Imade should have suspected something was amiss when Tunde stopped calling every night. First it was the "bad network", then it was tiredness from "long shifts", and all kinds of other excuses, but love makes us believe in soft lies.
Then she decided to pay him a surprise visit.
At the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, the heat hit her like a wave. Lagos weather was one of the reasons she couldn't live in the city and then the chaotic environment, like everyone was rushing off to somewhere at the same time, but Port Harcourt was different, cool and calm. Tunde had promised her he would relocate to Port Harcourt after they were married, the advertising company he worked for, had one of their branches in Port Harcourt.
She adjusted her wig, dragging her suitcases along as she inhaled the congested air of Lagos.
Tunde would be so surprised and happy to see her.
She hadn't told him she was coming but what could possibly go wrong? She couldn't wait to see the smile slowly spread across his face as he saw her.
In no time, Imade got to Tunde's apartment in Victoria Island, thanks to an exceptionally skilled Bolt driver who meandered his way through heavy traffic jams, playing Wande Coal almost the entire time.
Standing at the gate of his house with her two suitcases, her heart started pounding, sweat gathering under her arms.
"Hello?" She called out to the gateman, this one was new, she thought. "I'm here to see Tunde, I'm his... fiancee."
The gateman stared at her, then squinted. "Aunty... I'm sure you are mistaken. Didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?"
He sucked his teeth. "My Oga is doing his engagement party today."
She blinked. “Engagement...?”
The world came to a halt.
As he opened the gate, she dragged her suitcases like a zombie. Photos and balloons were littered around the compound.
"Congratulations Tunde & Busola! Gold and purple décor glistened under a tent.
She immediately felt that nausea creeping in. She clutched her chest tightly, as if to prevent her heart from falling through and breaking into pieces. But it was breaking anyways. Infact it was broken already.
Two years of her life had just gone down the drain.
Inside, she saw him. Tunde. Tall, handsome and regal. He was wearing a purple 'danshiki' and smiling like someone who hadn’t promised her forever in all the two years they've been together. And there she was, The Busola. Glowing, curvy, beautiful. Unaware of the havoc her engagement to Tunde had wreaked in her life.
She stood frozen, watching the agonizing spectacle before her. Her Tunde in the arms of another.
Then someone screamed.
"Aunty! Your dress is very beautiful!" A little girl tugged at the sleeve of her immaculately designed black gown. Everyone turned.
Tunde’s face drained of all colour as he saw her.
"Imade...?" he croaked. Shock and guilt written all over his face
We ended up behind the house, away from guests and the pounding music.
“Imade, what are you doing here?” he asked, voice low.
I stared. “Oh, I'm sure you had no intention of letting me know about your engagement to another woman. You played me for a fool, leading me on to believe that we would always be together when you knew all along there never would be "us." How could you be this callous Tunde? I screamed unable to hold back my tears.
He looked away. “My parents wouldn't want me married to someone outside my tribe.” He offered lamely.
“Really? Tunde, where were your parents when I picked you up from the gutters and made a man out of you? Where were they when you swore "forever with me" by everything sacred? Where were they when I was making all the sacrifices I made for you?”
He rubbed his neck. “I didn’t know how to—”
“To what? Tell me you were getting married?”
“She’s... We....are from the same tribe.”
I laughed. “Clearly. I didn't know I was an alien.”
“Look,” he sighed, “I didn’t think you'd actually come.”
“Oh,” I snapped, “I did. Wanted it to be a beautiful surprise, an opportunity to discuss the new life you promised me—with you.”
Tunde looked pained. “I’m sorry."
Without another word, I wiped my tears and turned my back to him as I walked out through the gate.
I wandered aimlessly down the street until I stumbled into a restaurant. Cool air and the scent of jollof rice hugged me as I collapsed into a seat, blinking away the tears threatening to fall.
“Rough day?” a voice asked.
I looked up to a man in glasses and a wine-colored shirt, holding a tray.
“Mind if I sit?”
I shrugged. “Free country.”
He sat. “You’re either just back from abroad, or your heart just got broken or possibly both.”
I sniffled. “Hmmm.”
“Let me guess,” he grinned. “You flew in to surprise your guy, only to find out he’s with someone else?"
I stared. "You are close to the truth."
He laughed. “I knew it!"
Despite myself, I laughed.
“I’m Efe” he said. “Owner of this place.”
“Imade.”
“You hungry?”
“No...not really." I lied.
He rose. “Let me tell you the first heartbreak rule; Feed the pain. Second? Don’t go back to him, no matter how sweet he talks.”
"He's just gotten engaged." I shot at him. The Tunde I saw today wasn't going to come back.
He smiled ruefully as he walked away.
Over plates of smoky jollof and fried plantain, we talked. About so many things, about the madness that was Lagos, about our mothers, about our jobs, about what it feels like to love someone who doesn’t see you.
Hours passed, I hadn’t smiled that much in weeks. He had a great sense of humour which fascinated me even more.
“You know,” Efe said, handing me a napkin, “I’m glad you came into my life today.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”
He grinned. “Otherwise, we might not be having this moment.”
I looked at him, kind eyes, warm laughter, the kind of calm Tunde never had.
I smiled as he held my hands.
All images are generated with AI.
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