Chapter 9: River Deep

5

Me and Auwalu always dey behave for each other.

Sometimes, if mood good, na only kiss and hug we dey do.

But somehow, e learn how to make me happy, so even if e no dey do everything, e sabi make my body sweet like sugarcane.

But I dey see am many times dey suffer, body dey hot, sleep no go come.

I offer to help am relieve himself.

But Auwalu always dey refuse with strong mind.

I think say na because e dey feel less.

Until, I see those strange heavenly books.

Dem talk say, Auwalu no be real steward.

E get all man power, just never give am to me.

E be the main guy for all those picture books, and even go be chief for future.

The chief wife now go be him madam.

And me, na just one woman wey e fit throw away.

Very soon, to make chief wife happy, e go kill my whole family.

I hold my chest wey dey shake.

Fear of family finish, and heartbreak from lover wey change, just full my mind like wild weed.

I no fit breathe.

I ignore all those gist for my head, call my maid. “Where Auwalu dey go lately?”

“Except him normal duty, na you e dey see pass, Madam.”

“But these days, e still dey go chief wife side.”

“I hear say weather hot, chief wife no fit sleep, Auwalu get one local remedy, so e go serve her.”

My brow shake.

E no tell me this one before.

“Abeg, dey watch Auwalu.”

The kind fear wey hold my chest that time, na only person wey don almost lose everything go understand. The way gist dey move for compound, na so mind dey scatter. All the talk about Auwalu, the books, even the small things my maid dey talk—e be like say I dey inside river wey water dey carry me go. Dem say na person wey know river deep go sabi where crocodile dey hide. I dey pray make the thing no true, but as woman wey get sense, I no fit close eye. I call my maid, my voice low, and tell am make she open eye well, because trust no dey again. My heart dey shake as I dey think how quick love fit turn to wahala.