Tonia winced as the antiseptic stung her skin. A soft hiss escaped her lips, but she bit back the pain. She was seated now, leaning against a clean white pillar inside the office section of the fuel station. The floors were tiled, the air conditioner buzzed faintly above her, and everything smelled like sanitizer and engine oil.
Mrs. Nneka, the elegant woman who had come to her rescue, stood beside her with a wet cloth, gently wiping the blood from Tonia's back. A young attendant hovered nearby with a small first aid box, nervously following the older woman's instructions.
"Steady now," Mrs. Nneka said, her voice calm but firm. "It's not deep enough to need stitches, thank God, but it'll leave a scar if we're not careful."
Tonia nodded, her teeth clenched against the burning pain. Her thoughts were a storm—Mercy's face, her mother's sudden rage, the glint of the bottle, the screams, the blood.
All because of garri.
Tonia could hardly believe it.
"Who does that?" she muttered aloud, more to herself than anyone else.
"Someone with darkness inside them," Mrs. Nneka replied without missing a beat. "But don't worry. I've already called your family. They're on their way."
Tonia's eyes filled with tears—not from the pain, but from the shock. She had come to the market to help her mother. Now here she was, bandaged and bruised, hiding in a fuel station office while strangers tried to piece together her broken peace.
Minutes later, the glass door flew open. Her older brother Stanley, tall and protective, rushed in. He was followed by their mother, whose eyes were wide with worry.
"Tonia!" her mother cried, dropping to her knees. "My child! What happened to you?"
Stanley crouched beside her, examining the wound with dark fury brewing behind his eyes. "Who did this to you? Just tell me, Tonia. Who?!"
Tonia swallowed hard, the tears now falling freely. "Mercy's mother. She stabbed me… just because her daughter lied about me spilling her garri."
Stanley stood up immediately. "That woman must be mad."
"Stanley," Mrs. Nneka said softly. "We will handle this. Properly. Not with fists or shouting — but with truth."
There was something about her voice — graceful but commanding — that made even Stanley pause.
"I've already invited them," Mrs. Nneka continued. "The girl, her mother, and even that Aunty Joy you mentioned earlier. We'll settle this today. In truth. In public."
Tonia blinked in surprise. "How did you…?"
Mrs. Nneka gave a faint smile. "I've known your family for years, Tonia. I've watched you grow up. You've never been the kind to cause trouble. That's why I stepped in. Your spirit doesn't lie."
And so, the meeting was arranged. Inside a private hall connected to the fuel station's office building, seats were lined up in a semi-circle. The cool tiled floors, high glass windows, and tasteful curtains gave the space a dignified feel—more courtroom than market stall.
By late afternoon, everyone had gathered.
Tonia sat in the center, her brother Stanley and mother beside her. Her mother's eyes were red from crying; Stanley's jaw was tight with anger.
Mercy sat across from her, arms crossed, defiant. Her mother sat beside her, still holding a handkerchief like it could wipe away the shame slowly creeping onto her face.
Then came Aunty Joy, with her long scarf and straight walk. She looked between Mercy and Tonia but said nothing—yet.
And then, out of nowhere, he walked in.
Henry.
Tonia's ex-boyfriend.
The room stirred slightly as his cologne filled the air. Dressed in a fitted shirt and jeans, he carried himself like someone important—but to Tonia, he was just a past mistake.
He greeted no one. Just took a seat behind the circle.
Tonia raised her eyes to Mrs. Nneka, who now stood at the front, wearing a gold-embroidered blouse and a firm expression. Her presence commanded attention.
"Let's begin," she said.