Chapter 3: Tears, Traps, and Rescue

Tunde dey business trip, he no sabi anything about Kabiru matter.

E call me from Onitsha, say e dey go market tomorrow. E dey always try to make me smile even when e dey far.

So when he call dey ask if wahala dey,

E go, "Halima, hope say all dey alright for your side?"

I just sniff, force smile: "Everything dey okay, nothing dey happen."

I try make my voice sweet, no wan give am chance to suspect anything. Na so I dey package for phone, dey pray make call finish quick.

Tunde voice clear and calm as always: "If anything happen, abeg tell me. I go run am."

Na so e dey talk. Even if e no get power like Auwalu, e dey always ready to try. I feel the love for e voice, e dey sincere.

My heart just tight like say dem squeeze am.

I no wan cry, but water wan comot for my eye. I just dey manage.

Inside restaurant toilet, I use hand cover my eye. I smell the Izal wey cleaner use, the sound of woman dey flush for next stall. I lock myself inside one of the stalls, people dey pass, I dey sniff quietly. I dey reason my life, dey ask God why trouble dey follow person wey no find trouble.

Tunde na just regular guy wey dey try for life. If wahala meet am, wetin he fit do? Na only himself go suffer.

I dey pray for am make better thing meet am. I know say if him enter trouble because of me, na only God fit save am.

I tell am make he rest, sleep early.

I dey manage my voice, dey hope say e go believe me.

But as I dey talk, my voice just dey break.

E come weak small, I no fit hold am again. I just dey hope say e no go hear the crack for my throat.

The man for the other side pause, him tone come cold: "Halima, wetin happen?"

E voice low, as if e dey suspect say something big dey hide for back.

I quickly cut the call.

If not, I for break down. My hand dey shake, my heart dey beat for chest. I drop phone for bag, take deep breath. I wipe my eye quick with my wrapper, just dey mutter under my breath, "God abeg."

Kabiru don join hand with my oga arrange correct set-up. I think say na business meeting, reach there na Kabiru be the client.

When I enter the room, I see familiar face. My oga dey smile like say nothing dey. Na then I know say set-up dey ground. My mind scatter.

Colleagues full ground; for that kind time, I no fit just waka.

If I waka, people go ask question, gossip go start. I no wan give anybody reason to spoil my name.

Maybe he dey enjoy as I dey helpless. Kabiru just dey look me anyhow, him eye get that wicked confidence.

Na that kain smile wey dey tell you say e sure for am. E dey balance for chair, dey sip juice, dey look me like say I be trophy.

Second half of the dinner, he just dey force me drink quietly.

I hold my cup, dey dodge. Everytime e toast, e go push drink for my front. See as e dey press me like ogiri for mortar. Na God save me say I no lose guard.

As the thing wan finish, I see chance waka comot for restaurant.

I dey eye door, dey calculate how I go waka without draw attention. As people dey gist, I carry my bag, waka slow.

But one hand just grab my wrist, drag me enter him chest.

Na so I nearly shout. My mind fly, my heart dey pound.

"You really think say you fit escape from me?"

Him playful voice dey my ear. He rub my face, dey smile, eye dey shine like say na joke.

But na no joke. I fit smell e perfume, strong and sharp. E grip tight.

I frown, wan shout make he free me—

I gather voice, dey try talk, but no sound come out.

Suddenly, strong car light just shine, I no even fit open my eye.

E be like say sun dey shine for night. People for roadside begin whisper, some dey peep phone, dey snap the fine motor. One sharp, fine Bentley park anyhow for road. Back window roll down, na Auwalu cold face I see.

That car na big man sign. E mean serious matter. As window roll down, na only small nod e give me.

Once our eye jam, my face just pale.

I feel cold. My leg weak, my mouth dry. I no even sabi how to greet.

After that phone call, I no even expect say he go help me. How he take show for Makurdi like this?

I dey reason how e take know location. Maybe e send person follow me. Or maybe e just get eye everywhere.

I take deep breath, raise my hand, surprisingly I just free myself from Kabiru.

I drag my hand, no even look Kabiru face. E shock me say my body move sharp like that.

The guy shock, mouth open: "Un... uncle?"

E call am uncle, voice dey shake. I see fear for e eye. Na then I know say matter don pass play.