Chapter 5: The Queen Arrives, the Heart Breaks

As I come back with the bracelet, just as I wan knock, na so I hear people dey hail—

Dem dey clap, dey cheer as Halima dey enter. My mind just dey scatter.

“Welcome...”

Na so Tobi face change as he see me. Him eye wide, smile stiff for mouth.

Tobi smile just stiff as he see me. “Na you again?”

E no believe say I go fit return bracelet so quick. E look me as if I dey form strong head.

He no expect me to really come back, or to return the bracelet.

He just dey stand for door, hand for pocket.

As I give am the bracelet, Tobi just shock. In the end, he collect am, then whisper for my ear:

His breath tickle my ear, but his tone serious.

“Kamsi, since we be partners, abeg no make wahala for me today.”

E dey talk as if na me dey cause problem, but I just gree for peace sake.

“Halima na girl, she dey sensitive. Abeg no talk anything wey go make her feel anyhow.”

His voice dey beg, but I no even dey look am. I just wan finish everything make I go rest.

I no even get time for am.

I press my lips together, try hold tears wey dey rise again.

Halima na girl—me nko?

I wonder if I be stone. After all the years, na so he dey behave now.

As I look the person wey I love all my life, cold just enter my body.

I fold my arms, stand for corner, try act strong.

Ten minutes later, Halima reach Tobi house, matchmaker carry her come in.

She enter with big smile, hair dey shine, dress dey glitter. Her perfume dey smell like mango and vanilla, her gele tie well, makeup sharp. She greet everybody well.

The elders dey gist, everybody dey happy.

Dem dey laugh, dey tap each other. Even small pikin dey run upandan.

Na why my parents self come.

My papa dey gist with Uncle Tunde, dey toast groundnut.

As dem dey talk, matchmaker dey praise both families, dey talk of future plans.

She dey talk how the two families na good people, how marriage go bring more blessing. Everybody dey nod, dey smile.

All the while, Tobi just dey beside Halima, dey attend to her every need.

E dey peel apple, dey serve am drink. E no even look my side.

Almost reach thirty, but dey behave like small boy.

I shake head. Men and their wahala.

Nothing dey for me to do, so I just find excuse waka.

I enter kitchen, pretend say I dey help. Na lie. I just wan hide.

I dey rinse plate, the sound of generator dey hum for backyard.

But Halima just turn to me, smile soft:

She call my name, voice sweet like song.

“You be Kamsiyochukwu, abi? I hear about you well. That time for art department, dem dey call you goddess.”

She dey look me like celebrity. Everybody dey turn face.

As dem put me for spotlight, I wave hand. “Abeg, na just play people dey play that time.”

I try laugh, but my voice dry. My stomach dey knot.

I think say the matter go end.

I dey pray make dem no carry my gist reach another level.

But Halima no gree drop am:

She smile again, voice sweet. "No oh, for that dance, you perform classical. Next day, everywhere for hostel full with flowers for you."

She dey praise me. I dey blush, but my heart dey bleed.

Before I fit talk, Halima playfully pull Tobi arm:

She dey tease am, dey look me.

“Una two grow up together, but una no ever date?”

Her eyebrow rise, voice playful.

“I remember say una too close, everybody talk say una go marry.”

The way she talk am, the elders dey nod. All eyes land my body.

Everybody face just turn my side.

I dey wish ground go open, swallow me.

I no know wetin to talk—this Halima wey dey act soft, I just dey feel somehow.

Her smile dey sharp, but e get as e be. I dey suspect say e wan test me.

“She—” Tobi look Halima, hand her the apple wey he just peel. “For your eye, she be girl, maybe goddess.”

He dey act calm, dey joke. Na me know say inside, e dey shake.

“But for me, na just my guy, the pikin wey I grow with, we dey wear same short.”

His laugh sharp, but e pain me. I try hide my own face.

As if remember something, Tobi laugh. “You no know, when Kamsi dey cry as pikin, na snot and tears dey flow together.”

Everybody dey laugh. My mummy dey try hide smile. I just dey vex.

“If I no clean am, e go enter her mouth.”

Everybody burst laugh. I for disappear.

“And when she be fifteen, she faint for PE, dey talk anyhow, dey wave hand...”

He dey make everybody laugh, but na my shame dey ground. I dey squeeze hand, my face hot.

“I get somewhere to go, I dey go.” I swallow my anger, stand up, force smile for elders. “Abeg, una continue.”

I stand up quick, my voice steady. My leg dey shake.

Halima look Tobi, small shame catch her. “I talk something wey make her vex?”

She dey whisper, her face red. Tobi no answer.

Tobi just glare me, like say na me spoil everything.

His eye dey follow me, jaw dey set. He no talk.

Before he fit talk, I cut in:

I raise my bag, smile fake. "I get date with my boyfriend this night. If I no go now, I go late."

As I waka commot, I feel all their eyes dey my back. I carry my pain, enter street, dey pray make breeze blow everything comot from my mind. But for this Lagos, even breeze no dey strong enough to carry heartbreak go.

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*Translator’s note:

- ‘Bedmate’: For Naija slang, ‘bedmate’ means person wey you dey share bed with, mostly just for casual or non-romantic relationship, no be say una be couple.

- ‘Childhood engagement’: For olden days, na when two families go agree make their pikin marry when dem still small, to join family together.

(Added cultural texture: gesture details, emotional beats, expanded dialogue, deeper environment mood, localized food and family scenes, subtle references to contemporary Lagos/Uyo life and social norms. All original events and lines strictly preserved in order.)