Chapter 6: My New Family, My New Life

Adeyemi family elders easy to follow.

As we serve tea, none of my mothers-in-law disturb me. Dem even dash me plenty money.

Even elders and sisters-in-law from other branches bring gifts.

Before you know, my tray full.

I happily give Mama Kemi keep, bring out my own gifts for everybody.

I kneel small, greet Mother-in-law: "Mama, good morning ma." She smile, tap my shoulder.

Mother talk with me small, then say make I go rest.

I wan say no, but Mother laugh cover her mouth: “I hear from your maid say Ifedayo hold you for night. See your eyes, e don dark. Listen to Mama—go sleep more, come eat with me later, abeg.”

I lower my head, shy, nod.

Mother call Ifedayo.

Ifedayo understand, come sharp.

Mother tap his head play: “Ifedayo, listen to your wife, you hear?”

Ifedayo smile, hold my hand: “Ifedayo hear~”

He just carry me back to our place.

I really tire, so I hug pillow, sleep again.

When I wake, Ifedayo dey lean for bed, shock me.

He rest chin, ask: “Wife~ you never give Ifedayo gift~”

I confuse, but his eyes dey beg.

I say, shy: “I no prepare gift for you.”

He vex small: “But you give everybody gift. Ifedayo want too.”

He look like person wey dem cheat, so pitiful.

I think, then pinch his cheek: "Na only kiss you want? I fit dash you two."

He shock, then his ear red.

I smile, try calm am: “Good husband, kiss fit be gift? Na only you get am~”

He purse lips, shy, lower head.

I breathe relief.

Thank God say he get small sense problem—easy to calm.

“Want more kiss.”

I shock.

Before long, Ifedayo face full my lip marks.

“E don do?”

He finally smile, kiss my lips.

…

Even though Ifedayo dey mumu, he dey obey and like cleanliness.

He no dey sleep without bath.

But, he too like to hold body.

Every night, he must hold me sleep.

But as he hold me… after all, he be young man, body dey always honest.

When he no fit hold am, he go rub my neck, dey whine.

I tire: “You wan chop meat?”

I don shake head, but the way e dey look me, I no fit vex. Sometimes, I go tap am for forehead: "You this man, na only food dey your mind?" He go laugh, roll me for bed like small pikin. For that moment, all wahala for this world just dey far from us, like say na only two of us dey exist. My life don change, but as I look this my mumu husband, my heart dey soft like Agege bread.

But as Ifedayo roll me for bed, I know say this mumu love fit sweet pass jollof rice—if only wahala no land tomorrow.