Chapter 10: Old Woman, New Lessons

I regret am.

First hour, leg steady. Second, knee dey shake. Third, sweat mix with dust—my fine cloth dey dark.

I no suppose argue with am.

If I hear word, I for just chop beans, sleep, dey mind my royal business.

After some days, my body no be my own again.

Back bend, leg stiff. Even my pride dey pain me. For night, I dey use balm rub everywhere.

But Musa Danladi still dey ask if I fit handle am.

Every morning, he go stroll pass, eye dey shine. "You fit do am?" he ask, voice full of pepper.

With that proud face, e remain small make he talk, "People from capital too soft."

His chest dey high, like cock wey see new hen.

Person dey live for pride.

Some boys dey copy am, some just dey look. Border life na for stubborn people.

Even if my teeth dey pain me, I go still talk.

I no go let am win. My spirit dey strong.

"I fit do am."

I spit sand, chest up. Some girls dey clap for me, voice low: "Princess get mind."

Evening, I drag myself home, tired.

My wrapper full dust, my leg dey drag. Sun don fade, sky red.

For road, I see old woman dey struggle carry load.

She dey bend, back round. The load heavy, but nobody dey to help.

As I wan help, Musa Danladi beat me to am.

His leg long, two steps he reach her. He lift bag like say na puff-puff.

Him tall and strong, the load be like feather.

He balance am for shoulder, voice low. Old woman dey smile, teeth brown.

She look up, voice soft, "May your road never dry, my pikin." The blessing warm, like evening sun after long rain.

I roll my eye, branch another road, no wan follow am waka.

My mind dey burn small—help wey I wan give, person don collect.

"Grain Officer," Musa Danladi call as he see me.

His voice dey steady, but I hear small challenge inside.

I no answer till breeze blow from back.

Dust enter my eye, I cough small. Before I fit wipe am...

Next thing, he dump heavy load for my hand.

He turn, smile one kain. My arms nearly bend.

I look am, shock—he share him load with me.

I bite tongue. Na who dey test who now?

Musa Danladi smile, "Person wey get power suppose do more."

His voice gentle, but his eyes dey shine. Old woman clap, dey praise both of us.

Her voice shaky, "God bless you, my pikin." The gratitude choke, make my chest calm small.

When we reach her house, drop the load, I dey breathe like person wey run race.

My back dey pain, my hand dey shake. Musa stand, arms cross, as if nothing do am.

Musa Danladi no rush go, he help old woman fix house small.

He adjust roof, shift bench, sweep sand—his hand dey fast. Other children gather, dey watch.

Na good thing, but all the work, na me he dey command.

"Princess, pass me broom. Princess, lift this stone." For his mind, I be errand girl.

I bear am.

For peace to reign, sometimes you go carry another person load. My mama talk am: no be every fight you go win with mouth.

When we finish, night don fall.

Crickets dey sing, moon dey rise. My cloth full dust, my hair rough.

For road, I talk with anger:

My voice sharp, but low. "I no expect say you get soft heart."

I think say Musa Danladi no get feelings, treat everybody same.

His eye soft small, but his mouth still hard.

But as I see old woman house full of women, he tell them sit down, leave all work for me.

He wave hand, "Make princess do am. She strong." Na play, but e pain me small.

I no even know if he dey pretend or he dey act pretending.

For his face, you no fit read am like book. His smile fit mean anything.

He no catch my sarcasm, he just follow me talk.

He smile, eyes soft. "God make men strong so we fit protect women... Why you dey look me like that?"

His voice almost shy. The words enter night air, quiet. I hiss, eye ground.

I just hiss.

For palace, men dey talk plenty, but action dey short. Here, action full ground, but talk no dey end.

Musa Danladi na real confusion.

His head strong, but heart soft. E get as e be.

Me too be woman, but he no dey gentle with me at all.

His mouth sharp for me, but for old women, him dey soft. Maybe na only my stubbornness dey match him own.