Chapter 2: Cold Corridors, Hot Gossip

After I finish baff, na so I jam Shola for corridor.

The corridor dark small, na only yellow bulb dey flicker. As I step out, towel for hand, na so I nearly jam Shola chest. As e see me, him face just change. "You fit go sleep. I wan baff."

My chest tight, small shame dey catch me. I just frown. This guy just baff before—na because I touch am, e wan baff again?

He do like person wey dey run from pepper. I drop my slippers, dey look am, but e no look my face. Na wa o. If you no like me, abeg just talk am!

I hear the water dey rush for bathroom. I look the mattress wey e keep for ground, I sabi say na there e go sleep again tonight.

The thing dey pain me. See as e dey carry himself like king, but for my side e dey behave like say I be bad market. The more I think am, the more my belle dey vex. Since we marry, this one full month now, e never touch me. If e see me, na so e go bone face or waka comot, like say I dey carry bad luck.

Even this last trip wey e travel, e buy gift for everybody for house—na only me e no buy for.

My chest tight. I dey ask myself if I offend am or maybe na mistake bring me come this family. The more I reason am, the more e pain me. My mind just dey hot. Divorce just dey my head.

Na that time water stop. The guy come out from bathroom, e no even look my side. My mind just freeze again.

My mouth dey shake. I bite my lip, call am. As I wan talk divorce, another set of comments just pop up for my front:

[This supporting babe, you go soon regret. The main guy go get money, na the main babe go save am.]

[No vex, supporting babe, the guy really love you! Na fear dey make am avoid you.]

[If you no believe, check the drawer. Everything inside na for you.]

[Na him buy all those things, but e dey fear say e go scare you, na why e hide am.]

My hand just hang for air. Abi na my head dey touch?

I dey look myself for mirror, dey wonder if my village people dey do me. "Wetin dey happen?" Shola voice just drag me back to reality.

Suddenly, wahala dey outside. As I no talk, e waka go check.

I just open the drawer sharp-sharp. I see one bag wey I remember—na Shola bring am come house. That time, I dey deceive myself say maybe na my own gift. I open am now, na so I see all those sexy pant and bra, all those oyibo bedroom things—pant, bra, even one kain animal ear and tail.

My hand dey shake. I touch the lace, smell the soft material. My heart just dey shake. Na exactly as those comments talk.

I hear footsteps for door. I rush close the drawer. For panic, I jam cup for table.

"Splash—"

Water pour for where Shola just keep him mattress.

Me: "..."

The cup wey break for ground dey roll go under chair. I swear, I no do am on purpose.

Comments don show again:

[See as supporting babe dey do! Make we see how main guy wan survive tonight.]

[The guy just dey form. E go baff cold water just now because e no wan lose guard.]

[Abeg, supporting babe, no get am twisted...]

Na that time Shola come back enter room. E look me, look the mattress wey water don soak. E no talk, just ask wetin I call am for.

I dey twist my finger. "Nothing."

After I see those comments, I just forget about divorce for now. I look the mattress, change topic.

I dey scratch my neck, dey find how to make the whole thing light. "No vex, I no do am on purpose. Everywhere dey cold now—abeg, sleep for bed tonight."

As I talk am, e just freeze. I think say e go refuse as usual, but this time, e just gree.

E just nod, no talk. We off light, lie for bed small. Next thing, e just get up, go baff again.

I just dey wonder. Wetin I do this guy? Comments show again:

[Ah ah, another cold baff? The guy dey try o!]

[No blame am—the babe dey soft, fine, anybody go lose guard...]

[Why the main babe never show?]

[Main guy just dey baff cold water, no talk.]

...

I just dey reason. Who be this main babe? Dem don mention am twice now.