Chapter 3: Confrontation Under Pressure

Wetin she wan think? Wetin remain to reason?

E be like say my head dey swell, my heart dey do kpokpo-kpokpo for chest. My chest dey tight, like say dem tie am with okada rope—I no fit catch air.

Na that time Ifeoma come out. She shock as she see me, then frown:

Her eyebrow raise, mouth twist—she no even try hide am. Na so Lagos babes dey do when wahala land.

“When you reach here? How much you hear?”

She dey use that sharp voice wey dey make person feel like thief. I look her face: she dey vex, dey impatient, even dey look me like say I be wahala.

I feel somehow.

“You no go work, you no reply my WhatsApp. I worry for you, so I come check.”

I talk am gentle, make she no vex pass.

“Plenty wahala dey house. You know say demolition dey come. Everybody dey on top edge.”

She rub her head, like person wey carry plenty trouble for mind. Na true, demolition dey scatter people mind for Lagos.

As she talk demolition, I remember as I first happy, so I try smile make things soft:

“You dey about to become small madam o. You no happy?”

I dey expect her to smile, maybe dance small, but she just bone face, look me one kind:

“Na you happy?”

I shock:

“Of course I happy. I really happy for you.”

I dey try hold her hand, but she just shift.

But her face full suspicion:

“Wetin dey make you dey smile like say na your own? No forget, this house na my own before marriage. E no concern you.”

Her voice sharp, her eyes dey shine like person wey dey suspect thief. My smile just freeze, like say dem pour cold water for my body. My body just dey shake from the cold.

“You dey reason say na your flats I dey find?”

My voice low, almost like whisper. Na so e dey pain when person wey you love dey doubt you.

Na then she realise say she don pass her boundary.

Her face change, eyes soft small. She wan talk, but words no dey come.

“No be wetin I mean.”

She waka come near me, dey rush talk.

She try touch me, but I turn face, dodge her hand, waka comot.

My heart dey bleed as I waka go. Sun dey hot, but my body cold.