Wild West of the Heart
SEVENTY NINE

"So what is the plan-"

Mary locked eyes with Phil. "So what's the plan for when you eventually decide to divorce Akin?" She heaved a sigh, letting a question like that sink into her soul. In the silence, she realized there wasn't really much of a plan except move in with Titi which she had already done. There was not much of a plan beyond that and Phil figured it out.

It was perhaps why he was good at his job. Mary had completely delved herself into telling him her life's story over the past hour and he just stared, intrigued.

"Do you think the reason you've not left him is because you're scared-scared that you do not have a plan yet" He looked to her and she scoffed. "He's sick. That's why" She flatly replied. "I can't leave him when he's incapable" "Yeah, Mary tell yourself that. Because early i remember you saying he had gotten alot better" Phil sat forward and Mary rolled his eyes. "Don't shrink me. You're my friend" She replied and he let a smirk crawl to his lips.

"A friend that'll tell you exactly what's going on. What i think is going on, and right now i think you're scared of the future, because for the first time, there would be no Akin, there would be no routine. It was always one thing then, but you're going to have to do things for yourself now"

"I've always been doing things for myself"

"You know what i mean" Phil said. "When did you meet?"

"More than thirty years ago-"

"Three decades" His lips fell wide open. "I would be too, Mary. It's weird, changing your life's plan. I'm sure then that you thought it was forever" Phil added and she scoffed, looking to her hands on her thighs.

"Actually i didn't. I mean we were happy and everything but deep down, i guess i always knew nothing was forever. I'd watched my parents fall in and out of love, and my grandparents as well, of course i wouldn't be different" She whispered and Phil rested back. "Things do-"

"Things do last forever but only a few things. It doesn't mean you should shut your eyes to the possibilities" She laughed at her favorite word. "I never shut my eyes to any of it. Akin and i met in high school and we clicked in that very moment. We made plans, some of which we had to forgo, my plans-" "What were your plans?" Phil asked.

"I guess i wanted to be a nurse but that was a reach. My parents met Akin and he told them he was so in love with me that he'd loved to make me his wife. I loved him too, still do. I didn't think i would be as fortunate enough to get that again if i went ahead to school" She whispered.

"So you settled?"

"So i settled" Mary whispered. "And for the first few years, it was bliss-" She continued. "When was the first time you realized it wasn't going to last?" Phil interrupted.

Mary scoffed at how right his questions always were. She cleared her throat as tears welled in her eyes. "Mary" The call of her name pierced through her thoughts as she stared in the distance. "What?" She whispered. "When was the last time y-"

"I lost a child" She replied. "He was about four months inside of me and Akin was away, he usually was back then. So he never knew. It was supposed to be right after Akin when his parents were torturing me for another child" She whispered. "I remember how excited i was to break the news and i did to my sister then. But then the next morning, i uhm-" She sniffled her nose. "I miscarried"

"I remember everything i went through. All of the blood, and the pain and the grief of something that wasn't even yours yet. Something you didn't even get to meet. And all i felt was i couldn't tell my husband because Akin was the type of person that could easily pass the blame on me. And i already did that i was ashamed for years" She said.

"You realize it's not your fault Mary"

"Well tell that to a thirty something year old me who had no one but herself. I have been through way worse than a divorce and fine, i'll fall deep, i'll crash and i'll cry. I'll want to end it all but i would come out of it. I would come out stronger, and sounder-i'm not scared of leaving Akin now because he already left long ago" She whispered and Phil heaved a deep breath. "It's blurry. The future is blurry" "But i'll figure it out like i always do"

"I'm sorry for what you went through" Phil said to her and she briskly wiped the tears that hadn't even fallen. "You're a few late for that" She joked, letting out a light scoff.

"But you're right, i am taking alot of time. I should just rip it off" She looked to him. "Whatever is perfect for you. Ripping it off fast makes it hurt less you know" She hummed, raising a finger at me. "My pastor used to say it"

"Your pastor?" Phil echoed, folding his brows in quagmire and Mary rested her back into the leathery couch she'd gotten accustomed to now. "I should go to church and beg for forgiveness. God doesn't really like divorce" She said. "But he'll understand"

"He'll understand me choosing myself for the first time" She had a smile on her lips as he picked up his clipboard. There was a short silence between them before he asked- "How's Ola?"

Mary heaved a sigh. "I think he's doing better now. I think he's finally getting his old self back" She smiled. "Well that's really good" Phil smiled back. "Yeah, it really is—"

-

"Ayo was-" Ola stepped on the podium. "He was something" He let out a light scoff. "My memory of him besides the things that occurred in the halls was when he first walked up to me to ask if i wanted to join the football team" Ola scoffed, recalling how far he had actually come.

"He was cool, with his varsity jacket i envied not going to lie. He rocked it the best" His eyes went to his mother who held her tissue to her nose, there was somewhat on a smile on her face and the rest of Hillway High as they chuckled. All except Obi.

"I feel he was a good person in his very own unique way. And we could have been friends. You know i remember the prank he pulled on me on Halloweens" He chuckled, looking over to him. "I never got to do mine back. Hurts me to this day" Fiyin looked to her as she scoffed.

"He's really good at this" Abdul whispered to her and she rolled her eyes. "He's a writer" She replied as Obi nudged him in his hands-he was next and he didn't even have that much to say. Ayo was in a purple and white varsity jacket, predictable as fuck and he had on straight face in the coffin.

For the first time, he seemed appealing Obi thought. "I hope we move on from this.

All of it, not just as a school but as a family" Obi was convinced Ola was just being a good liar-or he didn't hate Ayo as much as he made it seem, failing to realize that the person in question was dead.

You couldn't possibly hate a dead person, right? Well, Obi did with every fibre of his being as he took the microphone. He heaved a sigh into it, as he turned around.

"I don't really have much to say except wishing him all the best. Wishing that he rests in peace and all others beside him" There were murmurs from the crowd as Obi locked eyes with Collins who had a sheepish smirk on his face. Obi reached to drop the microphone but on second thought, he didn't. "Give it up, faggot" Someone yelled from the crowds and there was an uproar for one second. He shut his eyes-that being his last straw. "Obi" Ola reached for him as he turned around to face the crowds.

He'd tried so hard. All fucking day, he'd tried to forget all that had happened because somehow Ayo was dead, leaving behind all of the chaos he ensued. Leaving behind all the damage and the problems and the bullying. Obi sighed with tears in his eyes as Collins shook his head. He pointed to Marissa. "Leave him" He mouthed and Ola walked right beside his best friend.

"I don't think i can do this"

Abdul looked to his eyes as his heart thumped. "That was the very first sentence i said, coming in. And yeah it was true. I don't think i can sit here, stand here and give a surmountingly moving speech because it would all be a lie" "Everything will all be a lie. Your son-" He pointed to his mother. "Ayo was a terrible person and he ruined my life. He bullied me since preschool and actually almost killed me one time, i looked in the mirror, not even recognizing myself. He punched me and kicked me, for being gay when he himself wa-" He stopped himself, remembering he was more than settling into the monster Ayo was.

"But i guess he helped me because i won't be standing here telling you this. He helped me become strong, strong enough to resist. To be immune to everything. Every single word anyone says. And he doesn't get to go and die, while everyone pretends to show him love. You-" He pointed to the crowds. "You all hated him and if not for Collins, i wouldn't be here. Yes, i said it, i hate him for everything he put me through but i guess i'm not allowed to" He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not allowed to because he's dead and all of a sudden he's a good person now. I hope"

"But i'm not going to be a hypocrite like all of you. Ayo took something from me, this is me taking his day. And don't you dare look at me like i'm the bad person. Like i'm the terrible person" His voice echoed beneath the tents. "You all are"

"Because it's all anti-bullying until it's happening beneath your nose and then you don't care. No body cares about bullying unless you're pretty or straight or popular. Eat shit, all of you except my best friends. You wanted an eulogy Principal Collins? I'd give a better one at yours-"

He almost dropped the mic as Ola held his shoulders but then again, he picked it back up. And the whole crowds went silent including Ayo's mother. "And by the way, yes"

"Yes, i'm gay. I'm also transitioning as a non binary person. Unapologetically" Obi said.

"And i had the opportunity to fall in love once in my lifetime and that's one more than what most of you get" He let the mic slip from his hands before running down the flowery aisle. Ola and Fiyin followed him behind. And Ab just there awkwardly mouthing to Ayo's mother.

"I'm sorry" He said, though he was holding in so much laughter, especially at Collins who was fuming in anger. Marissa was right beside him, trailing the young boys and admiring how much courage they had. The yelled, facing into the skies and their screams came back to the event.

There was a smile across Fi's face. "Let's get out of here" She yelled as Nathaniel ran towards them, spreading his arms in the air. Deborah clung unto her best friend as they ran out of the gates. "I'm proud of you" Ola whispered to Obi the moment they'd halted at the bus-stops.

He smiled at him, taking his hands. "I'm proud of you too, Mide. I never got to say it that day" Ola recalled coming out as bi the night of the party, but with all that happened it was still a surprise that he remembered.

"I really hope i was awakening because you were mine" Obi teased, although it was somewhat true for both of them. "Oh please" Ola rolled his eyes and his sleeves. "Collins would be so mad, Obi-boy" Nathaniel cheered. He looked behind him. "For the first time, i really don't care"

-

They both a hammer and a packet of nails they'd gotten at nearby supermarket and now, they were running along the roads with the Anonymous article in their hands-

-nailing it to trees and walls they passed. There was the crowd that gathered, intrigued by the attention they'd called and when they begun to talk about it, it was their queue to leave because they could get in so much trouble. But they didn't care.

Mira chuckled as they ran down the roads, sharing some to the market sellers by the road-anyone that could read. They felt stupid for not having thought about this earlier.

Suddenly everyone had an opinion about it. "It's fake" One said. "So there's a disease killing this much people and the government isn't saying anything" A group of vendors were mad and Silva smiled proudly to Mira, taking a step back. This was it this was what they both wanted.

"This isn't all" He whispered, looking down at the one flyer that was left. The revised version of the title-

AIDS IS REAL: A DISEASE THAT KILLS EVERYONE.

"Can i have that?" A school kid walked up to him and Silva went to his knees, handing him the last. "Everyone should know" He turned to Mira before coughing into his hands.

She soothed his back, looking down on him above. "What is next?" She asked, unknowing to her the phase two of his plan-social media. It wasn't as common then, but the people did read the newspapers read whatever was on their phone. Of course the few that had.

Silva pushed through this doors, taking off his dusty shoes at the door and running towards the dining table. He heaved a deep breath as he reached for his laptop. "Come" He said to Mira as he opened his camera to film. He had beads of sweat drying to his forehead but he didn't care.

Mira walked behind him and his finger navigated the cursor, ready to click the red button. "People that didn't see the article, will see the video" He nodded to her. "Yes?"

Mira squeezed his shoulders, nodding with a smile.

Dare looked from his desk, alongside the millions of people that were watching the news that very morning. The video was trending nationwide and had made it to tv.

His hands increased the volume, sighting both Silva and Mira who had just been his office the previous day. "Hi, my name is DaSilva Jones, and this is Mira. We're going to tell you a story of how we lost our friend-"

"Since no one wants to❞

There was a proud smile of Dare's lips as he couldn't take his off Mira. The way she looked into the camera made it seem like she was looking at him with a smile on her face.

"I'll say his name, alongside the many that have been lost to this disease and the wrath that comes with it-I'll say his name even if no one wants to❞ Silva said.

"A recent video that went trending last night, hitting close to a hundred thousand views on youtube has recently exposed the general hospital with claims of masking a secret ward that detained about a hundred HIV patients-" The reporter said from another station and this time, it was Jeff and Tosin that watched. "That your friend?"

She looked to him, concealing the smile on her face. "Yes"

"Reginald Ojo."

"Jazzlyn Pius." Silva pushed a lump down his throat, staring at the list David had sent him. "Daniella Yvonne. Gina Tope. Harriett. Olabanjo Grace. Micky. Thomas-"

A chill went up Mira's spine as she looked to him. "We did it" Came an intruding thought that soon was real. She stared at the television as he looked to the envelope in his hands. "We did it, Silva. We made it to the news" She said.

He shrugged his shoulders, not exactly the happiest. He hefted up the envelope to her. "What could be here?" He changed the subject to the parcel Reginald had left them.

They hadn't opened it since then, but somehow, this seemed to be the rightest time. She reached for his hands.

"I don't know."

THREE WEEKS EARLIER

"I'm so sorry" Tosin muttered.

"But your friend is no more. Reginald Ojo. He passed on in the early hours of this morning. And although his body is being taken care of" She reached for the envelope in her pockets. "What do you mean by his body is being tak-" "He left you something. This" She interrupted, stretching it to her. Mira tearfully reached for it, halting her wailing.

"What is this?"

"From Reginald. He said read it at only the right time. I asked when was the right time" She scoffed. "And he said you would know" She replied before walking off. Silva turned to Mira, quietly staring into each other's eyes. Unknowing to them, that all it would take was three weeks-Three weeks, and everything would change.

To be continued...