Chapter 4: Confrontations and Choices

Ifedike face come change. He greet us, wan waka go.

He stand, ready to walk away with pride, but my voice hold am down.

But I say, "Wait."

People hush. All eye turn our side. Na that kind moment you fit hear pin drop.

Ifedike look back at me, dey guard himself.

He cross him arm, eye steady. He dey wait make I talk rubbish so he fit fire back.

One house boy bring doctor enter.

Doctor Musa, the village doctor, dey always wear brown coat—even for this heat. He step in, nod for elders.

I point Ngozi. "Doctor Musa, abeg check this young lady pulse."

Everybody look. For Naija, doctor checking house girl pregnancy na big deal.

Ngozi panic, hide behind Ifedike.

She grab him shirt, voice dey shake. "No, abeg, I no wan wahala."

Ifedike look me with disappointment and disgust. "No need—"

He voice heavy, as if he dey talk to child wey mess up.

My mama see as e dey go, call two strong house girls to hold Ngozi down. Ngozi, fear make she no struggle, just allow Doctor Musa check her pulse, her fine face don pale.

Mama point, house girls grab Ngozi arm gently but firm. Doctor Musa hold her wrist, count pulse.

"...The pregnancy dey shake small, but e no serious. I go write medicine to help am," Doctor Musa talk.

Doctor Musa shake head, write prescription. "She need rest, eat better food."

My mama vex. "Shameless girl!"

Mama voice loud, anger full her face. "After all we do for you, na like this you pay us?"

Ngozi shame and fear, her face red. She wan kneel down confess.

She go drop for floor, but tears no gree let her talk.

Ifedike pull her up. "You no be house girl for this compound again. No need kneel for them."

He voice soft, but stubborn. He hold her hand, like say he wan protect her.

He add, "Madam Nwosu, Ngozi na my wife-to-be now. Abeg mind how you talk."

Him tone hard, eyes stubborn. He dey try show say he don get power now.

He still dey reason like say he be governor padi, new chairman favorite, so everybody suppose respect am.

He spread chest, head high, as if na him dey rule council.

My mama too vex, break cup.

She fling glass, pieces scatter for floor. "Tufiakwa! God forbid!"

My papa just dey look am coldly. "WAEC champion, you get mind o, dey talk anyhow for Chief wife front!"

Papa voice calm, but if you sabi him well, you know say e dey boil for inside.

Ifedike face stiff, e realize say him no get power here.

He adjust collar, swallow spit. For the first time, fear enter his eye.

"Apart from the pregnancy, any other thing?" I ask.

I cross my arms, face Doctor Musa. I no want hear later say Ngozi get wahala wey dem hide.

Doctor Musa shake head. "Nothing."

He pack him bag, look at me, "Na just food and rest, she go dey alright."

I look Ifedike. "Hear me well: your wife dey leave this compound healthy. If anything do am for your hand, no come blame us.

And by law, house girl wey do this kind thing fit chop beating till she die."

I eye am, voice steady. For our place, if house girl mess up, beating na normal thing. I want make Ifedike hear am clear.

So, I fit beat Ngozi die openly—I no need force am to suicide for corner.

I glance at elders, nod. "Make everybody know say, for this one, na mercy I get."

Ifedike understand. His face no sure.

He swallow spit, grip Ngozi hand tighter. For him mind, e know say e no fit run mad for this compound.

My papa tell Ifedike make e commot.

Papa voice sharp, "Young man, time reach. Go arrange your house."

As he dey go, he jam Tunde wey rush come.

Gate boy open gate, Tunde burst enter. Him shoe dey shine like Lagos conductor, shirt starch reach to cut yam, perfume choke everywhere.

I hear Tunde shout, "Uncle Nwosu, abeg no rush give Chidinma to Ifedike. Think about me too!"

He breath dey heavy, sweat for forehead. He no send anybody.

Ifedike face dark, he stop.

He freeze, eyes narrow. If na film, na here music go change.

Tunde na Chief of Enugu pikin, local council chairman nephew. We know each other since small.

Me and Tunde dey play ayo since we small. E go buy gala for me when I dey sell groundnut.

He get two big bros and one big sis, and everybody for house dey spoil am.

If you waka their compound, na Tunde voice you go hear pass. Him mama dey pamper am like Christmas goat.

Even though e dey do anyhow, e get sense. This time, he bet say he go pass WAEC, he come place thirty-seventh for second batch.

No be say he dull; na street sense join book sense. After exam, e dey boast for junction.

People like him no dey chase government work; he just wan show say he no be mumu. After that, he return to his old ways.

He buy new motorbike, dey flex. E no send civil service. For him mind, life na enjoyment.

For my last life, when he come propose, I don already agree for Ifedike.

E pain am small, but e no fit fight tradition.

But when I check both of them, I see say Chief of Enugu family still good: elders kind, siblings dey relate well, and Tunde na person wey go follow you flex when things good, but go stand for your front when wahala land.

Tunde no dey run when wahala show. He dey face am with chest. Na that kind man person need for this life.

Na true life show me.

If to say I get sense early, all this pain for no reach my family.

After my family wahala, he change, get work for his family, run up and down help us, even find evidence clear my papa name.

When everybody run leave us, na Tunde waka come. He no fear police, no fear village elders. E go hustle, bribe, find lawyer.

Big favour like this, hard to pay back.

I still dey wonder how I fit return the love. Sometimes, e good make person look well before choosing.

My eyes red.

Tears dey my eye, but I hide am. Pride no go gree me cry for front of all these people.

Tunde shock. "Wait, you dey fear or you happy?"

He poke me small. I hiss, try smile. "Na wetin you think?"

I just laugh. "See you, na Ngozi Ifedike wan marry, why you dey worry?"

I eye am, shake head. For Tunde mind, I dey tease am.

Tunde shock again. He look Ifedike, then talk, "Brother Ife, your taste get as e be o."

He snap finger, laugh. People for parlour begin whisper.

Ifedike face dark well.

If you press am, hot blood go pour. I fit see say pride dey pain am.