At the beer parlor, I met Edmond with his shirt off. He had emptied enough bottles but was still coordinated. He appeared restless.
"What kept you so long? I was beginning to be worried," he said.
"Bros, na your wife keep me ooo. She said make I give ahm all our details, especially yours."
"You give ahm?"
"Which kind mumu question be dat? MD gave me a direct order, and you're asking if I obeyed. You be mumu. Abeg collect your phone."
"Do you know her name?"
"Na wetin you suppose ask me be dat. Bros, her name is Rukiyat Bola. Na your wife name be dat?"
"Rukiyat?" he asked in bewilderment.
"Wetin be your father in-law name?"
"You see? She changed her name. She's no more answering my name nor her father's name. Her father's name is Adewale. Rukiyat Adewale Ambode. There is no Bola in her family."
"Bros, I no understand. That woman wey dey inside and the one wey dey your phone na one person. Dem 2 dey answer Rukiyat. Weda Bola or Edmond or Adewale, e no concern me. Lest I forget, she said she was married before, but she is now single. You fit marry ahm again."
Edmond could not say a word. He was lost in deep thought.
"Edmond!" I shouted on him. "I dey go home. Make I go meet my family for house."
"Ezekiel wait, please. Something is wrong. There's a mix-up somewhere."
I stopped and turned back.
Edmond walked closer and continued. "I don't believe in reincarnation, but that woman in there is my wife Rukiyat. She died when…"
"You burry ahm?" I interrupted.
"I took her to the hospital when she had cardiac arrest. I was by her bedside when the doctors told me she was dead. I was the one that signed for her body to be deposited at the morgue. I also signed and collected her body for burial. I watched as the casket was lowered to the grave. So yes, I buried her."
I checked my wristwatch to signal that I was tired of the whole drama.
"She's a demon. I will expose her. I'll need your support. Let's fight together and expose her," he added.
"If no be say you be my friend, I for say make Ogun from Oba market, Benin City, join forces with the Ogun from Ekenwan road near Asoro down to Oghede, all in Benin City, kee you in Jesus name. Amen! You and who wan fight demon? You no know say the demon no sabi me? Na only you she sabi, so she fit show you mercy and deal with me."
"It won't get to that. Trust me, we will win her. I know what and how to run it," Edmond insisted.
"Bros I go swear for you ooo. See, I no dey win any fight. All the fight wey I dey enter with humans, I never win before. I no fit remember any fight wey I win before. Now you wan make I come fight your demon."
My phone rang.
"My wife don dey call me now. Hello dear! I'm done now. I'm on my way home. I'll be with you shortly."
As the call dropped, I turned to Edmond, "I don't want to fight what is not fighting me. Tomorrow I'm tendering my resignation letter. You have brought your demon from Lagos to Uyo to come and be pursuing us up and down. I'll get another job. You see this fight, you are on your own. It's dark already. Good night."
I was about to move when a car stopped and the window went down. It was the MD.
At first, I wanted to run, but the thought of a demon appearing and disappearing made me not to run.
"You're still here, Ezekiel? Hop in; let me drop you since you're going my way."
"Me? No madam, I'm not going your way. My place actually is in the opposite direction."
"But your file is saying otherwise. You submitted false information to the company?"
I smiled sheepishly.
"Not so, ma'am. The truth is I want to eat first before I go home since my wife had traveled to her place. I will go home when I finish eating…"
Before I could finish my statement, the window went up again, and the car zoomed off.
"You see what you have caused? I told you to let me go, but you wouldn't listen. Now she had drawn the battle line with me. Don't you see I have just lost that fight? A very small and simple fight. I have lost it. Can I go now?"
Edmond looked at the car and added: "I must follow that car. I must know where she stays. I'll call you when I find something."
Edmond jumped into a waiting vehicle, and they zoomed off. I had no idea there was a standby car for him.
I will brief you on his findings.