Ife mi,
Do you remember the day we met? I was 10 years old and I was going to buy Maggi when that troublesome group of teenage boys in our neighborhood tried to bully and rob me off of my money; you were 11 and we had never spoken to each other before. I only knew your face because you attended my school and we took the same school bus back home together. That day, you appeared out of nowhere to save me and they still beat you up and collected both our monies. I remember I cried louder than you as we walked home even though you were the one hurt and you kept telling me sorry. We became best friends that day.

Remember we attended the same secondary school because I refused to eat for 2 days till my parents agreed to enroll me in your school? I wasn’t really hungry because it was our plan and you kept giving me snacks through out my hunger strike. When you got to SS3 and became a prefect, your friends said you were a woman wrapper because you kept carrying my school bag and they dared you to flog me. I remember how after you gave me 12 lashes in front of everyone, you cried louder than me as we walked home even though I was the one hurt and I kept telling you sorry. You still carried my school bag home that day.

Remember when we found out we loved each other? We had gotten into different universities and I decided to come visit you in school. Then, I met that girl you said you started dating and almost died of jealousy. When I finally couldn’t take it anymore, I got up and kissed you in front of her and your friends, surprisingly, you kissed me back. Everyone seemed to become irrelevant and disappeared as we walked out of the bar. We didn’t say anything on the bus, we just held hands and leaned on each other. I laughed louder than you when you asked “So does this mean we are dating?” and I answered “No, we just became brother and sister.”

On our wedding day, you had ‘ Ya’aburnee’ inscribed on our rings because it was our favorite phrase. It was an Arabic phrase which meant “You bury me”, we literally lived for each other. I’ll never forget your vows, my favorite part was “I’d say I wish we never die but death is inevitable so I wish you outlive me, you bury me, because the pain will be unbearable if I live a day without you.” I told you I felt exactly the same way during the wedding reception and you said I looked like sunshine. We held hands as we watched the women from my mother’s women group drag the wedding jellof and souvenirs. You laughed louder than me as we drove to the airport because you said you wanted six children and I told you to get a second wife.

Today, we are on adjacent hospital beds. Our heart beats are in sync as shown on the machines. My mom is outside with some pastors from her church. I can faintly hear them rebuking demons from our villages while my Mom is tearfully cursing the drunk driver who slammed into our car yesterday on our way back from our honeymoon. I feel your presence and I know I am safe. As our hearts slowly stop beating and panic rises in the hospital, I feel at peace. We hold hands in silence as we float to the sky. Ya’aburnee. We bury each other. How did you think I could live a day without you?