Chapter 2: Marriage Evidence

The day wey I carry Ifedike come house, I sabi say na him be male lead. Heaven pikin, fine no be here. But e don kpafuka, nothing remain for am. Now na me dey keep am for my private compound for Palm Grove Estate. On top that one, e come dey act autistic. Daytime, e no dey even cross parlour, talk less of outside. For night, e go just hug knee for floor dey cry like small pikin. E weak me.

For Lagos, people go talk say na jazz. How person fine reach, still dey like say e no dey this world? Sometimes, I go peep am through curtain, my chest go squeeze. But na me dey responsible now, so I gats dey strong. Palm Grove Estate get space, but the silence fit loud for night, especially when pikin dey cry for ground. My neighbor, Aunty Iya Bose, don notice say I dey hide something for house, but she never talk.

I say make I cheer am up, carry our marriage certificate show am. Him just dey look me, like say him no even dey this world. I scratch my nose, e choke.

Marriage certificate for Naija fit mean different thing—na evidence, na proof say something dey happen, especially when wahala burst. I shake am for Ifedike face, but e no even blink. Na like say e dey see another spirit. I scratch nose, dey wonder if na me be the problem or na the juju wey still dey hold am.

Even though na system give us this marriage certificate, from Ifedike side, e go be like say I use him drunkenness take run package, marry am by force. The guy go dey vex for me.

For him mind, e go dey reason say na setup. You know how e be—Naija men no dey like make dem dey used as scapegoat. But wahala dey as e be, e no get where to run go. Na so I dey manage am, dey pray say one day e go open up.