Chapter 7: Violence and Poison

After small romance, Emeka rush ask where money dey. Amaka vex small, just bone.

She dey act like person wey dey try control anger. 'Relax, na my house,' she yarn. But Emeka no send, him eye dey road.

Emeka beg her, swear marriage, talk say na only her he love, till Amaka point under freezer.

The man dey sweat, he dey fidget, like person wey dey chase deadline. As Amaka finally point, he rush go freezer.

"Three million, all for you."

She voice low, but you fit hear small pride. She cross arm, dey watch Emeka every move.

"Babe, I love you die."

Emeka kiss her, go search.

The kiss na quick, sharp. He no wait for romance again. Money don cover love.

"Nothing dey here, Amaka. Nothing dey under."

Him voice shake. He open freezer, bend down, check side, check again. His face dey darken.

"No possible, you dey joke?"

Amaka stand up, cross leg, dey look. 'Check well,' she reply.

"Na true, check by yourself."

Emeka step back. Amaka go kneel, pull freezer drawer, search deep. Her hand dey shake. She search everywhere, stand, just freeze.

Amaka go check, look everywhere, then just sit for ground, shock, hand for chest. "Money... where e go?"

She dey pant, her face white. For her eye, e be like world don scatter. Na only sound for room na her breath and Emeka foot tap.

"Na you suppose tell me—where e go?"

Emeka voice dey cold. He no dey smile again. The air for room thick, fear dey move around.

"I put am under just now."

Her voice dey break. She dey shake like person wey see ghost. Her leg dey shake like NEPA wire for rain.

"Nothing dey under."

Emeka dey shout now, his anger dey rise. For Lagos, money matter dey turn man to beast.

"I just put am with my hand... how e take..."

Amaka voice break, she dey close to tears.

Emeka face change. He arrange him cloth.

His face hard, eye red. E clear say him patience don finish.

"So na me you dey play?"

He step forward, body dey vibrate. Amaka dey move back.

"I... no, I swear, I withdraw 3 million, all my money, put am for bag, hide am under."

She dey beg, tears for her eye, but Emeka no send.

"Thunder fire you!" Emeka slap Amaka. She shout, fall for bed.

The slap loud, echo for room. Amaka grab cheek, shock dey her eye.

"You dey mad! You wan play me!" Emeka pull belt, fold am, flog Amaka. "I don sign contract, where money? Where money?"

He dey shout, belt dey fly. Amaka dey dodge, dey beg. The beating loud, na only God know if neighbor dey hear.

After some flogging, Amaka kneel for ground, hold Emeka leg dey beg. But Emeka don vex. He throw belt, grab Amaka neck, carry her like chicken reach north window.

Amaka dey cry, her voice dey crack. Emeka drag am, open window, point down.

That window dey face Musa's Kitchen. If Baba Musa look up, he go see him wife dey suffer for window.

Amaka dey struggle, voice low, but Emeka grip tight. The scene wicked—na only fear dey rule.

Emeka point down. "No money? I go tell everybody your story for this street."

He dey threaten am, na shame and fear dey push him now. Amaka try hold window, voice crack.

Emeka waka, Amaka crawl back bed, sit for ground, tears dey rush her face.

She sob, shake, her body dey tremble. Her cry no get sound, na only her chest dey jump. I dey watch, my own heart dey cut. For Lagos, na so life fit change in one night.

I feel bad—who no go pity this kind fine woman? Amaka light cigarette, her eye change as she puff. She call phone.

Her hand dey shake as she strike match. She draw in, exhale smoke, eye dey red. She dial phone, her voice steady now, cold like block.

"Honey, e be like say rat dey house. That rat poison wey remain, you still get am?"

She try form casual, but pain dey for her voice.

"Yes, for shop. I go bring am come."

Baba Musa voice dey soft, e no know say wahala dey ground.

"Okay, abeg bring plenty."

Amaka voice soft, she dey act calm, but her face tell different story. She close window, throw away half smoke.

I no fit live without you. Na only you I wan marry. Her voice dey sweet, but for her mind, na plan she dey plan.