ACT 1: MARTINA. Scene 1

2008

Shoprite Ikeja City Mall, Lagos.

Both women are driving their own cart filled with vegetables and beverages in them.

MARTINA: - ...work today was so stressful. My back is killing me.

ANGELA: - I tell you oo. That our stupid manager is just giving us all the work his girlfriend is supposed to do, while she stays all day in his office doing God-knows-what.

MARTINA: - To be honest, we all know what's going on in his office (they both laughed).

ANGELA: - I can't wait to get promoted. I won't have to put up with all this nonsense.

MARTINA: - Lucky you. Me, I am just starting.

ANGELA: - (she laughed) Ah!! Sorry for you oo... But come to think of it, why did you decide to start working? I mean, you are married, right? Your husband is not able to provide enough for you and the kids?

MARTINA: - (she made a fake cough and a fake laugh) Well... in this day and age, I advise women not to only depend on their husbands because anything can happen... What if my husband loses his job, for instance? I won't have any money on me as backup.

ANGELA: - Well, that is true oo.

MARTINA: - And besides, there are little things I really don't want to ask my husband for money for, especially to send money to my younger brother Samuel back home so that he can buy more land to expand his farmland.

ANGELA: - Exactly! You are very smart.

MARTINA: - And look at the way the country's economy is going. You have to be smart, oh!

(They laughed as they kept walking around in circles in the grocery store.) Angela, abeg, let's hurry up. What are you even looking for? We have to go and pick the kids from school.

ANGELA: - I'm coming. I'm looking for a special sardine. (going through the sardine section)

MARTINA: - Can't you just pick one? Let's go.

ANGELA: - Ah! No oo. I must find it.

MARTINA: - Okay, hurry up. I don't like keeping the kids waiting.

ANGELA: - Yes!! I have found it. (she happily showed it to Martina)

MARTINA: - (unamused) So what's so special about this one?

ANGELA: - I can't believe you just asked that. If you use this one to cook jollof rice, ehh, all four corners of your neighborhood will smell the scent of what you're cooking.

MARTINA: - (amused) You don't mean it?

ANGELA: - Yes na! Let me pack them before it runs out.

MARTINA: - Ah! Leave some for me oo. (she joined the looting)

ANGELA: - (she raised an eyebrow and had a side smile) I thought you wanted to go pick your kids.

MARTINA: - Is it not still the same kids that will eat the jollof rice? (they both laughed)

12 minutes later.

Both women are in Angela's shiny car.

MARTINA: - ...you don't mean it? (opened her eyes excitedly)

ANGELA: - My friend, I'm telling you. He is even the one who bought me this car.

MARTINA: - (her eyes widened with joy) God, when oo.

ANGELA: - Ah! God, when? How? What about your husband? Can't he get you a new car?

MARTINA: - Since my car broke down two weeks ago, I have been complaining to my husband about it, and he said till he gets back from his business trip, which can be a few months from now.

ANGELA: - Ah! This your husband, eh. Why can't he just send you the money to buy a car yourself?

MARTINA: - He even suggested he send the money to my bank account, but I insisted he buy me a new car himself when he arrives. You know I don't know anything about cars.

ANGELA: - Well, that is true. And how come I have never seen him face to face?

MARTINA: - (she laughed) How will you see him when you have never stepped your foot into my house?

ANGELA: - No, no... I mean, since last month when you started working with us at the bank, he has never attempted to come pick you up or send flowers or do something romantic for you.

MARTINA: - (she laughed a little) Ah! He does plenty of romantic things for me at home, but lately, he has been busy with business trips oo... anyways... So this your new guy, what's his name?

ANGELA: - (smiling sheepishly) His name is Henry.

MARTINA: - Ah! What a coincidence; that's my...

ANGELA: - Ah! (they arrived at the kids' primary school to see parents gathered at the gate with three policemen.) What's happening?

MARTINA: - (without hesitation, she came out of the car and ran towards the crowd.) What's going on here? (asking no one in particular but was expecting an answer)

ANGELA: - (she tapped on a policeman's shoulder) Oga, please, what's happening?

POLICEMAN 1: - A husband and wife came to the police station requesting police assistance to escort them. They laid their complaint and stated that a male teacher molested their 11-year-old daughter in this school.

MARTINA: - My goodness! Where is the teacher?

POLICEMAN 1: - Immediately he sighted us, he ran away. Now we are trying to investigate the matter and also trying to know whether he had other victims.

MARTINA: - My God!

POLICEMAN 2: - Sir! We have gotten information about where the teacher lives.

POLICEMAN 1: - Okay, let's go.

ANGELA: - Martina, let's get the kids. (They got the kids and entered the car.)

15 minutes later, she dropped Martina and her two kids, a boy and a girl, in front of a blue gate.

MARTINA: - Angela, come on... come inside; let's cook together. You know... (smiling sheepishly, raising the grocery bag) with your special sardine.

ANGELA: - Omo! I'm so tired...

MARTINA: - No now... I know this our friendship is new, but at least come and see how my house looks like na. I used to come to your house oo.

ANGELA: - (she laughed) You will not kill me with laughter. See eh... you and I know that once I step my foot into your house, I won't come out until 10 o'clock in the night because anytime I'm with you, gist no dey finish. (Martina laughed) And I have a lot of paperwork to finish before tomorrow.

I don't know if you have noticed, but I want to get promoted.

MARTINA: - It's okay... It is well.

ANGELA: - Don't worry. Tomorrow I will definitely come and cook jollof rice for you and the kids.

MARTINA: - (she smiled) Oya na. Bye-bye.

ANGELA: - Bye-bye. (She started the car and drove off.)

She reached her self-contained apartment to see a red shining 2006 Mercedes-Benz model parked in front of her small gate. She immediately started smiling as she hurried inside her house.

HENRY: - (wearing an apron and turning the stew on the stove) Oh no! You weren't supposed to see me still cooking.

ANGELA: - (she walked towards him and hugged him) This is perfect (then she kissed him on the cheek) So what are you cooking?

HENRY: - White rice and stew (proudly smiling)

ANGELA: - (she smiled) For your mind, now you are proud of yourself cooking just white rice and stew?

HENRY: - You are not even happy that I know my way around the kitchen (then she used the turning spoon to taste the stew) So what do you think?

ANGELA: - (she faced him as he smiled, waiting for her review) It's okay.

HENRY: - (his smile fades) Ah! Just "okay"?

ANGELA: - Yes na! Okay, you tried. (then she put on a fake smile)

HENRY: - Baby, please tell me the truth.

ANGELA: - Okay, it needs a little salt.

HENRY: - Okay. (He added a small amount of salt.) Okay, what else?

ANGELA: - More pepper, curry, and thyme.

HENRY: - Ah!! Is it that tasteless? (Then he tasted the stew himself and made a displeasing face.) Oh, I see.

ANGELA: - (she smiled) Should I help you?

HENRY: - (opening all sets of his teeth) Yes, please.

20 minutes later, both of them were seated at the dining table eating their meals.

ANGELA:- I see you also bought yourself a new car.

HENRY:- I had to. The other car was giving me so many problems.

ANGELA:- Oh, that's good. This new car is very fine.

HENRY:- (he smiled) I know, right?

ANGELA:- And I hope you will spend the rest of the day here with me like yesterday. I mean, last night was amazing.

HENRY:- (an awkward silence emerged as he paused eating) Baby, I want to tell you something.

ANGELA:- (she also paused) What?

HENRY:- I'm leaving for South Africa tomorrow morning.

ANGELA:- (disappointed but still remains calm, then took a deep breath) What's your excuse this time?

HENRY:- (he stretched forth his arm and softly held her hand) Baby, it's not like that. This is the jackpot. This is going to be huge. After this, no more, I proooomise.

ANGELA:- (unamused) Wow! You say it as if that's the first time you are promising.

HENRY:- But this time I mean it. (She removed her hand from his palm, looking more disappointed as she stood up, about to leave the dining room) Baby!... Baby, come on, wait! (he stood up and grabbed her by the arm) Baby, please listen to me.

ANGELA:- (she forcefully released her arm from his grasp and stood still) I'm listening. (her frown transformed into a smile as he went down on one knee)

HENRY:- (removing a little red box from his pocket) Angela, will you marry me? (then he opened the box revealing a shining diamond ring)

ANGELA:- Yes! Yes, I will marry you! (he put the ring on her finger and they hugged each other) Oh my God, this ring is beautiful...

HENRY:- Beautiful just like you. (she grabbed his face and kissed him, but he quickly broke the kiss and held her hand) But baby, I wish I could stay the night.

ANGELA:- Why can't you? Isn't the flight tomorrow?

HENRY:- Yes, but the flight is around 8 a.m., and you know the way Lagos roads will be tomorrow morning, so I have to go now because I have to find a hotel near the airport to spend the night.

ANGELA:- Okay, let me come with you...

HENRY:- No, no! No need. The airport is very far. I don't want to stress you, and besides, you have work tomorrow.

ANGELA:- That is true. I even have a lot of paperwork to finish. But still, I just want you to spend the last moments you have in Nigeria with me.

HENRY:- I want that too, baby...

4 minutes later, Angela waves goodbye to Henry as he reversed his car, leaving her apartment block. After a 10-minute drive, he then stopped in front of a blue gate and honked the horn of his car. Immediately the gate opened and he drove inside the compound. Wind began to blow and thunder grumbled. He came out of the car as the gate man, Solomon, helped him take his luggage from the car.

SOLOMON:- Welcome, sir.

HENRY:- Thank you, Solo. (Two kids ran towards him. A boy and a girl. Both coming out from a two-story building home at the middle of the compound)

YOUNG KUTI:- (happily jumping) Papa, welcome!

YOUNG TINTINA:- (hugging her father) Papa, welcome. We miss you.

HENRY:- I miss you too. Where is Mommy?

MARTINA:- She is here. (smiling from a distance)

HENRY:- (he walked towards Martina and hugged her tightly) I miss you so much, my love.

MARTINA:- I miss you more.

HENRY:- And I have a surprise for you. (he then removed the car key from his pocket, dangling it in the air) I bought you a new car.

MARTINA:- Oh my God! (She jumped and hugged him even tighter than before) Thank you so much, darling.

HENRY:- You are welcome, my love. (the wind started to blow harder) Honey, you will try out the car later. Rain is about to fall. Come on, kids! Let's go inside. (he rests his arm on Martina's shoulders as they all walked inside the house)

"OUR CHILDREN" Written By Isa Hafsat Hamtin...

June 1994

4:35 p.m.

Shintaku, Lokoja.

Henry and Martina are sitting in his 1993 Honda Accord model parked in front of a rusted iron gate.

HENRY:- (he brought out a bundle of 5 Naira notes from his car pigeonhole) Here. (he handed the money to Martina) That's for you and... (he reached for another bundle in his pigeonhole and handed it to her) give this one to your younger brother Samuel when you get inside.

MARTINA:- Ah!! 1 thousand Naira! Thank you so much, baby! (she kissed him and gave him a big hug)

HENRY:- I know we just started going out, but I really feel a real connection between us.

MARTINA:- I feel it too. (she kissed him on the cheek, waved him "goodbye," and got out of the car. He drove off as she opened the rusted iron gate and locked it behind her. She walked towards a big mango tree in the middle of a big sandy compound and sat under the tree and began smiling as she unbundled the money) SAMUEL! SAMUEL! (as she happily counts out half of one of the bundles, someone knocked at the gate. She put the money back in her purse and walked towards the gate to answer) Hello, can I help you?

STRANGER:- (he is wearing a National Youth Service Corps uniform) Hello, please I am looking for a Joshua Kotin or any idea where he may be living.

MARTINA:- (she froze) Why... why are you looking for him?

STRANGER:- I'm an old friend of his. We went to military school together.

MARTINA:- (she gasped) Oh...