Chapter 1: Village Wahala and Cold Beds

After the real daughter came back, dem just carry me go village, marry me give one kain rugged, local man.

See ehn, as dem bundle me reach village, the whole place just dey smell like wet sand after rain. Mosquitoes dey hum for ear, and the smell of firewood soup dey mix with wet sand. My papa say na to preserve face, make people no talk say I no get husband. The old women for compound dey use eyes measure me up and down, dey whisper say I no go fit survive. The day of the marriage, the drummers play tire, but for my mind, everywhere dey dull. My new husband – Shola – just stand like pole. People dey hail, dey spray money, but e face stiff like wood.

After our wedding finish, the guy no even touch me at all. E dey avoid me like say I be disease.

For night, as everybody don go, I dey wait make e at least greet me, but Shola just drop mattress for ground, carry pillow, sleep like person wey no wan see tomorrow. E no even cross eye meet me. For my heart, I dey wonder if e swear for me.

My mind just dey cold dey go, and as I wan open mouth talk about divorce—

Even breeze no dey blow, only my heart dey beat for inside chest. The moonlight from window dey shine small for my face. I dey gather courage dey calculate how I go break the news when—

Suddenly, I see plenty comments just dey flash for my eye:

[This supporting babe, just dey play. You go soon regret. The main guy go blow, and na the main babe go save am.]

[No vex, supporting babe, the guy really love you! Na fear dey make am avoid you.]

[If you no believe, check the drawer. Everything inside na for you he buy am.]

At first, I think say na my imagination dey run wild. Maybe stress dey make me dey see things. My hand just freeze. I reason small, then open the drawer.

I dey expect maybe na old receipt or shirt, but inside, I see all kinds of sexy pant and bra, all those oyibo bedroom things—pant, bra, even one kain animal ear and tail.

The thing weak me! I bite finger, dey look am, my mind dey scatter. E fit be say na me e dey plan all these wahala for?

Na who this man buy all these things for? Na me?