Chapter 8: Desperation

Amaka no need rat poison for rat, na for Emeka. If she kill person, me sef go enter wahala. Fear grip me.

My hand cold, I dey sweat, my mind dey run. I dey ask myself if na me cause this wahala. If police show, na me first go cell.

Few minutes, Baba Musa come house, apron still dey, give her bottle wrapped with nylon.

Baba Musa just waka in, na only sound of his slippers dey loud. He hand the poison like say e be gold. 'Use am well,' he warn.

"Abeg, handle am well, this thing dey kill on touch," Baba Musa warn am. "Come chop soon."

He dey smile, but worry dey his face. Amaka nod, collect bottle, hide am for shelf.

Amaka look window, confirm say Baba Musa don go back shop, then call Emeka.

She peep, check corridor, then dial quick. Her voice soft, almost beg.

"Emeka, I mess up. I lie because I dey fear say you go leave me. I really withdraw the money. Come collect am this afternoon, abeg. I no fit live without you. Na only you I wan marry."

Her voice dey sweet, but for her mind, na plan she dey plan.

Emeka quiet small, then talk, "Okay, I go come. I love you too. I just no like make you dey lie give me."

He talk low, but anger still dey his voice. Amaka sigh, drop phone.

I rush my room, carry the three bags, wait till Amaka go out, then sneak put the money back under freezer.

My heart dey run marathon. As I tiptoe, I dey pray make nobody see me. I push the bags quick, wipe sweat, rush back my room. I lock door, kneel down, thank God. My hand dey shake like say I thief government money.

After all this, I go play game, try calm my mind.

For every shot I fire, my hand dey tremble. I dey lose round, my mind no dey focus. Guilt dey bite me, but relief dey save me.

By 5 p.m., Emeka come again. Amaka give am bottle of coke, but he no drink. Instead, he hug Amaka. "Sorry, I mess up. I no suppose vex, but I love you."

Dem two hold each other like say world dey end. Amaka hand soft for his back. The coke dey sweat for table.

Amaka talk softly, "I know, I love you too. The money and me, na your own."

Her voice dey sweet, like person wey dey finally get peace. For her eye, na hope dey shine.

Emeka kiss her everywhere.

The room dey hot, their body close. For that moment, e be like all wahala don clear.

"Where money dey?"

Emeka voice low, but sharp. Money still be king for him mind.

"Tell me you love me."

Amaka dey tease, but her eye dey sharp. She dey test am small.

"I love you. Where money dey?"

He talk am like soldier.

"No rush." Amaka act like baby. "You no tire? You no thirsty?"

She try play, voice dey soft, but Emeka dey impatient.

"No be thirsty, time dey go."

He dey look clock, leg dey tap. The room dey tense.

"You no fit stay with me small?"

Amaka try hold him hand, but Emeka no send.

Emeka no fit wait, begin search: pillow, drawer, wardrobe... soon, he eye catch freezer.

He rush, bend, open freezer. Amaka just dey stand, dey watch.

Amaka just dey look am.

Her face blank. She hold table, bite lip. Her hand dey shake small.

"Na here..." True true, Emeka pull out three brown paper bags. "Ten, twenty, thirty... 3 million. Why e dey oily... Amaka, I love you die."

He dey count, dey smile, his own joy dey pure. Amaka just dey look, her eye no move.

The coke for Amaka hand fall, pour for bed.

Her hand just weak, bottle land for foam, splash everywhere. She no talk, just dey look money.

"Once I hammer, I go come marry you."

Emeka dress, waka commot.

His step dey heavy, but hope dey him face. He lock door, rush go stairs. Amaka stand still, her mind dey fly.

"Oil... money..." Amaka just dey look. "...why e come back again?"

She dey talk to herself, voice low. She dey fear, she dey confused. For her mind, wahala never end.