Chapter 5: Morning After, Hope Small

4

Next morning, I no see Ifeoma anywhere.

Her side of bed cold, pillow flat. She no come back after that medicine run. My heart just dey sink small-small.

Kitchen dey quiet, only smell of burnt bread dey hang for air. I dey force myself chop, but e no sweet.

Surprisingly, all the hate comments don disappear overnight.

E shock me. Like say na magic. All the noise just vanish.

Even those media wey dey drag me pass—all their official account don get ban.

E be like say thunder strike their laptop. I just laugh. E good as wahala reduce small.

Some of my media friends send me picture of my papa and mama for company, caption: [Everything dey alright.]

I look the picture, my heart just dey calm small. Family na family.

I smile.

I no fit hide am. Even though we get wahala, na dem still be my own.

I know say my parents no fit really abandon me.

They fit vex, but last-last, na my matter dem go settle. Na so e be for Naija family. Blood thick pass palm oil.

Every wahala wey I ever cause, na dem dey clear am last-last.

If I mess up, dem go complain, but dem no go leave me for gutter.

[This second female lead just dey help Kunle for back, but she go give credit to that couple...]

[Ifeoma: number one CEO for cold, silent support. If her husband dey happy, she dey serve am with smile. If e no dey happy, she serve am with cold face.]

[Too bad Kunle no sabi anything. Yesterday night, e face show say e no like what e see. Even if e escape divorce, basement dey wait am.]

Na true, I no dey quick notice wetin dey happen around me. Dem dey see my blind spot pass me.

I shock, look from comments to my phone, dey stare my parents’ photo for ten minutes—na that time I notice say e get Photoshop sign...

Chai! People wicked. I look well, see say dem even edit my papa head make am big like coconut.

I open WhatsApp, find Ifeoma.

I dey reason, make I yarn her before e late.

[You get time today? I get something to yarn you.]

My hand dey shake as I type. I dey pray make she respond.

She reply sharp: [Wrong person.]

Sharp mouth. E be like say she dey vex. I just smile, no wan drag am.

"..."

I just dey wait, dey think how I go fix this mess.

[No vex, na you I dey talk to, honey~]

Na small play I dey try use catch her. Sometimes, na pet name dey soften stone heart.

This time, she pause before she reply:

She dey think before she type. Na hope be that.

[I dey sorry for last night, say you see those things wey no fine. I dey busy today. If you wan divorce, talk to lawyer.]

Her text pain me. I no want make she feel less than herself. She dey guard her heart too much.

[No, abeg, no be divorce,] I reply quick. [No be that.]

I no fit let go. Na now sense dey enter my head. All this time, na pride dey block me.

Ifeoma: [Okay, see you this afternoon.]

Finally, hope don shine small.

Comments:

[I dey laugh—divorce? No time. No divorce? See you this afternoon.]

[Small thing remain! Kunle just escape small black room again. Why e be like say e don dey get sense and wan save himself?]

[Why my mind dey fear this plot twist, but I no fit remember why...]

I hear her footsteps fade, but my mind no fit rest. This night, sleep go hard me. Wetin I go do if Ifeoma no come back?

As I dey wait for afternoon, my heart dey beat—who know wetin Ifeoma fit carry come? Make God run am for me.