Chapter 4: Pepper Body, Sweet Mouth

I confuse. No be this kind brooding guy suppose hate wahala wife pass? After all my drama, why him agree so easy?

I watch am, my head dey turn. I reason: na this kind man suppose hate stubborn woman. But Chidi just dey gree for me.

I just dey look am.

I study him face, try see if na trick. I even poke him cheek small, try see if e go vex.

At last, Chidi talk, "Okay, I no go vex."

He talk am quiet, like person wey don tire to fight.

So na me dey overthink.

I puff cheek, relax. Maybe I too dey add drama for nothing.

But him still dey vex, na why him face red, jaw tight like say he dey hold something inside?

His jaw still stiff, the red for his face no gree go. He dey try swallow vex, but e show for his body.

I try remember Hang Man advice.

I close eye, run through her advice for my mind. First, kiss the wound; second, blow am; last, yarn sweet word.

First, I kiss him waist wey wound, then remember say na to blow am, not kiss. Last last, I kiss Chidi for cheek.

I bend, kiss the side of his waist where bruise dey, then blow small breeze. I chuckle, then peck his cheek, my lips light.

Him face hot. Abi na vex dey worry am?

I touch his cheek, the place dey hot like fresh moi-moi. I laugh, but fear small: abeg, make vex no turn to real wahala.

Why e hard like this? Why person go vex for small thing?

I talk inside, wondering why ordinary play dey cause this kind reaction. Maybe na love dey hide under vex.

I warn am, "No dey do like say you no appreciate."

I wag finger, try frown. My lips pout, but my eyes dey smile.

Before I finish, everywhere just turn. I no know where Chidi find strength—him get wound, but still use one hand support bed, the other carry me.

He surprise me, turn body, lift me with one arm, then set me gentle for the bed. I blink, the thing dey sweet and fear me.

He set me for bed, shift, give small gap, look down at me.

He sit small distance, hands for lap, eyes no leave my face.

He suddenly ask, "Who teach you all this one?"

He eye me, voice low. The question land like stone, but e soft.

Chidi dey try hide some feeling, but him body language dey somehow.

He scratch head, eyes dodge. His foot tap floor, like person wey dey shy.

My heart dey beat. I answer soft, "Na Sister Hang Man."

My voice low, almost whisper. I turn face, laugh small.

Chidi rub him forehead, tired. "No too follow that woman. She go spoil you."

He sigh, rub his head, eyes tired. For his mind, he dey fear make I no pick wrong character.

"Abeg, make we rub the medicine."

I lift ointment, pass to am. My body dey itch, but I dey smile inside.

I wan agree, then remember say I get mission: I suppose dey give this brooding guy wahala, make am suffer, until him jam the real heroine wey go heal am.

My mind flash the story plan. I get work—no be to dey fall in love anyhow. I clear throat, ready to form small.

So I cross my hand, raise shoulder. "You go do am for me."

I act stubborn, fold arms. My eye dey shine, but my heart dey melt.

Chidi no argue.

He take ointment, rub for his hand, then gentle for my arm. His face serious, but his touch dey careful.

But to rub medicine no easy. Chidi hand rough from all the mechanic work. As him dey rub the ointment, my body dey tickle, I dey twist.

His rough hand dey tickle my skin. I giggle, twist, almost fall for bed. He try hold me, laugh small.

"You go do the front by yourself."

He pass the ointment to me. His voice low, almost shy.

He give me the ointment, then talk after small time, "I go work for some days, I no go come house. You go dey alone—lock door, no waka anyhow."

He voice serious, eyes sharp. He dey try warn me, make I no misbehave.

He pull the last money from him pocket.

He count small notes, pass them to me. His hand shake, but his face still strong.

"Take. If e no do, I go bring more."

His voice heavy, but I fit see the worry for his eye. Even if money no dey, he dey try.

The original me dey spend money anyhow, always dey buy big name things.

I remember how I dey waste money, buy things wey no add value. I look the money, sigh, promise myself to try small manage.

I point him bandage hand. "You go wound again?"

I point the bandage, try warn am. My voice soft, almost like prayer.

Chidi shake head. "Not this time."

He shake head, try smile. For his mind, he dey reassure me. But I still dey fear.

He rush comot, carry nothing.

He stand, adjust singlet, waka fast go door. No bag, no food—just himself and stubborn spirit.

For the next few days, Chidi just disappear. Calls no go, messages no reply.

His phone dey off, even message no dey deliver. I begin dey reason different things. My chest dey tight, worry dey grow for mind.

I begin worry, but I no know where to find am.

I pace inside the room, press my phone every five minutes. I even call Hang Man, but she talk say she no see am. My heart dey beat as I dey think all the possible things wey fit happen.

So I just waka reach the small park for our area.

Rain don stop, sun dey shine small. I throw wrapper for shoulder, waka slow go the small park near our house. Children dey play, old men dey gist under mango tree. I sit for bench, dey watch people, hope say maybe Chidi go waka pass, or at least, breeze go blow my worry small. But for every child wey laugh, my heart dey pinch—where my own person dey?