Chapter 6: Party for One, Tears for Two

Day after Tunde Garuba return, he send steward to ask if Ngozi wedding gown ready. Steward come back, "Madam Aisha dey busy, no dey see visitor."

I no even bother to open door. Ireti block steward for corridor, say Madam dey pray. The house quiet like shrine.

Two days later, he send again. "Madam Aisha dey busy, no dey see visitor."

This time, Ireti say, "She dey do midnight vigil." Everybody know say when matter reach prayer, nobody dey disturb.

Fifth day, still same answer. Servants dey pass message: "Madam Aisha say she dey fast."

Tunde Garuba understand—Aisha dey vex. E begin suspect. Him face long for barracks, him step heavy. Army people begin whisper, "General, better go beg Madam, o."

Steward talk say maybe Tunde Garuba suppose pet her, make she no vex again. E dey advice Oga say, "Try small gift, maybe Madam go forgive."

For practice ground back yard, Tunde Garuba dey pull bow, him mind dey far. Arrows dey miss target. Him eye dey wander, hand dey tremble. Even soldiers dey notice say oga mind no dey ground.

"Women for house—no be their usual wahala be this? Leave her."

He hiss, drop bow. For him mind, na woman matter—wahala wey go pass soon. He turn, put hand for the woman in white wey stand near am.

Ngozi stand near, eye dey shine, white lace dey make her face glow for sun. She dey happy say Oga dey near.

"Ngozi, you talk say you wan see the new lace? Come, make your husband show you."

He dey use sweet talk calm Ngozi mind. People dey look them, dey smile, dey whisper.

Tunde Garuba think say Aisha just dey form, so he leave her. For him mind, na woman pride. He dey believe say time go heal everything.

He and Ngozi dey waka everywhere—party, theatre, boat for River Benue, dey look moon, dey pin flower. All Makurdi know say General Tunde wan marry second wife. Their love dey loud for street. Boatmen dey hail them, market women dey greet them, even small pikin dey point. River breeze dey blow, flower dey float for water, dem dey laugh like people wey no get wahala.

Tunde Garuba get army friends. As drink enter body, talk start. "General, na you dey chop life! If na me, my wife for don chase me with broom. You too much—two wives same day! You fit handle the two wedding nights? Na together or one by one? Hahaha..."

Palm wine dey flow, jokes dey fly. Everybody dey hail General like king. Some dey tap him shoulder, dey boast say dem wish dem fit be am.

Everybody dey hail am, dey praise am. E dey bask for the praise, dey show teeth, dey raise cup high.

One ask small, "You no fear say Madam Aisha go vex?"

The laughter quiet small. People wan hear the answer.

"Vex?" Tunde Garuba knock table, raise head, drink him palm wine finish. He dey act like say nothing fit shake him. Palm wine stain him lips, him eye dey red.

As he don high, he remember how Aisha dey wait for am under corridor, her eye dey shine, how she dey happy dey sew handkerchief for am, her mind and eye only for am.

He laugh. "Aisha family don finish—only far people remain, dem dey far. She na only girl. Apart from me, who go want her? How she go even fit vex?"

He dey sure say she no get option. In him mind, na him be her world.

"General, you no fear Queen go blame you?"

"Queen just carry her as sister to quiet people and keep soldiers happy."

He wave hand, as if Queen matter no dey his mind. Him pride too much.

Tunde Garuba drink another cup, think—yes, Aisha na lone girl, nothing for her. She go just hold me for support. Besides, as Minister of Defence, which man no get plenty wives? She suppose learn to accept am. Na only me she get.

He reason am like Naija big man—wife no dey plenty, problem no dey. He believe say respect na automatic.

At worst, after marriage, I go visit her room more, give her pikin. Aisha soft, easy to pet. He dey laugh as he dey plan. To am, na just to throw small love, all wahala go finish.

All of them laugh. Tunde Garuba drink more, full of himself. "If she no like am, make she just manage am!"

Men dey slap table, dey hail, "General, you get mind!"

"General Tunde, you be real man!"

Dem dey toast, dey sing him praise. Even the drummers for background dey knock drum louder. Party full of noise.

Song, laughter, and palm wine dey flow till late. Nobody dey pity the woman wey dey house dey cry.

That night, Tunde Garuba drink scatter. Next morning, head dey pain am, he remember say he don leave Aisha alone for ten days. E don reach time. E wake up, hand dey shake, head dey spin. He dey mumble, "Time to settle woman matter."

After bath, he call steward. "Follow me go Aisha house."

Steward rush, dey arrange convoy. For him mind, today go be the day peace go return.