Chapter 7: Safiya’s Last Stand

Auwalu no know! Him no sabi how e be. My mind dey elsewhere.

He never even enter my option list! My heart get lock, I no fit open am for now.

Even though, nobody ever give me choice. Na only Safiya and Auwalu dey decide my matter. But I dey manage.

I still arrange for Safiya to stay for Auwalu house. I no fit leave person for rain, no matter the wahala.

She say she no get where to go. Her eye dey beg, her mouth dey talk story. I just dey nod.

"Halimah, you be my best friend, you no fit leave me. Na because of me you marry Auwalu o." Her voice dey shake. She dey find pity.

My head dey pain me. I say, "No worry, I go take care of you." I dey try, but my patience dey finish.

Safiya room dey near Auwalu study. She happy, but her eye still dey find something. Na so I dey observe.

"Halimah, you still dey sleep for same room with Auwalu?" She dey probe, dey find gist.

I nod. My face dey neutral. Na wetin dey pain her I no know.

Her smile come strong, "Na only common people dey do that one; correct family suppose get their own room. You and Auwalu no get shame!" She dey mock, but I no send.

"True talk!" I just dey agree, make matter close. My mind dey far.

My smile get pepper inside. I dey vex, but I dey hide am.

Meanwhile, I send person go check wetin happen for Prince Danladi house. Information na power for this kind situation.

The news wey come back na as I think am. All the big love story na audio.

When Prince Danladi, Musa Garba, marry Safiya, he swear say he no go ever carry side chick! Na so dem do big ceremony. Everybody dey shout, dey hail am.

Even now, people still dey talk say he once shout, 'One man, one woman forever!'

Everybody dey envy them! For this part of town, na rare thing.

But just three years after their happy ending, wahala bust. Marriage matter no dey easy for anybody.

Musa Garba no carry concubine, but he get side woman! Na so fight start. Safiya dey cry, Musa dey shout.

As dem dey fight, Musa Garba shout:

"No think say I no know everything. Two years ago, when Auwalu take knife for you, you hold him hand say if he survive, you no go ever leave am."

Safiya talk, "Na just mouth I talk, I no do anything with am." She dey defend herself. Wahala dey.

"Yes, Auwalu say he ready divorce him wife for you, you say no wahala! So Auwalu arrange two ashawo from brothel make dem block Halimah, but God dey, the two men chop beating from people for road..."

I remember this! That day, I dey go party when some men block me, na luck make person save me!

The person wey save me wound well, but say he no regret— Because I save him sick wife! Na so God dey work.

So na so e be! All the hidden story don dey come out.

The quarrel end as Musa Garba waka with him side woman. Safiya stand, dey cry, dey look lost.

Na after, Safiya come meet me for rain! All the drama na just full circle. Life no be small.

If you look am, Auwalu even fit be main character pass Musa Garba— Him loyalty no be here. Him heart dey clean, even if e dey pain am.

He dey give, he dey loyal to Safiya. Sometimes, too loyal. Na so life dey play person.

So loyal say every other person na nothing to am! My own just be say I dey manage my lane.

One maid run come, say Safiya wan move enter Auwalu room! Na so house scatter. Drama everywhere.

As I waka go, Safiya don throw all my load outside. I see my wrapper for ground, my box dey outside. E pain me, but I hold face.

As she see me, small sorry show for her face, but e no reach anything. Her mouth dey talk, but her eye no get remorse.

"Halimah, if Auwalu no dey my side, I no fit sleep! Before, Auwalu dey tell me story make I sleep, you know na..." She dey beg, she dey whine. I just dey look am.

I just dey smile, dey hear her lie. I no wan fight. My own na peace.

As I no talk, she begin shout, her voice dey high. She dey form victim.

"Na my place be this before. Besides, you no even like Auwalu!" She dey try push me out.

So, she know everything! Her eye dey shine, she dey show power.

"Now you dey block the position, you no wan commot. Abi you don fall for Auwalu?" She dey probe, she dey try put fire for my mind.

I just laugh:

"How that one go happen?" My laugh get pepper, e loud small. I no fit like person wey dey use me hold another person down.

No matter who I like, I no fit ever like man wey once try make person disgrace me! Na my pride dey talk.

Sound of something break come from my back! E loud, e scatter my thought. My body shock.

I turn look—

Auwalu no know how long he don stand there! Him face strong, hand dey shake. Na today story go change—no turning back.