Chapter 8: If You Dull, Na Your Shadow Go Leave You

I no know how Madam Funmi take hear say I don come back, she block me for beauty salon.

She no dey smile normal. Na that kind Lagos aunty smile wey dey hide pepper. I dey watch am, dey arrange my spirit.

She hold my hand, carry me enter VIP lounge, dey smile like say we be best friends.

The air smell of relaxer and fried plantain, aunty dem dey gist for corner. Na so she dey squeeze my hand, her bangle dey jangle. I dey count seconds, dey plan escape.

E just dey make me get goosebumps.

My skin dey crawl, but I dey maintain composure. I no wan fall hand for public.

"Morayo, you don see Seyi?"

The question cut like knife. I nod, lie small: "See am for hospital. Madam Funmi, I come back because my mama get small accident. She don almost recover. I go soon travel again."

I dey try avoid eye contact. Madam Funmi dey watch me like eagle dey watch chick.

She talk soft: "Morayo, you don dey abroad for years, try spend time with your parents.

No rush go back, dem go miss you."

E dey reason am like say she care. I just dey nod, dey hide my real mind.

I just dey roll eye for mind, but I answer say I go think am.

The fake smile I put for face dey pain me, but na so society dey work. If you no package, dem fit use you play.

She happy as I talk am. "Morayo, you don see that woman, abi?"

'That woman.' E mean say Seyi mama no like Chioma at all.

Na so society dey do. Once dem no like you, na 'that woman' you be.

But me I no too send. The question just awkward: "That day for hospital, Miss Chioma dey with Mr. Seyi."

I dey choose my words well. For Naija, gossip dey fly, you no fit trust who dey listen.

Madam Funmi pat my hand: "Morayo, believe Aunty, na you Seyi love pass, if not he no for find person wey resemble you.

That Chioma na just stand-in. That Seyi just dey use am vex me. If you wan be with Seyi, she no reach you at all.

She sef no get family, no get education, she dey dull, no sabi anything, na only cry she dey cry.

I no know wetin dey do Seyi, he dey protect her like say na gold. Except say she dey annoy me, I no dey see her. I no even get her contact, if not I for don tell her to go. Last time I see her, try give her money to leave, she dey form holy.

Honestly, Aunty still like your sharpness.

If you want, Aunty go help you. Morayo, Aunty still want make you be my daughter-in-law." She talk with meaning.

The promise dey loud. I dey hear all the sub inside, dey remember old wahala.

Madam Funmi words just dey heavy, I no even know how to reply.

I dey nod, but my chest dey tight. Old memories dey bite, but I still dey form strong woman.

Even though I feel pain to be the bad, money-hungry white moonlight, and I dey regret say my love with Seyi no last, I gats believe say na fate.

Na destiny matter. I dey learn to accept.

I dey reason well, I no be mumu for love.

No be every love wey dey last. I gats find my own peace.

After I check everything, I decide say I no go join for the story again, so I fit dodge more wahala.

I dey set boundary for myself. Na so wise person dey do.

I… no get sure ground.

But I still return for reason wey I no plan. Even though I no wan gree, I still dey hope for Seyi. I really love am, love everything about four years ago—im soft, im care, the way he dey blush when we kiss.

Na memory dey hold me, but present dey harsh. I dey pray make my heart rest.

But just that one look, that glance for airport, show me say he no be the man wey love me before. Four years change plenty, he don mature, don get style, but… e don pass.

Time no dey wait for anybody. The Seyi I know, na memory remain.

"Sorry, Aunty, I no know how Mr. Seyi feel about Miss Chioma, but I no wan fight for man, I no dey drag love. My level for love high. Wetin happen before don pass, make everybody start new life…"

My voice dey steady, even as my chest dey shake. I dey try stand as woman wey get sense. For this Naija, if you no love yourself, nobody go love you. I dey ready to move, ready to close old chapter.

Bang!

Lounge door just open with force. Seyi stand for door, face cold, im tall body dey fear person.

The AC dey blow, but my skin dey hot. Seyi stand like tree, im eye no blink. Na so tension fill room, even Madam Funmi mouth close.

Me and Madam Funmi never even react, but he dey look me steady, im face no show anything.

My mind dey race. For that moment, I dey pray make ground open swallow me.

I begin dey panic.

Na so my hand dey sweat, but I still dey pose like say nothing dey happen. My heart dey drum kpalanga.

"Mummy, Chioma go follow me go party soon. Na her first time here, she no too sabi place. Arrange something for her."

Im voice cold, e no even look me face. I dey watch am, dey try read im mind. Na wah o, love don turn cold breeze.

Chioma waka come out from Seyi back, wear white dress, dey look Madam Funmi with fear.

Her hand dey shake, she dey look ground. I dey pity her small, but na so life be sometimes.

As if dem be enemy from birth, Madam Funmi just see Chioma, begin vex, shout at Seyi back, "Seyi, you wan kill me?

You dey carry that girl come our Seyi family party!"

The wahala don start. Family drama na evergreen for Naija.

But Seyi don waka go far…

He no even turn back, just dey waka like say na only im dey road.

Chioma, with tears for eye, dey squeeze her skirt, waka come: "Auntie, no vex for Seyi, na just im temper. I no wan cause wahala between you two.

I know say Aunty no too like me, my family no get, but I go try. I dey learn, Aunty, I go try be good wife for Seyi."

Her voice dey quiver. I dey look am, dey remember my own days of forming.

As I hear am, even me, not just Madam Funmi, feel somehow. Why all this forming? But… Seyi get bad temper?

I dey remember old Seyi, the one wey dey smile anyhow, dey blush like small pikin. E be like say life don reset am.

I remember say he dey gentle.

That time, na only stubbornness dey worry am. Bad temper never near am.

When we dey date, he be like puppy, just dey clingy, dey control small, but nothing pass that.

E dey follow me go market, dey carry bag. Na that kind Seyi I know.

I lower my eyes, my mind dey lost.

The picture dey blur. Four years na long time.

Chai… four years really change things.

Na life. People dey change.

True, Madam Funmi wan vex, but still dey form madam.

She hiss, "I be im mama, I no know im temper? I need you to tell me?

And as long as I dey alive, I no go ever let you enter our family. Who give you mind say you go be Seyi wife!

You no sabi your level? I go tell you, the only daughter-in-law I accept na Morayo!"

Her voice dey rise, pride dey flow. I just dey stand dey watch, dey count my blessings say I no be Chioma.

…Wetin concern me?

As the matter dey hot, I just dey find excuse to disappear. Na so dem dey drag love for Naija, but me, my own don tire.

I wan wait make Seyi waka far before I go, but now dem don put me for middle.

I dey wish say ground go open. The wahala don pass my level.

Chioma look me. Both of us wear white dress today. The tension just too much, I wan run. Madam Funmi, maybe she notice, hold my hand tight:

Na so e be. As I dey look the two of dem, I dey pray for strength. For this Naija, woman gats get thick skin.

"Morayo graduate from big school, study abroad, fine, her family dey shine, na Seyi first love. Na she fit Seyi.

I even invite Morayo for the party this time."

The word 'invite' loud. For Naija society, party invitation na coded endorsement.

She look me, her eye full of pride, different from four years ago.

Na pride wey dey show say I don upgrade. Before, na 'that girl,' now na 'my daughter.' Life na cycle.

I think, maybe na contrast…

Or she wan use am pepper Chioma?

Dem dey always compare women for Naija. Na so society dey do.

I no wan reason am, or join this fight for Seyi. I just wan excuse myself.

I dey pray make phone ring, make something happen. My mind dey far, my body dey near.

"But Aunty, Seyi tell me say all that between us don pass…"

I dey try end the matter. I dey ready to face front, to find my own happiness. For this Naija, if you no waka, life go waka leave you. For this Lagos, if you dull, na your shadow go first leave you behind. Me, I ready face front—no looking back.