Chapter 7: Suffering, Surrender, and Last Hope

If no be say I show suddenly, Timi for spend more time with Zainab Musa. So, e con vex for me pass.

You know as e dey be, when person dey enjoy better gist and you come spoil am. Omo, e pain am.

As we dey go house, evening breeze dey blow, dust dey rise for street as we dey head house. E keep distance. E dey complain, dey ask me with vex.

I see am, e dey drag leg for gutter, dey look side, no want make people see say we dey waka together.

“You find me since afternoon?”

E voice dey loud. E wan make sure say everybody for street hear am.

“Ifeoma, why you dey idle like this? You no get your own wahala?”

Omo, e dey try draw line. For Naija, dem dey say, "Face your front."

“My grandpapa leave you salary, but as I know am, money no too remain. This your stress for us really make sense?”

E dey remind me say I no be family. E pain me small. Even if na orphan, I try pass.

“See that girl just now—she get her own talent. Unlike you, wey just dey follow people up and down like small tail. E dey tire person.”

Omo, na insult wey bite. My eye water small, but I hide am. I just look ground, dey step gently.

…

I just bow my head, no fit talk back.

E no easy. For Naija, people dey say, "Word no dey kill, but e fit wound person heart."

Before the accident, before the system pick me, I be just ordinary person. Now for this world, I no be main character, no get cheat code, no get family. My school money na from caring for Timi, from the small inheritance.

Sometimes I dey dream say I fit wake up for my real world. But here, na struggle full everywhere.

Still, I go dey chop insult from am.

I dey tell myself, "God, na only you go judge." I still dey stand, even if my back dey bend.

The system use the chance add another one.

“Host, Timi wahala value don rise again. Just now with the main babe, e dey very calm… E be like say compared to you, the main babe dey make am happy pass!”

The system get sharp mouth. Na so some in-laws dey talk for family meeting.

—Na clear truth.

I dey reason say maybe na so God plan am. Na only person wey dey make you happy you suppose dey follow.

But, as the main babe fit calm am pass me, why dem still need person like me?

I dey ask myself, "Ifeoma, you sure say you no dey waste your time?"

Anyway, after Xie family wahala, main babe family self dey find Timi. If I carry Timi go meet the main babe, no be everybody go happy so?

Na question wey no get straight answer. But sometimes, to give up na the only way to heal.

As I think am, the thought no gree comot for my mind.

I dey feel am deep, like say my chest dey heavy.

I run meet Timi, hold him sleeve, ask am straight,

I hold am gently, no force. My voice low, "Timi, if I resign later, no dey your side again—if another person dey look after you, you go feel better?"

Question no too make sense, but my mouth no sweet anyway.

E no dey flow well, but na true I dey talk. I just wan know how e feel.

He look me, keep quiet. After small time, him body just chill. E hiss.

I feel am, the coldness. My heart just dey freeze.

“Ifeoma, you dey okay so? You think say you be important?”

E dey mock me. If na village, dem go say na curse.

“If you wan go, abeg go now. I no need you at all.”

The words hit me for chest. But I just swallow am, dey move.

Honestly, I reason am like that too.

Sometimes, to waka commot dey better than to force your own.

So that night, I tell the system say I wan give up on Timi—

I sit for bed, look ceiling. I just yarn am straight. "System, abeg, I wan resign."

The system no stress me. E check Timi mental state, soon agree with my plan.

E no argue. E just dey practical like Lagos doctor for government hospital. "Okay, if that one go help."

“True, the main babe side go suit am. Carry Timi go meet Zainab Musa… I go give you her contact. Later I go arrange new task for you.”

I nod, even though nobody dey see me. For my mind, I dey pray make better thing come out of am. I pause small, whisper, “God abeg, make better thing happen for Timi.”

After that, the system just disappear.

My phone quiet, no ping, no nothing. Silence everywhere. I just feel empty.

I look my phone. As I check, I see main babe WhatsApp contact—

E pop up, bright green. My hand dey shake as I dey type, sweat dey my palm. I dey wonder if to message or just block am.

I add am.

My finger dey shake, but I go still try. "Hello. Na the girl you meet today dey talk. Abeg, your family dey find person wey dey answer Timi?"

Just like for the original, the main babe family really dey find Timi. Her grandpapa, as e hear Xie family wahala, send her papa make e carry her come back home.

Dem dey rush come, dey send message up and down. Family matter for Naija dey like that—any small thing, dem go mobilize.

So, Zainab Musa reply me quick:

‘Timi? I hear well so, that name? Na the Xie family wey dey do art business?’

The way she reply, e quick. You go know say she still value family tie.

‘We really dey find am. Him grandpapa save my grandpapa life before. If e dey suffer now, our family fit help.’

Her heart clean. Even for person wey no be blood, she still wan render hand.

I pause, arrange my words, reply,

I take deep breath, write, ‘Yes. Timi mental state no too good. Doctor talk say e no suppose dey alone. I wan resign. You fit help look after am?’

As I send am, na prayer dey my mind. For Naija, e no easy to leave pikin, but sometimes, e dey necessary.