Chapter 3: Pepper Don Enter Their Eyes

Halima carry Musa Danladi commot with keke napep.

The rain still dey pour, keke dey splash water for road as dem dey struggle enter. Musa head bend, leg just dey drip blood for nylon bag wey Halima tie. I stand for veranda, arms crossed, dey watch like market police. The night cold, my wrapper no even cover the cold wey dey my heart.

Before she go, she look me deep deep. "Amaka, you go regret this."

Her voice heavy, like rain about to break roof. Her eyes no blink, mouth set. That kind look wey old women dey use warn their enemies for village.

Regret wetin?

I scoff, turn my back. “If regret dey come, e no go meet me for house.”

As she close door, sharp sharp I freeze her mobile money account.

GTB dey ask me, "Are you sure?" I click yes two times. I no even waste time. I log into app, click freeze. Let her taste pepper. All these years, na my food she dey chop, my drink she dey drink, my cloth she dey wear, now she dey plan against me.

The phone make one kind sharp sound—'transaction successful.' I nod, drop phone for bed.

Somebody wey I save him leg by rushing am health centre, wey later come destroy my family.

Na better couple dem be.

I baff, then call person come do home spa for me.

Water dey hot, soap dey sweet. As the home spa lady rub my back with mango oil, I feel body dey loose. I even play Asa for background, try forget the wahala.

The massage sweet me, I wan doze, but Halima just dey call, call, call.

My phone vibrate so tey I wan off am. Halima dey ring like police siren. I pick, put for loudspeaker. The rain noise mix with her voice wey don almost break:

"Amaka Okafor, wetin I do you? Why you freeze my account? I dey hotel now, card no gree work. You know how shame catch me?"

Her voice dey tremble, background noise dey loud. She dey try act strong, but I hear the crack for her throat.

"Wuwu, I sabi am. When you talk say you treat me like sister, na lie. You just wan use money disgrace me."

For hotel, card wey no work—na real shame be that. Receptionist just dey look Halima like say she thief, her own shame no get part two. I imagine her for reception, front desk people dey look her up and down. For this Makurdi, gist no dey hard to spread.

I no get time for wahala, I just cut the call.

I no need explain myself. If she like, make she cry reach tomorrow, my mind don dey made up.

But few minutes after, my parents call.

The ringtone sweet, but my heart no sweet. As I pick, I know say matter don serious.

"Amaka."

Their voice low. "You dey do anyhow to Halima? No be you talk say you like am, wan dey live together? No good to chase person comot just because you vex. You no fit use anger cook soup, Amaka. Family na family."

My papa voice calm, but if you hear am well, na small anger dey hide inside. Mama voice dey join, like two people wey dey beg and warn at the same time.

"We don tell Halima make she go back meet you. Una go settle."

Their own judgment be like court matter, and for Okafor family, parents' word na final. I know say if I no gree, wahala fit start.

I sit up for bed, sharp sharp alert.

I wipe cream for my hand, stand up quick. My spa lady just dey look me with corner eye, like say she sabi everything.

I forget my parents no dey see all these barrage.

They dey for their own side, dey think everything na normal. If I try explain, dem go think say na jealousy dey worry me.

To convince them say the pikin wey dem pamper for over twenty years fit destroy our family, no be by mouth.

This kain story if you tell village elders, dem go say na envy. For our place, family dey come first—even if na spirit enter person, dem go still try settle am.

[Hmph, the wicked supporting babe think say if she chase main babe, the girl go suffer.]

[Supporting babe na tool for main guy and main babe hand, wuwu, na our Halima wey dey drag the main guy for rain I dey pity.]

I rub my chest, as if I fit scatter all the yab dem dey throw for my head. E pain, but I no fit talk am out.