The morning after Nneka and Olu returned from the registry, the sun rose with the same quiet certainty as always, but everything felt different to her. Marriage was supposed to feel like stepping into something new and bright, yet all she felt was responsibility settling on her shoulders like a warm but heavy cloth.
They woke up in the uncompleted house—thin mattress on the concrete floor, open windows that let in too much air, and the sound of birds singing in the blocks outside. It wasn't perfect, but it was theirs, and that made it enough.
Olu sat up and stretched.
"Someday," he said, smiling, "we'll laugh about this. This rough start. This house with no plaster."
She laughed softly.
"I'm already laughing."
They spent that morning sweeping cement dust, arranging two plastic chairs, and spreading their small possessions around the room to make it feel like a home. There was no fridge, no proper bed, no wardrobe—just two people who believed they could build a life with love and stubborn determination.
Later that afternoon, Olu left for a small construction job, leaving Nneka alone in the house. She sat on the balcony ledge—no railing yet—watching the empty land around them.
She whispered to herself,
"This will work. We will make it work."
And she believed it.
⸻
A New Routine
Weeks passed, and the smell of cement became familiar—like part of their story.
Nneka found a small space in the market that she rented for a tiny amount. She started selling women's scarves, earrings, and body spray. Some days she made nothing, some days she made a little profit, but every day she came home with hope.
Olu worked hard too. He carried blocks, mixed cement, helped contractors, and sometimes came home with his shirt soaked in sweat and his hands rougher than the day before.
At night, they sat outside on a wooden bench, talking about their future.
He would point at the stars and say,
"One day we'll sit under our own chandelier instead of the sky."
She teased him.
"Chandelier? Start with the kitchen tiles first."
They laughed, and the laughter made the hardship feel lighter.
Slowly, the house began to change.
A door here.
A new window there.
Paint bought in small batches.
A second-hand sofa someone sold cheaply.
Every improvement felt like a victory.
⸻
Their First Business Win
Six months later, their shop grew bigger than they expected.
Customers loved how respectful Nneka was.
Some women came just to talk and ended up buying something.
One day, a customer came and said:
"Your goods are clean. Your shop is clean. And your attitude is clean. I will tell people about you."
She did—and business picked up.
Olu noticed.
"You're a star," he told her one evening, resting his head on her shoulder.
"No," she said, "we're a team."
And they were… for a while.
⸻
Little Cracks Begin
But life is not a straight line.
The more their business grew, the more Olu began staying out late.
At first, it was harmless—he said he was meeting suppliers, or helping friends with contracts. But sometimes he came home smelling faintly of alcohol.
Nneka asked gently,
"Are you okay? You look tired these days."
He waved her off.
"I'm fine. Don't worry too much."
She didn't want to nag, so she kept quiet.
But something in his eyes had changed—small, but noticeable.
Less softness.
Less patience.
Less "we," more "I."
Still, she held on, believing that every couple goes through phases.
⸻
When Love Is Tested
One evening, Olu returned late—very late.
Nneka had kept food warm for hours.
When he finally entered the house, he collapsed into a chair without saying anything.
"You didn't call," she said softly.
"I was busy," he snapped.
She froze.
That tone was new.
It didn't belong to the man she married.
A silence settled between them—not the comfortable silence of shared dreams, but the heavy silence of words unsaid.
She sat beside him and tried to reach for his hand, but he pulled it away gently.
"I just need space," he muttered.
Space?
From what?
From her?
From their life?
Nneka went to bed with a knot in her stomach.
She stared at the ceiling and whispered again:
"This will work… right?"
But this time, she wasn't sure.
⸻
End of Chapter 2