Chapter 2: Slim Waist, Hot Jealousy

When the District Regent return come Aba, almost all the big madams for city come out to see am.

The way dem arrange the event, e resemble when important Igwe go come market square. All the society women tie headtie like peacock, even the ones wey no dey gree for each other, today everybody dey in peace—because of Ifedike.

Dem say make dem fine for am, all of dem starve themselves for days.

I hear some ladies for our street dey sip only pap for three days, so their waist go look like broom. Even my cousin Kelechi hide bread for wrapper, dey chop am for backyard.

Where I dey sit, the whole row just be like all those fine girls for New Yam Festival—slim, fragile, some waist thin reach where person fit use am tie bundle of ugu.

Their skin shine with coconut oil, waist beads dey jingle anytime dem laugh. The powder wey some use almost blind my eye. Person fit think say na beauty contest be this.

My mama pinch the flesh for my arm, disappointment full her face.

She look me up and down, her mouth tight like say she just chop bitterleaf soup without water. The pinch get meaning: 'Look yourself na, see as you strong!'

"Now na slim girls dey reign. See as your arm strong like man own."

She shake head, eye narrow. Her voice no loud, but e cut pass razor. I shift body, rub my arm where her finger mark still dey, bite my lip to hold tears.

I just weak.

No be today I know say I no fit meet her wahala standard. My mind dey float, I dey wish I fit just disappear.

"Mama, Papa na only city patrol officer. Even if I starve die for front of am, e no go even look my side. Besides..."

I talk am quietly, voice low so mama no go vex more. I dey reason, wetin even be the use?

"Besides wetin?"

She raise eyebrow, hand for waist, ready to fire another word. I swallow spit, look away.

I press my lips, no talk again.

Make I just hold myself, I no wan make wahala increase. Sometimes silence be the best answer for mama own.

Besides, I don already get person wey I like.

I dey hide smile. I dey remember the way him dey look me, not like all this fake fine boys. Na only me dey know as my belly dey sweet when I think of am.

He no get District Regent level or power, but the way he dey treat me—e dey soft, e dey cherish me pass anything.

Every small thing, e dey remember. If rain wan fall, e dey call to make sure say I carry umbrella. Na that kind person my spirit dey find.

My mama drag me back to reality.

She use elbow nudge me, eye sharp. "Make you dey look front, no dey dream!"

"District Regent don show. Quiet now."

Everybody neck stretch, even people for back dey peep to see the main man.

I raise my head, see one tall man waka enter, all the local chiefs gather around am.

As the chiefs dey hail am, their staff of office knock ground. The drummers wey dey one corner begin small beat, just to honour am.

All the big madams eyes just dey shine.

If you see the way dem dey adjust wrapper, some dey fan their face like say heat dey do dem. Even small girls wey come follow mama dem, dey peep from behind chair.

District Regent, Ifedike, fine and fresh, skin light, wear dark agbada, just dey do like person wey nobody fit reach.

Him agbada get golden embroidery, shoe shine like new naira. You go know say him get money and power, but the kain cold wey dey his face fit freeze river.

As he siddon, cross leg, the whole place dey filled with women wey dey trip for am.

E resemble film; some dey whisper, others dey hide smile. Na only the old women and the chiefs dey behave like say e no concern dem.

But the man no even look our side.

He dey sign paper, secretary bend talk for him ear, but him face strong like person wey dey count money. All the forming, no single smile.

My mama face fall.

I fit hear her sigh, as if say all her hope don crash. She adjust her headtie, face like rain wey wan fall.

I just face my highlife band again.

I look my lap, begin tap finger to the song wey the band dey play. Make I just mind myself, carry my wahala go.

The show long and boring, before I know, sleep dey catch me.

The MC dey talk, but my eye dey close small small. The way breeze dey blow inside hall, e sweet my body, sleep begin enter.

Na so I smell frangipani, next thing I find myself inside that same small family compound for my dream.

That sweet flower scent dey carry me go back. The sound of old generator for background, distant laughter from neighbour pikin, all join for my dream.

The room dark small; breeze dey blow the faded curtain, e dey move. I no fit see the man face well.

The light wey come from window dey dim, e cast shadow for wall. I fit feel say the man dey smile, even if I no see am well.

He bend come kiss the hair wey scatter for my ear, his voice soft as he call my pet name.

The way him take say "Yanning" carry plenty meaning, e sweet my ear. My body melt for inside dream.

"Yanning, you don come."

Na the way e dey talk am, like say na only me dey for this world. I hug am tighter, no wan let go.

I hug am tight. "Husband, today just dry. I miss you die."

The hug strong like say na now-now I see am after long journey. My voice soft, but inside my heart, fire dey burn.

As I dey talk, my hand don dey lose him belt.

No time for shyness inside dream. The cloth loose easy, my hand dey find him skin, heart dey race.

He bend kiss me. "Good girl. I miss you too."

I hear the smile for him voice. Na the kind gentle man wey dey pamper woman.

"Hmph, I no believe you."

I use my mouth take draw small line for him chin, just dey play. The laugh wey e give me na that one wey make person weak.

I bite his lips playfully.

I dey test am, as if say make e beg me small. But the bite no too hard; na just play.

Next thing, Ifedike wey dey sleep for stage, suddenly make sound of pain.

As the band dey play, dem stop, all eye turn face stage. People dey wonder if fly bite am.

Everywhere scatter; the band people stop immediately.

Somebody drop talking drum. Even the highlife singer look confused. Person cough from back of hall.

Na so I jump wake.

I shake body, look around, no sure if I dey dream or real. My chest dey drum like masquerade drum.

"Your Highness, you dey okay?"

The MC rush go stage, bend small, voice shake. Even the chiefs dey whisper.

I watch as the proud, cold District Regent just clean blood for him lips like say nothing happen.

He just bone, use handkerchief dab the blood, face still straight. Na only small frown show.

"No wahala."

He wave hand, voice steady. Everybody settle back, but tension still dey hang for air like harmattan dust.

"Continue."

Him voice deep, no space for argument. The show go on, but people still dey reason wetin happen.

I just freeze, my brain blank.

I dey ask myself whether na me cause all this. My hand dey cold, leg dey shake under table.