Chapter 5: Evidence and Doubt

With Auwalu watching, I relaxed small. Maybe guilt dey worry Morayo, because she stopped claiming overtime and started coming home early. Just like that, two weeks pass. Auwalu said everything normal at the office—he never see her close to any man. He even told me to stop thinking too much, that it could break my marriage.

She dey greet me soft, dey try cook sometimes, but my mind no dey rest. Every time I see her, I dey look for sign.

If I hadn’t seen that prenatal check-up slip and abortion summary, maybe I for believe am. But the facts dey my front—her cheating is clear as day.

The evidence dey clear. Paper no dey lie. Only fool go close eye.

“Guy, abeg talk true: wetin Morayo do wey make you sure say she cheat?”

Auwalu voice come for phone one night. His tone serious, like person wey dey fear for my sanity.

On the phone, since I kept quiet, Auwalu thought I no trust him. “Your wife dey alright for office. You sure she cheat? Or you get proof?”

He dey try get the gist. I fit sense am, but my mouth dey lock.

I thought about it. The fewer people know about the abortion, the better, so I kept quiet. “Just think say na my mind dey play trick.”

I laugh small, acting like say I just dey paranoid.

Auwalu pause for two seconds. “Oya, since you no get proof, I must defend your wife. You know office work dey busy die—who get time to cheat? Your Morayo even less likely. I feel say you don stay house too long, you dey think too much. You want work again? My partner dey find operations director. You fit try. Pay dey good…”

He dey try distract me. New job, new life. But I know say my wahala no be work.

“Abeg, abeg.” I laughed. “You know say I no get interest for office wahala again.”

I dey dodge the matter. I no fit trust office again.

Auwalu sighed. “But you no fit just dey house. Your in-laws no dey give you attitude? Try find work make you distract yourself. If your in-laws hear say you dey suspect their daughter, dem go talk anyhow.”

He dey talk truth, but the thing dey pain me. My own family dey expect grandchild, her papa dey yarn anyhow, but nobody dey my corner.

I went quiet. I never tell the family about my online work. Even Morayo thinks I dey chop my savings. My father-in-law don tell me before: ‘You dey enjoy because you no get pikin. If you get child, we go see if your money go reach. Na my daughter dey carry this family.’

The insult still dey pain me. I dey pay for everything, yet dem still look me like liability.

I no dey argue with elders. But Morayo never defend me. I dey pay mortgage and all bills. At most, she buys some small things, but most of her salary dey go clothes and makeup—the main bills na me dey handle. No be me dey support the family?

Na only when NEPA bill come, she fit drop change. Me dey carry house rent, food, everything. But if you hear her papa, you go think say na me dey chop her money.

I no wan talk about this matter again, so I brushed him off and dropped the call. But after, I started feeling something no add up.

I look window, Abuja night breeze dey blow, but my body dey hot. Something dey off, but I never fit put finger on am.