Chapter 2: I Become the Replacement Bride

My sister and I kneel for compound, Koko just lie down beside us, looking sorry for himself.

Papa vex so till him face turn green.

“Una two wan scatter this house!”

As he talk, he raise cane, ready to flog us.

Grandma rush come stop am.

“Olumide, you get mind, you wan beat my granddaughters!”

Then she hug us and start to cry: “My poor granddaughters! Mama die quick, papa no send them, my heart dey pain me!”

As she dey cry, she dey wink for us.

We sharp, we understand.

Soon, na cry everywhere—grandma and two of us.

Papa vex, throw cane far.

Grandma mutter, "God, no let my pikin suffer," before hugging us tight again.

Hand for waist, he shout: “Mama, dem run with dog, leave you. You still dey support them?”

As grandma hear this, she freeze, leave us sharp sharp.

My sister and I stop crying at once.

Koko bark, happy.

Me and my sister just look each other.

This papa na real sharp guy—old ginger dey hot pass.

“Seven professors for their house, dem get money, dem get name—who no wan enter that kind family?”

“Mama, you know say we get only two daughters. When we no dey again, no papa, no brother to protect them—and both of them sabi find trouble—who go help them? I dey do am for their good!”

My sister wan stand to reply.

Papa just point her: “All those broke lawyers, dem no get power—dem fit protect you?”

My sister sniff, no gree: “Why I go depend on man family? I fit stand for myself, I fit protect Morayo too.”

Papa hiss: “You protect? With wetin?”

“For this world, woman no fit be chief. Even for business, e hard. If you no get protection, na wahala.”

My sister and Papa dey drag, nobody wan gree.

But my sister get strong head. Since small, if she say yes, na yes, even if she jam wall.

I wipe my tears, pull my sister hide behind me:

“Papa, abeg, no force Sister again. If na so, I go marry for her place.”

But, Papa, no force Sister marry person she no like for future.

I glance at my sister and try to smile, even though my hands dey shake.

My sister look me like say I craze: “You dey mad?”

I pat her hand: “Sister, na just marriage. E no reach like that. Do as you like later, I go support you.”

Tears full my sister face.

I pity am: “Sister, no worry. I hear say Adeyemi family elders dey nice, and Ifedayo fine well. You know I like fine boys since small. If I marry am, I no go vex.”

Just as I finished talking, I noticed Papa’s eyes softening for the first time. He looked away, rubbing his eyes like say sand enter. Grandma cleared her throat, pretending to adjust her wrapper, but I saw the small smile hiding at the corner of her mouth. Even Koko shifted closer to us, tail wagging, as if to join the family agreement. That night, I knew, things would never be the same in Olumide house.

For this house, even dog sabi family wahala.