Chapter 6: New Foundations

One month pass.

Na longest month of my life. Everyday, I dey check phone, dey fear say Morayo fit change mind. But finally, we finish am.

Me and Morayo finally finish divorce.

Lawyer call me, say, 'Oga Seyi, everything clear.' I collect paper, sign, carry certificate. I look am well, smile.

As I collect the certificate, the heavy load for my mind disappear.

I feel light, like say I dey float. I dey imagine new life, new wife, new pikin.

By now, Tanira don reach three months belle, her stomach dey show small. Every week, she need checkup.

Her face dey glow, her body dey shine. She dey chop well, dey laugh plenty. My mind dey rest.

First checkup, my papa and mama follow.

Dem no wan hear say na girl. Dem dey whisper, dey argue for car, dey bet who go win.

I know say dem wan know if na boy or girl.

My papa dey talk say, 'If scan talk say na girl, e fit still change.' My mama dey reply, 'Na scan sure pass old woman talk.'

All those sour for boy, pepper for girl na just talk. Even though dem no go school, dem know say na scan dey sure pass.

Dem still believe tradition, but technology dey win small small.

As na big hospital, doctor no hide gender.

Doctor call me inside, show me picture for screen, point, smile. E be like magic.

Result make my family happy die.

My papa dance, my mama sing. Neighbour dey hear our voice from corridor.

Na boy Tanira carry.

Doctor confirm am twice, show us picture. My papa carry Tanira, hug her. My mama dey wipe tears, dey praise God.

That afternoon,

Sun hot, but my heart dey cool. Na happiness everywhere. My mind dey plan next move.

I propose to Tanira make we go do marriage certificate, promise her big wedding soon.

I kneel, give her small ring. She dey shy, dey hide face. My papa dey clap, my mama dey dance.

I think say she go cry joy.

I dey expect tears, scream, or hug. But her face change, she just dey look ground.

But to my surprise, this innocent girl turn serious.

Her mouth no smile again. Her eye dey deep, like person wey dey think heavy.

As I press her, I find out why.

She dey twist hand, dey breathe deep. She dey fear something wey she no fit talk at once.

She dey fear say pikin fit get wahala.

She dey worry say maybe na alcohol or wahala from conception fit affect pikin.

Because that night we no use protection, we both drink well.

Na celebration night, we no reason safety. Just joy everywhere. Now e dey haunt her.

She say book talk say alcohol fit cause pikin to get problem.

She dey read online plenty, dey check every symptom, dey ask doctor question.

Her wahala make me laugh.

I chuckle, touch her cheek, tell her say, 'Nothing dey happen.' But I dey see say her worry dey real.

I explain say yes, alcohol fit cause problem, but na chance. If checkup say nothing, pikin dey okay.

I break am down for her, show her scan, say everything dey normal.

But she still dey fear.

She bite finger, dey look ceiling. Her mind no calm.

"I read online—some people check, nothing show, but pikin still get wahala..."

She dey quote blog, dey fear worst. My mind dey vex small, but I try calm her.

I remember say I see that kind news too.

I nod, tell her say internet fit confuse person. But I dey understand her.

"So Brother Seyi, abeg, make we remove the belle, try again later?"

She talk am, her voice dey shake. I shock. I never expect am.

As I hear that, I shake head.

I hold her hand, tell her say, 'Tanira, no try am. This na our blessing.' I rub her back, say, 'No worry, God no go shame us.'

I don reach 36—finally get my own pikin, make I go remove am because of small risk?

My mind dey count age. I dey think of family, village, my own dream.

Even if I gree, my papa and mama no go ever allow.

If dem hear, wahala go burst. Old people no dey gree for abortion.

As I wan persuade her, she rush talk: "Brother Seyi, I dey fear say if pikin get wahala, you go leave us..."

Her eye dey red. She dey shiver. She dey beg for assurance.

Her eyes red.

She dey cry for real now. I dey feel her pain.

I slap my forehead—I just propose, but I no talk about property.

I dey reason say maybe na property dey her mind. Na big thing for woman wey dey carry belle.

Tanira fit be simple, but e normal to worry.

For her mind, if pikin get wahala, she no get security.

She fit dey think say, even if we marry, my property go still be before-marriage own.

I dey reason say, how I go make am sure say she dey safe?

If she born pikin wey no well, I leave her, her life go scatter.

She dey fear future. She dey see how Naija men dey waka. Her fear na normal.

As I reason am, I no fit dull.

I rub her back, try calm her, dey think wetin I fit offer.

After small think, I raise two fingers.

"Tanira, see as e be—I go give you 20% of company shares, free. How you see am?"

I talk am gentle, dey look her eye. I wan show am say I dey serious, I dey ready for her.