Chapter 4: Remote and Evidence

After that night, I feel say I don find how to ginger this autistic male lead.

For Naija, dem dey talk say if you find the remote, na you dey control the TV. As e be, I don find wetin dey move Ifedike. My confidence dey rise every day.

Ifedike always dey form say he no wan chop. I go just slide hand enter him shirt.

E dey do like say food no sweet am, but na me sabi the real hunger wey dey worry am. My hand dey waka where e no expect, e body go shake, but mouth go still dey stubborn.

"Baby, make I check whether your abs don disappear. As I dey talk muscle, your own still dey..."

I dey use style dey tease am, dey run hand for him body. For my mind, I dey count the number of times e go pretend say e no dey enjoy am. For Naija, if man begin chop like this, na sure sign say body and mind dey align.

As I talk am, Ifedike body just shake. I no send, I continue dey play.

You know say some men dey form strong, but if you touch dem for correct place, dem go melt. Na so e be for here.

"You go chop?"

I dey give am option, but my hand dey tell another story. For this country, we sabi the power of correct persuasion.

Ifedike no just get autism, e stubborn join.

That stubbornness dey make am unique. For Naija, if person dey stubborn, e dey make the chase sweet. I dey enjoy the game, even as e dey act like say e no send me.

"No."

E voice dey flat, but body dey give signal. I dey try hold laugh.

I climb on top am. "Na me dey hungry. If you no wan chop, I go chop you."

For my mind, na correct attack be this. If dem dey share award for boldness, I for don win am. I dey hope say e go finally gree.

Ifedike eye just wide small, but e look down. "No."

E dey form hard guy, but I dey see say wall don dey shake. Na small remain, e go gree.

"You know say if man talk no, e mean yes. You just dey form hard to get."

Na so I dey tease am, dey try break am down. For our side, woman wey sabi play this game dey always win.

Ifedike shock for my shamelessness. E blush, repeat again, "No."

E dey try form innocence, but my mind dey sure say e dey enjoy am. E blush dey reach ear, e eye dey shine small. For Naija, na small small dem dey fall.

I no send, I just do wetin dey my mind.

I follow my body, no shame. For this life, na who get boldness dey collect better thing. Even if dem call me stubborn, I no send.

That day, for the first time, Ifedike chop two extra plate of jollof rice.

E surprise me. You know say if man chop well after dry spell, na sign say body dey in order. For Naija, if man begin chop like this, na sure sign say body and mind dey align.

E come dey spend midnight dey look diary. I sabi say na secret jotter wey girls dey use write love tori for secondary school. But e no go ever get am. So I just collect the diary.

Diary for Naija na private matter. If person dey look diary for night, e mean say heart dey heavy. I no waste time, I just collect am, dey look as e dey vex.

Ifedike rush try collect am back, eye flash vex.

Na so e rush me, but na play. I dey see the spark for eye, na sign say e still dey alive inside.

"See sweet love! Pink bubble everywhere."

I dey tease am, dey laugh. For this country, if you see pink for man diary, you fit laugh till morning.

"And as I dey talk pink, husband, your own pink too o."

I add that one, dey watch as e dey shame. Na my small revenge for all the stubbornness.

I grab him sensitive part, e just weak, groan. After that, e no bring out diary again.

Na confirmation say e don surrender. For this Lagos, once you get the code, na you dey set the mood. E body dey shake, but my own dey sweet me.

From that time, I double my effort for bed. My classic line:

"Husband, I fit hear all your family story, but you know wetin go happen next."

Na that kain confidence dey keep marriage strong for this side. I dey prepare my mind—if plot go scatter, make e scatter well.