Chapter 4: Secrets in the Clinic

Yes, I don change name and surname. No be Lin Wan again, na Meng Zainab now.

I even add small Benue twist for my accent. If you hear me talk, you go think say na true Makurdi pikin.

E no know say I sabi medicine. For e eye, I be just palace woman, dey wait for am for back yard, weak and soft.

I remember days for Okpoko wey I dey read medical book under lantern, dey pray make e no catch me. Now, I fit treat people in the open.

That night, Peter Sulaiman drink plenty. But e sabi hold drink, e still dey clear.

Dem serve ogogoro, palmwine, even foreign whisky. But Peter no pass e limit. E still dey gentle with me.

E hold me as we lie down, hand for my waist.

His palm warm, heartbeat steady. Na the kind hold wey dey tell you say, "I no go let anything touch you."

My mind still dey wedding hall matter, so I hold e hand ask, "Husband, you sabi when that big guest go return Abuja?"

I try make my voice light, but e shake small. I no want make Peter notice say something dey worry me.

"In few days."

E talk am without stress. My chest relax small, but I still dey reason how I go waka till e commot.

Few days…

I count the days for my mind. I fit hide for clinic, use work cover face, before anybody notice say something dey off.

I think am. I go just try avoid am small time.

My plan dey sharp for head, but I dey pray say temptation no go carry me go where my leg no fit return.

"I hear say e come with one lady. I suppose greet her, but Palm Grove Clinic work plenty these days."

I try form concern, but na fear dey do me. For our culture, greeting guest dey important. If I miss am, dem fit talk say I dey do anyhow.

Prince come my wedding, but I no show face—na wahala be that o.

If dem catch am, dem fit yarn story for village. I no want bad name.

Peter Sulaiman frown, then smile.

He no really like the way I dey dodge, but he still dey support me.

"No wahala. Do wetin you wan do. Anything for Peter house, I go handle."

E mean am. Na man wey dey stand for e wife. I bless God say na him I marry.

Next morning, early early,

I wake before cock crow. I fit hear neighbor dey sweep compound, market women dey hawk early moi-moi.

I follow Peter Sulaiman go greet Peter elders.

Na tradition. If you marry enter family, you go greet elders first. Dem go pray for you, give you small advice. Some go dash you wrapper, some dey just give handshake.

Peter family people dey warm, dey friendly. When I first reach Makurdi, I stay with dem small, so we get good rapport. Now wey I don marry enter, dem no dey do shakara like big family.

One aunty even pull me aside, say, "Zainab, you be correct wife o. Just dey pray for our son. Na only prayer dey keep marriage."

After main house, I waka go Palm Grove Clinic.

Clinic dey busy. I fit hear baby dey cry, somebody dey argue for corridor, but na my home. Everybody know me here.

As I enter, shopkeeper look me with surprise.

The man mouth wide open. "Madam, you no suppose dey for honeymoon?"

"Why you come? You no take leave?"

I look ground, dey laugh. "Work no dey finish for nurse hand."

I sigh, small shame catch me.

I smell Dettol and fried akara from the roadside, the kind scent wey dey remind person say life dey go on.

E pain me small, but na my life. I no fit just dey sitdown dey chop food for house. My hand dey scratch me to help people.

True, if no be this wahala big guest, I for no come clinic day after wedding.

Na only serious matter fit drag me out. If no be say I dey dodge guest, I for still dey house dey enjoy stew and fried plantain.

"No tell anybody say I take leave o."

We laugh. E look me as if he wan ask more, but he hold himself.

E think am. "Wetin happen? Being big madam dey hard?"

His face soft. I see say he dey try lighten my mood.

I shake head.

"I just no fit sitdown too long. Clinic na my second home."

Before wedding, Peter Sulaiman tell me say e no mind if I dey outside. Anything I wan do, e go support me.

Some men for here no dey gree wife work. But Peter na true gentle man.

"Nothing dey. I just miss everybody, so I rush come back."

I talk am like joke, but e true. My heart dey with my people for clinic.

Shopkeeper laugh, no ask again. "No wahala."

He wink, go back to book. I feel small ease for chest.

Afternoon, one servant from Peter house reach clinic.

He come with urgency. Even his shoe dirty with dust, sign say e waka fast.

"The lady wey big guest bring come get headache. Old madam say make you come check am."

He lower voice, as if e dey talk secret. I dey fear wetin I go meet for house.

As I hear this one, my body nearly fail me.

Cold sweat just dey my back. If na that lady, e mean say big wahala dey come.

Why sickness go catch now?

This kind thing no dey happen for ordinary day. E be like say God dey test my courage.

"Young master and big guest talk before dem comot say make we no disturb you, but…"

The boy eye dey beg, as if na him dey carry the wahala. I just nod, no wan add more stress.

As I hear am, my mind calm small.

If dem talk make dem no disturb me, e mean say maybe no be trap.

"Dem comot for city?"

I ask am soft, try hide fear for voice. E nod sharp sharp.

Servant nod, think say na Peter Sulaiman I dey ask about.

"Yes, young master dey treat young madam well."

I just nod, hold small smile for face.

I no even wait make e finish. I don already enter keke.

Benue keke drivers sabi speed. I hold my bag tight, dey pray make I reach on time.

"Okay, make we dey go."

Driver see my face, sabi say no be ordinary call. He no even ask for extra money.

For Mango Lodge, I stop small before I open door.

The gate paint don peel, but the inside na correct class. I dey reason how life fit turn, from palace to lodge.

I get idea who go dey inside.

My heart dey drum, but my leg still dey move.

Jang Sade.

Everybody for Makurdi sabi her name. If you see her, you go know say her family get money and power. Her walk alone dey command respect.

Abuja jewel, fine, sabi book, sabi herself. Jang family pikin. Prince choice for princess.

Even if person no like am, you go still respect am. Her kind dey rare for this part of the country.

I don see her before.

For Okpoko Palace, her face dey everywhere. Even the way people dey talk about am, you go know say e get story behind.

When Prince Zubair dey find wife, king send many fine girl portrait come Okpoko Palace. Jang Sade own dey on top.

Her picture big pass the rest, and the cloth wey she wear na imported. Everybody dey hail her family.

One time as I dey serve Zubair tea, tea pour for her portrait. E just vex, "Comot."

That day, my hand shake. I dey fear make dem no pursue me. But Zubair just wave me off, say "Go."

Then…

The day I comot Abuja, she follow Zubair waka. Everybody for street dey talk about am.

Na so news fly. People dey gossip for market—"You hear say Prince don carry Jang Sade go palace?"

I wear simple cloth, just peep, then waka pass city gate.

My heart dey heavy, but I no look back. I blend with traders, hold my wrapper, waka fast.

From that day, I no be Okpoko Palace palace wife again. I just dey waka on my own.

God alone know where I go land.