Chapter 5: Sun, Tie, and Blindfold

Ifedike don dey better small, but e still no like come out for day. I open curtain, sun just enter. Ifedike dodge the light, raise hand cover eye. I just tie him eye with tie.

Lagos sun no dey pity person. Once curtain open, na like spotlight for drama stage. I see as Ifedike dey run from am, I just dey laugh. The tie na style, but e fit work as small blindfold.

"Honey, see as sun big today."

I dey act like say na weather I dey discuss, but na mischief dey my mind. For Naija, sometimes you gats use play solve big problem.

I jump on top am. "As sun big, your own too big..."

Na bold talk, but my mind dey. I wan make am laugh, or at least forget the wahala for head. For my body, na playtime.

Ifedike no fit resist, I ride am. E grip bed sheet, mouth press tight, but small moan still dey escape.

Na so I know say wall don break. I dey feel power, the kain power wey only woman fit sabi for her own bed. For this country, na rare moment.

I dey beg am, "Baby, talk something. If you talk, I go stop."

My voice dey soft, but e get edge. I dey challenge am, dey try bring out the real Ifedike. I dey hope say e go talk, even if na small.

As I dey torture am, Ifedike finally manage talk, "I... wan see."

E voice low, but na progress. For my mind, na like person wey dey try talk for first time.

"Oh, you finally wan come outside see world?"

I dey tease am, but na real meaning dey inside. I dey hope say e go finally step out, make breeze touch am.

I comot the tie. Ifedike eye red, full of want. I use hand clean sweat for my chest, e dey look my finger. My head dey turn, I no notice the way e dey look me, like say e wan swallow me.

E dey look me deep, like person wey dey hunger. My heart dey beat, but I still dey act like say nothing dey happen.

Later, I see say Ifedike lock himself for room again. I stand for door, "You no wan see again? You no go come out?"

Na so e be for Lagos house—sometimes, person fit lock door, but wahala still dey outside. I dey hope say e go gree talk.

Inside, e reply with forced calm: "I don see finish."

E dey form like say e no care, but na pain dey hide under. For my mind, I dey wonder whether na me cause am.

E be like say the hate-sex no reach.

I dey wonder whether to increase the ginger, or give am space. But my body dey restless.

"Honey, if you no open door, I go use key open am."

For Naija, key dey solve many things—lock, heart, even relationship problem. I dey wave key for air, dey warn am in my own way.

I bring out my tools, ready to drag am out. Na that time, I see glowing text for my eye:

[Abeg, wetin him wan see? Hard to guess.]

[Na clear, e wan see babe’s confused eye, her body dey move for rain, her shame and pleasure dey fight, her face dey sweet.]

[Haha, babe no know say na villain she dey force since.]

[He fit dey cry now, but e no go forgive am for taking him innocence—revenge dey come.]

[Wetin we go do? Even if babe na just extra, I still dey ship them.]

These bullet comments be like market gossip. Everybody dey put mouth, but nobody really know wetin dey inside heart.

My body just cold.

For my mind, na fear wan catch me. I dey wonder if I don do pass myself. For Naija, once body cold, na sign say wahala fit dey road.

System show face quick quick.

[Omo, na plot twist you run enter o! You suppose dey do fake marriage, but you don marry wahala. Abeg, no vex this kain guy—dey play safe!]

E shock me say system dey reason like Yoruba baba. I dey shake, dey try arrange my next move.

Wahala dey. I no waste time, carry my paper, try form normal as I shout through door:

"Honey~ If you no wan go out, no wahala. I dey go buy pikin death bag—abeg stay house, no waka!"

*Note: 'Pikin death bag' na slang for condom for Naija street.

As I talk am, I dey hope say e go laugh, or at least relax small. For Lagos street, na this kain joke dey reduce tension for house.