Chapter 6: Riches and Realities

I give part of my allowance to prefect, call am "advance payment for lesson."

Envelope full of new one thousand notes. I press am to her palm, she look me, her mouth open small.

She look the envelope full of one thousand naira notes, shock.

Her hand dey tremble, eyes wide. She never see this kind money at once before.

Truth be say, for my last life or this one, Adeyemi family no dey ever starve adopted daughter. Food, cloth, allowance, dem dey provide.

Na so rich people dey do, to avoid gossip from outside. Even if dem no send you, you no go lack.

But wetin be small change for Tobi Adeyemi na big money for Halima Sanni—she fit buy medicine for her grandma, pay hospital bill, even rent small house to run from her papa wahala.

If she manage am well, her whole family fit chop better for two months.

After we agree on lesson time, I go house.

I wave her, she still dey shock, envelope dey her hand.

The big mansion empty. Papa Adeyemi travel, Mama Adeyemi dey beauty salon.

Na so life dey be. Mansion big but lonely. Na only echo dey reply me.

As for Tobi Adeyemi, him dey chop for Okonkwo family house.

Na news I hear for househelp mouth. Dem talk say Tobi dey enjoy ugu soup with big lumps of pomo and snail.

Last life, Tobi Adeyemi dey always drop me house, my Okonkwo adoptive parents dey always invite am for dinner.

Every Friday, na so dem dey make pounded yam, dey tell me make I call am. My heart dey always skip when I see am enter house.

Just like idol drama, na that dinner dey make the rich boy feel family love for poor house, and make am fall for the poor girl.

E dey always turn am to human being, he go smile, play draft with my papa.

Now, him and Chisom dey chop simple food together, but both of them go dey happy.

I dey imagine as she go dey giggle, dey form house girl. The Okonkwo people go dey talk with pride, dey shine teeth for Tobi.

I slowly wear my designer robe, wash face with imported soap, chop catfish pepper soup with sugar wey house help bring, and I just dey laugh.

As I dey eat, I dey remember the Okonkwo compound, the smell of kerosene lamp, the sound of radio for window. Now, I dey inside AC dey watch foreign film.

The kerosene lamp dey hiss, groundnut oil dey fry for backyard, and laughter dey spill from window like music.

Nobody know say Okonkwo couple, even though dem poor, no be good people at all.

People dey always think say poor man heart dey clean. But na lie. E fit even be darker pass.

Dem always prefer boy. Dem want adopt boy, but as no healthy boy dey for orphanage, dem settle for pretty girl, dey hope say one day she go bring rich husband come.

Dem dey pray for miracle, dey fast for Sunday, make one big man see their daughter and marry am. Na their plan from day one.

See as Tobi Adeyemi bring their daughter house, the couple happy die. Dem use am as chance to hold rich son-in-law.

Dem don dey call neighbours, dey boast say their daughter dey date big man. Na so dem dey arrange pepper soup, dey borrow extra chair for compound.

All that love, all that care—na just acting.

If you look deep, you go see say na survival dem dey run, no be real affection.

Because, to move the heart of rich pikin, na only card wey dem get.

Dem dey fear say if opportunity pass, suffering go continue.

Last life, when I tell dem say I no wan marry Tobi Adeyemi, my adoptive mama lock me for room, my adoptive papa beat me half dead with chair leg and belt.

My back still get scar. That night, I cry till morning. Nobody come open door.

Chisom think say she don enter heaven this time, she no know say heaven no dey this world.

Life fit sweet for mouth, but real heaven dey after death. For here, na just survival.

Adeyemi family na rich hell; Okonkwo family na poor hell.

Every family get their own demon. Money no fit buy peace.

Who go survive come out from hell, na only by your own power.

Na your spirit go decide if you go sink or float. No helper anywhere.