Chapter 3: Halima’s Temptation

"Tunde." One sweet voice call me.

I look up, see tall, fine girl for violet dress dey come. Her hair pack for ponytail, her neck white like milk, small perfume just dey smell. Na my wife best friend, Halima.

She waka come with style, no rush, her shoe dey make kpakpa for ground. Streetlight dey shine for her face.

Halima no be just my wife bestie—na also my brother-in-law Auwalu fiancée. Na because two of them wan marry, Auwalu dey disturb for wedding house, push me reach this point.

But that thought no last. Even if no be Halima e dey marry, na another person, dem go still expect me to pay.

So e no really matter who. As far as e concern Morayo family, my pocket na their ATM.

"Halima, you don come," I try smile.

I no wan show say my mind dey heavy, but Halima sabi person well.

"I dey live under your flat. Which kind 'come'?" Halima laugh.

Her laugh na melody, e fit cool person body after sun. I try join am, but my heart still dey boil.

"True, I forget," I say, rub my head. She na my neighbour too, just one floor below.

She dey carry herself with dignity. No be every day you go see woman wey get sense, beauty and home training join.

"Tunde, you no dey happy," Halima talk gently, sit down near me. Her fine eyes full of concern.

She fold her legs gently, place hand for my arm, her touch dey soft, like breeze for rainy season. She really dey try make me open up.

"Who say I no happy? I just wan relax small," I reply, lie back dey look her fine, smooth face.

But inside me, my heart dey pound. Her presence dey make my mind run wild. Na only God know wetin I dey feel.

Why Auwalu go get this kind fine girl?

I dey reason, if to say na me, I for treat her better. But wetin eye go see for this life?

He find am, okay—but why I go use my money buy am house?

I no fit reason am. E dey pain me for bone. She dey there, I dey here, na my sweat dem wan use build another man joy.

Why?

Question wey no get answer. This one pass me. My chest dey heavy like stone.

Jealousy just dey burn me. As I look Halima, my mind dey dark, small small possessive.

I dey feel one kain for body. If say na oyinbo film, dem go say I dey obsessed. But for here, na because my eyes don see shege.

If na me marry Halima, e for better.

I go fit rest. I go fit build family where I no go dey run as errand boy. This kain woman na blessing.

She be only child, fine, get sense, both parents na retired civil servants, our family level match.

No drama, no wahala. Just two people wey sabi themselves, fit build life from ground up.

The more I reason am, the more I believe say to leave my marriage na the best. Maybe divorce go solve am.

No be say I like divorce, but e be like say na the only way I go fit breathe.

Me and my wife no be from the same world. She dey put family above everything, but me, I don tire.

I dey reason, na so marriage suppose be? Man no be slave, abeg.

"But I see as you dey sigh just now. Try look the good side," Halima talk softly, dey comfort me.

She smile small, rub my shoulder, her voice dey calm. E be like say my chest dey open for her words.

Her words calm me small.

The tension for my body reduce. I feel say at least person dey care.

"Halima, I go come your place later for tea," I say, try smile.

I wan see her again, maybe the peace wey I dey find go dey there.

"No wahala," she answer, stand up go house.

She waka dey do like person wey sabi herself, every step sure, no rush. As she waka go inside, I dey look am. My mind dey settle small, I begin dey plan wetin next.

I waka go mall for junction, swipe 600k buy Chanel violet lace dress—designer level, the kain wey dey make women for Makurdi turn head. Wrap am, then waka go Halima door.

I dey reason, even if na last money I get, make I do something wey go make me happy.

I knock, she open door quick quick.

She dey smile, her eyes dey shine as she see me. Her house dey neat, the smell of air freshener dey sweet for nose.

"Come inside," she smile.

Her smile na blessing, e dey clear say she no dey judge me for my wahala.

"Gift for you," I say, give her the Chanel dress.

Her eyes shine like NEPA light after blackout, hand dey shake as she touch the nylon.

Halima face change small as she see the Chanel logo.

Her mouth open small, she cover am with hand. Na surprise I see for her face.

"You suppose give am to my sister," she talk, try dodge.

She dey try talk am gentle, but I see say her mind dey shake.

"Your sister don go wash clothes for Baba Musa next door. She no send my gifts again," I reply, voice bitter.

I no fit hold my pain. My chest dey burn, my words heavy like stone.

Halima shock.

She just stare, her eyes wide. She no fit believe wetin I talk.

"My marriage don finish," I add.

I talk am, my voice low but sure. I no go fit lie to myself again.

She look the dress, no talk.

I see say her hand dey tremble. She dey try reason everything.

"Na because of me and Auwalu house matter make you and my sister dey quarrel?" she ask softly.

Her voice dey gentle, she dey pity me. For her mind, she dey sorry for wetin dey happen.

"You probably hear am for stairwell," I say.

I no fit hide am. Everybody for this compound go don hear the quarrel.

She nod.

She no talk, she just dey reason, her eyes dey heavy.

"Ten years marriage, I pay for her brothers’ school, upkeep, wedding, house down payment. Now dem want make I pay Auwalu full house."

I slump for sofa, body weak. "I no get that kind money. I promise my wife say I go pay down payment and your bride price, but…"

My voice break. I dey feel as if the whole world dey on top my head.

"Sorry," Halima talk, head down. "I no expect am reach like this."

Her voice dey shake. I see say she truly dey feel am for me. Na rare thing for this world.

"Because I no fit buy house, my mother-in-law and Auwalu get new idea: make I carry my parents’ house give Auwalu as wedding house. You reason am, I go gree?"

My voice dey rise. My hand dey shake. Wetin person never see for life?

Halima face fall. She no expect am reach like that.

She cover mouth, her eyes water small. She shake head, she dey pity my situation.

"Neighbour just talk say e fit lend money to her brother, she run go dey wash, dey cook for am. Halima, you want your pikin grow for this kind environment?"

I dey look am, I dey beg make she understand. This kain family fit ruin pesin.

She shake head.

Her face serious. She no go fit allow that kain drama for her own life.

"Our parents na civil servant retirees, we both na only children. I just be department manager for local government office. If na me and you, life for soft."

I dey try show her say better dey if we reason am together. No be all family get wahala.

I press the Chanel dress for her hand.

I see small smile for her face. She dey shy, but I know say her heart dey open.

Halima blush, collect am.

Her cheeks red. She dey smile, her eyes dey shine. I feel relief for my chest.

As she collect the gift, my mind calm. I know say I bet well—Halima get sense.

I see hope for her eyes. My spirit begin dey lift. Even if today rough, tomorrow fit dey better.

After small gist, I go upstairs.

We yarn about small things, laugh small. The tension reduce. As I dey climb stair, my heart dey pound but e dey soft.

As I reach house, my wife don come back, dey sit for sofa dey chop groundnut with my mother-in-law. Auwalu still dey play game.

I see say nothing dey move them. Everybody just dey live life as if nothing spoil.

"Husband, make food. Baba Musa like goat kidney. I remember your own dey sweet pass," Morayo talk, dey drag my hand like say she dey pet me.

She dey form love, but I know say na lie. Her face dey smile, but her eyes dey cold.

Her act just dey make me wan vomit.

If no be say I dey try hold myself, I for commot house that minute.

"If you wan chop, fry am yourself," I answer coldly.

I face wall, I no even look her face. My mind dey strong, my body dey tight.

"You dey craze? Why you dey vex? Baba Musa agree lend us 30 million naira solve our wahala. Na just fry goat kidney I ask you—why you dey stingy!" she shout, dey point me.

She dey shout, her hand dey fly everywhere. Her voice dey break window. Neighbours fit hear her for corridor.

I look am, talk coldly, "Morayo, I dey tell you now: that loan na your own, e no concern our marriage."

I use all my mind talk am. Make she know say I no dey play again.

Na so she spark, like dog wey person match tail. "Tunde, wetin you mean? Auwalu marriage and house na our responsibility!"

She dey shake, her voice dey crack. If na small pikin, she for cry.

"Brother-in-law, you dey oppress my sister!" Auwalu jump from sofa, dey point me. "You be man at all?"

Him voice dey loud, him face dey red. If to say na street, we for don fight.

I look both of them, no wan talk again.

My mouth lock. No need argue with people wey no wan reason your side.

"Okay! If you no fry, I go carry the goat kidney go Baba Musa house fry am!" Morayo storm out with food.

She waka comot, slam door. Her wrapper nearly fall as she dey rush.

"Make your own food. Mama, make we go chop for Baba Musa place," Auwalu shout.

He stand, follow Morayo go outside. I dey hear their steps for corridor.

My mother-in-law come meet me, "Son-in-law, man suppose get big mind, else you no fit keep woman."

She dey whisper, but her tone dey strong. She dey warn me indirectly. Her words dey bite.

My face just hard, I no talk anything.

No need waste word. For this kind house, talk no dey work.

My mother-in-law and Auwalu waka go neighbour house, dey happy.

Dem laugh as dem dey go, as if na them get the whole world. I just dey look dem from window.

I go downstairs, knock Halima door. She wan cook.

She wear Ankara wrapper, dey cut onion for kitchen. Her face dey calm, her house dey neat.

"No worry. Today na my treat, make I show say I serious," I talk softly.

I try smile, my voice low. I dey show say I wan do something better.

"Go where?" she ask, eyes bright.

Her eyebrow rise, her lips dey curve small. She dey expect surprise.

"Sheraton," I answer. Why I no go enjoy my own money for once? All the years wey I dey give, wetin I gain?

I talk am with confidence. E be like say small hope dey my mind.

"That one cost o," Halima talk.

She dey smile, her eyes dey shine. She no dey form for me.

"Abeg, wear your Chanel," I tell am.

I wan see her shine, make I forget my wahala.

She go room, come out soon in Chanel dress. She tall, fair, the violet lace just make her body perfect.

I shock. She fine reach heaven. My mind dey race, but I hide am.

We waka quietly go underground garage, drive go Sheraton restaurant.

Na my small car I use. As we reach Sheraton, dem greet us well. Waiter dey bow, open door. E shock me say I fit feel like correct man again.

Chef sabi cook well. Me and Halima enjoy food, later waka by riverside.

We order jollof rice, suya, and pepper soup—no be everyday man chop this kain enjoyment. We chop, laugh, gist. Later, breeze for riverside dey blow. Water dey move, frog dey croak.

Breeze for riverside dey sweet, music dey enter body.

Jazz music dey play for background, small children dey run for grass. The whole place calm, nothing like family wahala.

I wan hold her hand, but I hold myself.

I dey fear make I no rush am. She fit dey wonder why I dey gentle.

"You wan win your wife back? Or you wan rescue am from fire?" Halima tease, her eyes dey shine.

Her laughter light, she dey look me with one kain eye. She sabi play, na why I dey like her.

"My matter no fair to you," I shake head. "No reason am. Give me time."

I dey honest. I no wan use her as rebound. If I go do, I go do well.

She smile, her eyes shine more.

She press my hand small. I see say hope dey.

We waka for riverside till night, then go house.

We talk about life, family, dream. As we dey go house, my heart dey soft. I dey thank God say I get peace, even if na for one night.

My wife dey prepare sleep, brother-in-law still dey play game, mother-in-law dey shine for new clothes.

House still dey noisy. But my mind don dey strong. I no fit fear again.

"Husband, tomorrow make we go your parents’ house, tell them make dem move go village, free the house for my brother wedding. Your parents go understand," Morayo talk.

She say am with boldness. I dey wonder if she dey hear herself.

"Wetin you talk? Move go village?" I hold my anger, look am coldly. "I dey tell you, no try am."

My voice dey cold, like rain wey fall for early morning. She dey shake, but she no gree.

"Why you stubborn like this? Your parents’ house go still be your own, your own house na my own. I no fit let my brother stay for this house for now?" Morayo stand, dey point, dey shout.

Her mouth dey wide, her finger dey shake. She dey vex, her voice dey break.

"No even try am," I reply coldly.

I no fit gree. My mind don dey made up. I go fight for my own this time.

"If you no gree, our marriage don end," she talk.

Her voice low, but serious. Na threat she dey give.

"Fine, e don end. Tomorrow morning, make we go collect divorce paper," I say. After divorce, I go marry Halima, show this family.

I talk am, stand for ground. My mind no shake.

She shock, she no expect say I go gree.

Her mouth open, her eye dey red. She no believe say I fit talk am.

"Divorce dey okay! My Morayo fit marry man wey better pass you hundred times. I never see man stingy and selfish like you!" my mother-in-law burst in, dey point and curse me.

She dey shout, dey stamp leg. She call me all the bad names wey she fit remember. Neighbours for corridor dey peep.

"All of una commot! Move out! This house na my property before marriage," I say coldly.

I dey ready. No be today dem start to use me.

Since everybody don show their true colour, no need hide again.

No time to do Mr Nice Guy. Everybody go face him own.

"Which kind property? This house na joint property between you and my daughter! Why we go move out?" my mother-in-law shout.

She dey try raise voice, her hand dey up. But I no dey fear again.

"Joint property? Na my parents buy this house before marriage," I talk coldly.

Her face fall. She dey look my wife, dey expect support. Nobody talk.

As I finish, Auwalu rush in, kick me for belle, I fall for ground.

The pain enter bone. I see stars. If no be say God dey my side, I for faint.

Pain just hold me. Auwalu bend down slap me many times for face.

Each slap dey hot. My mouth dey bleed, my eye dey red. I hear my own voice dey echo for head.

"You no get shame? My sister spend ten years with you, you still dey calculate for am!" he dey curse as he beat me.

He dey pant, spit dey fly from him mouth. Na madness dey worry am.

Pain hold me, I no fit fight back.

I just dey lie down. My body dey weak. I dey pray make I survive.

Auwalu, after he tire, sit down for sofa, dey smoke.

He dey relax, he leg dey cross. No remorse, no fear. He dey look me with pride.

"I dey tell you, half the house na my sister own. All the savings go to her. My sister youth no fit waste. And you go dey give her 100k every month as payback for ten years!" he shout at me.

His voice dey loud. He dey point finger, his face dey red. Na only God know wetin dey drive him.

I wipe blood from my mouth, look my mother-in-law and wife. Dem just stand, cold, no pity.

Their eyes blank, no emotion. Na so betrayal dey be?

I lie down, no talk. Soon, footsteps dey run for stairwell, then knock for door.

I dey hear shoe dey tap for tiles. My heart dey pound. Wetin dey happen?

"Who dey there?" my wife ask.

Her voice dey shake. For her mind, she dey fear police.

"Community staff. We wan ask something," voice from outside.

Na so everybody quiet. Mama Kemi look window. Even Auwalu stop to smoke.

She open door. Four police just rush in, handcuff Auwalu.

Police uniform dey shine. Their faces hard. Auwalu try resist, dem twist him hand.

"Wetin dey happen?" my wife and mother-in-law dey shout.

Dem dey rush talk. Dem dey beg, dey cry. But police no dey hear.

"Auwalu dey suspected of assault," officer talk, face strong.

His voice dey like thunder. He dey look my wound. I dey point my swollen face.

Neighbour Mama Chinyere dey peep from window, dey whisper, "E don red for that family."

"My son no assault anybody! I fit talk for am!" my mother-in-law argue.

She dey cry, her voice dey break. She dey hold police uniform, but dem push am small.

"Una dey mistake! I fit talk too!" my wife add.

She dey try explain, but officer no send her.

Officer just hiss, no mind them.

He wave hand, dem move Auwalu go. Na so drama scatter.

"Oga, abeg follow us go health centre for checkup," officer tell me.

He dey calm, dey help me stand. I dey weak, but I try smile.

"No!" my wife and mother-in-law try block me.

Dem dey shout, dey drag my shirt. But police dey push dem comot.

I look my wife, say, "We don marry ten years. I don do well for your family. I go carry accountant calculate all the money I spend for una, then file divorce for court."

My voice dey strong. I dey look her eye to eye. No fear again.

"You dey craze! Na just help I help Baba Musa wash clothes and cook!" my wife scream, dey curse me say I no get shame.

She dey shake, her hand dey tremble. Her face dey red. She fit faint if she no calm down.

I look am, say, "After we divorce, you fit wash and cook for Baba Musa till you tire."

The words dey hot. She shock, her mouth open. Na so truth dey bitter.

She dey shake with anger.

Her body dey vibrate, her voice no fit come out again. Everybody dey look her, even Mama Kemi no fit talk.

"Son-in-law, abeg, no vex. I no go let Morayo go there again. You say you want pikin since, I go tell Morayo give you pikin," my mother-in-law quickly change voice, dey smile.

Her tone change, she dey beg. But I know say na lie. Na fear dey catch am now.

"No need. I don find person wey go give me pikin," I answer, sly smile. "You wan know who? I fit tell you now."

Her face freeze. Everybody quiet. My mind dey at peace for the first time in years. For this Nigeria, if you no stand for yourself, dem go use your head fry akara. From today, na my own happiness I go dey pursue.