The compound had returned to its usual rhythm—children screaming, mothers yelling from kitchens, men arguing about politics they barely understood—but for Amechi, everything felt like silence.
It had been three weeks since his cousin boarded that plane to London.
Three weeks since he deleted the message that could've changed his life.
Three weeks since he told Oge, "I'm staying."
And now, the weight of that choice was beginning to settle in—slowly, heavily, like dust on a forgotten window.
---
That Monday morning, Amechi sat outside on the bench beside the house, staring blankly at the muddy road. His phone had been quiet for days. No more calls from his cousin. No messages. No reminders of what could've been.
Instead, all he had now was Oge.
And lately, even Oge was changing.
She no longer cooked the way she used to. She had stopped coming over every morning to check on his mother. Sometimes, she didn't even respond to his messages until hours later. And when she finally did show up, it was with tired eyes, snappy responses, and stories about how "stressed" she was.
Something was off.
He felt it.
---
That evening, he confronted her.
"Oge," he said gently, as they sat near her veranda. "You've not really been yourself lately. You don't look happy."
She rolled her eyes. "So I must smile every day?"
"No, it's just—since I stayed back… things feel different."
She shifted in her chair. "You mean since you sacrificed your dream for me?"
Amechi blinked, surprised by the sharpness of her tone. "I didn't mean it like that. I just want to know if you're still—"
She cut him off. "Amechi, please. I'm tired. I've had enough stress today."
He went silent.
Another red flag.
Another crack in the wall they had built together.
---
The next day, Mama Emma called him aside near the backyard. She was stirring a pot of soup outside but her eyes never left him.
"Nwannem(my brother)," she began, voice low and careful, "I know say I be your sister, but I go still talk. This your Oge—her way don dey change."
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
She wiped her hand on her wrapper and looked around before leaning closer. "You think say person wey really love you go dey waka up and down with her ex-boyfriend for junction? That's the second time I don see them. Yesterday, na corn she buy for the boy."
Amechi felt his chest tighten.
"Maybe na nothing," Mama Emma added, more softly. "But open your eye. Nwannem,(my brother) no let love blind you till e carry you enter pit."
That night, Amechi couldn't sleep.
He turned and turned on his mat, staring into the ceiling like it had answers. He remembered the sacrifices. The visa. The calls. The knife. The promise. Everything.
And now, this?
Was this what he chose over London?
He stood up, walked out to the backyard, and sat in the dark. Only the sound of distant generators hummed around the neighborhood. His heart beat slowly, painfully.
He pulled out his phone and stared at an old photo of his cousin at Heathrow Airport — smiling, suitcase in hand, jacket on shoulder. A future unfolding.
Amechi had no jacket. No future. Just Oge.
And now… he wasn't even sure he had her anymore.
---
The next morning, he decided to talk to her again.
They met outside her compound, as she was heading to buy akara.
"Oge," he said, standing in front of her. "Can we talk?"
She sighed. "I'm not in the mood for drama."
"This is not drama," he replied. "This is my life."
She looked at him, arms folded. "What do you want to say?"
"I stayed. I gave up everything. I just need to know… if you still believe in us."
She was quiet.
Then she said, "Amechi, things change. People change."
He froze. "What does that mean?"
"It means I didn't force you to stay. You made that decision. If you're regretting it now, that's on you."
He swallowed hard. "So… what are you saying?"
"I'm saying maybe we need time apart."
Those words hit him like thunder.
She turned and walked off, leaving him rooted to the ground, heart shattered in pieces.
---
That evening, his mother noticed the look on his face.
She didn't ask questions.
She just placed her hand on his shoulder and said:
"Some dreams come back. But some don't. Next time you choose between love and purpose, choose the one that won't slap you tomorrow."
Amechi nodded slowly, eyes filled with tears he wouldn't let fall.
Because deep down, he now knew:
> He had thrown away his dream...
For a girl who was already walking away.
---
To be continued in chapter 5
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