Chapter 3: Designs and Doubts

The designer’s name was Morayo—fine looking and very sharp.

Morayo na woman wey sabi. Always dey wear correct Ankara, with matching earrings. Her skin fine, her eyebrow no dey misbehave. If she enter place, people go notice.

She spoke well and carried herself with confidence.

She get that Lagos Island confidence. The way she dey walk, you go know say she sabi her work, and she no get time for nonsense.

Tunde said she was a top designer, recommended by a friend, with plenty experience and good taste, so we could trust her with our house.

I just dey wonder which friend. But as Tunde don hype her, I no wan spoil show. E say make I relax, Morayo go deliver.

He took me to meet her, and in front of me, he told her, “Don’t try to save money for us. Use the best designs and the best materials.”

My ear rise that day. Tunde wey dey calculate money for market dey talk say "use the best"? Na so I know say this house matter serious.

Morayo smiled at me. “Aunty Amaka, you’re lucky o. Your husband really dey try for you.”

She use that her sweet Lagos voice. I just blush, dey look ground. E good make person dey hear compliment.

She showed me some of her old projects, then brought out a price list—the amount nearly made me choke.

I nearly shout "Blood of Jesus!" I bend head, pretend say I dey cough.

But the same Tunde who is usually so stingy didn’t even blink before signing the contract and dropping the deposit.

I peep Tunde face, expect am to change colour, but the guy just sign like say na pure water receipt. E shock me o.

On the way home, I asked him if he wanted to think about it first.

I talk am gently, make e no vex. "Tunde, you sure say this money no too much?" But e just wave hand.

He said there was no need. “This is our first house. It deserves the best.”

Hmmm. Na that day I begin dey believe say love fit change man. I come dey pray say make e no regret am.

I was so happy, I called my bestie out for dinner at Mama Kemi’s bukka, and she was genuinely happy for me.

Fans dey blow overhead, and pepper soup aroma dey mix with sound of Fuji music for background. We chop amala, gbegiri, and goat meat pepper soup. I dey gist her everything, my mouth no dey tire.

“That your mumu husband finally get sense!”

She just dey laugh, her teeth white like fufu.

“No wonder he dey treat you well. Since you marry am, his work just dey shine. His salary don triple, abi?”

She wink, dey tease me. "No be your head dey carry blessing?"

“All the luck wey dey follow am na because of you. The more he treats you well, the more his life dey better.”

That kind gist sweet woman belle. I just dey smile, dey tap my leg under table.

I shyly stirred my malt, my heart just dey sweet me.

I remember old days when man go carry woman go Shoprite, now na bukka we dey flex and still dey happy.

Tunde is always busy at work, so I handle everything at home. I never let him stress about anything.

If water finish, na me dey order tanker. Light bill, gas, all na me. I dey proud, I no dey complain. E make me feel useful.

He works hard, honestly. When he was managing his first big project, he was always on overtime, sometimes coming home just once a week.

I even dey tease am say he na tenant for im own house. My neighbours dey help me dey watch out, dem sabi the hustle.

Later, that project blew, and the chairman started rating him highly.

Even for estate, dem dey hail am. E dey make me feel say my prayers dey work.

He would praise me, say I’m the best, most supportive wife in the world.

Those times, e go buy ice cream come back, say make I no vex. E go call me "Iyawo mi," hold my hand. I go dey blush.

I always thought he was just trying to make it up to me, to reward me for my support.

Sometimes, I go just dey smile alone for kitchen, dey imagine our old age together.

—Until I saw Tunde’s chat with Morayo.

That chat be like cold water for body. All the sweet feeling just dey fade like NEPA light.

At first, their chat was normal.

Normal greetings, talking about timeline, money, all those things.

Then Morayo sent him the electronic receipt for the deposit.

She even add small smiley face, as if e get wetin dem dey share.

Tunde suddenly asked: “If you finish this big job for me, will you get promoted?”

My mind begin dey calculate—wetin join renovation and promotion?

Morayo replied with a cute emoji.

She add that playful tongue-out one. My eye just dey watch.

Tunde continued: “Nice, so how will you thank me?”

That one enter my ear like alarm. So na like this two of them dey play?

Morayo replied: “I’ll buy you a big meal next time, at your favourite spot.”

She even add wink. My mind dey spin—favourite spot ke? Wetin I no know?

Tunde replied: “I can’t wait. After all these years, my taste never change.”

Hmmm. I just dey look the chat like film. After all these years?

I felt a sharp pain behind my eyes.

Na so headache catch me. Tears no gree drop, but my body just cold.

How funny. I don’t even know what Tunde’s favourite spot is.

I dey count our outings for my hand, yet this man get favourite spot for outside?

He always says eating out is unhealthy, that home-cooked food is the best.

E go always complain if I talk say make we go restaurant. "Babe, you sabi cook, why we go waste money?"

In our whole year of marriage, we’ve gone out to eat less than five times.

Even then, na birthday or work party. If no be that, na house food.

I always thought he really didn’t like restaurant food. I even bought online cooking courses to improve my skills at home.

Every weekend, I dey try new recipe. Small chops, coconut rice, even try Chinese once.

I couldn’t help but ask Tunde: Was Morayo really introduced by a friend?

I call am gently, try make my voice no shake. "Tunde, Morayo na who recommend am again?"

His eyes stayed glued to his laptop. After a long pause, he just said, “Does it matter how we met? As long as the work is good.”

E no even look my face. My spirit just weak.

A few days later, when I went to the renovation company to check the detailed plan, Tunde said he was working overtime and couldn’t come.

I just bone. "No wahala," I tell am. Inside me, I dey dey vex, but I no want quarrel.

Morayo showed me her design slides and the house renderings.

She even bring out laptop, dey show me big pictures, talking fast.

I won’t lie—the renderings were fine.

E fine, I no go lie. But something just dey off—e no feel like me.

But she didn’t seem to understand my style or what I wanted.

She dey rush, dey show me pink curtains and fancy chandelier, but my mind dey ask, who get time for all this?

So I pointed at the design. “Aunty Morayo, I remember I told you before, I don’t like pink or all this romantic European style.”

I talk am, my voice strong. Abeg, pink no be my color. I no be Barbie, make we reason am like Naija woman.

She looked at her notes. “But Mr Tunde specifically requested this.”

She say am as if na me dey waste time. My eye just dey her face.

Something just felt off, but I still repeated myself: “I made it clear last time—I like modern, simple style.”

I talk am again, slow and steady. I no go let anybody use my money run their own show.

She gave me a strange look and sighed. “Alright, next time, please tell me your preferences ahead of time.”

She just hiss small, then write something for her jotter. I bone face—no be today.

My chest tight like wrapper wey dem tie too hard—tears dey my eye but I no go let dem fall. I dey plan my next move.