He felt embarrassed. He looked at her, then back at the road.
Silence.
She longed for him so deeply that her body began to tremble, her mind racing over what to say, how to make him understand that what he thought he saw was not the truth. She wanted to pour out everything , the rape, Victor, Kene… everything. Her palms pressed tightly together, her heart threatening to explode.
On the other hand, Tade… deep down he knew he was wrong. If only he had just listened.
"How's Victor?" he asked, finally breaking the silence. But there was no response. Anwana was lost in her own storm of thoughts, desperate to explain but weighed down by the heaviness of her burden.
"Hey!" he called, realizing she was completely withdrawn into herself.
"Ehh!" she turned quickly, startled.
"Did you say something?"
"Never mind," he muttered.
She just stared at him, her eyes searching his face, yearning, piercing through him. The silence between them grew heavier, almost unbearable, until they finally arrived at her residence.
The car pulled up in front of her landlord's shop, which his niece, Orode, managed.
"I'm sorry," Tade said suddenly.
She looked at him, surprised.
"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."
She remained calm, her silence sharp.
Their eyes locked , a gaze that dug deeper than words.
"Anwana…" his voice cracked. "I'm sorry for whatever happened years ago, I…" he paused, lifting his head, then dropping it again in defeat. "I can't stop thinking about you. I can't sleep, I can't breathe… I'm choking."
At that moment, Anwana's heart pounded violently, like pounded yam about to be devoured with too much hunger. Shivers shot through her whole body.
"I love you," he confessed.
Those three words fell on her ears like music. It was as though her dead clock, frozen years ago, suddenly began to tick again. Her big eyes remained locked in his, drowning in the intensity of the moment.
She finally found her voice. "Thursday… Thursday we'll talk."
Both of them stepped out of the car. Tade moved to see her off properly, but just then her gate swung open.
"Mummy!" Victor shouted, running toward her with open arms before clinging tightly to her waist.
"Hey Anwana, welcome," came a masculine voice from behind. It was Kene.
Tade's heart lurched. His voice dried in his throat, heavy and stormy, sour and threatening. Victor's father, he thought bitterly.
Kene caught sight of Tade and immediately stiffened, anger flashing in his eyes.
"What's this fool doing here?" he barked, snatching Anwana's bag from her hand.
"Brother Kene!! Mbok," she pleaded softly, giving him a look that begged him not to start trouble.
Tade's eyes grew weary, sadness clouding him. Everything seemed to happen all at once , the joy of reuniting with Anwana, the crushing thought that Kene was Victor's father, and the unbearable pain that maybe, just maybe, Anwana had cheated on him back then.
He looked at them, standing there like one perfect family. One beautiful family. Who was he to think he deserved such an angel like Anwana?
He had been too proud. Too arrogant. Always quick to judge, never willing to listen, always convinced the world belonged to him. Of course, she would choose a better man , a man who was humble, who would listen, who wasn't consumed by pride.
"Emm… oga, de go naa. Haba!" Kene flared, his voice loud, fists already tightening. "If I hear that you hurt my sister again, you no go like wetin I go do you. Anwana, I don't understand. Why are you still associating with this idiot, ehn?" He shouted, ready to land a blow on Tade.
Anwana quickly held him back.
"Emm… Victor, go inside, eh. Uncle and I need to talk," she said firmly. She never wanted her son caught up in her chaos. She never wanted him to grow up in a toxic world.
Tade stood frozen, confusion burning in his chest. Kene had called Anwana his sister. She had called him brother. And in front of Victor, she addressed him as uncle, not daddy.
Suddenly, the truth hit him. He was wrong. Completely wrong.
His heart shattered. Shame swept over him like a heavy flood. How could he have doubted her? How could he not trust her?
"Tade, you're a fool," h
e muttered to himself as he turned away, retreating into his car.