Chapter 3: Morenike’s Strength

Kunle just eye me.

He eye me like say na me collect him destiny. Room thick with tension.

"You dey vex?"

"Morenike, see as your husband dey jealous!"

Some people snicker. My palm dey sweat as I squeeze am.

"This one dey jealous anyhow. Him no even know say we dey bath and catch tadpoles together when we small?"

"Abeg, enough! You don drink pass your level," Morenike talk, pull herself comot and eye am.

She pull hand sharp like say she touch hot pot. Her hand dey shake after the slap, but her face strong—she no fit let anybody see her weakness.

Kunle just dey laugh, spread hand, lie down for our wedding bed.

"I never drunk, Morenike. You be my best friend. As your padi from small, I must test this bed for you!"

Everybody just dey look. Even the lamp dey look like say e no wan witness this kind wahala.

My hand just dey shake.

I try calm myself, dey chant silent prayer: 'God abeg, make I no disgrace my papa name tonight.' For my mind, I dey remember say for Yoruba house, woman no dey slap man anyhow—unless wahala don pass boundary.

Morenike rush come hold me.

She hold my arm, whisper for my ear, "No vex, abeg. I no want wahala today."

"Dear, abeg ignore am. Na so he dey behave when he drink. No mind am."

"Who say I drunk? I dey talk, nobody believe me."

Kunle prop himself up, eye land for bedside lamp.

"This light too bright."

He off the lamp.

Room come dark small, everybody murmur. For Yoruba tradition, that lamp get meaning o. To off am na bad sign.

My patience just finish.

I feel my body go cold. For my mind, I dey hear my mama voice: "Don’t let person spoil your shine."

For our side, the bridal chamber lamp na big good luck—suppose dey on till morning. Even the bulb wey dem use get meaning. All na for better sign.

This guy get mind o…

Dem say if lamp off, e fit mean trouble for marriage, but I no go allow that.

I rush go grab him collar.

People gasp. I grip am with all my annoyance.

Tolu jump out from crowd, raise fist.

The place scatter. Two aunties begin shout: "No fight o! Today na happy day!"

Morenike friends just dey vex for Tolu, wan join matter.

Everybody dey ready for gbege, but me I dey ready to end am.

"Wetin dey worry una?!"

"Try am if you get mind!"

Fight wan start. Morenike quickly on the lamp back, run come me.

Her hand dey shake as she dey press the switch. She almost cry. Her hand dey shake after the slap, but her face strong—she no fit let anybody see her weakness.

"Dear, no vex. I go carry am comot now!"

She drag Kunle up, give am correct kick for yansh.

The kick loud. People burst laugh, tension break small.

"Comot!"

Kunle just dey laugh, jump go meet him friends. He turn, salute me with fake respect.

His bow na real 'actor' style, as if e dey act for Nollywood.

"Sorry o, Yusuf, e be like say na true, I don drunk. I wish una love wey strong pass gold, ha!"

As he waka out, some people hiss, others just whisper: "See disgrace!"

But as his words hang for air, everybody know—wahala never finish.