Chapter 4: Confession and Heartbreak

“Why?”

Her voice low, like say breeze carry am. You know that kain voice wey you go almost miss if you no dey look the person face?

Ifeoma pick the needle wey fall, but her mind no dey the knitting again.

She just dey turn the scarf for her hand, but I fit see say her spirit don comot from the room.

She look up at me.

Her eye dey red, but she dey try form strong.

Why?

Why you no talk am?

I dey wait for her to talk, but nothing come out. I know say sometimes, silence dey talk pass words.

“You know why.”

I answer am sharp.

I no want beat around bush. E no good make person dey waste another person time.

Everywhere still dey silent.

You fit hear pin drop. Even house gecko wey dey run for ceiling pause small.

Ifeoma pause, then frown. “I no know wetin you dey talk.”

You go think say she go beg or try cry, but na anger first show for her face. Na so Ifeoma be—she go first vex before e go pain am.

“Kunle, abeg no start wahala.”

She try use peace voice, but her hand still dey shake.

[Female lead too soft. Second male lead dey make noise for nothing. If na me, I for don vex, but female lead still dey calm.]

[So what if she dey cold? She just no like am. E normal to dey keep distance. Wetin be second male lead problem?]

[Second male lead just dey pretend say e dey loyal, but na just her body e dey find. As she no gree near am, e don vex.]

[All men na the same. If dem say dem get sense, na lie.]

Dem no dey understand say sometimes, na peace person dey find, no be wahala. But for Naija, everybody dey quick judge man own side.

Chai. These small fairies get different mind o.

The way everybody just dey talk their own, you go think say na dem dey inside the house with us. E funny, but e pain me too.

For their eyes, Ifeoma hide her past, do abortion for back, dey use my feelings, dey follow another man, cheat anyhow, dey form cold—everything just dey okay.

But if na me wan break up, na me dey mad?

E be like say for this country, na only woman get right to hide secret, man no fit complain. If you talk, dem go say you too dey shout.

I just dey wonder, if na dem dey my shoe, dem go still dey talk this kind thing?

Na the question wey dey my mind as I dey look Ifeoma face.