Chapter 5: Compound Fire

I hold corner of wrapper, rub my eye. Obinna don dress finish, him face don return to that him normal cool and pure way.

He stand for window, dey look outside, like say nothing happen. Na that time I know say Obinna strong for mind. My own, I just dey weak for bed.

Him eye cold. "Next month, when I no too busy, you and me go marry."

The way e talk am, e be like statement of fact. No room for argument. I dey nod my head anyhow, like agama lizard.

I nod head.

I no even fit talk. My voice hide for throat.

Before I talk again, door just burst open.

Door fly open like thunder. Person enter with speed—wrapper tight like market day, gold bangle dey jangle, perfume choke everywhere.

Halima, daughter of the Musa family, rush enter, vexed.

Halima fine, but her eye dey sharp. She dey waka like person wey dey search for trouble. Her mouth dey quick, her hand dey quick pass.

She look me like say she wan burn me.

If to say eye fit burn person, I for turn ash that day. Na only God save me.

"Shameless, useless girl!"

Her voice loud, echo for corridor. I just dey wish ground go open.

"Na you drug and seduce my cousin, abi?"

She talk am with her hand for waist. I fit see her fingers dey shake.

I shake head. "No be me, I no fit try am."

I try explain, but my voice low. My own be say make fight no start.

"Halima, na you dey look cousin everyday like say you wan swallow am. You sure say no be you give cousin that thing wey bend person head?"

I try talk back, small courage enter me. For my mind, I dey think say this girl na wahala.

Me sef fit talk back small.

My heart dey beat, but I dey ready. No be today I dey fight for compound.

Halima face red. "You dey talk rubbish!"

She vex sotey her eye turn red. She move near, I ready my mind for anything.

She waka come, wan pull my hair.

Her hand fast, but I dodge small. For my mind, na old wahala.

Her vex dey understandable. Her family plan to give her to Obinna before. Now, na me carry the flower for mountain. How she go take accept?

Dem plan marriage for her since last year. I dey pity am small, but life no fair.

Slap no mean anything to me; my aunty for house don beat me tire.

My skin thick. If slap dey solve problem, I for don turn ghost. I dey ready.

One fine hand block her.

Obinna hand strong, e block Halima own sharp. Everybody quiet for room.

Obinna talk: "Who give you right to dey rude to your future cousin-in-law?" He adjust him cap, eye sharp on Halima.

The way he talk am, e no shout, but the weight dey heavy. Even Halima calm down.

Even though Obinna dey gentle, when him lips tight, him get one kind power.

For that moment, na Chief pikin I see, not just Obinna. Respect choke for air.

Halima freeze. "Cousin, person like her—side chick position fit her. You sure say you wan marry am? Dem say she enter Chief’s house empty, even bride price she no get. Cousin, you no dey fear say people go laugh you?"

Her mouth dey sharp. She dey talk as if na judge she be. The words pain me, but I no show am.

For this our time, bride price mean plenty for marriage. E show say the woman get confidence and status.

If you marry woman wey no get bride price, dem go gossip your matter tire. For market, for church, dem go use your name do example. I fit hear them for market: 'Na she? That one wey dey slow like Monday morning?' 'Abeg, leave matter for Mathias.'

Maybe Halima talk too much. Obinna face dark. "Go."

The command no get negotiation. Halima pause, her mouth open small, but she turn and waka sharp.

Halima no fit talk again, she wipe tears, run go.

I see small tears for her face. My heart soft, but I no talk.

Obinna wan go.

He just carry file, ready to commot.

I hold him sleeve.

My hand soft. I dey beg with my eye, no talk yet.

"Cousin, fit help me collect my bride price back?"

My voice low, but the pain dey inside. I dey look floor as I talk.