Chapter 2: Wedding Night Wonders

On my wedding night with Olumide,

I finish more than half bottle of palm wine for one go, just to gather mind.

The ogogoro for my chest wan do rally. I dey smile like mumu as they dey snap pictures. Auntie Folake even whisper, 'Abeni, take am easy o!'

The alcohol rush me, my face come red anyhow.

You know that type of redness wey no dey show for our skin, but your ear go just hot, body go dey do you. My armpit dey sweat even though AC full room—na so love dey do person. I begin dey sweat small for air condition.

Olumide long, slim fingers support the back of my neck, e dey kiss me gentle-gentle for my skin.

E gentle reach say, if breeze blow, you go think say na feather touch you. The way he dey take time, e be like say him dey trace map for my skin.

"You don drink. Make I continue?" he ask.

Him voice low, as if he dey try beg me but no want show am. E dey careful, like say he dey handle egg wey fit break.

I manage answer with one soft "Mm..." from my throat.

I no wan make wahala. My lips just tremble, but I gree. The mm soft, but e heavy for my chest.

But for my mind, I dey think:

Even for this kind time, Olumide still dey cold and dey hold himself.

E no rush, e no dey do as per Nollywood husband wey dey craze. He calm, e dey look my face every time, like say e dey measure my happiness.

But no be surprise. After all, our marriage na arrangement.

E get as e be, I dey remind myself. Everybody for family say na good match, but only me know say my chest dey jump whenever I see Olumide.

But soon, I no even fit think again.

As the matter dey hot, my head come blank. I forget all my shyness, na only my skin I dey feel.

My white and gold lace wedding dress don half commot.

All the embroidery and shine wey Mama sew for me, na so e dey for chair. My braids scatter small, the attachment dey touch ground.

As breeze touch my skin, I shake small.

Breeze wey dey blow from small window, e cold reach bone. My teeth almost wan chatter, but I just hold am.

Olumide just open only two buttons for him shirt.

You know men wey no dey rush—na so e do am. Him shirt still neat, only small opening. If you see am, you go know say he be correct Lagos big boy.

Him tie hang for neck, expose him brown skin and the faint muscle for him chest, as e dey breathe.

The tie sef, e get one kind stubbornness, no gree fall. I dey look am, dey imagine say na that tie dey hold all my feelings. Na so my mama teach me say, woman wey sabi tie man tie go hold marriage well.

I dey look am till my mouth dry, tongue sef dey scratch me.

My heart dey beat so tey, I no sabi when I lick my lips. The way I dey watch am, if person enter, dem go say I don craze.

"Olumide..."

I call am like person wey dey find light for dark room. The word soft, almost no wan come out.

He just laugh small, as if e wan make I calm down.

"No worry, Abeni," he chuckle, as if e dey try cool the matter. The laugh short, but e reach me.

"Abeni, no fear."

The way he call my name, e enter my body like prayer wey dem pray for church vigil. Na so I relax small.

Olumide hold me gentle for the edge of the wedding bed with one hand.

The bed spread na white with gold, the kind wey you go see for Yoruba engagement. He dey press my palm with small pressure, as if e wan pass message.

He half-kneel for ground, look up, then just kiss the small red birthmark for my skin without warning.

That birthmark wey my mama dey call 'oruko aye,' say e mean special destiny. When e kiss am, my skin rise goosebumps, I grip bedsheet.

Him voice deep and rough, the hot breath brush my ear.

The sound make me shiver. E be like say I dey hear thunder for my bone.

"If e dey pain you, abeg talk make I stop."

Him eye dey search my own, serious. I just dey nod, dey hold am tighter. The consent dey important for Olumide, and I feel am.

Na so I hold him rough hair strong.

The hair coarse, e scratch my palm, but I no mind. I dey hold am like say if I leave, e go vanish.

How I go fit talk how e be to marry Olumide?

My mouth heavy. I dey try form big woman, but inside me, my spirit dey roll for floor dey laugh.

E be like when you look up see rainbow for sky after heavy rain—something wey you no expect, wey dey unreal.

I remember how as pikin I dey run outside when rain stop, dey search for rainbow. Na that kind wonder dey my chest.

But I just wan hold Olumide strong.

I no want let am go, even if na for this one night. I dey wish say e go last reach morning, make time just freeze for this moment.

As for wetin happen after—

Maybe na the drink, but my memory blur.

Everything just blend. I dey feel, I dey float. Palm wine and love mix for my body, I just dey smile like person wey don win lottery.

All I remember be say, when I wake the next morning, my legs weak reach to fall.

Even to stand, my body dey betray me. I just dey giggle like goat wey chop yam leaf.

And also—

Olumide come dey talk serious with me about how many times we go use ultra-thin 001.

E dey count with finger, e serious as if na office meeting. I dey wonder if na dream I dey.

"...Five times for one week?"

My mind just come back as I hear the last part.

My ears prick, I sit up well. I dey wonder if e dey joke.

My eyes open wide.

I look am, my mouth open small. I no believe say Olumide fit talk this kind thing.

"Five times?"

My voice crack, but e carry surprise join.

Olumide look me, then just change mouth like say nothing happen:

E clear throat, face another direction. I fit see say e dey shy small.

"Okay, two times a week."

He gree quick, no wan argue. I just burst small laugh inside my mind.