Chapter 4: Potholes and Pregnancy

After food, na so I go house alone.

The danfo wey I enter jam pothole sotay my back nearly scatter. Driver dey blast Fela for radio, conductor dey shout Ojuelegba! After that day, Sola start dey work late pass before. Sometimes, I go even smell small woman perfume for him body.

At first, e pain me. Later, I just no send again.

But our monthly activities no stop—if anything, e even strong pass before.

Few days later, me and Sola go Sola family old house. Mama Sola bring her correct chicken pepper soup, with scent leaf and enough pepper. I never even chop am finish, I begin dey vomit.

Mama Sola just happy. "Ah, you don carry belle?"

Before I talk, Sola cut in. "E no possible."

Mama Sola no gree, say make Sola carry me go health centre.

For road, Sola face strong. "I remember say we dey always careful."

I smile, cold. "You no like pikin?"

Sola just look down, fidget small. "I no like dem."

The bullet comments come dey roll:

[No be say e no like pikin, e just no want anybody for him life except the main babe.]

[Supporting character don carry belle?]

[If I remember well, next the supporting character go try use the pikin hold the male lead, but e go just tell am make she remove am.]

[The male lead go soon run follow the main babe. Where that one leave the supporting character?]

[She still go cause wahala, na so the main couple love go shine.]

[This cliché don too much. The author never chop correct food before.]

I just curse for my mind. Wetin make I go be villain?

Sola still carry me go health centre. As we dey wait for result, him phone ring.

E cut the call, look me and the printer, e face dey rush. "Ada, work wahala dey. Collect the result, go house—I go meet you later."

"You no fit wait small? The result go soon ready."

Sola just frown, check him phone. "Ada, I no fit stay."

I just look down. "Oya go."

Sola look me, as if e dey try calm me. "When I finish, I go carry you go shop, buy food."

"Okay."

E hand just hover for my head like e wan touch me, but e stop, waka commot.

The bullet comments no gree rest:

[Male lead dey go save main babe.]

[The scene I dey wait don reach.]

[I wan see the steamy part...]

Not long after e commot, result show: five weeks pregnant.

True true, I don carry belle. Everything dey happen just as the bullet comments talk.

As I sit down for health centre bench, my mind dey run up and down. Nurse dey waka pass, people dey complain about NEPA, but my own wahala pass all of dem.

My conclusion: Why I go be villain?

I be fine babe—why I go dey play supporting role for another person story?

So I call my lawyer, move all my money, draft divorce paper, just dey do everything one by one. My lawyer sef sabi—Aunty Bisi, sharp Yoruba woman, she no dey waste time.

Aunty Bisi sharp—e say everything go set for three days.

Sola come house very late that night. I don sleep. E stand for bed long, then gently cover me. After, I hear am dey bath.

Maybe na belle cause am, but sleep just carry me go, I no remember anything again.