Chapter 6: Insult and Family Scars

No be small.

I no even know how the guy get mind talk like that.

Efe quickly gist my sister everything wey happen.

He summarize sharp, voice low. As he talk, my sister face dey change—first surprise, then anger, then sadness.

After she hear am, her face change, but she still first apologize to my girlfriend’s parents:

“Uncle, Aunty, if Tunde do anything wrong, abeg make I apologize for am.”

She bend head, voice soft. Na humility dey shine for her face.

“He still young, e dey rush sometimes. I go talk to am later.”

She even touch my hand, small squeeze. Her own way of telling me to cool down.

My sister humble well.

Some women for bride family nod. Dem dey respect am, even though her own pain dey clear.

My mother-in-law, as if her pride come back, straightened up but still harsh:

“Since you dey here, your family must give clear answer. You fit meet our demands? If yes, carry Ifeoma now.”

Her eyes dey sharp, voice cold. No pity, just straight to point. Some people dey whisper, "This one strong o."

My sister just dey smile politely:

“Aunty, I know say na for Ifeoma sake you dey do all this. Our family too like her. Tunde maybe never tell you, but we don prepare gift for Ifeoma, and I go talk for wedding…”

She try balance everything, voice calm, but na only me see her hand dey shake.

My girlfriend’s mother cut her off, “You be widow. You sure say e good make you go on stage?”

Some people gasp. Na wah! The matter don pass boundary.

My sister’s face changed sharp.

Her eye shine, lips press. You fit see she dey fight tears.

I vex. “She be my real sister! Why she no fit go on stage?”

I step forward, voice loud, eye red. Some people dey try calm me, some dey support me with nods.

Even my girlfriend felt her mum went too far. She blushed, whispered, “Mummy, abeg stop.”

She touch her mother’s arm, voice low. Some bridesmaids dey whisper, "See as dem dey disgrace us."

My mother-in-law no send anybody.

She fold arm, chin up. Her pride strong, her face tight.

“Wetin I talk? No be say I get problem with her, but widow get as e be. For happy day like this, e no good make she go on stage. No wonder your family no dey superstitious—you people no get respect.”

The room cold, the insult hang for air. Some old women for bride side dey wipe eye, their heart no gree for the insult.

My sister, usually very sharp, just held herself. She nearly break down.

Her eyes red, mouth pressed, tears dey gather. My niece hold her leg, sense the pain.

Na her own brother wedding be this.

Her pain show for face, but she try stand strong.

She just wan go on stage talk blessing—wetin dey bad for there?

My heart dey bleed for her. All she wan do na speak good, no be bad luck.

Our family dey marry son, no be say we dey shame.

Na pride wey dey pain. Nobody suppose judge person for wetin dem no control.

I vex reach bone, wan talk back, but my sister drag me aside, signal me make I no talk.

She use small hand squeeze my arm, her eyes beg me—make I hold myself. I gree, just for her sake.

She forced a smile. “Aunty, whether I go on stage or not no matter. The main thing na make Tunde carry Ifeoma go new house now. All we dey do na for the couple’s happiness. If we miss the good hour, wedding go delay—no be shame?”

She steady her voice, but her hand dey shake. Even the elders begin nod—dem sabi wetin she dey talk.

My brother-in-law hissed, “Yes, you manage marry for lucky hour, but how e help you? Your husband still die quick.”

Na so everywhere freeze. The air cold like harmattan. People gasp, some cover mouth, others glare at the boy.

My sister freeze, like say thunder strike am.

Tears roll down her cheek. Her hand loose from my arm, she look ground, body stiff.

My body hot, blood rush my head. I punch my brother-in-law, he fall ground.

Na reflex. My fist hard, him land for ground with heavy thud. Women shout "Jesu!" Men jump up, some try hold me, others dey hail. Everybody shout, "Ah!"

I no even satisfied. I raise my leg to kick am again, but people rushed in, held me back.

Efe and two uncles grab me, hold my hand, dey beg. Some women dey shout, "No fight o!"

My brother-in-law hold him face, dey cry.

Him mouth dey bleed small, tears for eye, but pride no let am beg.

I glare at am, eyes red. “Talk again, make I show you!”

My voice thunder, some people dey fear, some dey nod in support.

See my sister, tears dey her eyes, my heart just dey pain.

My niece hold her hand, dey beg her no cry. My own chest dey tight. Family pain pass any other thing.

Her husband die by accident. For two years, my sister never recover. She no gree remarry, say she go raise my niece alone, but all of us know say she never happy since.

Everybody for compound sabi the story. Nobody ever mention am, for respect.

For two years, our family dey careful, no one ever talk anything to make her sad.

We dey always protect her, shield am from harsh talk. Na love carry us reach here.

I no believe say my brother-in-law fit get mind talk that kind thing.

As I look am, my mind dey wonder—na devil send am?

And in front of my sister.

Shame no let me look her eye. I dey sorry well.

My father-in-law vex, but no be for him son—na for me.

His voice strong, but you fit see say he dey defend pride, not truth.

“No matter what, why you go hit person?”

His eye hard on me, some elders dey murmur, but na me still get supporters.

My mother-in-law even carry drama pass. She hug her son, dey cry as if I kill am.

Her wailing loud, some people dey whisper, "E never reach like this." She cover her face with wrapper, roll for floor small.

Only my girlfriend dey apologize to my sister.

She rush go my sister side, hold her hand, dey whisper sorry. Tears dey her own eyes too.

As things just dey scatter, people rushed to separate us.

Na so the room scatter—some people dey hold me, others dey comfort my sister. The wedding, the love, the money—everything just dey hang. For Naija, family wahala dey long, but this one get as e be. 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.