Chapter 3: Vows and Unforgiven Sins

Me and Morayo dey discuss wedding plans. Even though both of us don marry before, I no go let Morayo feel anyhow—everything for the ceremony must dey complete. To marry Morayo, to spend my life with her, na dream wey I don dey get since young.

For Naija, second marriage dey always get as e be. People go look you, talk for back, but me I no send. This time, I go do am right, give her that respect. No be every day person get to correct old mistake.

Morayo look me, her eyes full of love, she talk softly, “Kunle, I want make Tobi be the person wey go bring our rings for the wedding.”

She just drop that talk gently, like say e no big deal. My mind shake. For this kind matter, na serious wahala if pikin no gree.

I shock, I no expect that kind idea from Morayo. For my mind, I dey fear. With the way Tobi dey behave, e fit no gree. Morayo hold my arm, dey beg like small pikin. “After all, I go be Tobi mama from now. I want use that day break the wahala between us. I believe say Tobi go bless us. I go treat am like my own.”

Her voice low, but hope dey inside. Sometimes I dey wonder how she fit dey see light where darkness full everywhere. Only person wey get clean heart fit talk like that for Naija.

As I look Morayo gentle but stubborn eye, my mind just soft. She really care about Tobi. “Okay, I go talk to Tobi. No worry.”

The kind trust wey she put for my hand, e dey heavy. I just dey pray make my pikin heart soft small, make wedding day no turn to village drama.

But even as I gree, my mind still dey shake. Tobi stubborn, just like him late mama. I remember when I first bring Morayo come house, the boy craze, scatter everything, talk rough:

The way Tobi take shout that day, na so neighbors come out look. E even dash remote for ground, scatter am—neighbors fit hear the wahala. E throw remote, break my old radio. For my mind, I dey fear say e fit do pass himself one day.

“You fit marry anybody, but not this woman.”

“If she dey, I no dey. If I dey, she no dey.”

The boy stand for parlour, chest dey rise, eye red like pepper. If no be say neighbors dey, maybe I for lose control. But I just hold my breath, look away.

That time, Tobi just remind me of him late mama, make me dey avoid am. But Morayo soft like water, even her own pikin, Halima, wey she train, dey behave well.

People dey talk say woman wey fit raise better pikin get better character. Na true. Halima gentle, dey always greet elders, help for house. I thank God say na Morayo pikin.

“Uncle Kunle, I no go spoil your relationship with my mama, abi?”

“If Tobi no like me, I fit move out. I no wan disturb una.”

Halima voice dey small, she dey always talk with respect. I dey wish Tobi fit learn from am.

Halima get good character, always dey make me happy—different from Tobi. Since him mama die, the boy just dey like ghost, no dey think of my own feelings. Which man no go like woman like Morayo? After my late wife wahala for more than ten years, Morayo own softness just dey sweet me.

For my mind, I dey compare my life before and now. Na so man go reason say, "Wetin I gain?" But I dey always remind myself say, happiness na better thing pass gold.

But deep inside, I know say na me wrong Tobi and him mama. Na me first betray her with Morayo. Morayo na my first love from secondary school, pure like moon for my mind. I get crush on Morayo for seven years, until after university, when she travel abroad, I marry my wife, get pikin. That time, I think say me and Morayo own don finish. But two years ago, Morayo come back.

Every time my conscience dey bite me, na so I dey remember say devil fit push man anyhow. If to say I fit rewind time, maybe I go do better.