Chapter 8: Pairing Age

As maid, my road don nearly finish; I need find another way.

For this place, age na milestone. Once you reach sixteen, everybody dey watch you with another eye. Na crossroads I dey—life fit change for good or bad.

Because now, I don reach sixteen—na pairing age.

Na so dem dey do for Olatunde house. Pairing age mean say everybody go dey match you with another servant, dey count when you go marry, born pikin.

This one mean say, I no just get human right, I no even fit choose who I go marry.

Here, love na luxury. Na oga dey pick who you go follow. You fit wake up tomorrow, dem don pair you with person wey no fit even sweep compound.

From here, na only two road: either oga pair me with one male servant, I go become servant wife—if the man try, I fit turn housekeeper, dey serve as beast of burden till I old, born small small beast of burden for oga.

If dem pair you with strong man, e fit help you. But if na lazy man, na double wahala. Life go just dey hard, as you dey born, you go dey work, till your back bend.

Or, I fit become concubine maid. If madam gree, I fit turn concubine—half madam myself. But if madam no gree, I fit even lose my life.

Concubine life get risk. If madam vex, she fit send you go village or even poison you. But if you get luck, you fit turn madam yourself, dey chop better life.

Recently, Madam Morayo tell me for corner say old madam dey find correct concubine maid for young master.

She call me for back of kitchen, whisper say make I no dull myself. She yarn me story of how she survive, how loyalty dey pay.

"For Olatunde house, before main marriage, dem dey pick two close maids as concubine maids, so young master no go dey run after ashawo for outside."

She lower her voice, look left and right. "If dem no pick am for house, young master fit dey waka anyhow. This way, at least, na family dey control things."

"Life hard. Even if you get contract wey no fit break, even if oga say make you go, if hunger come again, people dey pawn wife, sell pikin. E better to stay for chief house. Even if dem pair you with servant, na servant you go be for next life."

Madam Morayo dey always talk say, "As long as you dey alive, you fit still see tomorrow."

"Now old madam like your loyalty, put you here, na sign say she wan make you concubine maid. You don serve old madam with all your heart—why you no fit serve young master same way, maybe your life go better?"

Her words dey ring for my ear. As she dey talk, I dey reason am: loyalty don bring me come far, maybe e fit carry me reach better place.

True talk, if I commot for mansion, wetin I go do?

If dem drive me today, na market go swallow me. My papa and mama story na warning: person fit work tire, still flood go scatter everything. E better to hold opportunity for hand.

My papa and mama na ordinary people, work tire, still flood scatter family, dem sell wife and pikin.

For this world, family no be guarantee. Even love no dey protect you from wahala. Na only survival sure.

Madam Morayo don look after me well. Since she give me this advice, I gats reason am.

I dey always see her like distant aunty. If she say make I try, maybe na true. My mind dey heavy, but na life matter be this.

If to say na concubine I go be, as long as I fit live well, wetin remain?

I dey reason say if na to chop, get small respect, avoid wahala, I fit gree. At least, na upgrade from beast of burden.

That night, I roll for bed, dey use finger write young master name for my palm, one stroke one stroke.

I dey whisper the name for dark, as if e go bring luck. For my mind, na silent prayer I dey send make tomorrow favour me.

Olatunde Kamsiyochukwu—like mountain, high and far.

The name long, heavy. I dey ask myself if I fit ever reach am. But if bicycle fit turn okada, hope still dey.

But instead make dem pair me with anybody, better to try my luck—maybe bicycle fit turn okada.

I dey ready to gamble, even if fear dey my chest like cold stone.