Chapter 5: Bathtub Tears and Igbo Chain

Later, I reach house, body weak. My pikin dey with her grandma, I tell nanny make she rest small.

My house empty, echo dey bounce for wall. I dey tiptoe, my head dey turn, every muscle dey pain me. Nanny don arrange pikin things, drop food for microwave, just in case hunger catch me.

I wan baff and sleep, but as I see the big bathtub for bathroom—

I just dey look am, memory of my wife dey rush me. Na she buy am, say she wan relax after work. I no even sabi how to use am.

That one na my wife own. I never use am before.

I remember how she go light candle, put music, lock herself, come out with fresh smile. I dey laugh say na oyibo life she dey live.

On top my mind, I fill am, put music, just relax inside.

I find her old playlist, that Asa song dey play. The water warm, my skin dey relax, but my heart still dey tight. Small smile even wan enter my face.

Red wine, music, full relax—no wonder my wife dey enjoy am. E really sweet.

I sip her leftover wine from last time, glass still dey for corner. I close eye, pretend say she dey for other side of bath.

I no know when I sleep, na heavy knock for door wake me.

The knock loud like NEPA pole fall for road. My body jump, heart dey race. The world just turn upside down.

I think say na oga relative wey buy the house come check, but as I open door, na punch I collect for face.

My eye see stars, my leg shake. I try balance, but everywhere dey spin. Blood dey drip for nose.

Blood rush from my nose. For my eye, na those heavy Igbo chief chain, the one wey dey announce person for party, just dey swing.

The person tall, voice thick.

I look up, na my father-in-law Mr. Okafor face I see.

His eye red, face tight, na anger full am. He smell of cigar and perfume mix, his voice thunder for my ear.

“You this small boy, you dey find trouble, you wan collect my money? You no go survive am!”

He spit the words like bullet. People wey follow am just dey crowd me, like say na thief dem catch.

As he talk finish, he slap me. My head blank, ear dey ring.

Na heavy backhand, my teeth dey rattle. My head buzz like generator, no be small.

“I, I no...” I try talk, but the people wey follow am pin me for ground.

My face dey press for marble floor, my breath dey short. My body dey shake.

“Thunder fire you!”

He slap me again. I wan explain, but before I talk, he slap me two more times.

My ear dey hot, I fit hear bell. I dey beg God make dem stop.

“You sell house and car, you think say after Ngozi die, you fit chop everything? Na dream!”

His voice dey echo, like say na microphone he dey use. The people wey follow am dey mutter curses.

“I...”

He kick me twice, then drag me, whisper for my ear:

His grip strong, his breath dey smell of gin. He fit do anything, my mind dey fear.

“The money for her account, na you move am, abi? You sabi say na my money? I go give you one chance—return the money and maybe I go leave you. If not... your own, your parents own, reason am well!”

He talk am low, but cold dey for him voice. I feel fear wey pass ordinary.

He throw me for ground. My chin hit marble, tongue cut, blood full my mouth.

My teeth dey shake, tongue dey pain me. I wan talk but blood dey my mouth.

“Which money? I no know anything, abeg no touch my parents—”

I try beg, my voice hoarse. I dey pray make God protect my people.

“If I go touch your parents no be my hand. You understand?”

He tap my cheek with finger, eye red. I know say e mean wetin e talk.

Then he tell the people wey follow am:

“Teach am sense. E kill person because of money and woman.”

Na so dem dey talk for street. For Naija, once money enter, everybody turn judge.

I look Mr. Okafor, know say he fit do anything to me.

For him eye, I be small boy. I dey beg God say make I survive this night.

As for Ngozi death, e fit pain am small, but na the eighty million naira for her account dey worry am.

If to say money no dey, who for remember my name again? For this country, na money dey make enemy and family.

I close my eye, pray make money no bury me before my time.