Chapter 10: Suya Night and Forbidden Offers

Suya.

I never chop am since.

I remember the last time—before marriage, before trouble. That taste still dey my memory. As e mention suya, my stomach rumble, my heart soften small.

My stomach dance. You know say for PH, suya wey dey hot with onions and pepper fit heal broken heart.

That night, the way I chop in front of Timi ehn, na only hungry person dey chop like that.

I no send anybody. Suya dey front, pepper dey burst, I dey forget all my wahala.

He try talk to me many times, but I just dey focus on the food.

I dey give am one hand sign, make e wait.

“This one too sweet.”

Suya na better thing when e dey hot, e dey make you forget home training.

“Abeg make I finish first.”

“Fit I get another plate of beef?”

I no even shame. I dey chop, dey talk as e dey sweet me.

...

Timi just dey busy, dey buy suya for me all night.

He no complain. If na another man, e for ask, ‘You dey chop like this for house?’ But Timi just dey laugh, dey watch me.

After I full, I finally look up.

I wipe my hand, clean mouth. Suya oil full my face.

“Mr. Timi, thanks for the food.”

He smile. “Chief Ifedike know say him wife no dey chop well for house?”

He dey use style ask. E wan know my matter.

As he talk am, my hand just pause for mouth.

“Actually, the reason why I no dey chop well for house, na partly because of you, Mr. Timi.”

I look am steady, no blink. Make e know say I get sharp mouth too.

Even the house help for house know say Ifedike only dey give me ₦20,000 every month. Nobody send me.

Na so. Everybody for house know. Sometimes, e dey shame me, but na life.

My food, clothes, everything—na the cheapest.

If you see my wardrobe, na only two wrapper I dey change. Na only handbag dey shine.

Anyway, Ifedike no dey notice, even if he notice, e no concern am.

Husband wey dey for house but spirit dey outside.

I stand up to go. Na only food I come chop—and to drop small shade.

I clean my mouth, arrange my bag, ready to waka.

But Timi follow me.

He no let me reach gate before he call me.

He call me, “Ifunanya, Ifedike no trust you at all, abi? You never think say maybe you fit be with another person? Like me.”

The way he talk am, my body freeze. For mind, I dey ask, ‘This man dey craze?’

For where he no fit see, I roll my eyes.

“You dey craze.”

I no hide my mouth. After all, I no dey owe am respect like that.

He talk make his friend avoid me, now he dey chase me himself.

See hypocrisy. But life na turn by turn.

But Timi next words make me stop.

“I fit give you ₦100,000 every month.”

Money dey talk. But woman sef get pride.