Chapter 5: Waiting for Tomorrow

6

Na later I know say Madam hang lantern everywhere because she dey fear dark! Small pikin inside her big woman body.

After marriage, she no stop her carpentry. Na then I know say her own woodwork no be just small thing, na bow and crossbow for army camp she dey make!

Work for camp no easy; she dey come house late! Her hands dey strong, fingers black with oil, but she no send.

Maid even hint me say since she enter General’s Compound, make she no dey show herself for public! But I no send! I no go fit cage bird wey wan fly.

She fit do as she like, no need change for anybody! Na woman wey get her own mind dey last for this world.

That day she late well. I worry, wait for her two hours for study door, before I see her run come under the eaves with her small bag! Rain dey fall small, she breath like goat wey escape rope.

As I call am, she relax, run enter my chest! My leg no dey work, I just hold her with my hand! Her head fit well for my neck, smell of sawdust and perfume mix together.

As her head rest for my chest, I rub her back: “Why you dey run?”

“Why you never sleep?”

She no answer my question, just change topic quick! Her voice high, like bird wey dey dodge hunter.

“I no fit sleep, na why I come outside!”

“Make I stay with you.”

Sharp sharp, she push my wheelchair go her side! Her energy pass ten men.

So who really dey keep who company?

I no talk, just let her push me everywhere! Early rainy season, flower scent for air, only two of us for quiet compound! Our laughter dey bounce for walls, old spirits for house fit wake up join us.

We dey waka for candlelight, our shadow and light dey play for ground, like dream! Na so small small, heart dey open, wall dey fall.

“How your day go?”

Maybe na craze make me ask. But she no see am as strange, she just open mouth: “Sigh, no even talk. As I reach outside today, my favourite puff-puff don finish, I fight with people for camp, then driver dey yarn masquerade story as we dey come back…”

She dey talk dey go, I just dey listen, dey wish make the road no finish! Her wahala sweet my body like palmwine for festival.

Dem dey right—I just wan spend time with her! I really dey get mind! Person truly no dey ever satisfy!

First, I just wan look her from far, now I wan dey talk with her! … Anyway, she na my wife now. For this small time wey remain, make I enjoy small!

After that night, I dey wait for her to come house, from study door reach compound gate, sometimes carry puff-puff, sometimes thick wrapper! Rain fit soak me, but my mind no dey cold again.

I go dey wait for her shadow to show for end of street! This long, boring wait dey sweet me—maybe na because who you dey wait for dey give you hope! For village, dem dey say, "Hope na big market, e dey sell tomorrow for free."

But I know say, person like me no suppose get hope, or else the pain go pass wahala!