LOVE AFTER THE PAIN

The clock on the wall said 11:47 PM but Chioma did not see the clock. She saw only the suitcase. The black suitcase that Emefiele packed at 11:30 PM with his white shirts folded like he folds bribe money. The suitcase that was open on their three-year-old bed that they bought from Yaba market for 45K not 90K. The bed where she had waited for him with wrapper heavy with love. Chioma stood at the door of their one room with wrapper light. Not heavy like when she counted 181K plus 15K bonus minus landlord debt 108K. Her wrapper was light tonight because her heart was light? No, her heart was empty. Empty like Emefiele black nylon walking, not keke, not Prado, who came at 7:07 PM with black nylon empty like his promises on divorce day. Tonight Emefiele had no black nylon empty. He had black suitcase full. Full of his shirts, full of his exit. Emefiele zipped the suitcase at 11:52 PM. The zip sound was louder than NEPA generator. Louder than Yaba noise. Louder than Mama Taju pure water shouting outside. Zip. One sound and three years finished. Chioma said, "Emefiele, where are you going at 11:52 PM with black suitcase full? Our rent is 45K times 3 equals 135K we owe father landlord. Van must be at Event Center before six-thirty tomorrow morning with Ikoyi shop and two freezers and Cynthia and father landlord. Where are you going with black suitcase?" Emefiele did not look at her. He looked at his phone with Prado BANKOLE 1 tinted glass picture as wallpaper. He looked at his phone with message from Cynthia with Ikoyi shop and two freezers and gold wrapper 150K and envelope 500K that Ade refused. Emefiele message was not from Cynthia. Emefiele message was from new girl with gold wrapper 150K and envelope 500K like Mrs. Bankole. Emefiele said, "Chioma, love died at 10:14 AM when your baby kicked strongest thank you for cot 45K not 90K after cot entered house yesterday. Love died when you bought cot 45K not 90K without asking me. Love died when you paid 200K first payment for Lekki event center hall at 10 AM with stamp that owns hall even Yaba court knows. Love died when you had only 763K left in Opay account and court case hanging on neck and I told you no man will ever want you again. Love died tonight at 11:47 PM. I am leaving with black suitcase." Chioma remembered 3 months ago she had only 763K left in Opay account, court case hanging on neck, ex-husband who told her no man would ever want her again. That ex-husband was Emefiele saying same words again tonight at 11:52 PM with black suitcase. History repeating with suitcase not with black nylon empty. At 11:55 PM Emefiele carried black suitcase full to rust gate not glass gate with old machine that shows waving not donation machine that shows money. Rust gate that Ade locked from inside with key inside not padlock outside with scan picture in wrapper with four stones and baby girl waving at 24 weeks and 5 days. Chioma gate tonight was locked from inside with padlock outside? No, gate was open for Emefiele to leave. Emefiele opened gate at 11:56 PM. Outside danfo was still moving with conductor shouting "Yaba! Yaba! Enter with change!" with market women with gala sellers with okada noise outside even at night. Emefiele entered danfo with black suitcase full at 11:57 PM. Danfo left with black suitcase full with three years of love inside. Chioma stood with wrapper light at 11:58 PM with one room empty with bed that cost 45K not 90K from Yaba market with cot 45K not 90K inside house since yesterday 3:12 PM with receipt 200K with stamp at 10 AM that owns Lekki event center hall even Yaba court knows even Lekki court knows even Banana Island court knows even though oga at top with agbada and cap and big belly bigger than watermelon who collected 400K bribe at 4 PM after Chioma 200K receipt at 10 AM gave 400K bribe receipt with no stamp only signature of oga at top personal that receipt failed Chioma receipt with stamp won. At 12:00 AM midnight, love died. Not with noise but with zip sound at 11:52 PM and gate sound at 11:56 PM and danfo sound at 11:57 PM. Love died with black suitcase full leaving Yaba one room with wrapper light not heavy. Chioma sat on floor with 763K? No, she now has more than 763K. She has Lekki event center hall receipt 200K with stamp. She has 1000 white chairs arranged in perfect rows but now scattered because 1000 chairs were used today. She has December wedding booking 500K deposit. She has CEO clients January. She has influencers posting. She has David boss husband who bought small yellow bulbs for night grand opening and said "Chioma, you own this hall forever." But tonight at 12:00 AM love died with Emefiele and black suitcase full. And tomorrow at 6 AM van comes must be at Event Center before six-thirty with Ikoyi shop and two freezers and Cynthia and father landlord. Life continues even when love dies at midnight. Chioma whispered to cot 45K not 90K, "Baby kicked strongest at 10:14 AM thank you for cot 45K not 90K after cot entered house yesterday. Now your father left with black suitcase full at 11:57 PM. But we have gate locked from inside now with key inside not padlock outside for first time in my life we are the one with key not landlord. Baby feels safe when gate locked from inside." At 12:03 AM she locked rust gate not glass gate from inside with key inside not padlock outside. For first time that night, she was the one with key not landlord. Not Emefiele. She had key. Love died at 11:47 PM to 12:00 AM. But gate locked from inside at 12:03 AM with key inside not padlock outside. That night, love died. But Chioma with key inside lived.