Chapter 5: Quarrels, Bangle Pain, and Landslide Wahala

That day— Sun hot, breeze dey blow, compound dey busy.

I hear say Musa Garba and Safiya quarrel. E loud sotay even housegirl for next compound hear.

I no sabi wetin cause am, but next day both of dem come visit. Their face strong, like person wey chop raw pepper.

Safiya see say me and Auwalu get our own compound. Her eye wide, she dey reason say life don better for us. But I dey laugh inside.

She come dey talk say she and Musa Garba dey sleep for same room, so me and Auwalu suppose do the same! She dey try set example, but her wahala too much.

As she talk am, I see small crack for Auwalu face. Him strong face shift small, but na only person wey know am go notice.

I know say na test— I sabi Safiya style. She dey try see if Auwalu go follow her mind.

She dey check how far Auwalu fit go for her. Maybe she wan see if him go run come her side. E tire me.

I even imagine, if one day, Safiya tell Auwalu make he do anything with me, he go obey. The kain love wey dey blind man eye.

That night quiet well well. Mosquito no even dey make noise. Silence loud sotay I dey hear my heart.

As I climb bed, I shift small near Auwalu. I just dey do as dem talk for public. My own na to form perfect wife.

He turn face, shift go one side, come frown talk, "Halimah, I no go stop you from doing as you like, but you be Auwalu family madam. I hope say you remember!" Him tone cold, e dey warn me.

I just laugh. My laugh short, sharp, e carry pepper. I dey try show say I no even send.

He think say I get man outside like am! Imagine! Na wa for suspicion. Na so marriage dey spoil.

I no even wan answer am. My mind dey far, I dey count ceiling.

But maybe the moon too fine, or the vex dey my mind, I just talk, "No fear, husband, I no dey do that kind thing!" My voice dey soft, but e carry small fire.

Auwalu shock, e be like say he no expect say me, wey dey always form gentle, fit talk back. Him eye blink, him mouth open small.

Him eye cold. He grab my hand, warn me, "Anything wey concern me and Safiya no be your business. No dey spread her matter for outside." Him grip tight, e dey pain me.

The way him hold my hand pain me sotay I shout. "Ah ah, you wan break my bone?" I almost cry.

"I no even use force..." Auwalu try explain, but my eye don red.

Before he finish, blood don dey come out from under my cloth. I see small red for my wrist, I shock.

"Wetin happen?" Auwalu dey look me, worry dey him face.

Wetin again? Na the same bangle matter!

My papa dey vex say I don escape him hand, no gain anything from my marriage! Him own na control, na so him dey run things.

My papa order dem tie bangle for my hand—inside, sharp needle dey, e go dey pinch me unless I beg am. Bangle wey fine for outside, but inside get sharp needle, dey my wrist! E dey wound me, dey remind me say my papa still get small power over me.

Next time, unless I give am wetin he want, he no go give me key to remove am! Na wickedness, but I dey endure.

All that "most talented woman for city," "fine lady from big house!" Na story. For this place, na only my pain dey real.

Na just to make Ibrahim family name shine! Na me dey pay the price for their respect for street.

E don always be like that. Since I small, na so dem dey use me shine.

So na so the bangle matter burst for Auwalu front. Na today him eye clear, see say this marriage get levels.

With the way he hold am just now, the needle pierce my cloth enter flesh. Pain enter body, but I no cry.

"Who dare..." Auwalu start to vex, but I cut am.

"Abeg, you fit leave my hand now?" My voice small, but e get meaning. I dey beg, but I dey command.

Me and Auwalu talk at the same time. The room quiet, only our breath dey loud.

As he free me, I just waka go treat my wound. I no even look back, I dey form strong woman.

That question na just mouth, Auwalu no mention am again. He bone face, act like say nothing happen. But for his mind, e dey reason am.

I believe say he no even send. Him own na Safiya matter. My pain no dey enter him top ten.

I think say I go wear this bangle for long, but luck shine for me soon. God dey work in mysterious ways.

Heavy rain cause landslide, Auwalu and Safiya get accident! Rain dey pour, thunder dey shout, everybody dey run up and down, but Auwalu no let Safiya go. The kind rain wey fit wash pikin commot for gutter. Na so wahala land.

When dem see dem, na Auwalu dey use him body cover Safiya from big tree wey fall. Him own na sacrifice—true love or mumu? I no know.

Half of him white cloth don stain blood, mouth get blood too. E resemble sacrifice for shrine. My heart cut small.

He bend, dey protect her, she no even get scratch. Safiya just dey fine, dey look confused.

Everywhere quiet—

Until Musa Garba shout, "Safiya!" Him voice loud, e break silence.

Safiya come get herself, quick quick crawl commot from Auwalu hand! She rush enter Musa Garba body, dey talk anyhow. Na so drama start.

She say na couple dem enter bush, but I waka commot, so she remain with Auwalu. Her talk no clear. She dey fear Musa Garba anger.

Her talk no clear. Auwalu eye just dey dull, no light again. Him spirit weak, e just dey look ground.

Safiya look me: "Halimah, no be so? Na Auwalu cause am, say make we pass this road for rain..." She dey try push blame. E tire me.

I no answer her, I just waka go meet Auwalu. Na him need help pass.

The man wey dey high before, now don scatter finish. All that pride don wash commot with rain.

He look up, eye dey shake. Fear and pain dey fight for him mind.

Sun after rain dey shine for half of him face. The way light dey touch am, I feel small pity.

I stretch hand give am— As woman, I no fit leave person for ground.

After small time, he slowly give me him hand. E weak, but e try. Our hand join, cold and warm together—pain and small hope dey mix.

Dem lift the tree, I pull Auwalu commot. My hand strong, my heart stronger.

As I dey carry Auwalu go, Safiya still dey call my name, dey find who go support her. She dey find help, but I no look back.

I just raise brow, smile: "Prince Danladi house matter no concern us!" My mouth sharp, I no send anybody.

I no go lie, that day I get small plan. My mind dey work, but nobody go know.

But I no expect say e go work this well! E shock me, as everything fall into place.

Auwalu call person come remove my bangle. Na so my hand free at last. I breathe well, thank God.

All my maids wey follow me marry, he send them back. E mean say I fit start new life, no more spying.

My papa get big wahala, dem demote am three steps! As e be so, power don change hand. E pain am.

Auwalu act like say he don leave Safiya matter. Him eye dey look elsewhere. I begin dey feel small peace.

For next two years, I live better life. My body rest, my mind calm. Soft life, no be small.

Auwalu dey pay me back for small help I give am! He dey try, dey show small care. My own dey surprise me.

I try my best to play madam for Auwalu house. I dey organize, dey smile for visitor. Na so life suppose be.

Auwalu dey treat me better every day. Sometimes, e go ask if I chop, if I sleep. E no too talk, but I dey see action.

One time, for my birthday—

He even come back to cook long life noodles for me! E add suya pepper join, say na secret ingredient. I laugh sotay my belle pain. My belle sweet. Noodles never taste this good before.

Auwalu drink two cups, talk say na him nanny teach am. Him story long, but e dey sweet ear.

Him papa and mama na big people, dem no dey carry am as pikin. He dey reason say life hard for am too.

I fit imagine as e go be—three statues for house. Everybody dey mind own business. Na wah.

But why he dey tell me all this now? E dey open up small. I dey listen, but I no show emotion.

We no even get that kind closeness! Na so life be sometimes. Two strangers under one roof.