Chapter 3: Love Dey Blind True True

Me and Ifeoma don dey three years. She always dey keep me for one corner, sometimes she dey dodge me like say I be wahala.

Sometimes, I go even reason say maybe she dey run from village people—no be me she dey fear, na the ghosts of tradition.

I no be one kind desperate guy wey dey force himself on top him fiancée. I just want normal, sweet relationship.

Na simple love I dey find, nothing over sabi. Just two people wey fit hold hand, dey smile as dem dey waka for street. Is it too much?

At least, I want make we dey walk for evening, dey gist about future, dey hold hand.

That kain evening breeze, as sun dey set, na there you go know true love if e dey. My own be say, make I get who I fit share my mind with.

Just like when I first toast her: “I wan date you with marriage for mind, if you gree.”

I still remember how my voice dey shake that day. She just smile that shy smile, dey use one hand dey twist scarf, dey pretend say she no dey hear me.

I give her enough time to think am.

Even my guy, Segun, dey laugh me that time. “Guy, you sure say this babe go gree you?” But I no rush am.

She think am for three days and nights before she finally gree.

Three days o! You for see as my chest dey jump any time I see her text.

But after we start, she just dey cold, dey distant.

E be like say I dey date ghost. Sometimes she go just dey smile, but her mind go dey somewhere else. You no go fit pin am down.

Anytime I bring the matter up, she go brush am off, say her family dey traditional.

She go talk say, "You know say my papa na Elder for church, my mama sef dey lead Women’s Fellowship. If I mess up, dem go use me do example for Sunday message."

She always dey ask, “You love me, or na just my body you dey find?”

I go tire for the question. Sometimes I wan just drag her go see Mama Peace make she talk sense into her head.

So, na so three years waka pass. We don engage, suppose marry next year, then these crazy comment wahala come dey appear—dey talk say Ifeoma no love me, say she dey save herself for another person, say she dey follow another guy, even get belle...

As I dey scroll through all those online talk, e be like say all the trust wey I dey form for mind just dey shake.

So wetin that one come make me be?

I dey ask myself, na mumu I be?

I dey look her face, dey wait for answer. But silence just full the room—like say the truth dey fear come out.