*"Hearts in the Village"*(filled with humor, romance, and the beauty of village life.)
*CHAPTER 1 – Iludun Morning
The cocks of Iludun village didn't need alarms they crowed with such confidence that even the sun dared not delay its rising.
Ayo stretched on his bamboo bed, the rays of the morning sun gently caressing his face through the raffia window. His mat squeaked under him as he yawned dramatically, smacking his lips like a man who just finished eating jollof in his dreams.
"Mamaaa! My slippers don run again!" he shouted, hopping on one leg.
"Ayo, abeg stop disturbing my peace! You're 26 and your slippers still dey fear you!" his mother replied from outside, pounding yam like war was declared on the mortar.
Ayo finally found the missing slipper ,it had taken refuge under the goat. He hissed. "This goat ehn, if not that you be Sunday meat…"
As he stepped outside, the village buzzed with life. Children ran half-dressed, women carried buckets on their heads like Olympic athletes, and the village radio (aka Mama Risikat's loud mouth) was already in session.
"Ayo! Fine boy!" Mama Risikat waved. "You dey shine pass my frying pan today!"
He grinned. "Na so Mama Risi. If beauty dey run in blood, you suppose be vampire."
Laughter echoed.
But behind the house, Ifedayo was watching. She stood under the mango tree with a calabash of water in her hand, staring at Ayo's antics with a smile only she understood.
She had known him since childhood from the day he threw sand in her food in Primary 1 to the day he gave her the biggest yam from his harvest. He was her headache,and her heartache.
"Good morning, Ife," Ayo called, noticing her.
She almost dropped the calabash. "Good morning, Ayo," she said softly.
He walked over. "You don't smile much these days. Abi my fine face dey worry you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Your mouth too sharp."
He laughed, playful and carefree. But Ifedayo's heart wasn't laughing. She had heard the rumor ,the politician's daughter from Lagos was coming to stay in Iludun.
And with her, trouble might follow.