Chapter 5: Veil for a Kite

Ifeoma too don come back to life again.

I open my eyes wide. My body cold for inside. So na true—this life, no be only me dey get second chance.

I close my eyes, sigh small.

I just pray say God give me sense to avoid old wahala. This life, na new script, but same players.

Last life, she marry Prince Anayo, soldier man—cold and no dey talk. Anytime Ifeoma see me, she dey look me like say I thief her good luck.

I remember how she dey avoid my eye, dey squeeze her hand when she see me for corridor. Sometimes, she go cry quietly for her room.

So this life, she run go meet Tunde Jinchen early, become his second wife.

She sabi where bread dey butter. Palace power sweet, even if e mean play second fiddle for now.

She wan enter palace before me, secure her place.

She dey act like person wey dey rush chop first meat from pot, before others come.

From that day, fate change. She no know say I no even plan marry crown prince.

Her mind dey busy with her own plan. She no see my own waka at all.

Her plan for me go fail.

I dey pray for her too, make she see better thing. No be every plan dey work the way person dream am.

After that, I no comot house, just dey prepare for my own wedding.

Mama Nkechi dey hover around, dey correct every stitch I sew, dey call Ogechi make sure cloth ready. The whole compound dey smell of starch and new wrapper.

I always dey feel guilty for Prince Anayo.

My mind dey go back—sometimes in the quiet, his face go flash for my mind like torchlight for dark.

He, crown prince and me grow up together. But my eye always dey on crown prince, while Prince Anayo quiet, always by himself, I no dey notice am.

He go always dey by corner, dey watch, dey make sure say I dey okay. If I get small cut for finger, na him dey find leaf, rub my hand.

I remember am for the dark cell, his black eyes full with feeling I no understand:

His face dey my mind like river reflection. That time, I no sabi wetin the world dey hold for us.

"Nnenna, if na me be king, you go marry me?"

His voice crack that day. Hope and fear dey fight inside am.

I no answer—I no fit.

My mind dey tied to another person, I no fit see the love wey dey my front.

Prince Anayo get army, so dem always dey suspect am. Tunde Jinchen use my name lure am come capital, then set him up.

Power and envy dey run things for palace. Na so dem set trap for am, and nobody fit save am.

Na so his life take end last time.

His death pain me pass wetin mouth fit talk. For long, I dey dream of am, dey beg for forgiveness wey my mouth no fit say.

I just hope say for this life, we go both get peace.

This time, I dey pray say all our wahala go turn to blessing.

After I finish the last stitch, I open the red wedding veil wey get lion and eagle cloud pattern wey I just sew, then blow am gently.

The design shine well. I use all my skill—each thread dey dance, colours blend like sunset for Makurdi river.

Mama Nkechi always talk say my embroidery bad, so I go learn from Ogechi’s Tailor Shop. This one na my best work so far.

Ogechi na strict woman, she no dey joke with her work. If you miss one stitch, she go knock your head with her chalk. But today, I know say even she go praise me.

His Highness Prince Anayo—he go like am, abi?

I dey imagine the way he go smile, his eyes soft, his hand touch the veil gentle.

I dey happy, no know say all my effort go just waste like that.

For this life, happiness fit quick turn to wahala. I no sabi say storm dey wait for corner.

As I rush go Ogechi’s Tailor Shop to collect the wedding veil, the seamstress smile, tell me say crown prince don carry am.

Her voice cheerful, she no know say her words dey cut me like blade. She even offer me zobo, say make I calm down.

As my face fall, the seamstress look me, confuse: "His Highness hear say you sew wedding veil for am, e sweet am well. Wetin happen, madam?"

Her eyebrow high, she dey try make sense of my mood. She look my hand, maybe she dey fear say I go vex break needle.

I close my eyes, hold the anger wey dey rise, then rush comot.

My chest dey tight, my mind dey boil. I no even hear as people dey greet me for road. I just waka quick, sweat dey run down my back.

I no even know how many people I ask before I see where Tunde Jinchen dey.

I waka up and down, even small children dey dodge me for street. My mouth dey pain from too much question.

The guards stop me, say crown prince and him second wife dey fly kite, make I no enter.

Their face hard, but I no send. Palace guard wahala no reach my own vex.

I just bone them, waka go inside.

I brush their hand comot, my own anger dey guide me.

For the green grass, one woman dey fly kite, her pale fingers reach up—soon one big hand cover am. She lean inside him arm, dey laugh.

Their laugh loud, like two people wey forget the world. My presence be like cold water for their sun.

My waka spoil their play.

Everybody pause, the air freeze. Even the bird wey dey sing for mango tree stop small.

Crown prince face change, look me with warning:

His face hard like yam wey no done. He dey wait make I talk rubbish so he fit explode.

"Wetin you dey find here?"

His voice dry, like harmattan breeze.

I stretch my hand, go straight to the point:

I no get time for drama. My own pain dey my front.

"The wedding veil—return am."

I put force for my voice. Even Ifeoma stop to laugh.

He frown small:

His eye dey roll, he no see wetin dey wrong for wetin he do.

"E don go. You fit just sew another one."

He act like say na just ordinary handkerchief.

I glare am, but before I fit talk, Ifeoma don laugh first.

Her laugh sharp, she no even cover mouth well. She dey enjoy the show.

She cover her mouth, her fine eyes dey shine, point up:

Her fingers slim, nail polish red like pepper.

"Sister, your wedding veil fine no be small—na only one kite like that for this Makurdi."

She dey mock me, her words dey sweet for her tongue.

As I look up, e be like thunder strike me.

For sky, red lace dey dance, wind dey push am high. My heart break small small.

The kite wey she dey fly na my wedding veil dem use make am.

My hand shake, my head light. I never see wickedness reach this one before.

Na my sweat, my hope, dey fly for sky as plaything. My chest dey tight, my eyes dey hot with tears.

The red lace shine for sky, even clouds dey look brighter.

People dey gather, dey clap. Dem no know say na my pain dem dey celebrate.

Tunde Jinchen—

His face dey proud, like say he do big thing. I fit see the small smile wey he dey hide.

He use my sweat to make his own love happy.

For my mind, I dey shout. How person fit do like this to who dey call am friend?

Anger just dey rush me, like say I go drown for am, all the pain of two lifetimes wan burst out.

Tears dey my eye, but I hold am strong. My whole body dey shake, my palm dey sweat.

I no fit hold am, I push am hard, almost shout:

My voice loud, even birds run. Everybody turn look us.

"That thing na my own! How you fit do this?"

I dey almost cry. People dey begin whisper, some dey cover mouth, dey look me with pity.

"You dey craze—"

He stagger from my push, but when he see my red eyes, the insult die for him mouth.

He shock, like person wey see masquerade for market. For small time, he no fit find words.

He never see me vex like this before, he just freeze, no know wetin to do.

His hand hang for air. Even Ifeoma dey look, her smile fade small.

After small time, he frown, talk with stiff voice:

His ego dey pain am, but he dey try cover am.

"E don do. Na me you sew am for. If e dey make me happy, no be enough? Why you dey take am too serious?"

He dey act like say na small play. For his mind, e fit use anybody own anyhow.

"If you no want this one, just sew another."

He wave hand, like say na broom wey break. My anger dey burn.

I dey shake with anger, tears dey my eye but I hold am, my voice come out strong as I talk, word by word:

My words be like thunder. I look am straight, my chest high.

"Who tell you say I sew that wedding veil for you?"

The air quiet. Everybody dey wait, even breeze stop. My spirit strong, I no go let am break me again. This time, if dem wan fight, dem go see say I no be pushover.