Chapter 4: The Real Test

The divorce talk happen for parlour.

Lawyer dey ground, pen dey table, Morayo sit down with her own lawyer. Na real Naija divorce drama.

I don hear say woman fit change face pass book. Na now I know say true true, women fit turn another person once matter reach money. Her voice sharp, her eyes dey fire.

Before, I no believe, but now I see am.

My Morayo wey dey call me 'dear' before, now dey call me 'Mr. Adeyemi'. I dey look her like film.

As we dey talk how to share property, Morayo just ignore all our years, dey insist on law.

She dey mention Marriage Act, Land Use Act, even dey call lawyer 'barrister' with pride. She no even smile my way.

She even dey try collect more, dey argue say na me cheat.

She talk say since I get outside woman, everything suppose favour her. Her lawyer dey support her with plenty grammar.

How I go gree?

I dey tell myself say, after all, na me build everything. Na my sweat. She just dey enjoy soft life.

Since I make money, I no allow her work again.

She beg me that time, but I say, 'For this house, my wife no fit dey run up and down. I go take care of you.' Now she dey use am against me.

Na me get all the property for house.

Land, car, even the small shop for front. Everything na my name dey.

If I give her most, e no fair.

I dey calculate, dey think how to balance am. I no wan lose face for town.

As we dey argue, idea come my mind.

Na sharp guy I be. My brain dey work.

"Morayo, see as e be: all the cash and fixed property for house, take am—I no want. But all company shares, leave for me. How you see am?"

I talk am with style, like say I dey lose. My lawyer dey nod, dey code.

Since she dey unreasonable, I no need dey pity.

If she wan play hard, I go play harder. Na street sense I dey use.

Company dey about to enter stock market. Once dem list am, my own share go reach six hundred million. She no sabi.

She just dey argue for house, dey eye properties. She no know say real money dey for shares.

So e go look like I dey lose for face. Everybody for court dey look me, dey pity me. But na my own win dey my back pocket.

But in truth, na big win.

I dey smile inside. If only she sabi.

I get over 60% of the shares.

Na so company dey run for my name. My lawyer dey wink me, dey signal say everything dey okay.

Once dem list am, even if stock price fall, e go still reach at least one billion. My own go be six hundred million.

Compared to the thirty, forty million wey we get now, e no be the same level at all.

Na pocket money be that.

Lawyer dey write, Morayo dey sign, everybody dey form busy.

Woman get long hair, but short sense. Na old people dey talk am. For my mind, I dey reason say Morayo go jump for the offer. She go believe say she don hammer.

I dey wait make she smile, happy, carry paper go her people.

But before she fit answer, Tanira don rush me, pinch my leg, drag me enter master bedroom.

She drag me inside like say na small pikin. Her face dey vex, her mouth dey form pout.

Inside, she no happy.

Her eye red, she dey frown.

"How you go give her all the property?"

She whisper-shout. Her voice dey tremble.

"Na your sweat you dey just dash her like that?"

She hold my shirt, dey shake.

"I... I dey pity you..."

She dey talk as if na she dey lose. E confuse me.

At first, I confuse. Why this simple, kind girl dey reason money now?

Tanira wey no send money before, now dey reason property. Na wa o.

Na when she finish talk I understand—na pity she dey pity me.

Her face soft, she just dey look me with love. I dey feel say, if not for me, she go just leave matter.

I laugh, pat her head, explain my plan.

I bend low, talk am for her ear. I tell her how shares go make us billionaires, how house and car na small thing. She dey smile small, but she still dey worry.

Her mind calm, but she still dey worry: "But if you no get money, how we go survive? Company no go public tomorrow..."

Her innocence make me laugh. I bring out bank card, show her: "Morayo no know this card. Five million dey inside, e go reach till company go public."

She open mouth, eye me. She still dey worry, but her mind dey rest small. Na her simple heart I like.

When I come back parlour, Morayo dey write the agreement.

She serious, no dey smile. Lawyer dey guide her hand, dey point where to sign.

I check am—na exactly wetin I talk.

No extra wahala. She no add or remove anything.

As I expect.

Na as I plan am.

She think say she don hammer.

Her face dey shine, she dey look me like say I be mumu. I no talk, I just dey smile inside.

I dey imagine my new life, new wife, new pikin.

Before I sign, Tanira quietly pull my sleeve, her face dey worry.

She dey whisper, 'You sure?' I nod, show her the card again. She sigh, accept.

I know say she dey pity me, want make I keep more property.

She want my good, but I dey play bigger game.

But I no fit dull for small thing.

No time to waste. I fit lose everything if Morayo change mind.

E hard to make Morayo gree—if she change mind nko?

I dey fear. I just wan end am sharp.

So I just sign sharp sharp.

My pen no even tremble. I dey confident.

As I carry my own copy, my mind dey fly.

I dey imagine life for Banana Island, new cars, better parties. This na new beginning.

From today, I no go see that old woman again—I get new family.

I dey free. My future bright. I dey feel young again.

My new wife young pass me by fourteen years. Who no go envy?

My friends go hail me. For club, I go be chairmo. Even old men go dey greet me.

More important—

Na pikin I dey find. Now, I go get am. My own blood.

She go give me fine, strong son.

For my papa house, my name go dey for every mouth.

But as I dey happy, Morayo cold voice come from back: "You two, commot."

Her voice dey loud, no pity inside. She stand with hand for hip, eye dey red.

I shock.

Tanira sef confuse, look me.

She hold my hand, dey squeeze. Her own body dey tremble.

Morayo look Tanira with wicked eye.

Her eye dey sharp, she dey size Tanira from head to toe.

"Wetin, you no wan go?"

She raise voice. Neighbour fit hear her.

"You never stay for this kind house before, you wan dey enjoy?"

She hiss, tap her foot. She dey show say she get power now.

"No dream. Divorce agreement talk say this house na only my own."

She shake paper for air, like say na land certificate.

"If you no gree go, I go call police pursue you."

She reach for phone, show say she ready for wahala. Her eye dey fierce.

Tanira shame catch her, her face red.

She cover face, hold bag, dey look ground. I dey see tears for her eye.

Me sef shame small.

I dey reason say, after all the boasting, na so I go comot like thief?

Because before I carry her come, I promise her say she go enjoy villa life.

I tell her say, 'You go see soft life.' But now, na so Morayo dey chase us like goat.

But I no expect say everything go quick like this.

For my mind, I think say process go slow. But Morayo sharp, no dey waste time.

Morayo words harsh, but she dey right.

Lawyer dey ground, agreement dey paper. Na her right, nothing I fit do.

If Tanira no wan go, Morayo fit call police.

Police dey like Okada men for my area. Once you call, dem go show in two seconds. I no wan disgrace.

"Hmph, who send your villa?"

Tanira hiss, wipe tears. She gather small courage, talk back.

"Life long. Make you watch—my husband go buy one wey big pass your own ten times."

She dey boast, try cover shame. I dey proud small, but I still dey sorry for her.

With that, Tanira drag her bag, waka commot.

She no look back. Her step fast, like person wey dey run from snake.

I eye Morayo bad, then follow go.

I give her last look—cold, empty. She just face window, no even blink.

Ten years marriage—

All the memories, all the laughter, now na dustbin.

End as I waka commot.

As I close gate, my mind dey shout. E pain me, but e sweet me join. Like say heavy load finally comot for back.

But inside, I feel like heavy load leave my body.

I breathe deep, look sky. For the first time in years, I feel small freedom.