Chapter 6: Price of Peace

On the way home, I told Tunde, “Why not change companies? I’ve explained myself, but she still didn’t get it.”

As we dey drive, I dey look window, dey talk slow. E pain me say my voice dey shake.

“I think she’s not serious.”

I no dey see her effort, na just packaging.

Tunde stared at the road for long, thinking of how to convince me.

He dey quiet, dey tap steering, dey reason.

When we reached the car park, he finally spoke, softly, “Amaka, this company is the best around. My friend—Kunle, you remember? He just got married, and this same company did his house. The result was great.”

E begin story. I know the style—when man dey hide something, na so dem dey yarn.

“Most importantly, their workers are good, their work is neat, and they have cameras everywhere, so you don’t have to go there all the time.”

E dey sell the matter, like say na ad e dey do.

“Designing is hard work. You just look at the pictures and say no—isn’t that unfair?”

He wan make me feel guilty, but e no go work.

I looked at him and asked directly.

I turn, my eye strong.

“Did you really choose them because your friend recommended them?”

I pause, watch am.

“No other reason? If so, I want to check out other companies and pick the best.”

My mind dey made up. If e like make e vex.

Tunde looked tired, leaning back and sighing.

E do like person wey NEPA take light for front of generator.

“Actually… my boss recommended them. His wife is one of the owners.”

I nod, dey process am. Ehn, boss wife?

“You know my boss likes me. I don’t want to offend him.”

E dey talk am like say I go understand.

“If you don’t believe, check CAC records.”

He dey vex small, but I no send.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d say I didn’t care about our house. But even if my boss recommended them, they’re really top in the industry.”

E dey defend im action. I dey watch, dey weigh everything for mind.

After he finished, I didn’t know what to say.

I just look window, dey breathe slow.

So I asked, “You and Morayo didn’t know each other before?”

Let me hear true story now.

He froze, then took time to answer.

E hesitate. That one alone tell me everything.

“Eh? How did you know… Wait, are you jealous?”

E laugh small, like say e happy to catch me.

His face changed from surprise to teasing. “No wonder you’ve been acting strange—you’re not usually so picky.”

He playfully pinched my cheek.

E dey use play cover serious matter. I shift face.

“Yes, Morayo and I were classmates in secondary school, but we lost contact after graduation. I only found out she works here when I came for the consultation.”

He yarn am like say e no mean anything. My mind still dey judge am.

“I didn’t think it mattered, so I didn’t mention it.”

He smile, dey beg. I just dey quiet.

“Alright, baby, I’ve been busy with work lately. If you’re not happy, just have her change it. Let’s not fight, abeg.”

E hold my hand, dey squeeze am. I try force smile.

Tunde’s honesty made me feel like I was being too harsh.

I relax small, tell myself make I calm down. Maybe I dey overthink.

This time, Morayo worked fast and soon sent over a new set of designs.

She even add video tour, say make I see the space well.

This time, she finally listened, and none of the things I disliked showed up again.

The design finally get my own touch. No pink, no unnecessary shine shine.

I circled a few things, wrote down my notes, and sent them back, ready to settle on this version.

Na that night, I sleep well. Peace for my heart.

Today, after confirming the final version, we could sign and pay everything.

I wear my fine Ankara, spray perfume, ready for action. My spirit dey high.

Morayo’s assistant was all over me, offering juice and chin chin, trying to please me.

Dem dey greet, dey laugh. "Aunty, you look sweet today o!" I just dey nod.

After I confirmed the design, I said I wanted to see the contract.

I clear throat, demand for paper. No be every time woman go sign blindly.

The assistant’s face changed immediately.

Her smile disappear—true Lagos hustle spirit.

“Erm, Aunty Amaka, Mr Tunde came this morning. He already signed.”

I hear am, I just dey reason. Signed wetin?

I felt annoyed. “What do you mean? He signed before I even confirmed?”

My voice rise small. I no dey hide am again.

“It’s like this—Mr Tunde had something to do nearby, so he dropped by. He said you were happy with the design, so he signed first.”

The way she dey talk, you go think say na family matter. I dey boil.

Morayo just waved it off, trying to distract me. “Aunty Amaka, let’s go and choose brands and suppliers next, abi?”

She dey smile, but I no dey move. I just cross leg, look her eye.

I refused to move. “Bring the contract. I want to see it.”

I stand my ground. I no send their faces.

The assistant disappeared for a long time.

Dem dey delay, dey think say I go tire.

I kept pushing until she finally brought the contract, reluctantly.

She drop am for table, hand dey shake.

The first few pages looked normal.

I dey flip page, dey check clause, dey tick.

Until I reached the last page and saw the price. My eyes nearly fell out.

My mouth open. Na two million—wetin dem wan build, palace?

It wasn’t one million, not even one and a half million, but two million.

I dey count zero, dey rub eye—na me dey see well so?

I counted twice—six zeros after the 2.

If na joke, make dem stop. This one pass play.

Was Tunde mad?

Even my ancestors go shout for this price.

Renovating a hundred-square-meter house for two million?

For Lagos, e get as e be, but this one too much.

That’s almost half the price of the house itself.

I fit use am buy land for outskirts, sef.

Even with his new salary, he must have emptied his account to pay this much.

No be only him get the money—na our future dem dey touch.

My heart was beating fast, and my hands started shaking.

I dey sweat, dey fight tears. My body dey vibrate.

“Why is the price so different from before? I don’t agree—I want to cancel.”

I raise voice, no dey smile again.

“Because, based on your requests, we upgraded a lot, so the old budget wasn’t enough.”

Dem dey push blame, like say na me cause am.

The assistant looked uncomfortable. “Mr Tunde already paid this morning. He agreed to the price and insisted on the best for everything. He really values you.”

I just hiss. Who values who? Na so love dey do?

Morayo just looked at me, no expression.

She fold arm, dey do as if na I dey waste time.

Now that they had the money, she couldn’t even pretend again?

No more fake smile. Everybody don show true colour.

I didn’t bother arguing. “I said I don’t agree. I want to cancel.”

I talk am with confidence. Make dem try me.

Just then, Tunde burst in.

He rush enter, face red, sweat for forehead. He stand for door, eyes red, voice low—like person wey just lose match for penalty.

He looked annoyed and started shouting as soon as he entered.

He shout my name, voice loud. "Amaka!"

“Amaka, didn’t Morayo change everything until you were happy? Why are you still making trouble?”

He dey vex, dey shout. I just dey look am, dey pity myself.

I threw the contract at him.

Na so I fling am for table. "Carry your wahala."

“The price doubled—they’re just robbing us! How could you decide without me?”

I dey shake, voice loud. People for office fit dey listen.

Tunde rubbed his head, frustrated. “I have money—I can afford it. I want to spend on you, and you’re still not happy?”

So na money be love? My head dey turn.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Which kind family be this? With that kind of money, wouldn’t it make sense to pay off the mortgage first?”

I laugh, but e no reach my heart. Which family dey reason like this?

“And besides—” I looked at Morayo, then at him. “Is this two million really for my happiness, or just to help her get promoted?”

I look dem both. Make dem answer me.

Morayo shut the door and said sharply, “Aunty Amaka, you fit chop anything you like, but you can’t just talk anyhow. If you keep accusing people without proof, I’ll call the police.”

She raise voice, dey threaten. My mind dey strong, I no fear.

“And the contract clearly states that after full payment, if you cancel, 30% service fee will be deducted.”

Dem dey remind me say, if I move anyhow, na loss I go get.

Meaning, if I cancel now, not only will I get nothing back, I’ll still owe 600,000.

Na so Lagos people dey run business. I dey reason next move.

I stared at Tunde.

He just bone, eye no blink. My spirit cut.

He looked totally calm.

E act like person wey plan am from start. My chest dey burn.

He must have planned this from the start.

So na so marriage be? Na so trust dey scatter?

Trying to back me into a corner?

You dey use smartness do your own wife?

No wahala.

I nodded and walked out.

I no even look anybody. I pick my bag, dey waka tall.

While waiting for the lift, I quickly left the design WhatsApp group.

I just dey press phone. "Exit group"—make dem know say I don commot for their drama.

As I press exit, I tell myself—this chapter of my life don close. Make dem run their own.