CHAPTER 1,2&3: The Bed
Adaeze Obi sells lace for Main Market, Onitsha. Line C, shop 14. Everybody for that line know her — fine girl but too serious.
For three years, she follow Nonso. Only Nonso. She cook for am, wash im clothes, even give am 150k when im shop for Bridgehead burn down for last year fire. Her mama for Nkpor don already dey call Nonso "my in-law".
That Saturday, Adaeze close shop by 4pm. She no tell Nonso. She buy suya for Upper Iweka, buy two Heineken for am, say make she surprise am for him single room for Inland Town.
Door no lock well. She push am small.
The smell hit her first. Her own perfume wey she forget for his house last week. And noise.
Nonso dey on top person for bed. No be just person — Blessing. Her best friend since secondary school. Blessing wey dey follow her go shop everyday.
The bed self na Adaeze buy am for Nonso. 80k for Obodo Ukwu road.
Nonso no even shame. He stand up, wear boxers.
"Adaeze, calm down. You too dey do like my mama. Blessing dey free with me. You too dey tight."
Blessing use wrapper cover body. "Ada, e no be wetin you think, abeg."
Adaeze no shout. She just put the suya and drink for ground. Turn. Waka comot.
For Keke wey dey go 3-3 that night, Adaeze no cry. She just dey bite her lip. For her heart she talk say, Nonso must feel this pain.
Next day na im uncle birthday. Chief Emeka Okonkwo. Nonso uncle. The man wey get four plazas for Main Market and big mansion for GRA. Everybody dey respect am.
Nonso don talk before say, "My uncle dey find wife. E no want all these Asaba slay queens. E want better home girl."
One wicked idea enter Adaeze head. She go pepper Nonso. She go marry for the family wey e dey respect pass.
CHAPTER 2: The Uncle
Everybody think Chief na old man. 55 years, big belle.
But when Adaeze enter the birthday for GRA, she see different person.
Chief Emeka no old at all. He tall, dark, fine beard wey connect well. E wear black senator with gold for neck. Original Rolex for hand. E no make noise like small boys for Onitsha.
E see Adaeze from far. E waka come meet her.
"You be Nonso babe abi? The lace girl?"
Adaeze shame catch her. "Ex, sir. I be im ex."
Chief laugh small. That laugh wey rich men dey laugh. "Better. So you free now."
The whole party, Chief no leave her side. E no ask for i********:. E ask, "Your mama for Nkpor still dey sell stockfish? Your shop for Main Market, how you dey cope with agbero?"
Nobody don ever ask her that kind question.
When party wan finish, Chief call him driver.
"Make my driver drop you. Tomorrow, make we chop lunch? Just lunch, nothing more."
Adaeze say yes before she think am.
Inside the car for GRA, she do one bad thing. She post picture. Na picture wey Chief photographer snap them together. She put am for w******p status. Caption: "New beginnings. God dey."
She know Nonso dey stalk her status. The boy na monitoring spirit.
Two minutes later. Her phone start to ring. Nonso call. 17 missed calls.
CHAPTER 3: Dolly Hills
Chief no take her go any hotel for Onitsha. He take her cross Niger Bridge go Dolly Hills for Asaba. Make nobody see them.
He don order food already. Jollof, grilled chicken, salad.
"So, why you leave my nephew?" Chief ask as e cut im meat.
Adaeze look down. "E cheat on me. With my best friend. For my own bed."
Chief hiss. Loud. "That boy na fool. Just like him papa."
He drop cutlery, look Adaeze well.
"Adaeze, I go talk true. I be 45. I don build house, I don build plaza, I don make money. But I never see woman wey I fit put for my house. All these girls for Asaba and Lekki dem want my money only. You, you get dignity."
Adaeze laugh small. "Chief, you dey whine me."
"I no dey whine. Marry me."
Adaeze choke. Real choke.
Chief no laugh. Face serious.
"Marry me. No be because you love me now. You go learn to love me later. I go take care of you, your shop, your mama. And one more thing — that boy Nonso, every family meeting, e go kneel down dey greet you as Aunty. E go pepper am well well."
Omo. That na the pepper wey Adaeze want.
Before Adaeze fit answer, glass door for Dolly Hills open. Nonso enter. Sweat full him body. E charter keke from Onitsha come Asaba.
E see Adaeze hand for Chief hand.
"Uncle? Adaeze? Wetin dey happen for here?"
