Chapter 5: The Wedding Corridor

Dem no release me until wedding day.

For room, I dey count days like prisoner. Na only sun for window dey tell me say day break. My cloth dey ready, my heart dey heavy.

To call am wedding no too correct, na just junior wife. I wear peach-pink, dem carry me for small keke, join am for my senior sister one hundred and eight dowry keke convoy.

My cloth fine, but my spirit weak. As the keke dey shake, my mind dey run. For every stop, I dey pray make my leg no fail me.

As my senior sister and Second Son enter bridal room, I wait outside door.

I dey hold my wrapper, dey try hide my face. For that corridor, na only God know wetin dey my mind. The wall dey sweat, generator hum dey far, my palm dey wet with fear. If person see me, e go think say I dey lost.

His eye flash surprise, then he look my senior sister, talk gentle.

His voice dey low, but I hear am clear. Him no expect to see two of us. The way he look my sister, I know say na plan dey.

"Our wedding night, make stranger no dey here."

He dey try show small respect, but I know say my presence no sweet am. I look ground, dey count the tiles.

After that, he turn face me, talk cold. "Abeg, shift! No spoil my night."

Na one word, but e sharp. I no talk, just waka commot like breeze wey no get where e dey go.

I waka commot quietly. Before I go, I see my senior sister dey blush under her veil, happy.

Her smile wide, she dey shine teeth. For her mind, na she win. I just bow my head, dey pray say make happiness no turn wahala tomorrow.

For this marriage, e clear say Madam and Second Son don agree on something.

Their own plan dey smooth like oil. Me, I be like spare tyre. I dey try survive, dey hide my own shame.

Second Son wan be chief, Madam wan get person wey go help her pikin.

For this house, everybody dey chase title. Sometimes, I dey wonder if love get place here at all.

Na my senior sister be the link for this their plan.

She be the bridge between two family. My own na just follow join, as dem see say I soft.

Second Son dey show say him get sense for Madam.

If you see as him dey waka, dey talk, you go know say na politics dey him blood. Madam dey always smile for am, dey use am shine for estate.

Early morning, I go greet my senior sister.

Sun never full come out, but her room dey smell of perfume and new wrapper. I bend, greet her, dey wait for her own command. I touch ground with one hand, as dem teach us for house.

She dey shine, like person wey soak for honey.

Her face fresh, her eyes dey dance. Happiness dey her skin, na so she dey do like big madam.

As she see me, she talk like say she dey do me favour. "Later we go government house go greet. You go follow."

Her voice dey soft, but her chest dey rise. She dey use style remind me say na she be senior wife.

"Even though you be junior wife, you still Song family daughter. We no go let people talk say I dey maltreat my sisters."

Her word get sharp edge, but e sweet for ear. For outside, she dey protect image, but I know say na only her status matter.

I nod. No wahala.

I dey obey, dey smile, even as my heart dey fight inside.

When she waka go, Second Son sneak come meet me, hold my hand, eye dey shine. "Tonight I go come your room. Make sure say you dey wait."

His hand cold, but him grip strong. Him eye dey look me with hunger. I no talk, just smile, carry my matter for inside.

I just smile, no talk.

No be today man dey lie. My own na to take am as e be. If e come, e come. If e no come, I go sleep.

As we reach government house, Madam no dey. Second Son carry us straight go Big Hall.

That Big Hall na place wey only big event dey happen. As we waka enter, my hand dey sweat, but I keep my face straight.

Mallam Lawal dey write.

Him hand dey dance for paper. The air cold, but his presence strong. If you see am, you go sabi say na true leader.

Even though e don reach him forties, he still dey fresh. As he dey hold pen, you go know say na big family him come from.

Him shirt iron well, wristwatch dey shine. You go know say e no dey carry last for any matter.

For the serious Big Hall, he just dey there, strong and cold.

Silence full everywhere. Only pen sound dey talk. Me, I just dey look ground, dey pray say make this moment pass quick.

"Your son bring wife and junior wife come greet Father."

Second Son voice loud, e kneel down sharp. Na tradition, no matter your age, you go show respect.

Second Son kneel down.

I follow kneel, even if my knee dey pain. For this house, respect na like air—if you no get am, wahala go meet you quick.

Mallam Lawal just answer "Mm", no even look up.

That small answer na big sign. If Oga no look you, just know say your level never reach.

As my senior sister dey fear, Second Son nudge her.

He dey push her with elbow, small smile for him face. My senior sister dey shake, but she manage stand.

My senior sister talk small. "Your daughter Song Morayo greet Father."

Her voice dey small, like breeze. But she try speak with respect, her eye dey dodge Oga face.

Mallam Lawal pause, look her well.

He slow down, look her from head to toe. His face no change, but I see small light for him eye.

He drop pen, come near, dey look her with interest. "You be Song family main daughter. No be say una get plenty sisters wey no get papa name?"

His question dey sharp. For him mind, e dey count our head, dey reason our wahala. My own chest dey rise.

My senior sister slow down. "Yes, Father, I get three sisters wey no get papa name. Third sister follow me as junior wife enter Second Son house, she dey here too."

She talk am with style, as if she dey do charity. My body cold, but I gree follow protocol.

As she talk, she turn, call me, "Quick, greet."

Her eye dey command, voice dey rush. I no get choice, I bend low.

Mallam Lawal shock small, him voice change. "Third sister? No be fourth miss before?"

His voice sharp, eyebrow high. For that moment, I see surprise for him face. Even Second Son dey shift leg.

As he talk, him eye land for my body.

He dey look me with that old fire. My skin dey crawl, but I hold myself.

As my senior sister dey push me, I look am well.

I see pain, I see anger, but I no blink. Today, everybody must carry him own cross.

I see as him body freeze, eye dey shake. I kneel, talk clear: "This junior wife, Song Amina, greet Your Excellency."

My voice steady, my eye dey ground. For my mind, na final battle I dey fight.

I hear him voice for my head, full of shock: "You mean say, you marry my son?"

As he talk am, room cold. Everybody dey look face. Na so my story change for Palm Grove Estate, but for my mind, I dey shout, "God, no shame me." I no know if tomorrow go bring light or more shadow—but tonight, my name go enter their story.