Chapter 2: Family Shadow

One

My name na Ifedike. I dey forty-two years old. Since I small, I always love suspense and detective stories—now, na suspense novelist I be.

People dey call me Ife for short, but for story matter, I dey use my full name. You know Naija—if person get two names, e mean say him people dey proud of am.

I don marry Morayo for years, and she always be my number one reader. We dey gel well. I still remember the first day I see her—her smile fit melt stone, her gentle power dey calm everywhere. For our marriage, na gist and laughter dey full house. Even when I get bad day, na her encouragement dey push me write finish.

Apart from writing, I get one hobby wey dey last since—raising reptiles. Turtles, frogs, lizards—these small animals just dey fascinate me. People dey ask, “Ife, why you like all these kind animals?” But for my eye, na the quiet ones get the deepest story. I fit watch turtle waka for hours, e go just dey mind im business. Sometimes I dey wonder if dem dey meditate.

I even set up special room for them inside house and use plenty effort build big ecological tank—like say na tropical rainforest—just to give my pets natural and comfortable home. The neighbours first think say I dey do juju, but when dem see say I dey treat the animals like pikin, dem relax. I buy small generator so that heat and light go balance. Sometimes, NEPA go take light for days, but my turtle no dey suffer. E dey make my mind cool anytime wahala too much for outside.

Even though na writing I dey do now, my first degree na bioengineering—so in a way, I dey use my book sense for this hobby. No be every day you go see writer wey sabi science reach me. Sometimes, I go dey explain to Morayo how frog dey breathe with skin, she go laugh say I too bookish. But na this knowledge dey make me careful with my reptiles—no be anyhow play.

When I first meet Morayo, she no too like this my reptile hobby, but she be easygoing person. Over time, she too begin see say the reptiles dey somehow clumsy and cute. At first, she dey dodge lizard room like shrine. But one day, small turtle crawl enter her wrapper, she shout, then laugh. She say, “This turtle no get home training!” Since then, na she dey help me feed dem. Love dey patient—na true talk.

We no get children after we marry, so we just dey raise reptiles together and find plenty joy inside am. Many times, when I dey rush deadline, she go help me look after the pets. Sometimes, na the sound of frog dey croak for night dey make our house feel alive. For this Lagos, where people dey measure happiness with pikin, we dey find our own peace. We dey gist with our animals, dey play, dey cook together. Even when I get writer’s block, Morayo go bring chilled zobo, say make I rest small.

That night, after I finish work, I realise say e don reach midnight. Morayo never sleep. Instead, she dey for that room, lamp on, dey read one of my old novels. I wipe my face, enter quietly, see her back.

I waka go the reptile room, see am dey observe one frog. She just squat for one corner, her wrapper tie well. The frog stretch leg, she smile like person wey just see new baby. Na that gentle smile dey always melt my heart.

She sigh, "Honestly, I used to fear these cold-blooded animals."

She look me, eyebrow rise. “Ifedike, this your hobby ehn… sometimes I dey wonder if na animal kingdom you wan build.” She chuckle, but her voice soft, like say memory dey her mind.

Then she just ask, "Ifedike, any animal dey wey dey fear you?"

I see say she dey think deep, her eyes dey search my own. I never see her so calm before, as if she wan hear something secret from me.

I think small, then one kind idea just flash for my mind. Na so inspiration just land like thunder. Story dey hungry me to talk.

"Yes," I answer with serious face. "I dey fear sheep."

She burst small laugh, almost snort. But my face no change, I just dey look her steady. E be like say she dey try process am.

She look me, confused. "Why? Sheep dey gentle now."

She shake head, her voice almost whisper. “Sheep ke? Wetin sheep wan do you?”

"Because sheep eyes get as e be," I talk, lowering my voice. "Since you never sleepy, make I yarn you one story."

I move closer, bring my chair, reduce my voice. The light for the room dey dim, and all the reptiles just dey observe us. I clear my throat, serious like judge.

For that late night, the reptile room dey dim, lizards with their long vertical eyes just dey look me. You know say when silence fall for Naija night, e dey heavy, like say spirits dey listen too. Even the ceiling fan stop for that moment. The lizard for wall blink, as if e understand wetin I wan talk.

"So mysterious," Morayo laugh. "Go on."

She cross her leg, lean forward. The suspense dey her eyes, but e mix with small fear. Na so I know say my story don hook am.

"The main character of this story na Ifedike."

I give her that sly smile—writer sense dey body.

"Why you use your own name?"

She dey poke me for side, eyes narrow. “No be all these your detective stories again?”

"E go make the story feel more real."

I wink, then clear throat again. I fit feel her heartbeat dey quicken, just like the time we first meet.

Two