Chapter 4: Reunion and Old Scars

The boat reach Umuola.

As we land, sun dey hot, everybody dey rush their load. Me and the porter waka together, I dey follow small small.

I follow the porter.

Him back strong, e dey carry load like say e be machine. The way e waka, confidence full am.

He carry heavy load, sun dey burn the stone road, but he waka strong.

People dey hail am, 'Emeka! Oga o!' E just dey wave hand, no get time for talk.

Shoulder broad, waist slim, hand wey dey hold rice sack strong, veins dey show.

I dey look am, dey remember that small Emeka. Life don change am, but him eye never change.

"Emeka—" I call am.

My voice low. I no too sure if na the same Emeka, but spirit dey push me.

He turn, eyes black and clear like rain just wash am.

E look me, smile small. E no dey fear anybody.

"Madam, you sabi me?"

As e ask, my heart dey beat. I dey hope say e go remember old things.

Market dey busy, no space to talk plenty.

Goats dey shout, children dey run, the place dey noisy. No place for serious talk.

My voice shake small: "I dey from Umuola too. I never come house for long. Make we find quiet place talk."

I dey pray make e gree. Na only God know if e go remember.

Emeka smile, white teeth, eyes bend like moon.

Na so smile dey heal person pain. My heart soft small.

He carry me go Ifunanya family old compound, serve me tea.

He arrange chair for me, bring old enamel cup, pour hot tea. The compound bushy, but e still try clean small place.

For the old wooden door, blood stain from when bandits kill my papa still dey.

As I see am, my body cold. The past dey drag me, I wan cry but I hold am. I whisper small prayer: “God, cover me from spirit wey no rest.”

All the memories rush me.

Na that kind pain wey dey squeeze chest. My hands dey shake as I hold the cup.

Breeze blow inside hall, lift my veil, I see the ancestors table for main hall, tears wan fall.

I almost kneel, but I hold myself. 'Make I no disgrace my spirit for here,' I think.

Emeka stop for one place.

He no talk, e just dey look me. Silence heavy like rain.

He look me, him tall shadow cover ground.

As sun dey set, the shadow long reach my feet. I dey remember when we go fetch water together as pikin.

"Madam."

E voice low, gentle. Like say e dey fear talk the next thing.

"You resemble person I know."

I remove my veil small small.

My hand dey shake, I dey pray make e see my face clear. The scarf wet with sweat.

Emeka face turn white.

E shock, eyes big. For Nigeria, if man face white like this, na serious matter.

"Ifunanya, you still dey alive."

E voice break small. I see say e wan cry but e hold am.

Him hand shake sotay cup almost fall, hot water burn him fingers red.

He curse small, drop the cup, but e no look pain. Na me e dey look.

Eight years ago, when bandits kill our family, my mama carry me run from back fence, we manage escape.

The night get plenty noise. I fit still hear gunshot for my head, smell smoke. That night, spirit almost carry us.

She carry me reach Abuja, cry sotay she sick, soon die.

As I dey remember, my chest dey tight. For Abuja, suffering dey plenty. But I survive.

Na Obinna, that time prince, settle the wahala for Umuola, save plenty people.

People for Umuola dey always mention am for prayer, say 'God bless that boy.' E try for us.

Na why I later gree follow Obinna with all my heart.

Love na strong thing. If person save you, your spirit fit follow am to anywhere.

As for Emeka, na orphan—my papa and mama arrange am for me as pikin husband, because native seer talk say him destiny go favour wife.

For my place, when seer talk, elders dey obey. Marriage na family contract, no be only love matter.

All these years, Umuola na place I dey fear to remember.

The spirit of the dead dey this compound. I dey always feel cold when I remember.

I no believe say Emeka still dey alive.

As e stand before me, na like dream. My legs dey shake, but I dey try smile.

That moment, he rush come me.

I see pain and hope for him face. E rush, but e no touch me first.

He face strong, I fear, begin step back.

I dey fear say maybe e go vex, but na only emotion dey carry am.

But he just stand well, snatch the green bag from my hand, eyes red.

E grab am, e eye red like say e wan cry. For here, man no dey cry, but e close.

"You this small witch, na now you remember house."

He wan laugh, but e pain him.

"I don wait for you till all the flowers finish."

E look the ground, as if e dey see all the flowers wey dry since. For my mind, I know say e wait for me true true.