Chapter 3: New Life, New Laughter

4

First time for my twenty-seven years, I shame—my wedding night! Na real wahala!

Madam eye sharp. She first look my wheelchair with joy, dey press the machine, then her eye waka go my waist down!

As she dey look me like that, my face just hot! My dark skin no fit hide blush, I sweat small.

She come talk with pity: “Eya, e no matter—even if you no fit do man thing, General Danjuma still fine no be small!”

She talk… this kind open mouth. Like say na play, she no get filter at all.

I no even know why, my chest just dey do one kind! E be like say I swallow yam without water. Since I dey alive, nobody don ever call me fine! No be ‘killer face’ dem suppose talk?

And besides, no be say I no fit do man thing, just say…

Abeg, she still young, life dey long—no need make she tie herself to me! Make the mistake dey!

So I just smile: “Sorry say I put you for wahala, I…”

She wave hand: “No wahala! Na General I dey pity—with this your size, if no be injury, you for dey carry four, five bag of corn like play. My papa corn go soon ripe…” Her laugh carry life; I fit see her papa for mind—big man, hand strong, voice loud for market.

…

Anytime I wan talk, I no fit breathe well! Madam mouth no get rival! She dey yarn like old palmwine tapper for evening.

Wedding night suppose be love time! But she talk say I no fit be man, then drag me go dey check wheelchair together! Nneka, wear simple cloth, just sit anyhow for couch, scatter drawing everywhere, dey talk with joy how to make wheelchair better!

Last last, she sleep anyhow for couch, ink dirty her face! I just shake head, clean her face gently! I look her small mouth wey dey pout for sleep, remember old days when I dey fit carry sword.

As she dey sleep, she dey talk:

“Come back… the person wey go war don come back!”

My heart just dey pain, my mind scatter! Like person wey miss road for Benin market.

That time, maid enter softly! She tiptoe, arrange wrapper for arm, respect full body.

She look the person wey sleep, then look me, talk: “General leg suppose dey do acupuncture steady. Chief doctor dey wait since!”

I press my leg, pain dey catch me, but I smile: “Just now, as Madam dey talk, I no even feel the pain!”

Maid push me out, as she serve my mama before, she talk with small vex: “Madam still be pikin, she dey talk plenty. General, take care of yourself!”

“No wahala. I like as she dey talk!” I laugh, even pain for leg no fit quench am.

Before I waka go, I cover her with thick Ankara wrapper, the kind my mama dey use for harmattan.