Chapter 2: The Return and the Reckoning

The cold and suffocating feeling of death still dey my body. My face pale, teeth dey shake, I just dey look my delicate reflection for mirror, already dey plan how I go deal with Ifedike.

I dey rub shea butter for my arm, but shiver no gree me. E be like say pond water still dey my bone. As I dey gaze, I dey reason, which juju strong pass for this wahala? My spirit dey boil.

I sabi say he go come propose today.

As I arrange my wrapper, I hear Mama voice for corridor: "Dem dey come! Ifedike dey waka like king." I just nod, my chest dey beat like talking drum. For my mind, I dey count down. Today na today.

Neighbours dey peep through fence, children dey run up and down, everywhere dey buzz like market day.

He make sure say everybody hear am, do am with plenty noise.

His own na show. He no just wan propose, he wan make all elders, even pepper sellers for junction, hear say he dey carry Chief pikin. Drummers dey beat, women dey ululate.

Everybody dey talk say new WAEC champion don fall in love with Chief daughter at first sight—say na perfect match.

Neighbour mama go say, "Ah, Chidinma and Ifedike—God join together!" Na so dem dey spread am. Even church elder dey talk for Sunday, "You see, education dey pay!"

But truth be say, na my house girl Ngozi he fall for, not me.

If to say dem know, dem for lock mouth. E pain me as I see Ngozi dey waka, eyes always down, as if she dey carry world for head. I remember when she confide in me say her heart no gree her stop.

Ifedike and I na distant relatives from Nwosu family, so when he come city for exam, he stay for our compound.

For our side, we dey respect blood, even if e far. So, as Ifedike waka enter with him portmanteau, mama arrange room, papa give am handshake.

My papa value book people well, so he treat am with respect.

Evening time, Papa go dey tell people, "That boy sabi book, e go reach big man level." For family, if you sabi book, na you dey shine like star.

Even my big brother talk about am to me, say the guy sure to become top scorer.

Nnamdi, my elder bro, always dey joke, "That Ifedike go soon carry First Class, go meet minister." I just smile, no know say wahala dey come.

Ngozi come get interest, start to pretend as me, go meet am a few times.

Small time, I notice say Ngozi dey borrow my scarf, wear my shoe. Ifedike go dey greet her, "Good morning, Chidinma," she go nod, smile shy. I been think say na play.

Before you know, dem fall in love and even get belle.

Na so Ngozi belle start to show small. She dey vomit for backyard, dey hide from mama. Me I dey suspect, but I keep quiet, dey watch.

I no get any special feelings for Ifedike, but I know say na good marriage: young WAEC champion, get sense, and with my papa support, his future go bright.

If na calculation, the marriage make sense. E fit open door for my family. But my heart? E dry. No sweet am.

Plus, his family poor, na only him and him old mama dey house. So for everything, he go depend on our family, nobody go fit treat me anyhow.

I reason say, this one na advantage. My mother-in-law too old, Ifedike no get siblings. If palava start, I fit run to my papa house, no wahala.

So when my parents ask, I gree for the marriage.

When dem bring kolanut, elders sit down, I just nod. That time, I no get mouth.

But this time, when Mama Chinyere—my mama’s trusted matron—come find me, she say, "Young Master Ifedike say na Ngozi, your house girl, he wan marry. Madam say make you decide."

As Mama Chinyere dey talk, she lower her voice, eye dey shine. "My daughter, you go gree?" Her voice get weight. This kind decision no be ordinary.

I quickly understand: Ifedike too don return.

My mind race. So, the boy don find truth? E mean say everything fit change. For my mind, I dey prepare—no be today dem go run me street.