Chapter 5: No Rest For Queen

My talk strong well.

The air for room cold, my own voice dey like breeze for harmattan. Nobody talk, only her sniffling.

Morenikeji face red, she bow, try hold back tears:

Her shoulder dey shake, she cover face with hand. Tears drop for tile, but she try hide am. My heart still strong.

“I sorry, madam, I no go do am again.”

Her apology sound true, but na serious pain and shame dey inside.

E pain am, but for this Lagos, you no fit show weakness. She dey try hold am, but e show for eye.

This her pain go later turn to hate for me.

I know say all this one na seed. One day, e fit germinate. But na today I dey reason, not tomorrow.

But wetin concern me?

For Lagos, if you no strong, person go chop you. I dey play my own game.

Morenikeji make me vex.

Her own dey too much sometimes. She forget say na me dey feed her.

I wan show her pepper sharp sharp.

I no go let am believe say e easy to cross me and go scot-free. I dey ready for anybody wey wan play rough.

She still dey bow, body dey shake small.

I see say her palm dey sweat. I adjust my gown, clear throat.

Na then I talk, “Abeg, no take am too serious. I dey joke with you.”

I soften voice small, smile play for my mouth. Na strategy I dey use—no let enemy know say you dey plan.

“This na new age, I no be olden days landlord.”

I wave hand, waka to window, act like say nothing happen. I want make her relax, but also know her place.

This time, Morenikeji wise up. She force smile:

Her lips dey twist. I see say na pain dey under, but she no fit talk.

“No, madam, you dey right. Na me forget my place.”

She try form confidence, but e no reach. I just nod.

“As long as you know,” I wave her off, “Go rest. You still dey go hospital see your papa tomorrow?”

I act like say I care, but na check I dey check her loyalty.

She bow again, then waka go.

Her step slow, but e sure. She no look back. Me, I adjust my seat, cross leg.

[This main babe too get wahala. After this disgrace, she go surely try revenge.]

[Why dem no just send her comot?]

[No fit work, na the young lady saviour daughter she be.]

The comments dey hot.

My own mind dey sharp. I dey think how I go carry myself reach top, leave all these wahala for back.

Me too dey reason, how I go remove this problem?

Plan dey run for my head. If Morenikeji try me again, I go make sure say e no sweet her belle. But for now, make I dey watch.

I no like to dey wait for person move.

For street, na who strike first dey win. Me, I dey plan before sleep catch me.

As I dey think, butler come.

Odogwu knock small, voice calm. "Madam, abeg..."

He give me file. “Madam, na the thing wey you say make I check.”

I collect the file, my hand steady. I know say any small info fit change everything.

I always dey wonder…

Obinna Nwosu, as guy, na genius.

People for village dey hail am—say e dey win quiz, solve maths like calculator. But how e take reach like this?

Wetin fit make am swallow pride, use that engagement beg me for help?

I reason am well. If person fit do this kin thing, life don bend am well. Pride no dey let Igbo boy beg for help unless wahala pass power.

Until I see him family condition with my eye.

I open the file. Picture fall out—old mud house, mama wey dey fry akara for roadside, two small pikin dey drag torn school bag. My chest tight. E shock me, but I still hold face.

I close the file, chest tight. For this life, everybody dey fight one silent war.