Chapter 5: Freedom’s Price

When I wake up, three days don pass.

My eyes slow to open, the room dark, just small lamp dey burn. I hear muezzin voice from distance—early morning prayers. For my mind, I dey ask: "Na dream I dey?"

The person by my bed look up, eyes red.

Zainab dey doze, but as I move, she rush stand. Her eyes get tears, but she dey smile small.

"Morayo, how you dey?"

Tunde sit by my side, dey give me water.

His face show worry, but I no trust am. He put cup for my lips, help me sip small.

I look him eyes, my chest pain me small, but my face no show am.

If na before, I for hold his hand, thank am. But now, my spirit dey watch every move.

Tunde bring out handkerchief from him chest, inside na broken pieces of the Red Coral Bead bracelet.

My heart cut again. He unwrap the cloth, show me the beads, red like blood, some still wet.

"Aunty Lan say she wan return am, but as you push her, the bracelet break. You too do!"

His voice sharp, blame full am. My own memory dey break like the beads. I want talk, but words no come.

I collect the pieces, my hand dey shake. I remember when my mama give me as wedding gift, my nose just dey run, tears full my eyes as I cry.

I press the beads to my chest. My tears come like rain, wet my wrapper. I no care if Tunde see am.

Tunde press him lips, tell house girls make dem look after me, then go rest.

He waka slow, his head down. I know say guilt dey worry am, but my own pain pass his own.

Zainab come take care of me.

She rub my back, clean my face. Her presence be like small breeze on hot afternoon.

"Madam, oga take care of you these three days, no sleep, no rest. E really try!"

She dey try encourage me, but my mind dey wander. If na true care, why my spirit still dey empty?

I bow my head. Tunde maybe just dey feel guilty say he no save me. I just smile with pain, pack the handkerchief.

The beads cold for my hand. I put them for small leather, hide under my pillow. I no fit talk yet.

"You don count all the house girls’ contract?"

I whisper, voice weak. Zainab nod, sharp as ever.

"Seventy-nine dey remain for house after all these years, all loyal to old madam."

My mind rest small. At least, I get loyal people wey fit help me start again.

I nod, cough small.

My chest dey scratch me, but Zainab help me sit well. She bring ginger tea, blow am cool, give me.

Soon, Qi and Bisi come visit me.

Their steps quick, voice soft. As dem see me for bed, their face change from fear to relief.

"Mummy, you don wake!"

Qi hold my hand, eyes big like saucer.

"Mummy, mummy, I no go fight you again!"

Bisi wipe her face with the hem of her dress, voice shaking: "Mummy, I sorry."

Bisi climb bed, tears for her eyes, hugging my arm. Their touch warm my heart, but I know say pain still dey for body.

I look the two children, my mind just empty, I smile small, touch their faces gently.

My hands soft, my heart dey pray for them. I no blame them; na world wey teach them to choose side.

Zainab understand my look.

She quick stand, her eye signal the children. "Young master, young miss, make una go. Madam need rest."

That night, Tunde come.

His footsteps soft, but his presence heavy. He sit for edge of bed, voice low.

"Morayo, that day I jump save Lan—everybody see am. I don decide to give her title."

His voice no get pity, just finality. My heart no shake, I don ready for am.

I sit for bed, no talk.

My silence na my weapon. Sometimes, no answer na the biggest insult.

Tunde vex, his voice cold.

His hand shake small as he talk, but I no move.

"Who you dey do like this for? If you wan blame anybody, blame yourself! Why you dey touch the children’s dowry—wetin you dey plan?"

He dey suspect me, as if I fit thief my own pikin future. I just look am, eye cold.

I no answer, just dey look am with cold eye.

I hold my wrapper, no blink.

"So she no go be teacher again, abi?"

His question na statement. I look am, face blank.

Tunde stand.

He rise quick, voice sharp.

"Yes. From now, you go call her senior wife. No dey jealous or dey bully her!"

He wan make me gree, make I bow. I just smile small, my eye sharp.

I do small calculation with am.

"Since she go be wife, na family. The lesson teacher money wey I pay her, na double—return half to me, na just some thousands of naira."

If na family, make she no chop my money as outsider. Let her know say marriage no be free ride.

Tunde look me with cold eye, then after small time, he bring me the cash note.

He fling am for table. "Take your money!" His face red, pride wounded.

"Fine! Morayo, I go ask the Oba for letter—Lan go become senior wife, equal to you!"

His voice loud, house girls dey peep from corridor. I no flinch.

Tunde waka comot with vex.

His slippers slap floor, anger dey follow am. I just hold my beads, pray for peace.

I watch am go, tears just drop hot for my hand.

For the first time, I no hide my cry. The beads cold, the pain fresh. But I know say God dey watch.

"Zainab, carry these cash notes, go buy fine house."

My voice steady. Even if this world turn upside down, I no go fall.

---

I still get some shops wey Tunde dey manage.

The rent dey enter his account every month, but my name still dey for all the papers. My papa wise.

The shopkeepers still be my people, but these days, all business report to Tunde men.

If you wan talk to manager, you go pass through his boys. But my own people still dey loyal.

"Madam wan collect her shops back? Thank God! When you dey in charge, business better pass!"

Dupe, the gold and silver shop manager, greet me with big smile. She hug me, her ankara wrapper smelling of dust and perfume.

Dupe, the gold and silver shop manager, hand over all account books—except one, wey she keep aside.

Her hand shake as she give me the last book, her eyes dey signal say something dey inside.

"This one na for Aunty Lan. She owe us plenty. Oga Tunde talk say... make we forget am!"

Her voice low, but I hear am clear. If na before, I for vex, but now, I just dey take note.

Dupe look embarrassed.

She rub her hand for skirt, avoid my eye. I touch her shoulder, signal say I no vex.

I check the account.

I see all the figures. My heart cold. Lan dey spend money as if na river dey flow for shop.

Lan owe more than one million naira, dey use the shop like her own jewelry store!

She dey carry gold go, say na to borrow. The record full of her handwriting.

"Wetin Tunde talk no concern me. Record everything. When time reach, she must pay!"

My voice calm, but my mind dey plan. No be today woman dey wise.

Dupe smile wide. "Thank you, madam!"

Her eyes bright, hope return. She hug me again, promise to arrange everything.

I take keke go house. Tunde dey wait me.

The keke breeze cool my body. As I reach gate, I see Tunde for veranda, his hand for pocket, face dark.

"House girls talk say you collect shops back. Wetin you dey plan? You wan divide the family?"

He shout small, but I pass am. My own no be today start.

I waka pass am, no answer.

He dey look me, waiting for fight. But me, I don tire.

"Morayo, after all these years, you still dey jealous and stubborn! I just want one more wife, you dey scatter everywhere!"

His voice loud. I hear house girls whisper. My own be to move forward.

Tunde move him bedding go study.

For night, I hear him waka, door slam. Let him find peace anywhere he fit.

I go my room, pack with Zainab, ready to move to new house after today.

My boxes full, my clothes folded, even my Bible and Quran side by side. I no know where God dey carry me, but I dey ready.

For afternoon, I go chop.

I tie my scarf, ready to face everybody. The sun hot, sweat dey my face.

But I see Lan and Tunde sit together, Qi and Bisi dey below, everybody dey laugh like real family.

The scene dey bite my heart. Even the house girls join laugh. Me, I just stand for door, watch.

I no wan disturb them.

Sometimes, na silence fit protect your own pride.

Tunde call me with cold voice, "Come chop. Why you dey pretend?"

His words cut, but I no answer.

Qi stand.

His face bright, he rush meet me.

"Mummy, daddy don request letter for stepmother. We all be one family now!"

His excitement real. He no know say my own heart dey bleed.

He don dey call her stepmother.

He hug Lan, call her "mama". My spirit heavy.

Bisi follow, "Yes, mummy, sit down. Why you dey vex? Plenty days still dey ahead!"

She bounce for chair, joy full her voice. Even the small house girl dey smile.

Lan just dey eat quietly, look me, then small smile show for her face.

Her smile get pride. She look me small, then face her food. Na victory she dey enjoy.

Na July, sun dey burn, but as I look them, cold just catch me.

My hands cold, even with the heat. I stand for door, eyes wet but my face strong.

That time, message come quick quick:

Gate man rush come, his breath fast, envelope for hand.

"Oba letter don arrive!"

His voice sharp. Everybody pause.

I shock—I no even know if na aunty own or Tunde own.

My heart dey beat. Is it my freedom or my shame?

Tunde rush come, hold my hand, drag me go front yard.

His grip strong. I no struggle. Whatever will be, let it come.

"Follow me, hear well, control yourself!"

His voice warning me, as if na small pikin I be. I raise my chin, my pride no dey hide.

Qi and Bisi rush come, happy.

Their faces shine. They no understand say world fit change in one letter.

"Aunty Lan go be our real mama!"

Their joy loud, neighbours fit hear dem from compound wall.

Tunde drag me kneel down.

His hand for my back, forcing me for ground. My wrapper gather dust, but I no complain.

The palace messenger see everybody, then read the golden letter:

His voice loud, clear, like town crier for festival. Everybody gather, house girls, neighbours, even driver.

[From today, Morayo and Tunde don divorce! The bride price and dowry must be checked and returned according to custom, no quarrel! From now, both of una fit marry who una want, nothing join una again.]

The letter end, silence fill the air. For my mind, I whisper, "Thank God." For the first time, I feel small peace—freedom, even if na bitter one. But as I rise, neighbours dey watch, tongues dey wag—my new life just dey start.