DIARY OF A CORPER — EPISODE 15: THE SILENCE BETWEEN US

Going back to Lokoja didn’t really feel like a punishment anymore.

Home had done something to me.

I had been away to a place where I was loved, where I was pampered, where food appeared before I could even say I was hungry. Somehow, I felt recharged.

When I got back, I found out that Femi had already returned to Lokoja.

We hadn’t really spoken since that night except for one phone call. During that call, he had mentioned that he would be travelling back to Lokoja soon.

He had returned earlier that week, flying into Abuja before taking a bus down to Lokoja.

Me?

I endured twelve hours on the road in a bus with a leaking roof. The roads were terrible, rain fell during the journey, and the seat I took was the one close to the door. Water kept dripping on me the whole time. If it were possible to get off the bus on the road, I would have done so immediately.

The driver kept looking back at me and apologising.

“Aunty, sorry o. I told my mechanic to fix it, but he didn’t do it.”

Thankfully, the rain stopped after a while. By then, we had gotten to Ife.

By the time I entered the compound that evening, I was exhausted.

“Dewa!”

Bassey practically screamed.

He and Femi were sitting on the terrace in their block. He rushed to meet me and took one of my bags.

“Welcome back!”

Seeing how excited he was made me smile despite my tiredness. He had been back from camp for about two weeks, but he welcomed me as if I had disappeared for months.

He had called almost every day to check up on me and kept asking when I would be coming back. When he wasn’t calling, he was texting me on WhatsApp.

Femi greeted me casually.

Not cold. Not warm either.

Just… normal.

And somehow, that confused me more.

Wait.

Was Lagos Femi different from Lokoja Femi?

Because that night in his car, I could have sworn he wanted to—

“Corper Dewa!”

I turned immediately.

Ah.

Mummy Tobi.

One of the compound gossips.

With Mummy Tobi, the rule was simple: don’t be her enemy, but don’t become her close friend either. For your own peace.

“It’s been a while o,” she said. “Bassey told me you travelled home. I even asked your friend Taiwo, but I didn’t even understand what that one was saying. You didn’t tell us. How was your trip? Se oko o j’epo?”

“It was fine, ma.”

“What did you bring for us?”

I smiled.

“When you unpack, remember my son o. He has been asking of you sef.”

“Don’t worry, I brought something for him.”

Her face brightened immediately.

“God bless you!”

She turned to leave, then stopped and turned to Femi.

“Ehn ehn, Brother Femi, I forgot to tell you. We are contributing two thousand naira per room to fix the generator. If we don’t fix it now, we won’t be able to use it on Saturday,” she said.

“Okay. Do you accept transfer?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll transfer it to you later,” he said.

“E se o, Brother Femi.”

“Corper Dewa, when you settle down too, I’ll come for your own.”

“No problem,” I said.

I had just returned, and bills were already welcoming me.

Chai, Lokoja.

Later that evening, I went to Taiwo’s room.

I hadn’t told her I was travelling, but my mother had advised me to make peace with her regardless of her attitude.

I handed her the small gift I brought from home.

To my surprise, she accepted it.

“Thank you,” she said.

She asked about my journey, but the usual warmth in her voice was gone.

No excitement.

No teasing.

Just politeness.

And somehow, that hurt more.

Later that night, the four of us sat outside in the compound. It had been a long time since we had all sat together like this.

Femi’s accident.

Bassey travelling for camp.

Taiwo’s beef with me.

My trip home.

Normally, this was our favourite time.

Taiwo would tease Bassey.

I would support her.

Then Bassey would come for both of us.

But that night, none of it happened.

The silence sat between us like an extra person.

Bassey occasionally said a few things while I listened and smiled. Taiwo barely joined the conversation. Femi stayed on his phone.

After a while, NEPA brought the light.

Taiwo stood up.

“I want to go and plug my laptop. I’m coming.”

As soon as she left, Bassey looked at me.

“What happened while I was in camp?”

I blinked.

“Like what?”

“The vibes both of you are giving are somehow.”

Femi looked up from his phone and glanced at me.

“Nothing now,” I said.

“When I came back from camp,” Bassey continued, “I asked Taiwo where you went, and she wasn’t even sure. If not that we later spoke on the phone, I wouldn’t have known you travelled.”

Before I could respond, Taiwo came back and sat down.

Immediately, NEPA took the light.

She hissed.

“These people want to stress their mother.”

“Wait small. They might bring it again,” Bassey said.

“I don’t like it when they bring light while my laptop is plugged in. I’ve changed my charger twice already. I don’t want them to spoil this one too. Abeg, I don’t have money.”

She stood up and left again.

Bassey looked at me.

“So you’re not going to tell me anything?”

“Tell you what? There’s nothing now.”

“Femi,” Bassey called, “what do you think? Can you not feel the vibe between them?”

Femi glanced at me with that look he gives when he’s trying to figure me out.

Finally, he said, “Are you girls fighting?”

“No,” I replied.

“Okay,” he said, before looking back at his phone.

Taiwo came back, and just as she sat down, Bassey called again.

“Taiwo.”

“Uhn?”

“What’s going on between you and Dewa?”

Jesus.

Why can’t this boy mind his business?

Taiwo turned to me briefly, as though trying to figure out whether I had told him something.

“Nothing,” she finally said.

At that exact moment, my phone rang.

Mummy.

I picked immediately.

Ever since my phone fell a few weeks ago, the speaker had become faulty, so whenever I was on a call, I had to put it on loudspeaker to hear properly.

After exchanging greetings, my mother asked about the journey, whether I had eaten, and whether I had unpacked.

Then she said:

“How is Femi?”

The entire compound went quiet.

Ah.

This woman has finally finished me.

I could feel Bassey’s surprise.

Taiwo went still.

Femi looked unbothered.

“He’s fine,” I replied, my voice not even sounding like mine.

My mother continued, “Is he around? I want to thank him properly for the gift he gave me. I couldn’t appreciate him that day.”

Can this woman just stop?

How was I supposed to explain how my mother knew Femi, or why he had given her a gift?

“He’s here,” I said.

I handed the phone to Femi, who seemed ready to speak with her.

“Good evening, ma,” he said warmly.

I watched Taiwo from the corner of my eye. She kept a straight face.

My mother spent what felt like forever thanking him for the gift, asking about his welfare, and praying for him.

Femi was very respectful all through, but beyond that, he spoke with ease, as though he had known her for a long time.

When he finally returned the phone to me, I told my mother goodnight and ended the call.

The silence came back again.

Then, as if on cue, NEPA brought the light back.

Taiwo stood up immediately and started walking away.

Bassey called after her.

“Abeg, if you’re going to plug your laptop, bring water when you’re coming back.”

“I’m not coming back,” she replied.

“I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

I could sense the sharpness in her tone.

She walked away.

No smile.

No teasing.

No looking back.

Bassey stared after her, confused.

I stared too, but for a different reason.

Whatever small chance we had of settling whatever was between us…

I had a feeling tonight had pushed it even further away.

The compound suddenly felt too quiet.

Lagos had made me feel loved.

Lokoja had welcomed me with silence.

And somehow, the silence between Taiwo and me felt louder than every keke, bike, and car passing on the road outside.

End of Episode 15

To be continued…

 

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Next: ➡️Episode 16: More Than a Corper