Chapter 4: Money Over Men—Ngozi’s Next Move

Since I small, I never cry for front of people more than five times.

My papa dey always talk, 'Okafor pikin no dey cry for public.' But that day, tears no gree stop. My makeup don wash, but I no care.

To see me cry for public pain my papa pass anything.

He rush come, no look anybody face. My mama dey hold my shoulder, dey pray small prayer for my ear. 'God go heal your heart.'

He no send anybody, just attack Uncle Ade, then with my mama, carry me go house.

The wahala loud, neighbours dey peep from window. But I no care, my mind don scatter.

I no forget carry BL contract follow body.

Even as I dey cry, I remember say business na business. I hold the file tight. I no wan make dem say Ngozi no get sense.

Ifedayo no come find me. But tori about him and Halima still reach my ear, na my sharp mouth bestie dey bring am.

Lilian, my bestie, dey always call, dey report every gist. She go say, 'Ngozi, you hear wetin dem talk for club?' I dey laugh, but for night, I go dey think.

Halima get cancer, no get time again, but she refuse hospital. She dey insist, like say na by force, say she must stay for the house wey belong to me and Ifedayo.

I dey hear am, dey wonder. How person go get that kind mind? My papa say make I no vex, say all this na vanity.

See nonsense request—and Ifedayo gree!

My head dey hot, but I dey pretend. Ifedayo no even reason my side, na only Halima matter dey his mind.

Lilian vex sotey, she dey shout, dey drag wig, “Ngozi, you wan craze?!”

She dey almost pull her wig for my parlour. I dey look her, dey laugh. E shock her say I fit calm like that.

I dey vex?

Inside me, small anger dey, but e no reach to scatter everything. Na money matter dey sweet me pass.

I stop work, put hand for chest, close eye make I feel.

I try find the pain, but na like say e dey fade. Maybe na time dey heal wound.

Small sadness dey, but e no too much.

Na so heart dey behave sometimes—e go pain you, but you go heal small small. I dey try dey move on.

As Lilian dey almost turn purple, I just smile, tap her forehead.

'BL contract don reach first payment. I gats watch am.'

I dey remind am, say business first. She dey roll eye, but I no send.

'Money pass man hundred times, my sister.'

I talk am, make she rest. Money dey give peace wey man no fit give.

Lilian hiss.

She turn back, do like say she wan throw me slap. But I dey laugh. My own na cruise.

'Abeg shift, Ngozi! No be say you need money!'

She carry chair, shift away from me. Na her style be that. I no blame her.

'Your Okafor family and Ade family—if any of una shake, town go shake!'

She dey shout, dey gesture like person wey dey campaign. I no blame her—na friend dey pain pass enemy.

As she wan faint from anger, I think am, come calm her down.

I reach her hand, hold am small, tell her, 'Calm down, Lilian. Life no dey finish.'

'No worry, e never finish.'

I wink, dey try give her hope. She smile small.

'Halima go soon come find me.'

I know say wahala never end. My mind dey ready for next round.