Chapter 3: Truth and Freedom

Ngozi talk say she dey sick for three days, but na lie—her pregnancy just dey shake.

E get as she dey walk, dey lean for wall, dey hold her stomach small small. If you no sabi, you go think say na malaria. But my eye don clear.

She no wan stress herself, so she dey bed all day, miss the chance to explain give Ifedike.

She dey dodge everybody, even small children. Mama Chinyere bring food, she no dey chop. For this village, no get money reach woman wey wan hide belle.

I carry Mama Chinyere go her room. She never really show, just dey look sickly.

We enter, room dark. I open curtain, breeze blow enter. Ngozi eyes red, she dey sweat.

I tell am, "The new WAEC champion wan marry you."

Her mouth open, eyes big. She choke on spit, cough small. Her hand dey tremble.

She shock, then start dey shy, no fit look me for face.

She squeeze wrapper, turn face go wall. For her mind, na heavy matter.

She dey fear say I go ask her about Ifedike.

I see am for her eye. She dey expect slap or shout, but I just sit down, dey look her.

Ngozi whisper, voice low like breeze: "Madam, abeg, no vex for me. My heart no gree me stop."

I call another house girl, Kemi, make she help Ngozi dress up, then carry her go parlour to meet the visitor.

Kemi enter, her face carry concern. "Ngozi, make we rub you powder small, brush your hair." She help arrange her wrapper well. For our side, even house girl deserve to look fine, if marriage dey corner.

Ifedike see her, freeze for one moment, then his eyes turn red.

You fit see say him heart skip. He no believe say e go see Ngozi again.

He never see her for ten years.

For inside him mind, memory rush am. You go think say he dey see ghost.

When he look me again, his eyes full of hate.

If eye fit kill, I for don die. E dey blame me for everything.

Me too, my own hate for am no small.

My chest dey burn. I dey remember all the wickedness, all the lie wey Ifedike tell for last life.

I think say I fit hide am, but as I see am, all the pain from my past life rush me.

Na that type of pain wey you no fit swallow, e dey taste like bitterleaf for mouth.

My papa head roll, my mama die for road as we dey exile, my brother lose leg, my sister-in-law kill herself to protect her name, and my two nephews—one die, one cripple.

No be ordinary suffering. E be like say one person curse my bloodline because of one love wey no pure.

My family scatter, all because of Ifedike.

No matter how I try forget, the thing dey pain like fresh wound. Ifedike na the root of my wahala.

The hate inside me just dey boil, no fit hide am.

I squeeze my palm till my fingernails dey bite my skin. For that moment, nothing fit calm me.

Ifedike shock small. I know say he see through me.

He shift leg, look ground. E surprise say I no dey pretend.

But I no send.

I adjust my wrapper, raise my chin like say nothing dey shake me.

I say, "Ngozi na my Nwosu family house girl. I no know when WAEC champion begin like her, but since you wan marry her, as her madam, I no get reason to stop you."

My voice sharp, clear. People wey dey around dey look me like say I do juju.

I go cupboard, bring her contract paper. Tear am for her front. "Ngozi, you be free woman."

For this village, house girl wey get freedom na rare thing. Even elders dey nod, some dey wipe eye.

Ngozi begin cry.

Her tears roll, she cover face. Even Kemi dey wipe her own eyes. For village, this one na serious matter.