirror, shake head, say, "This na real wahala couple." Na so we dey exchange words like market women for Ojuelegba bus stop—no single respect remain.

But as that tanker dey rush come our side near Makurdi express, Horn dey blast, tanker dey shake road, my teeth dey clatter for fear. na so Tunde sharply turn steering, use im own body block the hit—

If you see the speed of that tanker, e be like say driver dey chase juju. My heart fly enter throat. Tunde just squeeze steering, no think twice—use im chest block the impact. That kind thing, only person wey get mind fit do am.

Just so I fit live just 0.01 second pass am!

Imagine! All the fight, all the insult, na so person still use im body save you. For this Naija, who go believe am? Just so say I go last small, even if na split second pass am for this life!

When I open my eyes again, na that same summer after SS2 I see myself!

I nearly shout! Mosquito dey hum, sun dey burn, everything just too clear—na my secondary school days again, back to that hot, restless holiday! My heart dey race like Keke Marwa engine.

And Tunde dey there, hold flower, dey ask me if I wan try am with am!

E stand for gate, face dey shine fake confidence, but I sabi Tunde. Flower for hand, hope for eye, dey try luck. My body just dey weak.

Just one second, im usual deadpan face come change—dark and moody!

I see am, e face fit scare even masquerade. The way e look me, e be like say rain wan fall for inside sun.

As our eyes jam, I just know am—this guy sef don come back!

For my mind I dey shout: "God abeg, not again o! This one no be dream, abi na wahala spirit dey follow us?" My chest dey drum—Na only for Naija you go see people dey do second chance like this, no be beans!