Chapter 5: Old Flames and New Joy

As I dey come out from bathroom, I pass lounge.

The corridor quiet, but from the door wey small open, I hear voice, small struggle. My curiosity carry me reach there.

Door small open. I peep, see Amaka, eyes red, dey hold Chijioke shirt.

Her voice dey tremble, tears dey fall. E rare to see Amaka like that. Her makeup don wash, wig nearly shift. She dey beg, her pride throway for ground.

"I no go let you go find Ifeoma."

Her grip tight, desperation full body. She dey shake, voice high.

Chijioke face dark. "Abeg, no dey cause wahala."

E dey try free himself, but Amaka grip strong. Him eyes dey red, frustration dey full him face. Na old wahala be this.

"Then promise me say you no go meet Ifeoma alone."

Her eyes dey burn, she dey squeeze shirt tighter. I see pain for her face, fear join.

"I just wan go smoke."

Chijioke voice low, like say he tire. E no want make matter escalate.

Amaka dey cry, "Ifeoma just commot, you follow am quick quick. If I no come, una for dey renew old fire now."

She dey sob, voice dey crack. Na jealousy, pain, all mix together. Her eyes dey swollen, mascara dey flow.

Chijioke look tired. "I don tell you, nothing dey between us. Why you no dey believe?"

E rub face, voice low. E dey try make peace, but wahala dey plenty.

Amaka cry more. "You dey look her since. When you hear say she marry, you almost break glass. Chijioke, you never forget her."

Her words dey fly, each one like stone. She dey pour her own pain, but e no heal am.

"Eight years now. You never stop dey find her. You fit talk say you no still care for her…"

She dey choke on words, tears dey flow more. Even me, my heart dey twist small, but I hold my ground.

My heart wan jump, but I lock face, no gree show am pain.

"E don do." Chijioke cut am short, voice cold. "If you wan shout for everybody, no wahala…"

E step back, voice steady, but I see pain for him eye. E no wan continue the matter. I gently commot from door, no wan hear pass myself.

I no hear the rest.

My mind dey full already. I just waka pass, my slippers dey make small noise for tile. I breathe deep, dey prepare myself for hall.

As I reach private room, I look around—Chijioke don disappear.

Nobody for corridor, air cool, my mind calm. Sade spot me, drag me inside.

Sade drag me. "Ifeoma, you know who just land?"

Her eyes dey shine, she dey shake me. The excitement dey contagious.

"Who?"

I ask, curiosity dey bite me small. Her smile widen.

"Bashir."

She whisper am, like secret, but e still loud. My eyes open, surprise catch me.

I shock small. Then I hear her sigh like say na Nollywood film. "I no believe say I go see that fine face again for this life—if I die now, I go happy."

She press hand for chest, roll eye. Her own drama pass Amaka own. I burst laugh.

Her overdo face make me laugh. "E never reach that one."

I shake head, smile dey my mouth. She dey act like say na Bashir na king for this reunion.

"E reach! If you no believe, wait and see."

She clap hand, do small dance. I just dey laugh, joy dey enter my spirit.

As we dey talk, door open.

Room light flash, air fresh. All eyes move go door, expectant.

Chijioke waka enter, but Amaka no dey.

He glance around, eye scan, but my mind dey somewhere else. Sade dey whisper gist for my ear.

Then, tall guy, just dey waka like say e no send anybody, enter.

He get that kin presence wey dey command respect. Him agbada crisp, him smile dey show small gap for teeth. Everybody dey look am.

He dey wear white kaftan, cap balance for head. “Sannu,” he greet, smile bright.

Na Bashir.

He stand, scan room, eyes rest for my side. My heart jump, memories dey rush me.

Our eye jam. I stand up, dey go meet am, but Chijioke block road.

His hand dey my way, eyes sharp, like say e dey try talk something serious. I freeze for small second.

"Ifeoma, abeg, make we talk."

E voice dey shake small, but I see wetin dey for him heart. My eyes dey for Bashir, but I still look Chijioke. This life, e get as e be.

As e talk am, I just look Bashir.

He smile, eyes bright, confidence dey flow. E wink, my body dey warm. For that moment, I know say my own story don pass old shame. E don turn new joy.

This life, e sweet when you survive am.