Chapter 4: Family Wahala and Bangle Secret

I no do anything o! Make nobody think say I be bad person. Na just wahala I dey avoid.

I no even like the idea! All those romance for night no be my style. I dey gentle, I dey respect myself.

So next day, Auwalu wake up for ground. Him head dey pain am, he dey groan small. As I pass, I just dey pity am.

For breakfast, Auwalu dey rub him head talk,

"From today, I go give you respect. No expect anything more." Him voice low, e be like say he dey apologize with pride. I just dey nod head.

He push bread my way, but no look my face. I just break small piece, pretend say I dey chop.

The day I go greet my papa house—

That respect vanish as Safiya just talk say she wan go see udala tree for Okpoko Hills. Na so all eye turn, respect pack go village. Safiya and wahala na five and six.

I waka go Ibrahim family alone. Nobody follow me. E dey pain me small, but I no show am for face.

My papa face strong like stone, my stepmother dey pretend say she dey pity me but she dey make am worse. Na she get mouth pass for house. She go look you, talk sweet for mouth, but her eye dey bite.

She hiss, “Ewu gambia! You no fit ever bring pride come this house.” "To get daughter like you na shame for Ibrahim family." Her voice sharp like razor. My heart dey cut.

My papa order dem make dem drag me go ancestral hall. He get him own wahala. As he shout, I just dey look am.

Before dem even touch me, I don kneel down myself, I don used to am. My knee don strong for ground, na so dem train me for house.

My papa raise cane, but no flog me. Maybe him own don tire too, or him dey save energy. I just close eye, dey wait.

I don marry—na Auwalu family I dey now—so he no fit beat me again. E pain am, but tradition na tradition.

He just vex, waka commot. Him wrapper dey fly behind am. Everybody dey fear to talk.

From this side, this marriage no too bad. At least, I dey my own, no too much wahala. Sometimes, to marry out sef na blessing.

Auwalu na only son for Auwalu family, e high reach, e dey like star wey people dey look from far. If you see how people dey talk about am, you go think say e get superpower.

Even though people dey talk say I marry am,

To dey manage big house with plenty house girls and boys, and husband wey dey like ghost, na better life! For my mind, na soft life small. Na just loneliness dey worry person sometimes.

But sometimes, even as I dey try bone, I still dey vex— Especially when Safiya dey bring wahala! Na she dey cause most of the kata kata.

I don already know say I be supporting character for one book—

My papa na fifth-rank chief, I get better upbringing— E dey show for my talk, but nobody dey send. For this book, na Safiya dey shine, I just dey waka for background.

Na just to make the heroine shine. My own na just dey help plot move. E no dey pain me again.

I no too dey show for story. If dem count people wey matter, my name go last.

But I no expect say after the book end, the heroine go give me this kind big gift. Marriage wey get level. Who for believe am?

That time, I give Safiya, wey no get shishi, one box of chin chin. Just small chin chin o! Life funny.

For the book, the chin chin wey I dey tire to chop na big thing for Safiya. As e be, na that chin chin change everything for her. I no know say my small hand go reach this far.

But na lie, na the men wey change her life later! The real miracle na the men wey fall for her head. Chin chin na just story.

People talk say I dey pretend. Dem talk say I dey form nice girl, but na lie. Sometimes, people no sabi the truth for another person life.

Na Safiya be the real kind person, she dey help poor, dey fight for justice! Dem dey praise her up and down, as if na she get pure heart pass.

But all these wahala dey offend big people o. The kind trouble wey she dey enter, I dey fear for her. But she no dey hear word.

Lucky for her, people wey dey her back get power pass! E dey shock me how people dey always show for her side.

Na no be only Musa Garba dey help her clean mess, Auwalu too dey join! The two of them dey act like bodyguard for her matter. Sometimes, I dey feel invisible.

Safiya dey waka with Auwalu family coral bead—if she show am, na the same as see Auwalu! The respect choke, na so people dey bow for her.

The money wey commot from Auwalu family for her matter pass the one wey she ever thief. I dey wonder if she sabi how much support she dey get.

All those her promises—cure sickness, find missing person—na Auwalu dey do am last last! Na him dey move things behind curtain, dey solve all her wahala.

Most times, Auwalu dey busy dey chase Safiya! Even when I dey wait for house, na Safiya matter full him mind.

So all the small small wahala dey reach my side! People dey rush come me, dey beg for help, dey cry for solution. I dey try my best, but e too much sometimes.

Na no be my work, I fit just give them small money make dem go. But my conscience dey bite me.

But when I see husband wey carry sick wife, or mama wey dey find pikin, dey look me with hope, how I go fit push dem go? I dey human, heart dey soft sometimes.

Na true, I dey pretend! I dey act like say I no care, but my mind dey shake.

So that year, when I see small girl dey beg with broken leg, I just throw box of chin chin from keke window give am—chin chin wey suppose go Emir mother—behind my papa back. My papa go vex if him hear, but I no send.

Na so my own wahala start! Na small kindness dey bring big wahala. Who for think am?

I just accept my fate! Na so life be, I just dey manage.

I dey busy waka up and down, I no too dey house. Sometimes I dey even sleep for guest house. My spirit dey always waka.

Night don reach, moon high. Air cold, frog dey croak for compound. My body dey shiver small.

As I open door, Auwalu dey dry him blue hair with cloth, dey read book. He dey form like say nothing dey worry am. Him face serious, focus like teacher.

Candle dey shine for him eye, e deep. I fit see small worry for him mind, but him dey hide am.

As he hear sound, he just look up, no talk. Him eye dey shine for candle, but him mouth tight.

We no dey sleep for different room— Tradition no go gree. Even if love no dey, na so dem arrange am.

We be like stranger, but dey share bed. Na so this marriage be—body together, spirit apart.

True true, na "share bed, dream different dream." Na old people sabi talk this one. I dey feel am for bone.

If I reason am, na Safiya cause am— Sometimes, I dey blame her for this our arrangement. But wetin I fit do?