Chapter 8: Aftermath and New Schemes

Even though Obinna rush do PR, some video still leak online. “Side chick beat wife,” “Finance oga Obinna dey cheat with worker while wife dey born”—all these gist dey trend.

Twitter, Instagram, even Facebook. Na so my friends dey send me link, dey ask if na true.

Obinna get called for questioning. Before week finish, dem transfer am go London to dodge wahala, no return date.

E pain me, but e better pass make EFCC drag am for Alagbon. Na London, he fit rest mind small.

Zainab contract finish, dem no renew—she waka.

For this Lagos, if you mess up, na so big men go cancel your contract sharp sharp. She waka, dey silent.

My plan na just to make Obinna see Zainab true color, cool down, give Auwalu chance. I no expect everything go scatter like this.

My own be say make man open eye, no be say make house burn.

Until I see for my first son laptop, the login page of the account wey dey post those scandal videos. Na that time I realize say my pikin dey protect me in him own way.

Na so I freeze. My own pikin dey run online gist. I dey reason if to slap am or hug am.

I knock him head, say, “When you graduate, if your papa no fit come back, you no go get better chance.”

I dey warn am, but na love dey hide for my voice. Na so mother dey do.

My son look me, serious: “Mummy, believe me. Even without papa, I go give you better life. You no need suffer because of me.”

Tears gather for my eye. Young boy dey talk like man. My heart sweet me, but fear still dey.

I hug am, pat am, no talk. He never jam life—how he go know wetin papa like this mean. Now, life hard pass before; poor man no dey rise easy again.

I dey pray for am, dey hope say God go help am. I no fit tell am the true meaning of Lagos struggle.

Wetin shock me pass be say Auwalu tell me say no be him drug Zainab that day, na my second daughter—she use truth serum.

I almost faint. Wetin this small girl dey do with that kind thing? Truth serum na film trick, but for Lagos, everything dey possible.

Who know where she see that kind thing. As I ask her, she just clench hand, no talk, later look me with strong face: “Mummy, no worry. I no go spoil.”

She dey use eye talk, dey tell me say she strong. I dey look am, dey wonder if na small girl or old woman dey inside her body.

I suddenly see say my children don grow pass as I dey see am.

Dem dey sharp, dey use their own sense fight for me. For this life, pikin no dey remain baby forever.

But dem still small. If Obinna know wetin dem do, wahala go big.

If this matter leak, na family scatter. I dey pray say make no be today.

I secretly hire PR people delete posts, remove trend, clean anything wey fit link my son to the matter. For my daughter, as long as Obinna fit forget Zainab, her wahala na just small pikin dey protect her papa and mama.

I dey run behind the scenes, dey arrange everything. For Lagos, na only woman dey carry family wahala for head.

I sabi Obinna well—he dey soft. I be wife wey suffer with am, sell my family house to help am make first money. So all these years, even if love no dey, he dey respect me.

Na respect dey make man come home. If to say I be lazy wife, story for change. E get as life be.

But Zainab na the red mark for him heart. As long as she never do big mistake, if she beg, she go still be him soulmate.

No matter how drama scatter, if heart still dey, man fit forgive. I know my battle never finish.

So, the main key still dey Auwalu hand. As Obinna dey London, I need act sharp sharp.

If I slack now, na another babe go enter story. For Lagos, opportunity no dey wait anybody.

But na so Auwalu tell me say he no do again.

I sit for my parlor, dey stare my phone, dey wonder: this one na the final wahala? Or na just another chapter for Naija woman story? Rain dey fall outside, but inside my chest, fire dey burn. Battle never finish. Tomorrow, I go find another plan. For this Lagos, woman wey no get plan go chop sand.