Chapter 2: Under One Roof, Two Hearts

My chest just tight.

No be small thing. E be like say my heart dey press under stone, the pain just dey radiate reach my back. That silence between us dey loud pass Lagos hold-up horn.

The man wey stand before me wear white native, him fine face be like painting, but e dey always cold, dey far from people.

Even the way him agbada rest for him shoulder, e no get any fold. Im neatness na from habit, but for im face, e hard to see any soft smile. Neighbours dey say, 'Ifedike na man wey sabi hide him mind.'

Since he come back six years ago, everything about am change, he no dey smile again.

The only time e go shift mouth, na when Temi dey around, and even that one no dey reach eye. Once, I hear Mama Ifedike tell am, 'Pikin suppose dey grow for joy, not for shadow.'

Even when I born Temi, na just to look the pikin small and tell me politely, "You try well well."

People bring gift come, dey hail, but na only that, no warm hand for my shoulder. My friends dey wonder, 'You sure say your husband dey happy so?' I just laugh am off, but inside my heart dey bite me.

As I dey look lost, Ifedike frown, as if he no wan stay for where I dey again, then waka enter study, close the door strong.

The door just bang—everybody for house hear. Even kitchen maid poke head come check whether quarrel don bust. I no move, my hand still dey mid-air where I wan hold Ifedike before.

Mama Ifedike see me stand with bag of wara, no move, she sigh.

Her face calm, but her eyes sharp. She dey always read my mind. She use her wrapper clean sweat, then sigh again, old people style.

She just shake head small. "Wetyn happen? No be just market you go? How e take turn to quarrel?"

She try make the thing light, but her look dey tell me say she sabi wetin dey go on. For this house, nothing dey truly hide for old people eye.

I bend my head, my eyes dey hot.

My body dey heavy, my feet dey pain me, but na my heart dey weigh me pass. I no wan show my tears for front of everybody, so I use back of hand rub my eye quick.

Today suppose be my birthday, na Mama Ifedike rush Ifedike make e follow me go waka small.

She even say, 'No be every time woman dey do all the waka alone. Make Ifedike follow you, today na special.' My mind sweet small, even though my spirit no too high. As I dey waka with Ifedike, people for market dey hail us, say, 'Fine couple, see as dem blend!'

Temi don go academy, so I free. I even dress up small, wear the coral hairpin wey he give me that year.

I rub small powder, even use that scented oil wey my sister send from Ilorin. The way I arrange my scarf, e fine, but na for Ifedike I do am, make e notice say today different.

Even though Ifedike no even look my side, he still allow me hold him hand the whole waka, buy anything wey I want.

I feel like small girl again, hope say maybe today e go see me. But e just dey nod head, dey act like body dey there, but mind far.

As we dey come back, I remember say Ifedike like catfish pepper soup, but wara for house don almost finish.

I quick change direction, tell am, 'Make we branch roadside.' Ifedike nod, just dey drag leg.

For front, one blind old man dey queue. As the aunty dey cut wara, she hide take more than half, I catch am.

Na so my eye sharp. Blind old man dey beg for change, but this woman dey cheat am. I vex, talk, 'Aunty, e no good. Give am full measure.'

Ifedike see am too, but he just stand for one side dey look as the aunty dey shout for me.

He no talk. Na me dey face the fight alone. People dey watch, some dey support me, others dey say, 'Madam, abeg leave matter.' Ifedike just fold hand, dey wait.

Normally, I quiet, no dey argue, but today tears just full my eyes, red everywhere.

Na like say all my hidden pain just pour for ground. For my mind, I dey shout, 'Who go fight for me if not you?'

Truth be say, I know since—he no dey ever stand for my side for outside...

The pain dey deep. Even if I fall for gutter, na myself go stand up, no expect help. But today, e just bite pass my skin.

Mama Ifedike hold my hand, try calm me.

Her palm warm, soft, she dey rub my knuckle, whisper low, 'Morayo, abeg, cool temper.'

"No mind wetyn people talk. Na old gist, six, seven years don pass."

She smile that her small smile, dey use soft voice patch my heart. Her wisdom dey always dey like balm for wound.

She add, "Ifedike no get anything with that woman again, plus, una get pikin now."

She rub my back. 'E don pass. Pikin dey house, old tori no dey help.' Her voice strong, like say she dey warn spirit.

"Just try live your life well."

She look me deep, like person wey wan pour sense into my skull. 'No let bitterness spoil your own happiness.'

I wipe my eyes, force smile.

I wan show say I dey okay, even if my heart dey swim for sadness. 'I go try, Mama.'

"Mm."

She dey try tell me make I learn to dey content.

The way she talk am, e dey always gentle, but the meaning sharp. She mean make I park my mind, no dey chase shadow.

Mama Ifedike dey easy to follow talk; na she choose me as wife that year.

She sabi my family from way back. Her hand dey strong for matter of choosing good wife. Many times, she dey talk, 'Na gentle woman dey fit this house.'

I be correct second daughter for Chief Olatunde family—my status no too high, no too low, I gentle, I fine, I dey behave well.

Chief Olatunde house dey always dey calm, not too noisy. I sabi wash clothes, sweep, respect elders, no be pikin wey go drag mouth for public. Even when I dey secondary school, my teacher dey call me 'Correct Morayo.'

Na the normal wife people dey pick for first son.

Plenty suitors pass, but Ifedike own matter na special. The elders pray make I fit carry house well. Dem believe say my type no dey too talk, no dey cause wahala, just dey smile.

To marry Ifedike that time wey him name dey everywhere, na dream for all the big girls.

Ifedike na catch then. Even women for choir dey whisper, 'Ifedike na complete husband material.' My own luck na say Mama Ifedike just like me from first day.

Na only one wahala—Ifedike heart don already get another person...

But nobody wan talk am open. Even when e dey show for Ifedike eye, people dey pretend say dem no see.