Chapter 7: Confrontation and Confession

Our eyes jam.

The air heavy, like say everywhere stop. I see my own reflection for Tobi eye—old love, new pain.

For that moment, everywhere freeze.

Even mosquito no fit make noise. I dey feel the spirit breeze blow inside house, make my skin cold.

Tobi dey look me, no move.

The guy tall pass as before, but that wound for him chest still dey show for him eye. E no smile, e just dey search my face like say e dey find answer.

Plenty emotion for him eye, I no fit look well.

I wan talk, but my voice just jam for throat. Spirit and human memory dey fight.

Tobi Junior react first, drag me hide behind am, come dey ask, small fear, 'U-Uncle, why you come?'

The boy dey try block me with him small chest. I dey laugh small for inside.

Tobi voice hard. 'Tell me, who be she?'

E dey look me with suspicion. E no dey smile at all.

That time, Tobi Junior calm. 'Uncle, you nko? Wetin you think?'

The boy dey play wise. E dey push the question back.

Tobi reason am, step back small.

E dey observe me, like say e dey try see through my skin. E voice small, but the pain dey loud.

'E no fit be her—why you dey use my Ngozi face dey torment me? Who send you?'

I dey hear the pain, e cut me. I wan cry, but I hold am.

As I hear am, Tobi Junior look me too.

E dey study my face, like say e dey compare picture for him head.

If I remember well, we never meet before.

I dey sure say the boy just dey act from gist, but the connection strong.

But I sure say Tobi Junior know who I be.

Sometimes, spirit fit reveal secret for dream, but I no sure.

That time, Tobi use chance, rush come, grab my wrist.

E hand hot, e grip strong. Na that kain grip wey fit make person confess.

Tobi Junior try stop am, but Tobi just push am commot door.

As big man, e just shove the boy. I dey fear say fight go happen.

With big bang, door jam.

Everywhere shake, dust fly. For small time, I dey wonder if I go fit vanish.

For small time, na only me and Tobi dey.

Silence heavy. I dey hear my own breath.

After small silence, Tobi look me again.

E eyes red, e no blink. I dey dodge the gaze.

'Wetin be your name?'

I look ground, dodge him eye, reply, 'My name na Ifeoma.'

I no fit look am direct. Na only lie fit save me now.

E get new life now—I no suppose disturb am.

I dey remind myself say e dey happy now, make I no go spoil am.

Besides, I go soon commot. Better make e no sabi truth.

Spirit gats dey wise. If I reveal myself, e fit carry matter go another level.

Tobi hiss. 'Even your voice just the same. Tell me, who send you?'

The hiss strong. E dey vex, but I dey see confusion for eye.

I look up, surprise. So e just feel say I resemble Ngozi.

I no know whether to laugh or cry. Na better disguise I wear today.

Better so. I keep quiet, no wan make e suspect anything.

I dey reason say if I talk too much, e go catch me.

But as Tobi dey look me, e dey vex more.

E chest dey rise, e knuckle dey white.

E hold my shoulder, dey shake me. 'Who tell you make you resemble her? Wetin you dey find? Talk true!'

E dey shake me well, like say e wan drag truth from my mouth.

E push me for wall. My back pain me, but I no fit free myself.

The cold from wall enter my skin, I dey grit my teeth. I no wan shout.

That time, Tobi Junior, wey climb enter through window, see wetin dey happen.

I no even hear the window creak. Na sharp boy. E dey stand like super hero, chest out.

E rush come, drag Tobi away, shout, 'Engagement never even finish, uncle run leave fiancée come here. I wan ask, uncle, wetin you dey find? No be you carry that person go cemetery?'

The thing shock Tobi. E step back, hand dey shake, no fit talk.

As Tobi hear am, e just dey shake, no fit look me, run commot mansion.

I see as e leg dey miss step. E no even look back. E carry pain waka like say na heavy load.

As I see am waka go, one kain pain just fill my chest.

The pain deep, but I just dey stand, dey watch as old love waka commot again.