The morning sun rose bright and merciless, casting its glare across Chiburuoma's compound. Before long, the entire place buzzed with movement and noise. A hired truck stood at the gate, its engine idling as men clambered up and down, loading cartons, rolled-up rugs, and clinking sets of kitchenware wrapped in newspapers.
"Carry am gently, oh!" Chiburuoma's mother, Mrs. Nonso, shouted from the veranda. Her hands were on her waist, her wrapper tied tight as she supervised the procession. "That one is her wedding gift from my sister in the village. If una break am, na from your money I go buy another one!"
"Yes, ma!" one of the loaders muttered, adjusting his grip on a heavy carton before disappearing into the truck.
Damini Treasure, dressed in a crisp polo shirt and jeans despite the sweat on his brow, stood near the gate with his phone glued to his ear. He was giving instructions to another supplier about furniture that was supposed to arrive at the new house. Every few minutes, he turned and called out an order. "That one, keep it upright! The fridge must go in last!"
Chiburuoma herself looked both excited and restless. Her hair was tied back with a scarf, her face glowing with a mix of pride and anxiety. She moved between the kitchen and sitting room, making sure nothing was forgotten, her eyes darting everywhere like a general on a battlefield.
Glory sat on a stool in the corner, folding a last batch of clothes into a carton. She paused every now and then, her eyes drifting over the half-empty sitting room she'd visited countless times before. The bare walls looked strange without the familiar framed pictures. The shelves, once cluttered with random items, stood hollow. The echo of laughter seemed trapped in the corners. It felt like everything that was initially in the house belonged to Chiburuoma.
It hit her then — this was real. Her best friend was moving away, that's why the house looked empty, even with the presence of other household items. The thought settled heavy in her chest.
"Glory!" Chiburuoma's voice jolted her. "Check under that sofa, please. I don't want anything left behind."
Glory forced a smile. "On it." She bent down, pulling out a lone sandal and a forgotten hairbrush. "See? You for don leave your property behind."
Chiburuoma chuckled, though her eyes glistened. "That's why I need you here. I swear, this moving thing is more stressful than the wedding."
Before Glory could respond, a loud whistle pierced the air. They turned to see Emperor, Tamuno, and Abraham walking in through the gate, with Chika trailing behind them.
"Moving squad don land!" Emperor announced, his cap tilted to the side. "Make una clear road, abeg."
Mrs. Nonso eyed him with mock irritation. "If you came here to play, just sit one side. We don't need comedians this morning."
"Ah Ah,Mummy the Mummy, I dey serious today," Emperor grinned, though he was already adjusting his shirt like he planned to avoid hard labor. "Leave the heavy lifting for Tamuno and Abraham. Me, I go coordinate."
Tamuno laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Lazy man. If na FIFA match now, you go dey shout up and down."
Abraham said little as usual, greeting Chiburuoma with a polite nod before stepping forward to grab one of the heavier cartons. His calm presence steadied the atmosphere somehow, even amid all the noise. Glory's eyes followed him unconsciously, lingering on the easy way he carried the load.
Chika, on the other hand, had his attention elsewhere. He slipped his phone out, dialed quickly, and moments later, Nmeseoma appeared at the gate. Small in stature but bright with energy, she waved shyly before stepping into the compound.
"You came!" Chika said, smiling wider than he intended.
"Of course," she replied, brushing her braids back. "You said you needed help."
Emperor raised his brow dramatically. "Ehn-ehn! So this is how we're inviting extra hands now? Chika, na you dey organize assistant workers?"
Chika glared but didn't answer, focusing instead on showing Nmeseoma where she could help. The spark between them was subtle but visible, the way her laughter lingered a second longer, the way he leaned closer than necessary when pointing out the cartons.
---
By mid-morning, the compound was a storm of activity. Grace and Jennifer had also joined, darting in and out with smaller items, chatting loudly. At one point, Jennifer burst into laughter at something Tamuno said while lifting a chair, and Grace scolded Emperor for pretending to be busy with "coordination" when he hadn't touched a single carton.
Glory, meanwhile, found herself folding kitchen utensils with Abraham nearby sealing cartons with masking tape. Their hands brushed once, lightly, as they both reached for the same roll of tape. Glory quickly pulled back, her cheeks warm, but Abraham simply handed it to her with a calm, unreadable expression.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"No problem," he said softly.
The silence between them was brief but loaded, and Glory found herself avoiding his eyes afterward.
---
Around noon, as sweat dripped and cartons piled, a familiar voice called from the gate.
"Need extra hands here?"
Everyone turned. It was Desmond.
Glory froze, her chest tightening. She hadn't expected him. He looked smart as always, in a crisp shirt, carrying nothing but his confidence.
"Desmond!" Damini's voice rang out warmly. "Perfect timing, my guy. Come in, come in."
Abraham's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly as Desmond strolled into the compound, greeting everyone with that easy smile. He moved toward Glory almost immediately, asking if she needed help with the smaller boxes. She nodded politely, though she didn't miss the way Abraham's eyes flicked toward them before he returned to taping another carton.
Emperor, ever the instigator, noticed the tension and whispered to Tamuno, "See as rivalry dey heat up again. Na so we go watch love triangle for real life."
Tamuno only shook his head. "Na wah for you."
---
By late afternoon, the last of the cartons had been loaded into the truck. The compound looked bare, stripped of its former life. Chiburuoma stood in the doorway, her eyes glistening as she looked around one last time.
"This was my home," she whispered. "All my memories are here."
Glory slipped an arm around her shoulder. "You're starting something new. Don't look back too much."
Damini stepped forward then, his arm slipping protectively around his wife. "Let's go," he said firmly, his eyes shining with pride.
As the truck rumbled to life and rolled out of the compound, neighbors waved, children ran behind shouting, and Mrs. Nonso dabbed her eyes with her wrapper.
Glory stood still, watching until the truck disappeared from view. Her heart ached, but when she turned, her eyes met Abraham's across the empty compound. For a fleeting moment, it felt as if the world had quieted, leaving only the two of them in its stillness.
Then Emperor clapped his hands loudly. "Abeg, who get food? This kain work don chop my energy finish."
Laughter broke the silence, the tension dissolving as everyone began to drift toward the gate. But deep inside, Glory carried the weight of change—and the unspoken pull toward Abraham that seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.