Chapter 3: Dinner Table Tension

When I wake again, everywhere don dark.

Night don fall.

House quiet.

Obinna don comot.

My stomach dey protest—hunger dey wire me since morning. I drag myself out of bed, rub my eyes.

I open door, still inside white princess nightgown, barefoot, go find food downstairs.

Corridor cold, toes curl for tile as I tiptoe pass parlour, dey pray make I no jam anybody.

Tile dey chill, e clear my head small.

I stand for kitchen counter, slice Agege bread, warm am for small microwave.

I spread Blue Band margarine plenty for the bread, then dip am inside hot Milo. The aroma just dey tempt me, belle dey sweet me. I hum one old Sunny Ade tune make kitchen lively.

Suddenly, study door open.

Obinna step out, suit still sharp.

Under soft yellow light, him face even sharper, figure tall, upright.

He resemble person wey dem carve from marble—jawline sharp, skin smooth, every move correct. Even inside our house, him dey carry king matter for body.

His looks be like god wey come down judge mortals.

But na the cold wey follow am dey worse.

Aura cold, eyes colder.

Even the silver cufflinks for him sleeve dey shine with cold light.

From far, his gaze land for me.

Thin lips straight, no smile.

Pressure choke me.

Sweat dey prick my neck, chest tight, strange heat dey climb my face.

Immediately—

I regain sense.

I grab my head, hide under dining table, wan disappear—just make myself more obvious.

Tablecloth brush my cheek, knees press my chest. Heart dey drum sotey I fear say e go hear am.

My sister waka come down stairs fast.

She run enter Obinna arm, hold him sleeve.

“You dey go already? You never see my new photos. You fit stay chop dinner?”

Her voice dey sweet like sugar, the one she reserve for special day. She dey form like cat wey like touch.

Normally, my sister dey form cool and proud.

But now, she soft, voice sweet.

Like songbird—

Feather dey shine, voice dey nice.

Obinna no answer, just dey look me cold for under table.

His gaze heavy, I press myself deep for shadow.

My sister smile fade.

She bite lip say,

“If you busy, you fit see them another day. Let’s go, I go escort you.”

Obinna no move.

Pressure from am strong, like say he no hear my sister.

She open mouth, no fit talk more.

After long silence, he finally talk, voice low, deep:

“Okay, I go stay for dinner.”

The words land like broken plate. Everybody pause.

My papa and sister shock.

You go think say miracle happen. Papa let out small, "Ah!" my sister mouth open.

Obinna lips curl small.

“What you dey fear? She don already forget.”

His voice get mocking tone, he glance me for under table.

Obinna waka reach table, crouch down.

Suit trouser show him strong leg.

I smell him cologne, sharp like rain for dry ground. I hold my breath.

“Kamsi, you still sabi me?”

Tone soft but steel dey inside. I shiver, dodge his eye.

I look up small, quickly look down, no fit meet eye.

I nod slow.

But suddenly, my fingers and toes tingle like pin dey prick me.

Stress dey hook me.

I cry out small.

Squeeze eyes shut.

Shake head hard.

“I no sabi you. Abeg no beat me. I no sabi you.”

My words dey shaky, like pikin. I cover head, dey brace for slap wey no come.