Chapter 3: No More Mumu Mode

Dem never finish the lot drawing.

Na Halima turn.

Halima fine, yellow skin, face like egg, slim—na the pretty widow wey all the men for Palm Grove village dey eye.

She stand there, dey look the box, like say she no know which paper to pick.

[See as the supporting babe dey confuse—the paper wey the guy arrange don already enter babe hand.]

[Babe go soon change her destiny. This one go sweet.]

[I just land—so the second round story really change?]

Subtitles still dey float.

People for crowd dey sigh and dey talk.

Last last, Halima pick the best land for the whole village.

As people dey congratulate her, she just dey smile anyhow, dey look Ibrahim to help am.

Ibrahim just frown, glance at her small.

Some of the elders dey click tongue, one old mama talk, "This Halima, ehn, she dey lucky shaa." Another man tap Ibrahim small for back, "Oga, see as your hand dey strong for woman matter."

As I reach house, I carry my calendar come out.

For my last life, na that time Ibrahim take leave from work come back—

for land sharing and our marriage.

For our village, na male person dem dey use share land. Since my parents die some years back, my family no get male again.

Na why Ibrahim come help my family get land slot.

That time, I too happy, love this "Brother Ibrahim" well well.

I dey count days to marry am, dey wait make we finally become husband and wife.

Now, na the day wey he go comot I dey count.

I fold the corner of the calendar.

Twelve days remain.

Before then, I must find way scatter this engagement.

As everything dey replay for my mind, I nearly cry.

This time, I no go let marriage hold me down, I no go waste my life.

I go keep the thing wey my papa and mama leave for me.

I go go city, grab every opportunity.

I go live my own life.

Na so I kneel for ground, talk small prayer, "Mama, Papa, make una guide me. I no go disappoint una again."

After night food, Ibrahim knock my door.

Ibrahim house don empty tey tey. Since small, na our guest room he dey stay.

"About the land wey we pick today, make we swap am with Halima family."

"She be widow with pikin. That land too big for her to handle. The one behind our house small, fit her and her son well."

If no be say I don come back, and I no see all those subtitles wey expose Ibrahim plan,

I for happy, think say na better land he leave for me.

[Chai, this guy get mind o! See as he dey rush go collect the gold wey babe papa and mama hide.]

[No be just collect, na to give am to him real madam. E funny die.]

[Babe, abeg, no let love blind you!]

As I see the subtitles, I just smile small:

"No need. That land na our own since. After all these years, I don dey use am, I no fit leave am."

Ibrahim face change, frown come strong. His jaw muscle dey jump, but he no fit talk as before. The silence for the room heavy, like when rain wan fall. I just turn back, carry cup, sip water slow.

Next day, I begin pack things for house.

I arrange the things wey I no fit carry,

then waka go knock Mama Funke door wey dey next compound.

Mama Funke get one son, Funke Junior, two years younger than me.

Funke Junior enter university that year, but after accident, leg bend, school no work again.

For my last life, since Ibrahim dey travel up and down, na Mama Funke family dey help me, I sef dey help them.

One time, my adopted son get high fever, chemist lock for night, I just dey cry dey hug the boy.

Na Mama Funke console me, and Funke Junior, no talk, just drag him bad leg go buy medicine for night.

He come back for morning, leg full mud and blood.

Mama Funke family treat me well.

Them no get money, Funke Junior leg still dey pain am.

Before I waka, I wan help them as I fit.

I give Mama Funke all the things wey still useful.

Mama Funke eye red:

"Ngozi, you wan follow Ibrahim go after marriage?"

I just tell am:

"Mama, I no go dey stay for here again, but I go still dey come greet una."

Mama Funke reason am, then pull me one side:

"E good to dey close to house."

She point make I look farm for side:

"Ngozi, I no wan talk wetin go pain you, but your Ibrahim na correct guy—try dey watch am well. See, e good say you no go dey village again, if not, he for don turn that widow husband."

Na true she talk.

Ibrahim dey help Halima repair farm tool, Halima dey smile, dey use handkerchief clean him sweat.

I just hiss.

So e don dey obvious since, I just no see am before.

But e no matter again.

Mama Funke press my hand, whisper, "No let man use your head fry akara for morning market. Abeg, open your eye well."

As I dey pack, I arrange all the farm tools,

lean dem for wall for yard.

That night, Ibrahim no come chop for house.

He come back late.

"I help person today, so I chop for their side."

That one mean say na Halima house e chop.

I just quietly arrange the plates for cupboard.

Ibrahim notice say the house don dey empty—some of my clothes and things I don pack.

He look surprised small:

"Ngozi, wetin be all this?"

He think say I wan follow am, so he begin explain:

"Ngozi, I never fit carry family come yet. We don talk this thing before."

I nod:

"I know."

I know say that family slot no be for me.

"So wetin you dey do…"

I just reply am gently:

"I wan start new life. Just dey arrange things."

Ibrahim no talk again.

He scratch head, look ground. As I close cupboard, I feel one kain relief for my chest, like I drop one heavy load.