Chapter 3: The Second Chance

"If you really wan see Olumide last time, why you no kneel beg am? Maybe him heart go soft."

The voice soft, but e carry knife. You know when person dey use pity kill you small small?

My mama-in-law look down, suggest am like say she dey pity me.

She rub my back, then glance my face with that fake smile wey dey hide bad belle. For Yoruba, dem go say, 'Oju aye.'

For my first life, I listen. I kneel five hours—my knees pain me sotay even after I die.

That kind pain no be only for body. My soul sef wound. Since then, I know say for Naija, if you dey beg and dem no gree, your tears na waste.

But for funeral, my papa and mama in-law no shock as Aisha show. Dem twist story defend her, show say dem know everything from beginning.

I remember their faces, how dem dey nod as lawyer talk. Dem clap hand, even give small space for Aisha make she siddon well. E pain me sotay I nearly shout.

My mama-in-law always dey oppress me because my parents die early, I no get person. Now, her fake caring na just to disgrace me.

For Lagos, if you no get family, dem go use you shine. My own na only God I get.

I squeeze out tears, shake my head like say I dey regret. "Papa talk true. Na Olumide last wish. As him wife, I suppose respect am."

I drop head, wipe face small, voice low, just to make dem feel say I be good wife. Na strategy.

As I talk am, I turn waka go.

I carry myself with small shakara, make dem no see say I dey plan my own move. My heart dey beat gbim gbim, but my face dey calm.

"Stop there!" my papa-in-law shout. "Where you dey go? My son get just few hours left. If you waka, who go arrange things? Na we old people?"

The room quiet, all eyes on me. I pause, adjust my wrapper, try talk without fear.

I choke small. "I no fit watch am die. No worry, if anything happen, I go rush come."

I for cry, but my pride no go let me. I just bow small, waka slow, pretend say my leg dey heavy.

My mama-in-law dey whisper try calm papa-in-law: "Leave her, inside..."

Her voice cut. I no need look to know say dem dey use eye talk.

Their body language dey clear. Maybe na dem dey plan wetin next, or dem dey hide something. I no fit trust anybody again.

Of course. Aisha still dey inside ward. If I comot, dem go fit talk their mind well.

Dem no want make I hear wetin dem dey discuss. For Naija family, backdoor meeting dey happen steady.

As expected, papa-in-law say, "No go far."

Him voice firm, like warning. I just nod, no argue.

I nod, waka go.

My leg dey light, my spirit dey free. I tell myself say, 'Ngozi, na your time to shine.'

Once I comot hospital, I rush go private fertility clinic where dem store Olumide frozen sperm.

E dey for Ikoyi, glass building, security tight. But Naija money dey open door, if you sabi road.

As I enter, one young man dey for front desk, name tag write 'Chijioke.'

Him eye dey sharp, phone dey hand, but e still dey chew gum like pikin wey never ready for life.

I waka reach am. "My husband get sperm here. Abeg, check record for me."

I smile, drop small accent, just to confuse am. If you dey Lagos, sometimes e better make dem no too know who you be.

Chijioke no even look up. "Sorry, we no dey do that kind service."

E act like person wey dey follow manual. E dey hope say I go waka. But me, I dey ready for wahala.

Just as I expect.

For this Naija, some people no dey respect woman wey come alone. But I no gree.

I push am. "I wan see your manager."

I press am small, voice steady. For Lagos, you must sabi press button.

Chijioke finally look me, voice don dey impatient. "Na me be manager. I talk am before, I no fit check."

He try form big man, but I see fear for him eye. This one na small boy for hustle.

I raise eyebrow. "Na so? If I call my people for EFCC nko?"

Everybody for reception pause. One nurse choke cough, people dey look. Money and EFCC matter na language wey everybody understand.

Chijioke eye open. "Wetin? You dey craze?"

He gawk, almost drop him phone. I for laugh, but time no dey.

I smile. "Talk your price."

My voice calm, hand steady. Na so e dey shock dem.

Chijioke face light up. "Five million."

Na that time I know say Lagos life don teach this boy well. He wan use me do sharp business. I balance, give am look.

I pull chair sit down, dey calm. "I don check una well. Una clinic dey three years, una dey use latest technology, sperm activation rate pass ninety percent."

I drop facts, give am numbers, just to show say I no be mumu. For Naija, na information be power.

"But una fee too high. Since una start, na loss una dey run. And because una dey store people sample, una no fit close just like that."

I press am more. If you show say you sabi their business pass dem, dem go fear you.

Chijioke hiss. "One million. Na the last."

He cross him leg, but I see am dey sweat. Small sense, but I get bigger plan.

"Deal."

As I pay, Chijioke open member database.

E collect POS, eyes dey shine, fingers dey shake. I fit see say e never see this kind quick deal before.

As we find Olumide file, I scroll down, stop for one English name.

Database full of different names — some dey from Abuja, some from Ghana, Cameroon. I dey search well, brain dey hot.

Chijioke laugh, explain, "Na Ghanaian man. E break law for Naija, before dem catch am, e rush come leave him seed—hoping say e go leave pikin for this world."

He chuckle, teeth white, voice drop. I just dey look am with side eye. Naija and wahala, e no dey finish.

I twist my mouth. "Na him own I go carry, then."

I pick up my phone, pretend like say I dey chat. For this life, you go do as situation demand, even if e pain you for heart.