Chapter 4: Property, Pet, and Power

Kabiru beg me.

E voice low, e dey kneel small. "Aunty Halima, na toad dey look for swan meat. Abeg, nor vex, I no know say na your person. I swear for my mama head. I no go disturb you again."

People dey look, but e no send. E eye dey beg, mouth dey shake. I almost pity am, but I just sidon dey look.

As he dey talk, he dey look Auwalu with fear.

E no even fit look Auwalu eye well. Na so Abuja big men dey do, their presence dey shake people mind.

Auwalu just look am, no talk anything.

E just dey look Kabiru like say e dey look stubborn goat. E no need talk, e presence alone fit scatter boy mind.

Kabiru face don white, e dey shake: "Uncle, I swear I no know say na your woman. If I know, even if you give me ten times courage, I no go near am."

E voice dey tremble, sweat full e forehead. E dey talk like person wey wan cry.

I clear throat, talk: "I be, but we don separate."

I talk am straight, voice no shake. I no wan make dem dey do as if I be property.

Auwalu just look me, no talk. After small time, he turn face, voice cold: "You still dey here?"

E no raise voice, but everybody know say na order. Kabiru just pick e file, waka disappear.

Inside car, everywhere just cold. I begin shiver small.

The AC too high, plus my mind still dey shake from everything wey just happen.

Auwalu just remove him coat, throw am on top me.

E never even talk, just pull am off, drape am over my shoulder. The coat heavy, smell expensive cologne.

Today I dress light, wear small camisole because of heat. Auwalu no dey like make I wear cloth wey dey show body. E get one kind wahala for my body matter.

If to say e fit talk true, e for lock me inside house make only am dey see me. E dey jealous, but e no dey ever shout. Na silent control.

For my mind, I remember as him cool finger dey touch my skin, bit by bit, him voice dey low, dey grind:

"Here, here—and here."

Anytime e dey talk like that, my body dey betray me. The memory dey sharp.

That him long finger go just bend, I go dey whimper.

I dey shame, but e sweet me. Na only Auwalu sabi my body like that.

He go talk slow: "All na my own. Nobody suppose see am, talk less of touch am."

Na so e dey talk, voice low, eye red small. E go dey look me as if na only me dey world.

"Anybody wey touch, e don finish be that."

If e catch person, e fit do anything. Na so e possessive. E dey look me like pepper seller dey guard change for market.