I could not sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I was seeing Mfon's smile in the market. The way she said "You don forget village?" Her voice was still the same like that time in Primary 4.
By 7am I woke up. I swept our compound fast, greeted mama, and told her I want to go and buy garri again.
Mama looked at me somehow, "Yesterday you bought garri, today again? Emmanuel, wetin dey your mind?"
I laughed and left.
When I got to Nkwo market, the sun was already hot. Women shouting "come buy pepper, come buy okro". Boys pushing wheelbarrow.
I went straight to where Mfon sat yesterday.
Empty.
Only her small wooden stool and her basket covered with black nylon. No Mfon.
My chest did somehow. Did she travel? Did she not come because of me?
I turned to the woman selling akara beside her spot.
"Mama, good morning, where is the girl that sells garri here? Mfon?"
The woman looked at me from head to toe, then smiled.
"Ahh, you be the fine boy wey she dashed garri yesterday abi? You like Mfon?"
I was shy. "No mama, na my classmate for primary school."
She laughed loud, "Classmate? Everybody wey like Mfon na classmate. My pikin, Mfon travelled this morning to her auntie house for Ikot Ekpene. She said she go come back tomorrow."
Tomorrow? That is too far.
I could not wait. "Mama abeg, you sabi her house? I fit go greet her mama for house."
The woman's face changed small, "Her mama? That woman no dey smile oh. She dey fear for her pikin because all the boys for Ikono dey follow Mfon. But if you get mind, go. After that big primary school, the house with big palm tree in front."
I stood there for almost ten minutes, thinking. If I go to her house now, her mother fit insult me. If I don't go, another boy fit carry Mfon for Ikot Ekpene.
To be continued...
Guys, what should I do? Should I risk going to her house tonight or wait till she comes back to market tomorrow?
