Chapter 3: Humiliation and Family Law

Everywhere just quiet, people dey look me, some dey peep, some dey look direct.

All the rich madam for hall dey pause their fan, dey watch. Even the small children sense say something dey happen. For my mind, I dey remember Grandpapa words: 'If dem push you, stand. If dem slap, smile.'

For all the eyes wey dey wait for drama,

I nod, no vex at all.

My chest dey tight, but I swallow spit, just give small smile. Some people dey expect me go vex, but I just waka go as if na normal thing.

"No wahala."

My voice soft, almost like whisper. Na only those wey near fit hear. Some women just hiss, some shake head. I no send.

Tunde Adegbite stand one side, face strong, just dey look me like say I no matter.

He bone me, like say breeze just blow pass.

E just cross leg, dey check phone. Sometimes he go look Halima, give her small smile. Me? E act as if I be invisible.

Because—

He know her before he know me, and their own wahala long pass my own.

E get one kain bond wey I no fit break. As I dey waka go park, I dey remember old gist. People for company dey talk say na for London dem first start, na family push Halima go abroad when Tunde suppose marry me. E get as e be.

Halima na thirty-two this year, two years senior Tunde Adegbite.

For her age, she sharp, dey quick sense, no dey dull moment. For family matter, na her mouth dey settle quarrel, na her mind dey run business.

Dem be classmates for University of London.

Their old pictures still dey for Tunde phone, even after I beg am tire. Some days, e go dey look am, dey smile like mumu. I pretend say I no dey see.

For company, she get sense, sabi work, mature, even senior some manager for power.

Dem dey call her 'Iron Lady' for office. She dey run meeting, even board members dey respect her.

For side chick matter, she dey hide herself, dey humble, dey respect, fit hold Tunde for bed.

If na another woman, by now, fight for don start. But Halima dey play her card well—she go greet, smile, but na she dey run things for back.

Person like her—

Compared to me, wey no pass secondary school, no get sense, just dey like flower for display—

Sometimes, I go dey look mirror, ask myself, 'How I take land for here?'

She too pass me.

Even my mother-in-law dey respect her small. Halima fit use English, Yoruba, Hausa, switch anyhow. For inside crowd, na she dey shine.

As I come back from parking the car, hand over keys to Halima, she dey shine teeth, dey gist with my mother-in-law.

My hand dey sweat as I pass keys. Their laughter loud, like two old friends.

My mother-in-law, Mama Kemi, before na music teacher, always dey form posh, dey run family anyhow. Anything wey no get class, she no fit near am, even to talk sef she no dey like.

Her perfume dey strong—always one kind foreign scent. She dey wear beads and expensive scarf, even for inside house. Na her way.

Even when I dey run errands, she go still call me local, never treat me soft like this.

She dey always remind me say, 'Morayo, we no be mate. Try get sense.' Sometimes, she go correct my accent for public. Na so-so insult dey fly for her mouth.

"Thank you, Aunty Morayo."

Halima talk am like say she dey talk to house girl, no even look my face.

Na 'thank you' wey dey scratch belle. She dey talk am for front of people make everybody see say na she dey control me.

Tunde Adegbite sit beside her, leg cross, face squeeze small.

His shoe dey shine, but e no fit hide the bitterness for him eye. Sometimes I wonder if na me offend am or the world.

"Why you dey slow? All the women dey wait, you just leave dem—na so you dey treat guests?"

He talk am for everybody to hear, voice loud. Some people pretend say dem no hear, some dey form busy, but dem ear sharp.

Since he collect power from Baba Adegbite, na so so boss he dey do.

Na him way, he no dey gree joke with anybody again. He go talk as if company and family na him get am.

I press my lips, talk soft, "I meet guest for outside, we talk small. I reason say since you don show—"

I dey try explain, but my heart dey beat fast. Wetin person no go see for another person house?

My mother-in-law just cut in, hiss:

She roll eye, hiss long, shake head as if I be market woman.

"Tunde dey tire from work, you still dey make am handle small small thing? You too lazy. People wey come from poor background no dey fit for big place."

She talk am, adjust her wrapper, sip her wine like queen. Some people dey look, dey shake head. My own body just dey cold.

She wave hand as she dey talk. That time, her red wine pour for her white shoe.

E stain the shoe, but na me go suffer am. She just act as if na nothing.

House help rush come with towel.

The small girl dey shake, dey fear say madam go slap am. I collect towel from her before wahala start.

She just look the shoe vex, shout for me:

Her voice loud, people dey turn. I bend, my knee touch rug. The smell of her perfume choke me, but I just dey kneel, dey wipe shoe like say na my destiny.

"You do am."

She dey order me like I be small pikin. E pain me, but I lock mouth, begin wipe shoe like say na my own.

I bend down, squat, begin wipe her shoe.

People dey look, dey whisper. Some dey pity, some dey laugh.

Tunde bone me, like say breeze just blow pass.

He just dey check phone, dey form busy. Even Halima just dey shine teeth, dey gist with the next person, but her eye dey my body.

Halima just dey look with small smile.

She cross leg, adjust her wristwatch, dey form say she no notice. But I know say she dey enjoy the show.

People for there dey throw eye my side.

I dey feel eyes like knife for my back. Even the MC for party dey peep, dey shake head small.

"This Aunty Morayo too weak. Outside, side chick dey ride am; inside, family dey press am. To marry enter rich family no be beans."

Somebody talk am near buffet. I pretend say I no hear, but I feel am for chest.

"True, dem say Adegbite family first wife na clay idol—anybody fit shape am. E clear for eye."

The name dey ring for my ear, but I no go show any emotion.

"Shh, make Adegbite family no hear. Last time person gossip, Baba Adegbite pursue dem comot for city."

Everybody just dey form, but fear dey body. The Adegbite family get power pass small government for Makurdi.