Chapter 3: The Return, the Reunion, and Jide

Before my parents hear about the divorce, we don already sign paper.

I for hide am, but news fly for this town. People sabi carry gist like market basket. Before my family talk anything, signature don dry for paper.

Obinna no do me bad—he give me half of his family property.

That one surprise me. People dey talk say e wicked, but for this one, e do am well. Even lawyers dey nod, say na rare thing for this side.

My parents call me come house that night.

The way dem call me ehn—voice loud, face tight. As I reach house, tension fill air. Even small dog dey hide.

Dem question me like say I thief, dey ask why I wicked reach to carry half of Obinna property.

My papa first talk, "Ifunanya, you no get shame? See as you dey carry another person thing dey waka!" My mama nod, eye red. "Na so we train you? Na for Obinna money you marry?"

"Ifunanya, na so I train you? Na for Obinna money you marry?"

Her voice no get joy. I just dey look ground, dey fight tears. Chisom dey one corner, dey look me, her eye red.

Chisom stand one side with crutches, tears dey fall.

As she dey sniff, I feel small pity. But for my mind, I dey ask—na only her fit get pain?

"Ifunanya, you dey blame me? Say I come back come carry Obinna…"

Her voice crack, she no fit finish. E get as the thing dey sound—like say she wan make I pity am.

Before she finish, my parents cut her off.

Mama no gree make she talk. "Chisom, quiet! Na Obinna suppose be your husband! If no be say you stubborn run comot before wedding, by now your pikin for dey run everywhere!"

Chisom love Obinna, but she love dance pass.

Everybody for town sabi say Chisom dey craze for dance. If music dey play, she go forget Obinna, forget family, forget everything.

After she accept Obinna proposal, she get invite from big dance group abroad.

The day dem send letter, Chisom dey jump for joy. Me, I dey kitchen dey wash plate. She run come show us, everybody dey shout. Obinna just dey look, no talk.

She leave Obinna sharp-sharp, go abroad.

She no even reason am—just pack load, buy ticket, fly. Obinna dey cry for gate, she wave am goodbye.

For three years, she and Obinna almost no get contact.

Phone call scarce, text even scarcer. Sometimes, Obinna go try reach am, but she go reply one line after one week.

Until that night, when one call from abroad enter Obinna phone.

That night different. Obinna dey watch TV, phone ring, e pick. Me I dey beside am. The voice for the other side dey cry, dey beg. My body cold.

He hold my shoulder, steady himself pick call in front of me.

His hand dey shake small, he no wan make I notice. I just dey watch, dey wait.

Because I dey close, I hear the woman voice for phone, dey cry.

The cry loud, like say person die. I know immediately say na Chisom.

Obinna freeze.

He stiff, no blink, just dey hold phone. The air for parlour choke.

One second… five seconds… ten seconds…

Time slow down, the clock for wall dey loud for my ear. Nobody move.

Thirty seconds pass before he move, sharply grab bathrobe, waka comot.

E no even look me. E just jump up, run enter room, carry cloth, waka commot. The door slam, my heart scatter.

That night, Obinna no return.

I sit for parlour till midnight, dey pray say make accident no catch am. But he no show.

Next day, my parents tell me say Chisom injure her leg while dancing.

Dem wrap her leg with white bandage, drip dey hang for window, nurse dey gossip for corner. Na so dem rush hospital. Chisom cry, leg bandaged. Obinna dey by her side, dey console. Everybody dey form pity party.

Obinna personally go carry her come back.

He pack her load, carry am from airport, even sleep hospital that night. People dey hail am for town, say e be real man.

Even though she dey stay for my parents house, anything wey concern Chisom, na Obinna dey run am.

If Chisom need medicine, na Obinna dey buy. If she wan eat, na Obinna dey cook. My mama just dey look, dey praise am.

Because of that, my parents still call me:

"No take am for mind. Your sister no fit dance again—she dey pain, na only Obinna fit console am!"

I just dey look dem, dey wonder if I be stranger for my family.

My parents don always pamper Chisom since we small.

From childhood, Chisom na star. She dey win everything—beauty, brain, talent. Me, na background I dey.

She fine, get brain, sabi sing and dance.

If party dey, na Chisom dey lead song. If school dey, na her face dey notice board. Everybody dey call her "our star girl".

Me, I just like book—boring, I no sabi make people happy.

Na me be bookworm. I sabi pass exam, but nobody send that one for family. I dey library while others dey dance.

Everybody dey pamper wounded Chisom.

As if say na only she dey feel pain. My own wahala no dey matter. I just dey waka like ghost.

Even my husband.

Obinna follow, dey treat me like ghost. If Chisom cough, na emergency. If I sick, na my problem.

He begin lose patience with me.

Small thing, he go shout. If food delay, he go vex. I just dey endure.

That evening, he promise to pick me, but I wait for rain for two hours.

The rain beat me sotey, my slipper begin swim for gutter. I dey shiver, cold dey bite my bone, but I still dey wait.

I catch cold, high fever join.

As I reach house, my body dey burn. I weak, fall for bed. Next thing, na hospital I land. Dem say na pneumonia.

Obinna leave Chisom come hospital come look after me.

Na only that time I see am show small care. E sit by my bed, give me water, even change drip. I surprise.

But my mama think say na trick I dey use to drag Obinna come house.

As soon as she hear, na shout she take enter hospital.

She shout for me: "Because you call Obinna, your sister try kill herself last night—she for die!"

Her voice scatter my head. I no even fit answer. The nurses dey look us, dey wonder.

"You dey healthy—why you dey fight with person wey no fit walk?"

She talk am like say na crime I commit.

I look her, shock. "But Obinna na my husband now…"

My voice small. The words heavy for throat.

"So? Na her marriage you steal."

That one hit me. Tears just roll from my eye. I no believe wetin I hear.

But that time, na she beg me to marry am!

For my head, the memory dey play like film. Na my mama and papa push me go altar.

Before she travel, Chisom come meet me, dey persuade me to marry Obinna.

I remember that night. Chisom sit for my bed, dey beg me, dey talk plenty.

"Ifunanya, I know say you like am. This na good chance, abi?"

She dey smile, dey pat my hand, dey use sweet voice. "You be good girl, help our family."

"Better make e stay for our family—you want make another woman carry Obinna?"

Her tone serious, as if say na business we dey do. She no even reason my feelings.

I just bow head, no talk.

I no get mouth. I just dey look floor, dey try hide my tears.

Chisom come dey worry. "You wan see say our family go broke?"

She dey act like say if I no gree, wahala go burst for family. Pressure full everywhere.

"Abeg, Ifunanya! Or you dey fear say if I come back, I go collect Obinna from you?"

That one pain me small. I just hold pillow, try hide face.

My face change small.

She see am, she laugh. "No fear, once I reach abroad, I no go contact am again, I swear."

She raise hand, cross heart like small pikin. I try believe am.

For the first three years, she really keep her promise.

No single call, no message. I begin hope say things go better. But my heart still dey fear.

But last last, she still forget wetin she talk that time.

As life turn, old promise scatter. Everything come back to where e start.