Chapter 1: The Stew, the Side Chick, and the Letter

Odogwu Nnamdi’s side chick don run again.

Even the cock for neighbourhood never crow finish before gossip begin waka from compound to compound. Everybody for street dey talk, “Wetin this Nnamdi sef dey find? Na so side chick dey give you wahala reach?” Some women for the backyard dey shake head, whisper as they sweep: "Ehn, na side chick dey make grown man lose im sleep? Odiegwu!" For inside him parlour, Odogwu body dey hot, like say pepper soup wey no cool. As e dey vex, the room sef heavy, tension full everywhere.

The man no fit rest, body dey hot like say pepper enter am, so e call im boys overnight.

Before midnight reach, na so hin friends - Chuka, Saka, and the rest - show for compound, talking in low voices. Some dey advice am, some dey try make am laugh, but e no get joy for anybody. Na only that Halima dey him mind. Even for inside house, you go hear hin footsteps like thunder, hin voice dey shake like person wey dey carry wahala for head. Neighbours dey peep from window, dey wonder wetin fit make Odogwu Nnamdi scatter so.

E even travel go Osogbo by himself to bring her back.

He no even carry driver; na so he gas up that old red Camry, zoom out before dawn. For motor park, boys dey hail am but Odogwu no send anybody. Him face hard like stone, eyes red. Dem talk say as he reach Osogbo, he storm one house for GRA, find Halima, talk for hours, beg her with sweet mouth and even buy suya and maltina just to calm am. Na person wey stubborn pass goat, but him get patient like woman wey dey fry akara for market.

This time, he swear say he go give her correct position.

For junction, he call im close friend, talk say "No be today this girl go run leave me! I go show am say I be real Odogwu!" E repeat am reach five times, like say e dey chant for shrine. Everybody wey dey hear just dey shake head—Na wah o, Odogwu no dey give up on any woman wey e want.

Before he commot, na so he just tell me.

He no even look my face well. I dey kitchen dey chop pepper for stew, he just waka inside, drop car key, breath heavy. Na me, Amaka, him wife, dey talk. I wipe my hand for wrapper, dey look am. E no gree make eye contact; na so I know say e get serious wahala for mind. Na my husband, but na only when e get problem e go remember say I dey house.

"Husband, abeg... you fit come house early today?" I ask am softly.

I drop the knife wey I dey use, voice low, face gentle. I try talk calm make e no think say I dey complain. For my mind, I dey hope say today go different, maybe e go remember say na my birthday.

Na so he just collect the paper from my hand, vex dey show for im voice:

The way he snatch the paper, e be like say I touch him raw nerve. Even the air for parlour freeze. I try explain but he just bone face, voice loud. E even hiss join. I remember say for early marriage days, he no dey talk to me like that. Wetin change?

"Go house, go house—na so you miss me reach?"

The question weak me. I just look ground, heart dey shake. No be today, but the thing pain me. E no even wait make I answer, e don dey go.

He sign im name, fling the paper for table, waka commot sharp sharp.

The pen nearly break for im hand, paper land for table like thunder, stew aroma still dey hang for air. I dey there dey look, Chinyere, my small house girl, peep from corridor, her eyes round like new fifty-naira coin. Na so he waka commot, no look back, no even close door well.

The rush sef, e no even look—

He rush forget say today na my own special day. For im mind, all na Halima, all na wahala. The house quiet as if spirit waka enter. Chinyere just stand for corner dey fear to talk.

na the divorce letter—between me and am, na im e just sign.

The paper wey hin sign so carelessly—na the same divorce letter wey we dey hide for months. My heart beat heavy, as if drum dey knock for my chest. For that moment, I know say story don change.