Chapter 5: Family Wahala, Family Prayer

When I reach house, everywhere don scatter. My wife don pack, wan commot. Her family dey. My brother-in-law, Baba Nnamdi, point my face, dey insult me, say I thief demolition money, no tell anybody.

As I open door, I see my wife with bag, her face swell. Baba Nnamdi dey jump up, dey point, dey vex. Other family members dey, dey mumble.

I rush explain to my wife say na just temporary investment I run with the money.

I dey sweat, dey shake, dey try explain say na business, the money never lost. But her family no wan hear story.

My brother-in-law dey run mouth, "Na you dem go trust with money? You no fit manage pure water stand! My sister no get eye before she marry you. Oya bring the money."

You know Naija in-law matter—once dem see money, wahala go double. Baba Nnamdi dey talk loud, others dey support am.

At this point, I no even send am. I just dey try calm my wife, tell am make she no cry. She sit down for bed, dey wipe tears.

I dey kneel, beg am, dey hold her hand. My own eyes sef dey red, wahala full my head.

She kneel down, hand for head, dey pray: “God, make shame no catch my family.” Her voice soft, but pain dey. She dey look me like say, "Why?" My mind dey cut.

I say, "You dey always support me."

I hold her hand tighter. True true, na she dey my back always.

She talk, "I don suffer with you. See as you take treat me? Our pikin go soon turn two, we plan use demolition money buy house for school district, manage small. So where the money?"

Her eyes red, nose dey run. I feel am. Our dream be say we go buy small house, rest.

I say I invest am, the money go come back soon. I still talk say the school district flat wey we see no too good—our pikin need the best, we go buy for Unity Primary School direct.

I dey try form hope. If deal click, everywhere go soft. I dey wish say she fit believe me.

My brother-in-law no fit hold am again. "You no sabi anything, but na you dey brag pass!"

He dey blow grammar. Other family dey shake head, dey whisper. I dey try hold my ground.

I don tire to dey beg my wife, na so I vex.

My voice high, "Why you dey shout? I say I go buy for Unity Primary School, na so e go be."

I talk am strong. If wahala go land, make e land.

The cheapest house for there na seven million, but I reason say if this deal click, I fit drop 60% as down payment, mortgage no go hard me.

I dey calculate for head—if everything set, we go move. No time for second guessing.

My brother-in-law shock say I get mind. "If you no buy am nko?"

He dey look me with corner eye, dey wait make I fail so dem go laugh me.

I say, "If I no buy, do wetin you like. You don dey look down on me since. By next month, I go buy am. Call everybody, make I buy am for una front."

Na so everybody pause. My wife dey look me, family dey quiet. I dey feel like champion small.

My wife still dey cry, but she shock as I talk am.

She dey look me like person wey dey see stranger for first time.

My brother-in-law wan help his sister finish me, but he no understand where my boldness dey come from, so he just waka after he run mouth small.

Baba Nnamdi hiss, carry him phone, comot parlour. Other family dey carry bag, dey side-eye me.

My wife stop to cry, ask me wetin dey happen, why I dey talk big. She beg me make I no brag—if family really gather and I no deliver, she go shame.

She dey tremble small. She talk say she trust me, but she fear make e no end for shame. You know say for woman, face matter.

I hold her hand, tell her serious, "You don dey with me all these years. When you wan marry me, dem no gree, dem dey gossip since. Now your husband don get money. Just relax—I go make sure you enjoy, you go proud for your family front."

I talk am with chest. I no wan see her cry again. Na my backbone she be.

She wipe tears, nod, talk say she go believe me no matter anything.

I dey thank God say at least she no comot. As she dey nod, I dey pray make my own shine no dull.

I know her—at worst she go vex, but even if everybody no believe me, she go always stand for my side.

True, na only her I fit trust for this world. Family go come go, but wife dey stay if you treat am right.