Yetunde This is what you are rushing for? Well, if it is so important to you to get back, then we should get this over with. We should bless this wedding, Baba. Vote with me.

Pause.

Babatunde No. I’m sorry, I can’t do that.

Yetunde Then I guess we’re staying here.

Adebisi This is absurd! I’m going to the edge. To call on the gods.

Yetunde Leave them be!

Adebisi They will not be best pleased with your nonsense.

Yetunde Just because you can’t get your way!

Babatunde I’m going to go too.

Yetunde Baba! You can’t. You two are breaking up our council.

Babatunde This fourth Ancestor, they might be lost. I’m going to call to them across the spine. The sooner they get here, the sooner we can go home to Orun.

Yetunde Which is all you two care about.

Adebisi And all you care about is being close enough to Aiye to smell at life without actually having to live it!

Yetunde What?

Adebisi That’s why you’re always serving on these councils without ever applying for reincarnation! (beat) Well some of us don’t like to be close to Aiye. Some of us need to rest. Come on, Baba!

A thunderous sound.

Yetunde You see? You see what you’ve done? You’ve angered the gods.

Babatunde I’ve never heard that before.

Yetunde This is what happens when you disrespect your elders.

Babatunde Look at what you’ve done!

Adebisi What does it mean?

Babatunde What if they take away our right to reincarnation?

Adebisi They wouldn’t do that.

Babatunde You disrespected the North!

Adebisi You said it was nominal!

Yetunde Hmmm!

Babatunde You just cost me my life, Ade. My tomorrow life! All because of your loose tongue.

Adebisi You don’t know that.

Babatunde Ah-ah! Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut, for once?

The thunderous sound develops. Teju enters. He is covered in dust and looks as though he’s just woken up.

The Ancestors look at one another, stunned.

Scene Six

London, Tara and Leah’s home.

Leah I want to tell you about it but also I don’t. You know?

Beat.

I wish we could have just gone together. Like, I want to know what yours is like but also . . . I don’t. I want to be surprised! But what if they clash or if they’re too similar?

Beat.

What if they’re exactly the same.

Tara They won’t be.

Leah You should have seen my mum’s face. Honestly, when I put it on . . . I didn’t even have to look in the mirror. I knew it was the one cos she just started crying straight away. Tanya said she was being moist! But Mum just kept saying she was so happy. ‘I’m just so happy!’ Bless her.

Beat.

When are you getting yours?