Chapter 3: Wedding and the Cold Night

Just like that—

Next day, Auwalu go my papa house come talk say he wan marry me. He waka come with elder, carry kola, talk as tradition demand. Everybody for compound shock. My auntie dey corner, dey wipe eye with scarf, dey whisper, “God catch am, finally!”

Even though I be princess wey no get power, I still be princess. My papa get small title, but for house, I just dey like ordinary person.

Safiya waka go palace, na so my marriage set. She dey front dey organize, dey shout order, like say na she dey marry. Palace people dey wonder wetin dey happen.

As dem read the emir order, my papa dey happy like say na gold he win, me I just stand dey look. Me I dey reason if na my own life dey play for front of me like NTA drama.

For my mind, I whisper, "I no wan marry," but nobody hear me. My heart dey beat, but nobody send my side.

Even wedding night, e still be like dream. All the song and dance, the food, the people, e be like say my spirit no dey inside body.

Until Auwalu just tell me coldly, "I no go touch you." Him voice hard, e cold like harmattan breeze. I just freeze. Na so my body cold like zobo for fridge.

Na there I realize say na real life I dey, no be dream. All my eye clear, I just dey look ceiling.

That night, Auwalu drink sotay he no look anybody. The burukutu just dey enter him body like water. Him face serious, nobody fit near am.

He just dey pour burukutu, eye only dey look Safiya. E be like say Safiya na the only air wey him dey breathe. My chest just tight small.

He look sotay Musa Garba face come change. Musa Garba sef dey vex. Wahala dey everywhere.

For that moment, candle dey shake for breeze. Even fire dey fear all the tension for room.

Auwalu face get small red, e fine ehn. I no go lie, him beauty na correct.

Na there I understand why Safiya force me marry Auwalu— So that she go fit hold two men, but still dey live her best life. E shock me.

As long as I dey as Auwalu wife, he no fit marry another woman. My own na just dey form obstacle. Sometimes, woman no too get power for her own story.

I even dey wonder—

If I use him drunkenness do anyhow with am,

How Safiya go look when she hear am? I dey imagine as her face go twist, as if I chop her food. But I bone, I no fit do am.