𝓛𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓼

𝔼ℕ𝕆 ℙ𝕆𝕍
 

"Excuse me, every one. Can I get your attention, please?" Uche announces from the center of the living room.
 

I nudge Omoh on the shoulder, breaking off her chat with the woman standing next to her wearing a minidress in Nigerian green. I then motioned for her to pay attention.

 
"I’m so happy you all made time to be here this evening, and most of all, I’m delighted that you all are about to witness something I’ve been planning to do for the past three months."
 

I raised my eyebrows on top of a wide smile at my clueless friend, who stared at her boyfriend without words. "What is he talking about?" I ask.

 
"I have no idea," she replies, shaking her head.
 

"Heartbeat, come please," We hear Uche call to my friend, who walks like a robot towards him while the crowd cheers for her.
 

He cradles her hands while smiling and gazing tenderly into her eyes. Uche then makes a kneeling motion before our very eyes. As if I were also being proposed to, my heart flutters. What an unforgettable event, and I can only feel complete joy for my dearest friend.
 

"I didn’t realize how empty my world was until you walked into it, filling it with so much colorful light and love. You are the only girl who has given me no permission to disrespect you. At first, I thought your principles were limiting, but when I look at you, I see a different and unique woman who I’m proud to call mine. Your flaws attract me even more than I can imagine, which is unusual. We have had countless misunderstandings, and those days you stay angry at me kill me slowly until I lose every bit of life in me. When I travel and don’t see you for a long time, that emptiness returns. I love you so much that I crawl to you every time my heart screams your name. Omoh, my heart beat," he calls, holding up a small black box and opening it in front of her. "Will you marry me?" He asks, looking at her, and waits patiently with the crowd for her to respond.
 

I didn’t realize the tears rolling down my eyes; I reached for my handkerchief in my purse and dabbed it off gently, not to smear the kajal I applied on my lower eyelid.

 
His words are genuine, and I can sense the love he has for Omoh. Good things do come to good people, and I'm so glad my friend is one of them.
 

Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!" I hear Omoh exclaim elatedly.
 

The joy of her response spreads through the room as he places the ring on her fingers and, standing to his feet, kisses her passionately.
 

I forget the hurt I feel on my feet, and I race to them, giving her a warm congratulatory hug.
 

The crowd gives out a loud shout and a resounding clap, and the music is turned back on.
 

I and Omoh had no clue about Uche's proposal. That was the point. I smile, watching her dance with Uche as I feel my phone vibrate in my purse. I open it to check, and I notice it is an unknown number calling.
 

The first thing I think of when I see numbers like this is, "Maybe Unwana is trying to reach me." She sometimes calls me on the phone of a staff member or the parent of a friend, possibly to say hello or to ask for money or supplies. Or perhaps there is a crisis. She is one of the reasons I can't switch my SIM card or turn off my phone because she only knows that number and could call at any time.
 

I rush out of the house and head towards the backyard, a quiet place where the music can’t be heard. I glanced around for a convenient spot and found a long bench under a palm thatch canopy in a small flower garden. The garden has two light poles at both ends of it, which help illuminate the area and lessen the sense of isolation at night. I walk towards the bench and sit on it before finally picking up the call.
 

"Hello," I say nice and calmly, removing my shoe and stretching my aching feet on the carpet grass.
 

The voice that replied wasn't my daughter's, and it was familiar, but I pretend to not know who it is.
 

"May I know who is on the line, please?" I try to maintain calmness as I remove the silver bangle from my left arm and drop it on the bench.
 

"Eno, blocking my number isn’t going to stop me," The caller says, attacking me with the rude tone in his voice.
 

I hate him. And hearing his voice again annoys me even more. "I know it won’t; what was I thinking? What do you want, Ubong?"
 

"I need to see you; we need to talk." He replies authoritatively.
 

"Talk about what, huh?" I ask now without holding back my anger, letting it reflect in my voice.
 

He sighs, and then I hear him say, "I need to apologize. I did you wrong, but then I didn’t know how to tell you." He rendered his explanation, which totally helped with nothing.
 

"Ubong, that’s in the past, and right now, you need to not bother me again."
 

"Don’t you get it? We have to meet!" He repeats himself, this time yelling at me.
 

The nerve—what right does he have to raise his voice at me? Listening to him now makes me so upset. I just don’t know why he wants to hunt for my new life.
 

"And do what, eh? Do you really want to see how wretched I've gotten or how terrible I look? I yell back at him and inquire furiously. "See, listen, I'm at a party with my lover, and right now you are disrupting something very wonderful and romantic. Don’t ever call my number again. You have a family now; face them. Don’t end up being a pathetic husband and father who leaves his family and chases after another woman." I caution, punishing the sides of my phone with my tight grip.

 
"How is my daughter?" He dares to ask again.

 
“Thunder fire that your mouth, you hear, Ubong. Which daughter, eh, the one wey you borrow me or the one wey you dash me, eh? No make me vex pass as I dey oo I dey warn you, carry your bad belle face your family. If you know watin good for you, no find me at all. Heaven know say I don warn you because as I dey like this, if I see you, I fit stone you to death, you hear?” I yell angrily.
 

"Eno i—" 
 

I end the call, not interested in hearing what he has to say next. I throw my face in my hands, sobbing softly. This man has done his worst by breaking me to pieces, and I hate myself for having loved him once in my life.
 

Jolting me out of my miserable position is a deep and resonant voice. "Wow, you’re really feisty," I hear him say before sitting beside me on the bench.
 

While I was there, I didn't even hear his footsteps or see anyone, so I turned to check who it was. From where did he emerge?
 

"Hi, I’m Wale." He introduces himself with an outstretched arm, which I intentionally ignore. Who does he think he is? I'm still very angry and not in the mood to talk to anyone.
 

I recall after taking a closer look at him. Of course, I know him. He is the guy Omoh showed me inside the party, who was surrounded by ladies. In my conclusion, he is a man who knows he’s Very good-looking and a Casanova.

 
"May I help you?" I manage to ask.

 
"A beautiful lady like you shouldn’t be here alone when there is a lot of fun going on inside." He replies.
 

"And why aren’t you in?" I ask

 
"You enchanted me. And your charm drew me in." He smiles. 
 

I must confess. I've never seen a smile as adorable as his. His pearly white teeth are precisely aligned within his mouth, and his side dimples are enticing to the touch. He has the physique fit for a Greek god and is certainly attractive. The fitted short sleeve of his cream button-up shirt reveals his muscular arms, and his austere shoulders beneath it are clearly broad. I can make out his pronounced nose and cheekbones that are carved down to an uncompromising jaw in the garden's pole light. However, his eyes reflect the light, and the brown orb that lies precisely beneath his styled, flat-shaped eyebrows shimmers with laughter.

 
In all truth, this man sitting next to me is damn fine, and he knows it—I know it. I can see why Omoh wanted me to notice him, by all means.
 

"Wow, is that what they say these days?" I find myself asking him.
 

What do they say?" He asks sincerely confused?
 

"Look, Wale, I don’t wish to be rude, but now is not the time." I tell him truthfully, hoping he will stop flirting. "Have we met before?" I ask, not expecting an answer but surprised when he says,
 

"Yes, actually once. That’s why I couldn’t take my eyes off you when you walked in through the front door." He accompanies his confession with a friendly smile.
 

"I’m not sure because I would have recognized you." I opposed it quickly.
 

"No, darling," he says smoothly. "Like now, you were super angry; you couldn’t see the person walking in even if he held up a direction sign." He laughs a bit at his joke, which I instantly didn't find funny.
 

"Is he trying to be sweet and nice, or is he sent to add fuel to my already burning rage? Did he just imply that I lost all sense of direction?" I wonder to myself.
 

I hold up my shoe in my hand, not daring to put it on again, and I stand to my feet, feeling a little dizzy but steady enough to root my feet to the ground.
 

"It was nice meeting you, Wale. I really need to go in and rest my head," I say as politely as I can. "Good night." I say leave the garden with him still sitting there.
 

"Good night, Eno." He replies, stopping me from taking the next step.
 

I startledly turn to face him. I glance at him in complete shock and respond right away. "I don't remember telling you my name,"
 

"I know; I have my sources." He proclaims it assuredly.

 
"Ha, ha, very funny. You are the least of my worries," I reply, leaving Wale on the bench as I make my way into the house.

1917 𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖘

  PIDGIN                     ENGLISH

the one wey you borrow me or the one we you dash me, eh?- - - the one I borrowed from you or the one
you gave me freely

No make me vex pass as I dey oo I dey warn you, - - - don’t get me angry than I already am, i warn you

Carry you bad belle face your family - - - - - - - - -  Take your bad luck to your
Family

If you know watin good for you, no find me at all- - - if you know what is good for you, don’t look for me.

Heaven know say I don warn you because as I dey like this, if I see you, I fit stone you to death, you hear?” I yell angrily.  - - - - - - - - - -  Heaven knows that I have warned you. As I am, if I see you, I could stone you to death, do you understand?