The Meadow 79 Killing your fellow human is not an option!” “But what about the man who beat her in the first place? What if he killed her first?” I don’t realize the words are coming from my mouth until I catch the surprised looks they all throw my way. I hadn’t attempted to talk with the other women since I walked in. Iya Matthew speaks first. “Bolanle. I sabi wetin you dey talk. Me I hear say you marry Big Man. I sure say him just dey spoil you. E no go fit put his hand on top fine yellow pawpaw like you!” I understand what you mean. I heard you married a wealthy man. I’m sure he only takes good care of you and can’t dare lay his hands on a light-skinned beauty like you. I almost laugh in the exact manner my mother had done two days ago. I say nothing. At night Tobi visits. I tell my mother not to let him in. To my surprise, she obeys and goes to bed. I do the same. Before sleep takes me away, I envision my hands reaching for Tobi’s neck as he lunges at me. Squeezing and squeezing until all the life in him is flushed out. I wish my mother hadn’t brought up my father in our conversation when she came into my room three weeks later. I wish she hadn’t recounted the painful way he died, crushed by an oncoming trailer on Opebi Road. I wish she hadn’t mentioned how my marriage to Tobi had come as a form of relief to her. My marriage meant she didn’t have to worry about taking care of me and my younger sister, Tofunmi. My marriage made it easier for her to shoulder the burden of my father’s death. How many husbands took care of their wives’ family the way Tobi did? she asked me. I wanted to reply her. To tell her that I could return to my job at LUTH so we wouldn’t have to depend on Tobi’s money. But I didn’t.
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