Chapter 3: When Family Insult Enter the Matter

E start when Akinwale tell me make I follow am go one party.

That time, I no too dey go out with am for public, except say the matter serious. But as e talk am, e face soft, like person wey dey beg without words. So I gree, even though my mind dey tell me make I rest.

I no dey blend well with all those big men and their wives dem. I wan talk say I no go, but after three months wey I dey location dey shoot film, I miss am well well.

Who no go miss beta person after long location wahala? Three months for outside, dey chop junk food, dey hustle sleep, na only God know wetin body fit take. So the party na small chance to remember say I get man, no be only scripts I dey follow.

So I still go.

I pick my finest Ankara, do small make-up. For this Lagos, appearance fit open door. But even as I ready, my mind dey do one kain. I tell myself, "if wahala wan show, make e show."

As I reason am, I jam people wey I no wan see. I try dodge them, but dem no gree leave me.

You know say for party, wahala people always plenty pass food. I try waka go sitdown somewhere, but dem dey find me like say na me be special rice. My eye dey find escape, but Sisi and Zainab dey waka dey follow.

I waka go small garden to catch breeze, but na so Zainab and Sisi follow me.

As breeze dey blow, na so wahala follow come. For this Lagos, even garden nor get peace if people dey find talk. The small cool air wey I find, na so e turn to hot air as dem land.

Zainab na Akinwale’s padi from childhood. Her family travel go UK for business since, na now she just come back.

She fine, but her face dey carry attitude. You go see say she get confidence wey money dey give. Her return na big gist for their set—everybody dey hail her like she be prodigal daughter.

Sisi, na my enemy for industry, always dey buy fake gist and trend bad belle news about me.

If wahala get face, na Sisi be am. She dey everywhere, dey form friend for camera, dey scatter person name for back. I dey avoid her since, but this party na her chance to shine.

I no know say the two sabi themselves.

That kain connection dey pain—two people wey you dey dodge, dem dey tight pass garri and sugar. I just siddon dey wait make the talk start, because I sabi say e must reach me.

I siddon for bench, I no even wan move. Sisi fold hand, dey run her mouth:

She stand one kain, hand like police for checkpoint, voice dey sharp like broken speaker. The kain confidence she get, if dem use am do legit work, she for don buy house for Lekki.

“Today na Chief Okeke engagement party, abi? So anybody fit just waka enter?”

Na Sisi style be that—to throw shade dey hope say you go vex. Her eye dey shine as she dey talk, like say she dey win trophy.

Zainab look me, her voice just dry. “No be you say make we come outside, say you get something to talk? Na this one?”

Her mouth tight, she no even look my face finish. Na that kain 'I no send you' attitude.

Sisi just dey form padi. “Zee Zee, no vex. Inside too hot, we just come catch air. Make we gist as we dey waka.”

All of us know say she dey lie, but na her style. To dey insert herself where dem no call am.

Zainab no answer, just lean for pool side.

She just bend small, like say the world dey for her leg. Na that pose wey rich kids dey do, as if e go scare wahala comot.

“Zee Zee, you and Akinwale na arranged marriage dem dey plan so?”

She drop am like question, but e be like statement. Everybody dey hear am.

“Yes, e almost set finish.”

Zainab voice no get feeling—just dry. If you no wise, you go think say e no pain her.

“Na better thing, una match well. Some people wey no know their level suppose shift.”

Sisi just dey throw jab anyhow. The kind way she talk am, you go know say na me she dey talk. She dey wait make I react.

Zainab just keep quiet.

She just dey look water, no answer. Na her own way of talking without talking.

Sisi dey talk her own, but my mind no dey there. I turn to comot, but her next talk make me freeze.

The way she drop her words, my mind just blank. E be like say all the party noise just off for my ear.

“Some people no just sabi anything, even their family na wahala. That construction accident years back, people lose work. If you ask me, the oga wey break leg that time, na karma catch am.”

As I hear am, my blood boil. That talk pain me deep. Person wey know my family history dey use am for gossip? For public? My hand dey shake, mouth dry, but anger push me—slap land before I fit reason am.

My leg stop. I turn, give her two hot slap. Sisi hold her face, eye red. “Morayo, you dey craze?”

Na that slap na im everybody go remember. The sound echo reach main house. I no even dey sorry, na justice I dey serve. As she hold her face, I just dey look her, my own face strong like say I be mama soldier.

I bone, “If na for back you dey talk, e no concern me. But to yarn am for my front—no be me you go try?”

I stand gidi gba. I talk am loud, voice strong, no shaking. This kind insult no be something wey person dey keep for chest.

Zainab squeeze face, “Miss Morayo, this na Okeke family house. You no dey fear elders for this house? You wan disgrace yourself for Okeke family compound?”

Her tone cold, but I no send. To her, the party matter dey pass my own pain. But person wey dem insult no dey count rules when e pain reach bone.

I look her well. “Miss Zainab, if na your papa and mama dem dey insult like this, I hope say you go still dey reason consequence before you react.”

I balance well, eye dey fire. Sometimes, people go dey talk about respect, but respect na for person wey dey respect others.

Zainab no talk again, but Sisi rush me, drag my hair. Na so fight start.

My wig fly land for floor, people dey shout, some dey record with phone, others dey laugh like say na film. My heart dey pump, but I no fit stop. Sisi na real street, she no dey play. My mind dey hot, but my hand dey steady.

I no even know as Zainab take enter the matter, but when Akinwale and others reach, na so three of us dey fight like say we dey street.

People don gather, camera dey on. Before dem fit hold us, na so Zainab jump inside—maybe to separate, maybe to add more wahala. As dem drag us, gist dey fly. Party don turn Nollywood scene.

Akinwale, face strong like stone, drag me comot from the wahala.

He no say word, just hold my hand tight. The way e dey pull me, you go think say na thief dem catch. My mind dey scatter, but pride no let me beg.

I dey scatter, but Zainab still dey pose like say nothing happen.

She adjust her cloth, clean her face, and pose like say nothing touch her. Na so some people dey—wahala dey fly, dem go still dey form Queen of England.

I bone face look Akinwale. “So na her side you dey follow.”

My voice dey shake small, but e still sharp. All eyes dey on us, but I no care. If he wan choose her, make am choose. Na today we go know.

He just dey frown, no talk anything.

He just stand there, mouth tight. You fit see say e dey vex, but na that kain vex wey no get solution. My heart dey break small small.

I pause, look the ring for my hand. I remember the day he put am for my finger, promise me say e go last. My hand dey tremble as I remove am, but I throw am for him face. “Na me dey break up with you.”

That moment, na like film for my head. I remove the ring, my hand dey tremble, but I no show am. I throw am well—if e pain am, make e know say na serious thing.

I just run comot, hold my tears, enter keke wey just stop for front.

The tears dey my eye, but I hold am till I waka pass the gate. As keke stop, I jump inside, beg the driver, "Abeg, make we go anywhere, just dey go."

But last last, tears still fall. I just dey vex, the pain choke me.

I wipe my eye, but e no stop. All my body dey shake. I feel like person wey dem thief from her own house.

I just finish film work yesterday, come see am with better hope. We no even talk, dem disgrace me, and na another person side him dey.

All the hope wey I carry from set, na so e scatter for ground. I dey think say reunion go sweet, but na disgrace I see. All the love wey I get, na as if e no mean anything.

My phone dey ring—na Akinwale dey call.

As I see the call, my heart race. But I no want hear any excuse, no be today dem dey settle this kain matter.

I pick, talk straight: “That house for Palm Grove Estate dey my name. Abeg, pack comot within one week.”

I talk am clear, no emotion. If e pain am, make e pain am. Palm Grove Estate no be beans, but na my name dey there, make e know say I no dey joke.

I cut call, block all him number.

I no even waste time, before he go talk any story. I just dey press block, delete, everywhere.

Nonsense man, I don finish with am.

I breathe deep, talk for myself, "No man fit use me do mumu again."

Area boys dey shout for gate, keke drivers dey hustle passenger, and my own wahala just dey start.

As keke dey speed off, my tears mix with Lagos dust—today, I lose love, but I find my own voice.