Chapter 9: Unveiling Surprises

But as I lift red bridal veil, na there I know say I don mess up.

Wedding day, palace full. As I gently lift veil, my hand dey shake, I dey sweat under agbada, heart dey beat kpokpo like talking drum. Na so I see face wey fine like new moon, but mind dey sharp like fresh blade.

Mess up finish. Wahala don land.

My heart skip beat. The smile dey sweet, but eye dey shine—e be like say she fit read mind. I swallow spit, dey pray make day go smooth.

Babe fine no be small—face like egg, eye like udala fruit, eyebrow like leaf, smile get dimple.

Na village boys dey toast this kind beauty for story. Even elders for council dey whisper say, "This one go break ground."

But her hand sharp, mind strong, like person wey don see life finish.

You go see am for her step—gentle, but sure. As she dey greet elders, she dey balance respect with caution.

Not long after she enter house, she quick quick send Mama Nkechi—my childhood nanny—go back palace.

That one weak me. Mama Nkechi don serve me since small—she know all my gist, all my secret. E pain me say she go just waka like that.

I still remember when we go thank Oba, Queen ask with style:

Queen dey ask soft, but eye dey shine—she sabi everything wey dey happen for palace.

“Princess Bayo, wetin Mama Nkechi do wey make you send her back palace?”

People for room quiet. All eye turn one place. My wife voice low, but steady.

My wife face turn red, voice soft dey shake:

She pinch wrapper, lower head, talk like person wey dey beg for rain to stop.

“Mama Nkechi… she chop too much sweet, her teeth begin pain. When doctor come, e dig commot plenty, plenty gold teeth from her mouth. Mama, I fear o, abeg help me!”

Gold teeth for mouth na sign of old money for palace—everybody dey count am.

All elders dey try hide laugh. Queen cough, hide smile. Story turn another thing for palace.

Her talk nearly make Queen craze.

Queen face squeeze, mouth twist. If no be say na royal occasion, she for burst laugh. The thing shock everybody.

All palace reward dey record; for Mama Nkechi to gather that kind gold, if no be Queen give am, na who?

Palace account no fit match all the gold teeth wey dem see for Mama Nkechi mouth. Suspicion begin fly up and down.

Na im dem find out say na Mama Sade don buy Mama Nkechi long ago, turn her to spy.

Na true wahala dey palace. Spy story dey make even guard dey fear to talk too loud.

Betrayal no dey sweet anybody.

Once you hear betrayal gist, you go feel cold, even for hot afternoon.

Mama Nkechi try beg, but Queen no gree—she order make dem flog am well for spot.

Queen raise staff, order punishment. People dey watch, dey fear. Mama Nkechi beg, but no mercy.

As she dey give order, she still dey pet my wife:

Queen hold her hand, look am well-well, say "Palace dey your back, no fear."

She look am for eye, promise protection. Palace dey her side.

Me, sweat dey pour for my body.

I dey stand like iroko, sweat full back. I dey wonder how gentle girl turn lioness.

Women sabi act—go dey talk sharp thing with sweet voice.

I dey learn new level of woman wahala. Gentle voice fit hide sharp mind. Na true Naija classic.

Where the gentle, quiet, shy wife wey dem promise?

I dey reason say, na only me waka come. Na now I understand say for palace, eye must shine well.

God abeg.

I dey pray, "Make I no fall hand for this marriage." This journey just dey start, and e dey like Lagos hold-up for my mind.

No be me dey love my wife—na me dey beg my wife make she love me.

I dey humble, dey wait, dey hope say, one day, love go land for my own side. For now, make I dey maintain, dey smile, dey chop my small food in peace. But for this palace, even small peace fit turn big wahala overnight.