Chapter 4: Betrayal and Broken Glasses

I stared at my girlfriend, shocked.

I blink twice, sure say I hear well. My hand dey tremble, mind dey race.

She no gree look me for eye.

Her gaze dey ground, voice low, small tears start gather for her eyes.

“I know my family’s request too much, but I swear this na the last time. My parents too suffer to raise me…”

She talk am soft, voice shaky. Her hand dey play with ring, leg dey tap floor. For one second, I pity am, but the pain for my chest still dey strong.

My mind just dey scatter.

So she know.

She already knew her parents would raise the price on the wedding day, but she no tell me.

Betrayal dey taste bitter for mouth. How person go see wahala dey come, no tell who suppose be husband?

Your parents suffer, but my own nko?

No matter how well-off my family is, money no dey fall from sky.

Asking and asking—it’s just too shameless.

The air thick, everybody just dey look us. You fit hear pin drop.

Before I knew it, my brother-in-law broke free from Efe, rushed in, and pushed me hard.

Na so wahala start again. My glasses fall, phone jump for ground, even my confidence scatter.

I staggered, almost fell—my glasses and phone dropped for ground.

He kicked my phone away, then matched my glasses, scatter them.

I hear the crack—my specs don waka. My phone fly reach under bed.

My girlfriend panicked. “What are you doing? You broke his glasses—apologize to your brother-in-law quick!”

She rush stand, voice high, tears dey her face. She dey look both of us, beg for peace.

I stared at him, vexed. “You dey craze? Wetin you mean by this?”

My voice rough, hand dey shake. If no be wedding, na real fight for happen.

My brother-in-law just bone. “Why I go apologize? Na him start am first.”

He fold hand, mouth bent. He dey look me like say na I dey wrong.

My friends couldn’t take it again.

“If una no block us, we for no even do this one.”

“The wedding cars don wait over one hour. We no fit wait forever.”

Efe dey stamp leg. Some people dey check watch, others dey shake head. Wedding almost scatter because of money.

My father-in-law put on a strong face. “And you think say you dey right?”

His voice dey loud, but even him eye dey dodge ground. Pride still dey, but wahala don pass level.

My mother-in-law shouted louder: “Tunde, na so your parents train you? See wetin you do to our door!”

She point the door, mouth wide, voice quiver. Some people dey whisper, “Ah, na so?”

I took deep breath.

Endure. I must endure.

I grind teeth, count inside heart—one, two, three. No fit disgrace my people.

“Mummy, I rush. I go pay for the door, but this security deposit, I no fit. Abeg, let me carry Ifeoma.”

I try reason with her, voice soft. I dey beg, true true.

“No way!”

Her voice cut through the air. Some children for corridor begin cry. E be like old Nollywood film.

At last, some people from the bride’s side couldn’t take it anymore.

“Sis, abeg, no make life hard for the groom. ₦50 million too much…”

One old uncle wey dey like peacemaker step in, voice low. Some aunties dey nod behind am.

“Why spoil happy day like this?”

“I sure say the groom’s parents don dey worry by now.”

“E don do. Small small.”

My stubbornness just make my mother-in-law feel shame.

Her face change, lips pressed, she no dey look anybody. People dey mumur, some dey shift chair.

She vex, even threatened, “No! If you no fit pay security deposit, forget the wedding! Go house now now!”

Her voice shake, but you fit see fear inside anger. Some people dey whisper, "Na wah o."

Everybody dey wait wetin go happen next. But for my mind, I know say after today, nothing go ever remain the same for both families.