Chapter 6: The Edge of Peace

This hibiscus spirit wahala pass my oga own.

If to say I sabi run, I for don escape long ago. But this life na one corner, one chance.

Like am—wahala. No like am—still wahala.

If you stay, na palava. If you run, palava still dey follow you. Spirit and flesh dey fight inside me.

I no know where he hear about my engagement—he vex scatter.

News dey fly for this estate pass NEPA wahala. I dey suspect say na Sade carry the gist.

He open door, shout: “I dey go meet chief now, go report say you spoil inner house, dey do forbidden thing with me—na death penalty!”

His voice loud, my ear ring. If chief hear am, na burial for me and my family.

Fear grip me, I rush cover him mouth. “Calm down—na this kind thing you wan dey shout up and down?”

I drag am inside, begin beg, explain say me and Chiamaka na just fake couple.

I dey talk fast, hand dey shake. I dey try use soft voice calm am, dey beg say make him no end my story for this world.

“So wetin if I like you? You be man, you no fit carry Okafor family go forward. I don old, nobody send me, people dey gossip—how you think say I dey feel?”

He talk am, voice dey break. For first time, I see small water for him eye—pride and pain dey fight for inside. No be only me dey suffer this love wahala.

As hibiscus spirit calm down, I continue to dey pity myself.

I dey imagine how I go explain to ancestors if I enter grave because of man wey fine pass sense.

“You be chief favourite, na moon for sky, snow for cloud. No matter how I like you, na only for dream I fit get you.”

I humble myself, act like true gentle man.

I dey pray say humility fit save me, even if na for only this moment.

He finally quiet, stop to threaten me.

I breathe out, dey thank every spirit for land and water. For this estate, peace no dey last long, but na small victory.

I thank God for mind.

If to say my mama dey alive, she go kneel for shrine, thank all the orishas for saving her pikin.

I suppose listen to Musa—slowly just find way leave this matter. If chief catch us, na finish be that.

I dey plan my exit. For night, I dey pray, dey think how I go disappear from hibiscus spirit wahala.

After long silence, he talk with pain: “You dey talk say you like me, but I never see person like you before. You no ask my name, no ask wetin I like. Everyday, you just come, rub medicine, then waka commot. If I no move you come my side, you for no even see me again.”

His words touch me. I dey wonder if I too dey shy, or na fear dey hold my mouth. For here, to ask question fit mean too much. For first time, I see small water for him eye—pride and pain dey fight for inside.

Who say I no ask? I don already send Sade go dig information.

I dey do my own way—quiet, but sharp. Sade na person wey sabi run mouth, e go tell me wetin I wan know.

I lower my head, look the red mole for him wrist, talk soft: “Your name na Ifeanyi, from Osogbo. You like light food, subtle incense. After afternoon nap, you dey stroll by lily pond, dey play with fat fish. For night, you no dey sleep, you dey drink palm wine, enjoy breeze.”

I list am like poem, voice low, dey hope say he go smile. Some I see with my eye, some Sade whisper for my ear.

Some things na Sade tell me, some I use my eye see as I dey sneak enter Hibiscus Court.

Even for danger, I dey observe, dey learn. Old habit no dey die.

Ifeanyi tap my hand with him fan.

His touch soft, but e get meaning. My skin dey tingle.

I turn hand, catch the fan, follow the handle reach him wrist.

My heart dey beat, but I try act like say I no fear. Na new courage I dey find.

He frown for me.

Na warning, but e sweet. My mind dey fly.

As he no pull hand, I get small liver, hold him hand.

My palm cover his, our fingers lock. For that brief second, e be like say time pause. Na so love dey start for this our own place—quiet, dangerous, but true.

After I do am, my heart dey beat like drum.

Everywhere quiet, only my chest dey play music. I dey wonder if tomorrow go give us peace, or if wahala still dey wait for junction. But for this estate, peace dey short—wahala dey sharp corner dey shine teeth. Tomorrow fit change everything.