when strength meets love

chapter3: ikoka village

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As the girls gossiped, Esohe leaned forward with a conspiratorial grin. “Do you know the Enogie’s son arrived from the city last week?”

Eki frowned, uninterested. “And so?”

The other girls gasped, looking at her as though she had spoken an alien language.

“The Enogie’s son is single,” one of them said with a dreamy sigh. “And so cute! I heard he’s looking for someone to marry before ascending the throne.”

Eki couldn’t hold back her laughter. “What happened to all the women in the city? It’s this small village he came to for a wife? What a joke.”

“So what?” replied another girl indignantly. “If we’re lucky, one of us could be the one!”

“Dream on,” Esohe scoffed, rolling her eyes.

As they continued their chatter, a young man approached. He was tall, good-looking, and carried himself with a quiet confidence. It was Oduwa, the son of the village hunter. His family was one of the few that seemed to have escaped the curse of laziness in Ikoka. Unlike most men, they were hardworking, and Eki had once admired Oduwa.

But that admiration had long since turned to hate.

“Eki,” Oduwa called out, his deep voice cutting through the hum of the festival.

Eki turned, her heart skipping a beat when she saw him. For a moment, she was too shocked to respond. What is he doing here? I thought he was in the city. But she quickly composed herself, folding her arms across her chest.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here—the great Oduwa, calling me. Wonders shall never end.”

Oduwa frowned, stepping closer. “Eki, are you still mad at me? We’re grown-ups now—”

Before he could finish, Eki cut him off with a laugh, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Mad at who? Please, don’t flatter yourself.” She turned away dismissively. “I don’t know you, and I certainly don’t see you. Do you know me?”

Oduwa’s face fell, but before he could reply, she added sharply, “Just save yourself the effort. Stop behaving as if we’re friends. If you see me, walk past. Don’t call my name.”

The other girls sat in stunned silence as Eki’s words hung in the air. But Oduwa, instead of responding angrily, simply smiled. He greeted the rest of the girls politely and turned to leave.

Before he walked away, he cast one last glance at Eki, his smile softening. She’s grown into such a beautiful woman, he thought. Even her temper hasn’t changed.
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As Oduwa walked away, one of the girls leaned in with curiosity. “I thought you and Oduwa were close. What happened?”

“Close ke?” Eki replied with a scoff. “He was just a little boy chasing me around when we were kids. That’s all.”

The girls burst into laughter, but Esohe wasn’t convinced. “Eki, I thought you liked him back then?”

“Me? God forbid!” Eki replied sharply. “Please, let’s change the topic, abeg.”

“Hmmm, okay oo,” Esohe said with a sly smile. “Anyway, Oduwa being around means the Enogie’s son is really here too. You know they both went to the city together, right? I’m going to beg Oduwa to introduce him to me. Oh, I can already picture our wedding!”

Ivie laughed, shaking her head. “Keep dreaming, my dear.”

While the girls continued their chatter, Eki remained quiet, lost in her thoughts. The mention of Oduwa and the Enogie’s son barely registered—her mind was still stuck on Oduwa’s return. Why did he come back? she wondered. What does he want?

“Eki!” Ivie’s voice jolted her from her thoughts.

“Huh? What?” Eki asked, startled.

“I said we should go,” Ivie repeated, looking at her with concern. “It’s getting late, and you know how my mother gets.”

“Oh... okay,” Eki replied, trying to shake off her thoughts.

“What’s on your mind?” Ivie asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Eki said, forcing a laugh. “Let’s go before my mom starts panicking too.”

“You sure?” Ivie pressed.

“Yes na, I’m fine. Let’s go.”

“Okay oo,” Ivie replied, still unconvinced.

The two girls waved goodbye to the others and headed home, leaving the festival behind. But as they walked, Eki couldn’t help but feel a weight in her chest—an unspoken tension she didn’t quite understand.