Chapter 2: Madam’s Plan

Oladimeji come again enter madam’s room.

He waka enter with heavy step, wear him white buba and sokoto, slippers dey make soft clap for floor. Even the wall gecko for ceiling pause, dey look dem.

For under the lantern, the two of them sit close, dey whisper sweet sweet things for long.

Dem laugh small, dem body dey touch. Sometimes I go hear madam giggle, cover her mouth, shy like new bride.

Madam face don red as she go wash up.

She dey try clean her powder, but happiness dey shine from her eye. She carry small bowl of water, dey rub her face gently like person wey dey remember love letter.

As usual, before she comot, she off all the lamp.

Her hand quick, she use am snuff out flame one by one. Only small oil lamp remain for bedside, the room now dey swallow by darkness.

After time reach like how candle dey burn finish,

I count am inside my mind—ten heartbeats, then I push the door gently. Harmattan breeze from window just dey touch my bare feet. The silence fit make person believe say ghost dey inside.

I push the door enter.

The room dark and quiet, na only small night lamp dey shine.

The yellow light dey flicker for wall, make shadow long like masquerade. I step inside, my heart dey pound.

Oladimeji look up, smile. “Why you dey slow?”

Him teeth white for darkness. The way him voice soft, e almost make me forget my wahala. But na lie. I still dey fear.

He stretch hand, pull me for body, then frown. “Why your body cold like this?”

His palm rough but warm, him dey try rub my arm. The harmattan don make my skin cold like stone.

“I stay outside small, dey look harmattan.”

I answer am soft soft.

I no wan make my voice shake, so I talk am gently, head still down. My wrapper dey slip from shoulder, I quick drag am up.

Truth be say, I just dey outside the door, wear only thin wrapper, dey wait for when dem go call me enter to replace madam.

If person pass, dem go think say I be ghost. I go dey count my breath, dey pray make madam quick finish.

That night, I no fit sleep well.

Mosquito dey bite me small, but na my mind dey scatter pass. I toss left, toss right, memories of everything wey happen for madam room dey play for my head like cinema.

Before cock crow, I tiptoe comot.

My leg no even make sound for ground. I waka careful, make nobody see me, heart still dey beat kpokpo kpokpo.

Madam wait for me for side room.

Her wrapper still dey her chest, her eyes dey sharp, like she no sleep at all. For that small candlelight, I fit see say her hand dey shake.

Even as my waist dey pain me, I kneel down, repeat all the sweet talk wey Oladimeji yarn the night before.

Na so madam like make I dey do am. She go ask me, 'Wetin he talk last night?' I go repeat am word for word, make she fit sweet her mind.

Her eye land for the mark wey dey my neck, her face change, vex just dey show.

She eye the red mark like say na snake bite me. Her mouth twist, and I see say her mind don dey boil.

She just bone face, come lie down beside Oladimeji.

She pull her wrapper tight, no say one word. Silence for room heavy like stone.

Suddenly, he open eye, begin play with her hair. “So you sneak go meet another man behind my back?”

He just dey joke.

Oladimeji na man wey get sharp mouth. Even for serious matter, he go yarn joke make person relax.

Madam blush, begin use hand hit am play play.

She smile, shy. Her slap na just small, like person dey chase mosquito.

I quietly waka comot.

No need make dem notice me. My leg dey weak, but I gather myself, waka small small, as I comot for room.