Chapter 1: Bullet Comments and Broken Hearts

From matching school uniforms to wedding plans—me and Morayo na perfect story. But days to our big day, he kpai just like that. I cry sotay I nearly faint, but as I dey sob, bullet comments begin float for my front like spirit dey gossip:

[Abeg, who go tell this heartbroken babe say the guy just dey pretend die?]

[Morayo’s small side-chick (him canary) run comot when she hear say he wan marry, so the guy fake him death overnight, travel abroad go find am. The main babe dey cry for grave, the canary dey cry for bed, omo, I wan craze.]

[Wetin be all this? When the guy return after faking death, the babe no go know anything, she go still marry am with joy...]

E dey burn me like suya pepper for open wound. I remember how my Auntie Uju come hold me, dey pour holy water, dey shout, "Holy Ghost fire! Any spirit wey wan disturb Ifeoma, pack your load!" People gather round me, dey pray, but my eyes dey see wetin no suppose be—comments just dey float everywhere, like spirit dem dey gossip for my front. My hand begin tremble, cold sweat dey my back. I rub my eyes—no change. E be like say my village people don start.

Half a month later.

Before I fit finish my cry, gist don spread for Palm Grove WhatsApp group—dem say I go marry prince from Makurdi. Morayo’s close pal, who was part of the plan, rush come confront me:

“Morayo bros just die finish, you don dey find another man sharp-sharp?”

“He don die already. Na make I remain widow for am till I kpai?”

The way dem talk am, you go think say woman no suppose move on. Na so for Naija, if man kpai, dem go expect the babe to dey mourn like say na only her remain for the world. Meanwhile, dem no dey talk when man jump enter another woman bed. I just look dem, hold my chest, dey remember how my mama warn me say Naija people tongue sharp pass blade.