Chapter 2: Pepper Dem Divorce

The day I agreed to the divorce was just a normal afternoon.

Rain no fall, sun just dey shine like say nothing dey spoil for my mind. My neighbour dey outside dey roast corn, small children dey run up and down with slippers. I sit inside parlour, fan dey blow, but my heart dey heavy.

I dialed Tunde Adekunle’s number, but it was Morayo that picked up.

Her ringtone na one annoying song—Wizkid remix—wey dey remind me say na small girl dey collect my husband.

"Hello?"

Her voice carry that new babe pride—her mouth sharp like person wey dey chew groundnut.

"I dey find Tunde Adekunle."

"He dey bath. If you get anything to talk, just tell me."

She no even send me, no fear at all. For her mind, na she get the house now. Her voice was still that her sweet and bold style, full of pride like she owned the place.

Before, I for don shout, go mad, dey scream at Morayo to leave make I talk to Tunde Adekunle. But now, I know say na only Morayo fit find am. I no fit allow her cut me off again, leave me dey talk to myself like mad woman.

All those times before, my voice for don rise—"Where Tunde dey?! Put my husband for phone!" But today, my spirit don tire. Instead, I breathe in, let am go.

"No be him talk before say him want divorce? I agree."

I pause, look window. My chest dey tight, but my mouth still dey strong. I swallow spit before I talk. I talk am calmly, no stress.

Morayo quiet for one second, then repeat am like say she no believe,

Her own surprise sweet me small. I fit picture am, her mouth dey open, she dey wonder whether na setup.

"You agree for the divorce?"

"Mm."

As I talk finish, I hear some movement. Na so phone enter Tunde Adekunle hand.

Soon, him deep, cold voice enter my ear.

"Na me."

I sabi.

As I hear him voice, I come dey lost small. Since when he move out of the compound to dey with Morayo, half a year don pass, we never talk.

My mind flash go back to the last time I see am. The way he carry him box, no even look back. Six months pass, not even "Kemi, how you dey?" Nothing.

The last thing he tell me that time be:

"Kemi, make we divorce. If you no gree, I go move out, go chief’s court."

Those words still dey my head. In this part of Lagos, once chief summon una for court, everybody go know your matter. Shame no dey small.

Now, after half a year, I don finally gree.

"Morayo say you wan divorce me?"

As I no talk, na Tunde Adekunle first talk. E be like say him dey frown, him voice get that small confusion.

I no even understand why him go dey confused. No be him first talk divorce? But I no get power to argue who start am.

I just answer soft.

"If you get time, make we meet sign the divorce agreement."

After that, I cut the call.

My hand dey shake small, but I no let my voice show am. For once, I get last word.

This na the first time I cut call on top Tunde Adekunle matter since I catch am with another woman. Before, na me dey disturb am with calls and messages. I go insult am, beg am, cry for phone.

That period, my sisters and friends tire for me. "Kemi, no kill yourself for man o." But heartbreak dey different—your mind no dey hear advice.

But every time, Tunde Adekunle go just talk with vex,

"You fit stop to dey behave like mad person? When you calm down, talk to me."

Then he go cut call sharp sharp. No matter how I try reach am, he go ignore me.

Sometimes he go even block me, then unblock me two days later. I dey watch my phone, dey wait text wey no go come.

I try hold myself, but anytime I remember say all our years together dey end like this, I no fit control am.

My pillow dey wet every night, my chest dey ache like say person press stone on top. Even ogi wey I try chop, e just bitter for mouth.

I wanted to ask Tunde Adekunle: why you betray me?

I wanted to beg am: abeg come back, I go forgive you.

But after all the pain and waiting, Tunde Adekunle no change.

Na there I know say my tears no dey move mountain. All the prayers I pray for midnight, e be like say e no pass ceiling.

I come dey restless, insecure, just like he talk—like say I dey craze.

I just dey drag myself through this wahala, stuck for inside this pain.

I dey move like zombie, food no sweet me, everything just dull. My neighbour even ask, "Kemi, you dey sick?" I just smile, pretend.

Until three days ago.

I jam one street interview by blogger wey dem dey call "Time Capsule."

That day, NEPA don take light, I just dey scroll phone for dark, dey chop groundnut. Na so the video pop up.

Him question na: "What would you like to say to yourself from five years ago?"

Some people talk say make them study well. Some wish say dem spend more time with family. Some say their future self no disappoint them.

I dey laugh as I watch. Some people dey serious, some dey play. One small boy talk say he for no borrow money buy iPhone. Life get as e be.

...

Among all these answers, na so I see Tunde Adekunle and him small girlfriend, Morayo.

That time I know say this one no be acting. With the kind person wey Tunde Adekunle be now, even top writer suppose book appointment before dem see am. But this blogger just waka reach street, jam am by chance.

At first, Tunde Adekunle no even get interest for the interview. Na Morayo dey his side, face full of excitement.

"This thing make sense o, Tunde, make we do am!"

She shake his arm, dey form. Tunde Adekunle just look her, no fit say no, so he gree.

Morayo voice dey ring for background, like person wey just win lottery. She hold Tunde hand, dey beg, "Biko na, do am for me."

Sweat dey my forehead, but I no even feel am. Lagos sun no dey pity.

The blogger introduce himself, ask the normal question.

Morayo pause, dey think. As she dey struggle, na Tunde Adekunle answer for her.

"If possible, I wish the Tunde Adekunle from five years ago fit meet Morayo first."

As he talk am, he pull her close. Him voice still cold, but you fit hear the love inside.

For my own ear, e still be like lie. The same Tunde wey dey form hard guy for me? See as him dey soft for small girl.

Morayo look am with surprise, then cover her mouth, blush, talk softly,

"Me too."

When I see this video, likes don reach tens of thousands.

Plenty comments dey under:

[Wow, see as this couple fine. I dey ship una!]

[Chai, pure love! Hope still dey!]

[Too sweet. Make una dey happy together forever.]

The emojis sef full everywhere—love eyes, fire, confetti. Dem even tag #RelationshipGoals, #PepperDem.

I just dey look the video like say nothing dey happen.

Tunde Adekunle really like Morayo reach this level?

He forget?

Five years ago, na that time we just marry. Na the peak of our love. Even though we no get money, we dey happy die.

I remember that our one-room self-contain, every Friday we dey fry dodo together, play music loud, neighbours dey complain but we no send. Even ordinary gala and malt go sweet for us then.

Now, for video, he dey talk say he wish his self from five years ago fit meet Morayo first.

I think say I go vex, lose control—carry phone call am, if he no pick, I for don break things for house to vex.

But this time, I just sit down, no move.

I just dey stare my phone, chest empty. No tears, no shout. Even the old picture of our wedding for table—I no fit look am again.

Those comments wey suppose pain me just dey pass like computer code.

E be like say something dey drag comot from my body, just dey fade.

Like old wrapper wey breeze don dey blow. My obsession just dey go small small. I no even sabi when e start to fade.

I just look my reflection for phone screen—old pain, new peace. Na so obsession waka comot, quiet like thief for night.