WRECKED 14 13

Anaya sent for her new personal maid. She was irritated the girl had not come to seek her since Jubril brought her home. The business with Agnes could not repeat itself. She picked up the newspaper she had started yesterday. The militants attacked Government Girls' Secondary School in Chibok. They broke into the school pretending to be guards and over two hundred girls were taken away in trucks, possibly into the Konduga area of the Sambisa forest where the Boko Haram were known to have fortified camps. Houses in Chibok were burnt down in the incident, and families were displaced from their homes. Terrible, Anaya thought.

The door opened and a girl walked in with a tray. She looked at the girl. "Are you the new maid?" she asked irritably.

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"Yes, ma," the girl said as she curtsied.

"So, you have to wait for me to send for you?"

"I'm sorry, ma. Senior madam sent me on an errand."

"Senior madam?" Anaya hissed. "Take note, I am your madam. Your only madam. The senior madam has enough servants at her disposal. You have been employed by my husband to serve me, you do things my way, okay?"

"Yes, ma. It won't happen again."

"Good. Now that we are clear, iron the clothes on the bed."

"Yes, ma. Should I fold them or put them on hangers?"

"Fold the shirts. Hang the gowns."

"Yes, ma."

Anaya looked the girl over. She liked her calm manner. Servility annoyed her.

"What's your name?"

"Eni," she said, picking the clothes with one hand and straightening the sheets with another. "I'll be back as soon as I'm done, ma. I think you should have your breakfast now, before it gets cold."

She went out, closing the door. She did everything with a quiet dignity that Anaya liked. She also had a direct way with her and looked you in the eye, without being impudent or familiar.

Jubril came into the room and for a while, they made small talk.

"I'm taking a trip to Maiduguri on Friday."

"You just returned from Kaduna two days ago and you're travelling again?"

"I know. We are opening a new branch there. I need to go and see the work being done."

"Another branch?" Anaya asked.

"Yes. Maiduguri was close to my father's heart. I feel he would be happy if a branch is opened there."

"Oh, that's good."

"Mustapha would head that branch. He needs more on-site training in management. Anyway, you can come along if you like. I'd even take you to my father's house by Lake Alau."

"Really? Your father has another house?"

"Sure. You would see where I was raised as a child, before we moved to Abuja. It is a bit rundown though. No one there to take care of it and I can't bring myself to sell it."

Anaya smiled at him. "That would be lovely. I'd tell Eni to start packing."

Friday came, and they drove up to the house, situated off Maiduguri-Bama road, near Lake Alau, in the hot weather. The Lake was a natural water storage formed by River Ngada—characterized by a charming, undulating landscape, which was further beautified by savannah vegetation with sparkling shores around Jubril told her of his famous ancestor it. who gave the lake its name.

"Legend has it that the basin is the spot where Idris Aloma, one of the warriors, hero and charismatic leader of the ancient Kanem Bornu empire was buried, hence the name 'Alau'."

"It's beautiful, Jubril. Like an aristocratic village. Not at all like Abuja."

"Not like Abuja at all. Lake Alau is actually a site for intensive farming, especially irrigation during the dry season when spinach, onions and tomatoes are cultivated by individuals. Fishing is another economic activity that takes place on the lake's shores. It provides water to Maiduguri Metropolis through the water treatment plant," Jubril said with pride. "We are almost at the house."

As soon as Anaya set eyes on the house, she gave her husband a brilliant smile. This wonderful house was her husband's. Theirs. How exciting. It was breathtaking in its beauty. The brown walls glowed in the sunshine, the tall windows reflected light from the sun. Its symmetry was completed by two sweeping wings. The block was about three storeys high. The gravel drive was overgrown with weeds. She noticed potholes here and there. It did not matter how it looked though, nothing could quell Anaya's excitement.

"This place is wonderful," she whispered as they toured the rooms. "Like a castle. This must be the biggest house in this area."

Jubril nodded. "It actually is."

"My God! Jubi, I love this place. Why can't we stay here? Why do we have to stay with your mother?"

"The villa in Abuja is big enough to house ve families with children and grandchildren."

"The villa is your mother's, not yours. By law, I should be here, because this is your house, as first son."

"Now don't get carried away. We are just visiting. Do not forget I work in Abuja, Anaya. Are you also forgetting the insurgence sweeping through Borno?"

"I know, but we could make it a home, our home. Build it up together into what we want, not what your mother wants. Look at the view from here," she said, dragging him to the window looking out over the Lake Alau."Please! Jubi, please."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. I'm exhausted now."

That night, Jubril took Anaya in his arms. He made love to her, she allowed him, and afterward she sat up and tapped him. "Jubi, we can live here. You can go to Abuja on Mondays and return during the weekends. People do it, you know?" Jubril did not answer. He felt defeated and depressed. She had tried but he was not deceived. He could not touch her, no matter what he did. He held and used an empty body from which she had escaped until it was over. Now she talked of the house again, trying to bribe him into agreeing to her demands.

"Why here, Anaya? You should be happy that we live in Abuja. Every Nigerian wants to live there. Why here?"

"I love this place. It is so serene and beautiful. I love the lake, too. In addition, I can be myself here; I will not have to try so hard to impress anybody. It may even make us happier; because I'll be happier knowing this is mine."

"I can't leave the bank, Anaya. I am the C.E.O. Moreover, this was not the plan. You were to tag along and enjoy the sites."

"Well, I love it here. Please, Jubi. We need our own home to bind us closer."

"We can get a place in Abuja. This place is a village – "

"It's just fourteen kilometres from Maiduguri and I don't want Abuja. I love this place," she said. "Please say yes, Jubi. Please!"

He looked down at her. She was still so young, filled with eagerness and energy, and yet, with the sad wisdom of a much older woman.

"Okay. If you really want to live here, and you think you could be happy here, then your wish is granted."'

"Oh, Jubi!" She hugged him, and suddenly her eyes overflowed with tears. "Thank you."

****

They returned to Abuja on Sunday evening. Anaya could not wait to tell her mother-in-law the news.

"As long as I can have my son from Monday to Friday, that's fine with me. His father would have been pleased that the house was no longer desolate. I will be lonely, though. I hear Mustapha is also taking up the helm of affairs at the new branch there."

"Have you started searching for where you'll live," Anaya directed the question to Kuku.

"Not really. We're still enjoying our honeymoon," Kuku giggled. Afsat frowned. Anaya appraised Kuku. She had the looks, but she was a tart, and in Anaya's opinion, it showed—no dignity, no presence. She might have come from an elite family, but she was trash. She had seen Kuku giving sly glances at Jubril's young driver. It made her feel sick. Something was up with her; she would nd out what.

"You can stay with us if you don't nd a suitable place. There are plenty of rooms begging to be occupied. I bet we won't use half of them," Anaya said.

Afsat smiled suddenly. "That's a good idea. Why don't you go and tell Mustapha, Kuku? I'm sure he'll be glad."

"I'm sure we'll find a place, but I'll tell him anyway." Kuku went in search of her husband to tell him the news, and Afsat bent down conspiratorially, "Anaya, you'll keep an eye on them, especially Kuku. Please, Anaya!"

"Don't worry," Anaya said.

"Oh, I do worry, Anaya. I worry about those two a lot."

****

Anaya moved to Borno to supervise the renovation of the house at Lake Alau. She took all she had, including Eni, with her. In the evenings, they would sit together and discuss plans for the house. Now and again, Anaya would shut her up. Still, she liked the fact that as much as Eni was not a doormat, she never took a liberty.

Anaya became so happy, and so busy. She felt the house drew her and Jubril closer. She had been right about that. There was no time to be unhappy except in the sad aftermath of making love. She had kept her promise. She never said no. She did not lie or make excuses. She was so honourable in the commitment to the terms of agreement that Jubril did not know whether to admire or hate her for it.

He fantasized that one day he would be able to arouse her. He imagined ways of bringing her senses to life, and only succeeded in arousing himself. Perhaps it was better she stayed at Lake Alau. It would give him a chance to concentrate on his business. And to look around. Perhaps another woman would make it easier…

Chapter end