No more visits to the village.
Then one day, Samson got married to Gabriella in Lagos.
A big wedding—bright lights, expensive hall.
Madam Janet came from the village wearing her best ankara, smiling like a woman who had finally reached the finish line.
But Gabriella’s friends whispered about her.
“See her wrapper?”
“Why did they allow her sit close?”
“Is that his mother?”
“Ah.”
Madam Janet heard some of it.
She smiled anyway.
Because she didn’t come for them.
She came for her son.
After the wedding, Madam Janet went back to the village. She thought everything was fine. She thought Samson would still remember her.
But Samson began to change faster.
Three weeks before the kick, the job loss happened.
Samson returned home one evening, face dark, tie loose, eyes empty. He didn’t greet properly. He didn’t even eat.
Gabriella noticed immediately.
“What is wrong with you?” she asked, already annoyed.
Samson sat heavily on the sofa. “They… they let some of us go.”
“What?” Gabriella’s voice went up. “You mean you lost your job?”