Chapter 2: Sunflower No Fit Hide Tears

Light from window dey scatter for parlour. I hear cock crow for far, and the cry of aboki bread seller waka pass street. I rub my eyes, the taste of last night still dey my mouth. Ifeanyi don go work, him perfume smell still dey room.

No be say I go miss am, but sometimes silence dey do person like medicine. I check teacher room, arrange im wrapper, open window make air enter.

I give the teacher breakfast, look outside the window where sun dey shine, I smile, "Teacher, weather fine today. Make I carry you go sun small."

My smile dey wide as I talk am, make teacher feel small happiness. If you dey for house with sick person, na this kind small thing dey shine like gold.

The teacher turn head, make some mumu sounds.

Im mouth dey struggle, but e still try talk. I dey read im eyes, try understand wetin e dey talk. Sometimes, na only God know wetin im dey feel.

I wipe the saliva for the corner of his mouth, smile well. "You sef wan go out? No wahala, make I tidy up then carry you go."

I dey yarn am like small pikin, dey pet am. I pack towel, brush, soap, quick clean everywhere, so my mind fit calm before I push am out.

After I finish the housework, I sit for front of mirror, wear orange dress, pack my hair, do small makeup, then push the teacher comot house.

I use ankara scarf tie my hair, rub small powder for face. Even if wahala full ground, make person still fine for front of God. I make sure teacher cap dey im head, then waka comot.

For estate junction, market women dey shout price, keke dey horn. Flower shop dey smell fresh, like hope. I push teacher wheelchair with care, dodge small pikin dem wey dey run for street.

Mama Ronke, the owner, dey always greet with full teeth. People for estate know me as sunflower madam, dem dey tease me, but na better joke.

"Mm." I smile, nod.

I rub small money for hand, greet her with respect. For this Aba, if you no smile, dem go think say you dey keep malice.

The owner wrap sunflower bouquet for me, then joke: "Aunty Nkechi, you too like sunflower. You no wan try another flower?"

She dey always laugh, her gap tooth wide. Some days, she go tell me say I dey behave like sunflower—always dey look for small sun inside darkness.

"No need. I just like the way sunflower dey smell like sunshine." I smile, carry the sunflower give the teacher. "My teacher sef like sunflower."

As I talk, teacher smile small. Even with im sickness, I fit see light for im face. I put flower for him hand, as if e go heal im spirit.

The owner smile, then remember something: "By the way, Aunty Nkechi, your house get two flats, one up, one down, abi? I dey see say the upstairs one dey dark every night. Nobody dey there? My niece dey school here, her family dey find house rent."

People for estate dey like talk house matter. For Aba, once light no dey shine for upstairs, everybody go notice. My mind quick remember who fit dey there, but I still answer her.

"Oh. That one na teacher own before, but e don rent out since half year ago," I reply. "The person pay for one year but no dey come often."

No be say I sabi the new tenant like that. Sometimes I dey hear footsteps, but I no dey see anybody. E be like say house dey swallow people.

The owner shake head. "Na wah o. Okay, I go ask somewhere else."

She nod, pack her flowers, her slippers dey slap ground. People for estate dey quick adjust when money matter dey involved.

Sun dey warm for my skin. Small children dey play ball, one nearly jam my leg. I sigh, remember when life simple.

The harmattan sun dey shine for the sunflowers, warm everywhere.

Breeze carry dust enter my eye, but I no mind. I just dey look sky, dey count cloud, dey pray make happiness enter my life again.

I lean for the teacher wheelchair, enjoy sun, dey hum song. I sit there pass thirty minutes.

I dey hum old highlife tune—Victor Uwaifo own. Sun dey bless my skin. Time dey pass slow, nobody dey rush.

As I dey enjoy the sun, I hear footsteps from the side path. The sound get as e be, like say I sabi am. I turn look.

My skin prick as the step near. For Aba, if footsteps pass your back, you go check who dey. My mind rest as I see who e be.

Her Ankara scarf tie well, her shoe dey shine like new coin—everybody for estate sabi say she no dey take nonsense. "Officer Halima, wetin bring you come?" I greet the policewoman wey dey come.

She dey always come with her own authority. Her shoe dey shine, her uniform iron well. She raise hand in greeting, her smile dey genuine.

"I never come see you since last month, so I say make I check on you. I wan go upstairs before, but I see you here, so e better." Officer Halima Yusuf remove her cap, sit near me, bend her head look teacher wey dey doze, ask me low: "How Teacher Ojo dey now?"

She no dey rush words. Her eyes dey soft as she look teacher. You fit know say she really care.

I look the teacher, then point to the pavilion wey no far.

I dey always like gist for where breeze dey blow. For that pavilion, person dey fit talk truth. I lead her there, look around, then sigh.

I carry Halima go there, sigh: "Still the same—no fit move, dey look people with one eye, no fit talk well, but him face dey okay."

Sometimes I dey wish say miracle go happen, but for now, na patience dey carry us.

Halima look the teacher, talk calm: "E pain me o. That time, we think say if Teacher Ojo recover, e fit give police clue. We no expect say three years go pass, e still never better. Nkechi, you nko? You remember anything new about that matter?"

Her eyes dey sharp, but her voice still calm. She dey talk as if the case na her own family problem too.

That year, even radio dey carry the story. People dey pray, dey fear for their daughters. Medical school turn to fear zone. For my mind, that scar no dey heal. People for Aba dey say na ogbanje spirit dey do am, some dey carry salt for pocket every night.

Na only me survive.

Sometimes I dey ask God why e spare me. Na big question wey I still dey find answer. People dey look me like say I be juju pikin, but na only prayer I get.

If no be Teacher Ojo, dem for carry my dead body comot that day. Even now, I dey see the image for my dream—him strong voice shout, him shoe scatter for stair, blood for ground.

I shake my head. "I don tell una everything. That night, as I dey pass the lab building, somebody cover my nose with handkerchief, I faint. The person wear black mask. My head dey heavy, I no see face. I only small wake up when my chest dey pain—like say them cut am. Na God save me say teacher show, scare the killer run—if not, I for don die. If to say I stop teacher from chasing that person, e for no injure."

The memory dey burn me. I close my eyes, dey see blood, hear scream. I grip my wrapper tight. My hand dey shake.

As I talk, tears fall from my eyes.

I cover my face. The sun no fit dry this kind pain. I try hold myself, but the tears stubborn, dem just dey drop.

Halima give me two tissue. I wipe my face, then ask, "Officer Halima, police see any clue?"

She pass me tissue like elder sister. Her hand dey warm, strong, like say she sabi how to handle other people wahala. I sniff small, look her, hope dey hang for her mouth.

"Nothing better." Halima shake head. "Three people die before—one teacher, two students. All of them na women for medical school, all their heart comot. Now, three years pass, killer never do again. Old police dey talk say this kind killer no dey stop just like that. If e never happen again, two things possible: either killer get wetin e want, or killer no fit kill again."

Her voice dey carry the matter heavy. People for street dey still talk the case, even small pikin dey fear night. Everybody dey wait for news, but every day na disappointment.

The way she talk am, e be like say clue dey hide for ground. I dey wonder if police dey suspect who no suppose suspect.

I know say Officer Halima dey try suggest say Teacher Ojo, wey dey wheelchair, fit be the killer.

For Aba, rumour fit fly pass mosquito. If dem see person wey survive, dem go quick point finger. I dey suspect say even police dey doubt my teacher.

As expected—

Halima ask again, "Nkechi, abeg try remember well. You sure say you see killer and Teacher Ojo appear the same time? That time, you no too dey conscious."

Her voice low, but the meaning heavy. I bite my lip, try remember that night. I no go gree anybody soil teacher name.

"Officer Halima, I sure." I look her for face. "Teacher Ojo no be the killer. Na because he save me, he paralyze. Abeg no suspect am. No spoil him name."

I fit see surprise for her face, but she nod. For this our place, reputation dey important pass money.

Halima nod. "Okay, make we leave am like that. But until we catch the killer, you and Teacher Ojo still dey risk, so make you careful. Anyway, I believe say this case no go last again."

Her voice try bring hope, but my chest still dey shake. Danger still dey near us, na only God dey see am.

I surprise, look Halima. "Officer Halima, you talk say una no get clue?"

My eyebrow rise, voice sharp. I dey wonder if hope still dey for the matter.

"No clue. But soon, one correct case-solving person dey come our station." Halima smile. "I hear say he young but don solve many cold case. Our oga talk say once he land, this case go finish."

She nod head, smile with pride. I dey hope say the person go fit do wetin others no fit do. For Nigeria, if you hear say case expert dey come, people dey begin hope again.

The name sound like film, but for my heart, I dey pray make e true.

As Halima look me, I smile. "That one good."

I try put hope for my voice. Even though my mind still dey fear, I force small smile.

Halima laugh. "Okay, I dey go. If anything happen, call me anytime."

Her laugh sweet, like person wey dey try cover pain. She stand, dust skirt, adjust her police cap. Sun dey shine for her badge.

I nod, wan shake her, but as I see the bruise for my wrist, I quickly hide my hand, my mood just spoil.

My body dey betray me. I bend hand behind back, try hide mark, but eye dey see everything.

"Wetin do your wrist?" Halima notice the mark.

Her voice sharp. Her own eyes dey see quick. For this work, she sabi read person like book.

I quickly hide my hand, shift small, shake head. "Na small thing, Officer. Body dey pepper me, but I go rub Robb."

I fake smile, but my heart dey pound. For Aba, if you show weakness, gossip go reach your village.

"Wetin happen? Person beat you?" Halima see the mark for my neck, press me, "Who beat you?"

Her hand cold but soft. She dey look my face, her eyebrow high. I dey swallow saliva, no know how to answer.

I panic, shake head. "No. I... just small quarrel with Ifeanyi. He no really beat me. Officer Halima, no worry, na family matter. I don used to am."

My voice dey tremble, but I try form strong. Ifeanyi na my cross, but for public, I go protect am.

Halima look me for eye.

She no talk, but her look dey talk plenty. Na so elders dey warn person for eye, no be by mouth.

I just bend my head talk, "Na true, nothing, Officer Halima. I go carry Teacher Ojo go house now."

I wan waka sharp, carry my wahala inside, but Halima no gree.

I turn, push the teacher, but Halima follow me.

She put hand for my shoulder, small comfort, but my body still dey tense. For inside me, I dey thank her small.

I look her, surprise.

I dey wonder why she no waka go station, but her presence dey calm me small.

"I dey thirsty small. I go your house go drink water. Make I help push Teacher Ojo." Halima smile.

Her smile dey soft, but her eyes still dey check my body. For this kind moment, na only woman fit understand wetin another woman dey pass.

I no fit say no, so I nod.

For this land, to refuse visitor na big insult. I open gate, lead am enter house, my heart dey beat like drum.