Chapter 4: Power Play and Final Stand

The day General Musa come propose, na my fourth sister the real madam give am.

As I hear am, my blood cold. I no fit move. My mind begin dey race, dey count my losses again.

My body cold, I waka go main room go ask why.

As I dey waka, my foot dey heavy. Every step na like stone dey tie my leg. But I no fit turn back.

As I wan push door, I hear real madam voice:

I pause, ear sharp like dog. The voices low, but I catch every word. Na so I stand still, dey listen.

"I don reason am well. E go better make Amina follow you as junior wife."

Her voice carry weight, like say she dey balance scale for market. My heart begin dey cut, but I no fit show face.

"Your fourth sister too sharp, no dey easy to control, but Amina soft, easy to manage. Plus, her mama dey here, she no fit misbehave."

She dey count my own weakness as advantage. E pain me, but na truth. My own na to hear word and close mouth.

Then my senior sister begin complain small.

Her voice dey quiver, like person wey dey fear snake. Even as she dey whisper, I know say na jealousy dey bite her.

"Mama—Amina too fine. I dey fear say she go make Second Son fall for am."

She dey hold her own cloth tight, face dey squeeze. If I fit disappear that minute, I for try am.

"And so? She just fine, nothing more. No let am worry you. Na your aunty fight this marriage for you, so just enjoy."

Real madam voice sharp, she no dey send her complain. She don arrange the thing, no time for pity. For her mind, everything dey under control.

Na there I know say Madam don beg Oga make my senior sister marry Second Son, and real madam wan make me be junior wife for my sister.

My mind scatter. So na so dem dey play with our life like draft? All this while, na backdoor arrangement full everywhere.

Before, na fourth sister dem plan, but last minute, dem change am, give fourth sister to General Musa.

Na so, my own hope fly window. Fourth sister sef, she just dey dance for room, no even know wetin her luck dodge.

"Third Miss, why you dey here?"

One call pull me from my thought. As dem open door, real madam and my sister look me shock.

I bow head, after I quiet reach, I hear my own voice, rough: "Mama, I wan marry General Musa."

My voice choke, but I try form bold. My leg dey shake, but I stand ground.

"You dey craze!" Na who born you to dey choose man? You no get say for this house.

Her voice high, like thunder. My ear dey ring. If no be say house get people, she for slap me that moment.

I know say her vex go come. She stand, look me with cold eye. "Na we dey choose marriage for pikin. Pikin no dey choose for herself."

She dey point finger, voice dey echo for room. My mind dey fly, but I still dey stand.

"Since you don hear, I no go hide am. I wan make you be junior wife for Second Son. Old Mama know too."

She hiss, face squeeze. Na so them dey use hand push person enter fire.

"As pikin wey no get papa name, to be Second Son junior wife sef na big thing."

She use that word like slap. My chest dey pain, but I swallow am. No be today insult start.

I raise my head, as my body dey vex, my eye dark, my voice come get small mockery.

Na so I give her eye, no fear again. My own don reach edge.

"Mama, you sure? If I enter Second Son house, I sure say Second Son no go ever see chief title for him life." For our side, if Oga vex, title fit disappear like money for market.

I dey look her face, dey watch if she fit understand me. My own pain dey make me dey talk things wey I no plan.

"You go regret am."

I no believe say Mallam Lawal go let any son wey try collect him woman enjoy.

For this house, nobody fit drag Oga woman and go free. Even if dem no talk am, everybody dey fear am.

Dem no understand wetin I mean, dem think say I dey curse Second Son.

I see confusion for their eye. For their mind, na bad belle dey talk, but I know wetin dey happen.

My senior sister vex, throw something at me.

The comb land for my leg, scratch small, but I no even move. Her face red, she dey breathe fast. Jealousy dey burn her.

Na then I notice say she dey wear that glowing coral bead hairpin.

The hairpin dey dance for her hair, as if e sabi say na fight e dey cause. My heart twist again, but I hold myself.

The thing dey shine anyhow as she move.

If you see her that night, you go believe say na true queen she be. I just close my eye, dey beg God for small peace.

Dem lock me, na only Aunty come see me once.

The room cold, light no too bright. Aunty enter, close door, her hand dey shake.

She bite her lip, like person wey get big wahala for mind.

I see say her eye red, as if she wan cry but pride no go let her.

"Amina, I don talk with your fourth sister. She wan marry Second Son. The day General Musa come marry, you go marry in her place, then she go be Second Son junior wife for you. You gree?"

She dey beg me with eye. Her hand dey touch my knee, voice dey beg. I dey pity her, but my mind don reach decision.

I shock small, my heart touch.

Na small time I take recover. I look her well, see say she really dey fear for her pikin.

Aunty love her pikin well, but I no fit let her fall for wahala.

No be her fault, na the system. I wan free her, make she no dey suffer my own destiny.

Besides, I don make up my mind.

This time, I go follow my heart, even if na gutter e go lead me.

I gently shake my head. "Mama, I go marry."

My voice low, but my mind strong. Make dem do as dem want—my own don spoil finish.

Since na junior wife dem wan make me, I go do as dem want.

For my mind, na like soldier I dey match enter battle. No going back.

I still wan see wetin Mallam Lawal go do when he see say I be him son woman.

I dey hope say, for once, e go show face, fight for me.

Whether he go still fit tell me make I wait small.

Na that day I know say my patience don finish. If e like, make e come talk, I don make up my mind.

The weaverbird for window dey fly up and down. As I waka near, one land for my hand.

I touch am gentle, na so the bird look me. For Naija, dem talk say bird na spirit messenger—if e hear your cry, e fit carry am reach God. I whisper for him ear, dey send my silent prayer.

I smile give am. "Go tell your master, I don gree."

The bird chirp, spread wing, fly go.

As e fly, my heart dey strong. No more fear.