It had never occurred to me that I could sit before a woman who said “I do” 4 years ago and try to advise her regarding her marriage. Aunty Estie as we fondly called her, was my cousin, older than I by 6 years but because we grew up together at my mother's family house in Lagos, every resident of The Big House called her Estie.
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When I was growing up, she was a quiet lady. My mother used to wish aloud that I could be like her; calm-headed, multi-skilled, and always ready to work without complaints when called upon.
I began to find ways to speak to Estie because I wanted to be like her and before long, we became best friends. I only started calling her ‘Aunty’ after she got married. Her sniffles brought my mind back to her.
Alec Benjamin - Devil Doesn't Bargain [Official Lyric Video]
She seemed to have lost some weight since the last time I saw her during the Christmas holiday. Her full cheeks were gradually becoming sunken, her neck bones stuck out like the silhouette of a hanger and her bright eyes were now blank and teary.
“I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Treasure”
“No, no. It's totally okay”
When Estie called to ask where I was over the phone, I was quite surprised. She lived in Aba with her husband and son and she had not informed me of her trip to Abuja where I lived.
“But how are you going to explain me to your roommate? I don't want you girls to have issues because of me”
“Don't worry, I've sent her a message on WhatsApp messenger. She's probably busy at the moment which is why she didn't take my calls”
When she was finally able to put herself together, she dropped her handbag which she had clutched close to her chest all the way to my house like a stuffed toy.
“Are you okay?” I asked after a long stretch of silence. She looked like she might cry again as she bobbed her head up and down, but she didn't.
“I'm just tired. I think I need to rest”
“That's easy, just take a shower and go to bed”
She shook her head.
“I mean rest in my heart; I feel so burdened…” She dropped a few years, wiped them off with her hands, then continued. “Ensure that you do not get married under any pressure, nobody is going to live with you in your marital home”.
I pondered on her words for a while, not grasping the entire meaning.
“You and Mr Ugo are a perfect match,” I said silently. She laughed, not from excitement but from palpable scorn.
“Treasure, my mother wanted me to marry him because he has a lot of property. I understand that we would have problems, I mean every marriage has its crisis but bringing other ladies to our matrimonial home under the guise of distant relatives?”
My mouth dropped open but I didn't say a word.
“He had always been a ladies' man but my mother kept saying not to worry. A week ago, my son told me that one aunty Amaka came to the house and promised him biscuits. I asked Ugo about it and he had the effrontery to tell me that she is his distant cousin from his father's side. The same man that told me he doesn't know his father's relatives!”
I took one of her hands in mine as she continued,
“I went to my pastor's wife before marriage to talk about it and she asked me to listen to a song by one Alec Benjamin, The Devil Doesn't Bargain. At first I was upset with her for comparing my husband-to-be with the devil but Treasure, you see the chorus of that song?”
I opened my YouTube music app as she struggled to get the lyrics. When I found it, I read it out to her.
“The devil doesn't bargain, he'll only break your heart again
It isn't worth it darling; he's never going to change.
He'll never be Prince Charming, he'll only do you harm again.
I don't mean to meddle, but the devil doesn't settle, no…”
Devil Doesn't Bargain Lyrics - Alec Benjamin
“That's the song, Treasure.” she interrupted me, “Assuming I had taken heed to the message she sent me through this song I wouldn't be in this mess right now”
Because tears had started rolling down her cheeks again, I moved closer to place her head on my shoulder.
“Aunty, I'm truly sorry about what you've been through but at this point, I think you can only start to pray for your marriage. I don't know what else to say…”
As her sobbing intensified, I thought about the lyrics of Alex Benjamin's song and made a mental note to go back and listen to it in full.