A SACRIFIES BEYOND LOVE

MARRIED

Chapter Twelve: Three months together

They got married quietly, in the way people marry when some of the family is enthusiastic and some of the family is still reserving judgment. Johnson was Bryan's best man. Sandy stood beside Judy in a dress that cost more than Bryan's car, and spent the ceremony watching him with eyes that were looking, still, for something she could object to.

She didn't find it.

The morning of their first anniversary, the kitchen was full of sunlight and the particular warmth of two people who have learned the shape of each other's mornings. Bryan burned toast with the dedication of a man who burns toast every time and is surprised every time. Judy poured cereal and watched him with the expression of someone who finds this genuinely funny.

"Babe, the toaster has two settings," she said. "Toast and charcoal."

"I was going for artisanal char. It's a thing. Very expensive."

She leaned across and kissed his cheek. He dropped the spatula.

"Today is our one year," she said.

He leaned over and kissed her properly. "I stole your heart."

"And how did you manage that?" She was laughing now. "You know, when I was in the US, I never gave men attention. I minded my studies. I came back to Nigeria, and you were the first man I met who..."

They laughed together, the sentence unnecessary.

"I thought you and Max had something," Bryan said.

"Max was a friend before I traveled. He went to the UK. We were never in the same place at the same time." She slid the cereal toward him. "Stop looking for problems."

He stole a strawberry off the top of her bowl. She swatted his hand and smiled.

Later, on the couch with coffee, he produced two concert tickets from behind the cushion with the air of a man who has been waiting to do this for days.

"You got us tickets?" Her eyes went wide. "How?"

"I'm good at artisanal things. Ticket-getting is one of them."

"You're ridiculous."

"Only for you."

They sat together in the quiet of a Sunday morning, half-finished puzzle on the coffee table, a dog toy somewhere under the couch. Judy rested her head on his shoulder. The television played on mute. Outside, Lagos was already at full volume.

Inside, it was something else.

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