NKECHI
8:45am, Sunday 19th August 2014
"Madam. E get one man..."
"You are still saying that word. What do you want?" Nkechi had become irritated by the way she was constantly referred to as "Madam". Oh she just couldn't stand that word. She thought about dismissing him instantly from her living room.
"Madam..."
Nkechi took a leg of her pair of slippers swiftly from the ground and threw it directly at Musa's head. Musa had no time to dodge the missile.
"The next time you call me Madam, I will panel beat your head. Now bring me my slipper" Musa nodded once and reluctantly returned the slipper.
"Whoever it is should come back tomorrow. And stop calling me Madam! How many times would I have to correct you?" She paused for a moment to catch herself from cursing out Musa.
"Leave!"
Musa just about tripped on his way, racing out the door.
She sat back on her sofa, trying desperately to compose herself. She struggled hard not to burst into tears, not today, just not today. "My husband always teased me with that word, now I just hate it." She looked at her phone, tempted to call her best friend to rant about how she missed her husband, but she thought about writing down her emotions instead. Besides, her best friend, Sandra must have been very tired of hearing about her sad demise. Even Nkechi was tired; that was the problem, she was tired.
IRETI
"Hello, honey? Where are you now? I just took a shower and our guests will be arriving soon. Did you forget again?" A little pause.
"Okay, I will be patient only because I'm trying not to believe that you forgot about this occasion. Sha do fast and come home"
Ireti dropped, almost slammed, her phone on her extremely polished dresser. She looked at herself in the mirror, all alone in her bedroom, looking as beautiful as Aphrodite – or so she had been told countless times. Her beauty, the number one reason she was married today. People would tease her with the words "Oyibo pepper"and for some time her friends hated that she was so attractive, but she could not hide what she was born with.
In her heart she knew that her beauty made her husband stay. She knew that her skin, so fair and spotless was the reason she had attracted such a rich man like Henry. She didn't feel like he was worth her beauty. She knew about his past; a complete drunk was all he could ever be while basking confidently in his father's riches. She loathed the life that she was living but she had no choice. Her mother had said to her when she brought Henry home for a proper introduction, "Ah, Ireti! You have done well" with her mother's eyes sparkling like she had just hit jackpot at the famous Bellagio Las Vegas Casino. Her mother could sniff the wealth from Henry's cologne, who wouldn't right? Well, Ireti hated that particular cologne, but that day she had to stop herself from gagging all over the bare floor in their old home. They were poor, hence Henry was their savior and they weren't about to let him pass them by. Not this time around.
# ANITA
"Do you know who I am? This useless girl! Call me Madam, osiso!"
The way that Anita constantly snaps at this house-girl. Every time, every day, that's all I hear around here. My own wife and I don't know if she is the same woman I married only a year ago. This Madam thing, why are these Lagos women so bent on being called Madam? I don't even understand it. They make small money and are able to afford some things and all of a sudden, the name Madam becomes terribly important, like their delicate egos depended on it.
Mac turned his head back to face the flat screen plasma TV that they had recently bought; that his wife had insisted that they buy. "These women" Mac said to himself as he turned up the volume of the TV. He was getting tired of hearing her shout all the time. Very tired.
"Mac! Did you just see the way that girl disrespected me? In my own house! She comes back from the market and she has the audacity to call me aunty. Who told her that I am her aunty? I have told her, time and time again to call me Madam. That girl no 'gree hear word. I will soon kick her out Mac, very soon" Anita slammed into the chair right beside Mac, undeterred about his silent response to her outburst of emotions; little did Anita know that he too was getting ready to kick his own wife out of the house. "Very soon" was all he could repeat to himself. "Patience Mac, patience." And he walked away from her presence.