Chapter 5: Timi’s Test

That night, Timi still no come Ozioma room, na only house girl he send come.

The house girl, Ngozi, just waka slow enter room, dey carry tray of tea. Ngozi kneel small as she drop tray, voice low, eye no gree meet madam own. Her eye dey shift—e be like say she dey fear new madam. For my side, I dey pray make something happen wey go expose Ozioma.

He say one friend invite am go drink for beer parlour, he no fit say no. If he come back late, smell of alcohol go dey body, e no good to disturb her, make she rest first.

Timi voice for corridor calm, but no nonsense. E be like person wey dey form excuse, but my spirit dey suspect.

Ozioma twist her handkerchief, give some orders, let the house girl go.

She just dey act like person wey get sense, dey arrange things like madam of house. Even her tone sharp, but sweet. The house girl no get choice, she just dey answer, “Yes, madam.”

I no know why, but as Timi no come, my mind calm small.

For spirit world, sometimes your enemy own happiness fit pain you. For that moment, I fit breathe. Make Ozioma no get Timi touch, my spirit fit rest small.

Maybe to show say he care for new wife, Timi visit Ozioma yard next day.

He waka with small basket, face dey shine. My spirit dey float for roof, dey peep dem.

“The new cook sabi bake cake well. You dey always like am, so I tell am make some for you.”

Timi voice soft, but e get something wey dey hide under. E point the cake like say na ordinary thing.

He point give Ozioma. “Try am.”

The cake fine—brown, coconut flakes dey shine for top. I dey remember how I dey chop am, dey dance for kitchen.

I look, see say na coconut chin-chin—my best.

The smell alone fit make person smile. Ozioma self dey lick lip, no know say wahala dey hide for inside.

Timi, wey dey always proud, never try please anybody like this before.

I shock. Na so marriage dey change person?

I just dey sad, I no even notice anything wrong with the cake.

Spirit dey feel taste for memory. The sadness wey dey bite me no gree make I notice anything odd.

Until Ozioma just faint, and Timi, when nobody look, carry the cake quietly and call chemist…

The thing happen fast. One bite, Ozioma grab throat, eyes turn. Everybody shout, run up and down. But Timi face no change. E just carry cake, waka straight go back door, phone chemist for corner.

Na that time I realize wetin he do.

For my mind, I dey ask: Timi, you dey test her? You dey plan? Spirit or no spirit, Timi dey test am. For this life, secret no dey hide forever.

Groundnut dey inside the cake.

I remember clear—since I small, even small groundnut fit land me for hospital. Na only Timi and my mama sabi this thing well.

Inside, Timi sit by Ozioma bed, dey give her medicine gently.

Him hand dey rub her back, dey whisper, “Drink am, you go better.” My own chest dey pain me. E dey hard to know who dey act pass.

Ozioma eye full with tears, she look Timi like say her world don end. “Husband, you no like me?”

Her voice weak, tears dey run cheek. She dey try draw pity. My spirit dey watch, dey judge.

Timi eyes dark for small time, then e clear. He ask like say he surprise, “Why Chika go talk that one? Who talk rubbish for your ear?”

Timi own voice still steady, but I notice say e dey study her face, dey measure her reaction.

Ozioma shake head. “If you like me, how you no go know say since I small, I dey allergic to groundnut? Even small, my body go scratch, rashes go full me.”

She dey sob small, mouth dey quiver, eyes dey look Timi like say she wan read him heart.

She still drop more tears, look very pitiful.

Ozioma fit win Oscar for acting, no lie. My spirit dey vex.

Timi look like say e pain am, he dey comfort her. “Na my fault—I forget to tell cook. I make Chika suffer…”

He dey rub her hand, face dey show fake regret. But the way him eye dey wander, I know say something dey his mind.

For outside, Timi face just change to stone, as he dey confirm with chemist.

No smile, no regret—just cold calculation. Timi dey ask question like doctor wey wan confirm death.

“You sure say na groundnut allergy make my wife faint?”

“Na so.”

The chemist voice sure, e no dey shake. My spirit dey float near, dey eavesdrop.

“Thank you, oga…”

Timi nod, eyes sharp. No be gratitude, na calculation. My own body dey cold.

As I dey watch Timi escort chemist with sad face, my mind just dey turn.

I dey ask myself, this Timi, wetin be your own? You dey suspect something?

Timi…

For the first time, I dey wish say he fit see me, make I whisper the truth for him ear.

Why he dey test Ozioma every time?

Wetin he dey find? Na suspicion or na love?

E be like say he notice something?

I dey hope so. My spirit dey pray—make e see the real me.

I no fit waka far from Ozioma. When my spirit drag back inside that bead, Ozioma don already wake, dey sit for mirror dey comb her hair, nothing do her.

She dey hum my old song, dey comb hair wey no belong to her. Na so dem dey act when dem win.

Like say that her wahala before na just acting.

I dey fear—na so spirit power strong reach?

No be acting?

Or na real, but her body strong pass?

When I be six, I save her—she for die for harmattan, I carry her come put for my yard.

I still remember that cold morning. Her small spirit dey shake for bamboo root, almost freeze finish. I cover am with my wrapper, dey sing lullaby. Mama say I too kind.

Na from there she begin get sense.

Her eye start dey bright, she dey watch me dey do things, dey follow my hand, dey learn my way.

Na that time she begin dey learn everything about me, dey keep am for mind.

She dey watch how I dey smile, how I dey walk, even the way I dey talk when mosquito bite me for night.

Meaning, she don plan since say one day, she go take my place…

My spirit dey shake. I never believe say kindness fit turn to this kain wahala. All those years, she dey mark scorecard for me.

That night, Ozioma send person to call Timi come bedroom.

She no waste time. She arrange her bed, spray my favorite perfume. The call soft, like say na real me dey miss husband.

Timi refuse again.

He talk say, “I no fit. My wife never strong. I no wan rush anything.”

“My wife never strong finish. If we do am now, e fit affect your health. No rush—we get time.”

His voice gentle, but e get brick inside. Na wall he dey build, but he cover am with smile.

Ozioma look small disappointed, but happiness come cover am.

She dey blush, dey turn face, dey bite lip, dey form say she no mind. But for inside, my spirit see her dey boil.

“Husband too dey care—he really love me.”

She dey talk like say she win lottery. I just dey look, dey wait. Tomorrow go show who be who.

I just dey look her with cold eye, dey hope say tomorrow, as we go home, papa, mama, and brother go see this spirit, come fight for me.

I dey pray, dey hope, dey call all the ancestors for my mind—make dem open family eye.