Chapter 4: Broken Roots

Musa drag me go one corner, him two boys follow.

As e dey drag me, the boys block road. My heart dey race, but I bone face.

As we reach, he loose me, then just land me one blow.

The punch land my side, na so I bend. E sharp, no pity.

He catch me off guard, I bend, dey hold my belle. He grab my hair.

E yank my head up, spit dey fly for him mouth. E dey boil.

"So you think say you go chop my sister money?"

Him voice loud. For street, e mean say fight wan start.

"No try am. That money no go reach you. My sister don give me. Our company go join hand with Manager Audu for new project."

E dey run mouth, dey count future contract. I dey listen, dey connect dot.

"Once e click, I go turn oga for here. Our family go hammer. If you get sense, clear road."

Na greed dey drive am. For Naija, once money dey front, family loyalty dey disappear.

"Because of all your work before, I no go rough handle you."

E dey act like say e dey do me favour. I wan laugh.

I just dey look Musa, begin laugh.

My laughter dry, e shock dem. For my mind, e dey pain me, but I no go show am.

So na so e be.

All the puzzle don complete. Na set up from day one. As I dey stand there, I dey remember my grandma advice—"no put your mind for things wey fit disappear".

As Palm Grove don sell, Audu dey fear lose him work, so e wan use their project as backup—join hand with Musa.

Now e clear—Audu dey run for safety, Musa dey hustle future. All na survival.

Na so e and Morayo join body.

Morayo no wan poor, Audu no wan fall—na why dem package together.

Tonight na real setup—dem wan use style push me comot.

E pain me say na family dey do me this kain thing. But for Naija, once money enter, blood fit turn water.

Musa think say na praise I dey give am. He nod, loose me.

He smile like say e win lottery, chest up. E sure for am say e don run me street.

"Na so e suppose be. You be stain for my sister life, and stain suppose dey ground."

E dey show me e no rate me again.

"Later, just toast Manager Audu, wish dem happy life, finish."

Na final warning be that—no make noise, just dey quiet.

"If Manager Audu happy, e fit dash you breakup money."

E dey use money shut my mouth. I just smile small.

That time, my phone ring.

Vibration for my pocket. My hand sharp, I check.

I check—na Palm Grove boss, Audu oga. I pick.

The name shine for screen—Mr. Olumide. My hope just rise small.

"Mr. Okafor, abeg, make I treat you dinner tonight to celebrate the signing. You go fit come?"

I hear relief for his voice. The man dey happy say I fit join am chop. Na rare chance be that.

I reply, "No wahala, I dey Royal Palm."

I quick tell am my location. Hope dey my voice.

He answer quick, "I dey come now now."

Omo, the man no even wait make I talk finish. E hang up sharp. I fit breathe small.

Before I finish, one of the boys snatch my phone, cut the call.

The boy sharp like pickpocket. My phone don disappear for my hand.

"Who you dey call? You dey find who go help you?"

Him face tight. E dey reason say I wan spoil their show.

"You no dey learn."

The second boy add mouth, dey look me like say na small pikin I be.

I try collect my phone, but dem just break am for ground.

Dem no give me chance. The phone hit floor, screen burst like egg. My hope just scatter.

Dem push me enter clubhouse, carry me enter the private room dem book.

Na serious force—my suit rumple, shoe dey scratch floor. But I hold body.

I look around. Na the smallest room.

The place dey tight, like store room. For my mind, I dey vex say dem fit do me like this.

Inside, everybody dey make noise.

The room hot, people dey shout, bottle dey click for table. Na fake celebration everywhere.

"Cross-cupped wine! Cross-cupped wine! Cross-cupped wine!"

Dem dey hail, dey dance, dey spray wine. For Naija, no be our tradition, but dem dey copy foreign style to pepper others.

Morayo face red, eyes dey shine, she don dey lean on Audu. Everywhere just dey somehow.

Her makeup don shift, eye dey high. E clear say small wine don enter her body. My heart dey bleed, but my face strong—Naija man no dey cry for public.

Audu see me, wave, eye full of wickedness.

He dey enjoy the show. E dey wave me like say I be clown.

"Perfect, the ex-husband don come. Abeg, serve us wine."

He dey use me shine. Na pure mockery.

I know this kind man—him dey use me show power, e dey sweet am.

Some men dey use another man pain flex ego. Na today I understand.

I just look Morayo, the woman I think say love me.

Her face dey avoid my eye. I dey find sign say maybe she go change her mind, but nothing.

"You don decide like this?"

My voice crack. I still dey find reason inside her eye.

Morayo purse her lips. "Tunde, you be good man, but you no fit give me wetin I want."

Her voice low. E pain me deep. Na so love dey finish?

I close eye, remember all the love wey we get before, as e just fade.

All our old moments—how we dey play for rain, dey laugh for small room—just fade for my head. E pain me reach bone.

Dem force two glasses for my hand, make me give the two of them.

I no get choice. Na shameful duty, but I gats do am for peace.

I watch as dem drink cross-cupped wine—na marriage style, show say dem don join body.

Dem cross arms, drink together. Some people dey clap, others dey snap picture. Na disgrace for me.