Chapter 2: The Date Wey No Clear

Me and my babe don dey together like four, five years. Our two families dey rush us make we marry quick.

Time just dey fly, na so pressure from both sides dey choke me like tight shirt. Her mama, my mama—everybody dey ask when wedding go land. Sometimes I dey wonder if na me dem wan marry.

Last week, I suggest make we do premarital checkup first. She just pause.

"Ehn? No be say na by force?"

Her voice just change small, but me I no catch am that time. I just dey try do the right thing, no know say she dey carry bigger matter for head.

That time, I no notice anything off.

I dey smile dey explain, dey act like say everything normal. I dey try follow her soft, make she no feel say na suspect I dey suspect her.

"Premarital checkup na free, and if we do am, dem go give us extra days for marriage leave. You no want make we travel go UK for honeymoon? This one go give us more time enjoy."

I try package the thing, dey use sweet mouth sell am. Who no like beta thing?

Water dey run for bathroom—she dey bath inside.

For that moment, my mind just dey blank. She dey inside dey bath, dey sing small. If to say I know wetin dey her mind, I for don ask her since.

So na when she run all this package behind my back?

As I sit for parlour, dey scroll phone, I dey reason am. Wetin I miss? How the thing take pass me? Na for there I see the date for the question, everything begin make sense.

I just dey look my phone, na there I notice something I miss.

Almost half year?

My brain just dey rewind. I remember say about half year ago, she pack bag go one art project for her school, travel for almost one month. That time I dey miss her die, dey call her every day. Now, everything dey click.

I remember—my babe dey do master’s for one local art school. About half year ago, her school send her travel for one project, she no dey town for more than one month.

So… na that time e happen?

I just dey count dates for head. Na that period she waka commot, come back dey act like nothing happen. My teeth dey grind, heart dey race, body dey hot like fuel wey catch fire.

My teeth just dey grind, vex dey boil for my body.

Anger just dey boil, but I dey try hold myself make I no break anything for house. If no be say I still get small self-control, I for don scatter something.

Na that time, bathroom door open. I sharply change my phone screen.

I sharp, switch to sports news before she catch me. My heart dey beat like drummer for church choir.

My babe come out with thin pyjamas, dey do all those baby girl moves, dey beg make I hold am.

She just dey whine body, dey play, come lie near me. Normally, I for hold am tight, dey laugh with her. But this one, my body just cold.

But na another man I dey picture for my mind, as dem dey… Dem no even use… My belle just turn—I nearly vomit.

I dey see different picture for my head. The thing dey torture me. Na real wahala.

I force myself swallow the anger, pretend say I dey cough small.

I just act like say na cough dey catch me. If she see my eye, she go know say something dey wrong.

"Baby, I dey feel cold. I no wan give you."

I dey dodge her touch, dey form say I dey sick. My heart dey cut.

She no suspect anything, just climb bed, turn back face me.

She just relax, turn back, dey use phone small. Mosquito dey sing for my ear, but na my own thought dey bite pass.

My smile disappear.

For inside darkness, my face just stiff. No joy, no peace for my mind.

That night, sleep no near my eyes.

I dey roll for bed. Mosquito dey bite, but na my own mind dey trouble me pass. I dey count ceiling board till day break. My eye red for morning.