Chapter 6: Birthday Surprises and Broken Hearts

July 16th—her birthday.

How I take know? That day, she just dey chant for parlour:

Her voice carry go through wall, even neighbour for upstairs dey hear.

"Today na my birthday, make dem no let me do overtime. Today na my birthday, make dem no let me do overtime."

She even dey clap hand, dance small. I just cover pillow for ear, but e no work.

Normally, I dey sleep well, but her chanting dey disturb me.

Even my dream dey join her chorus. I see myself dey dance for birthday.

Before I fit tell her to calm down, she don comot.

She waka like breeze, slippers just dey slap floor.

She rush go, bedroom door wide open.

Her bag dey for chair, make-up kit scatter for bed. Person fit know say she rush.

I no enter, just peep from door, see takeout pack for table.

I see half agege bread, one plastic cup with small pap. I reason say this babe dey manage.

Half agege bread, half bowl pap, two small ugu—na her dinner be that.

Nothing special. I feel am for heart.

I just reason am, waka go Mama Sade shop for downstairs, beg her cut small goat meat for me. I pick tomato, rice, two chicken lap, one small bottle wine. Make I surprise her.

Arrange am so that I go dey cook as she dey come back. I dey curse myself say I too soft.

Smoke full kitchen, but aroma dey set. I dey chop onion, my eye dey tear. I reason say make I just do the right thing.

As she enter house,

She surprise, nose dey raise. Her eye dey shine like torchlight.

Four food plus one soup dey table, one small cake for corner.

Na that cake I beg woman for shop to sell am half price. Even write "Happy Birthday" with Biro for paper.

She shock. "You dey expect visitor?"

She even check kitchen, dey reason who dey celebrate.

I pull apron. "No o, na just to celebrate one stubborn girl birthday."

I dey form vex, but smile dey corner my mouth.

Halima eye just shine. "Ah! How you take know say today na my birthday?"

She dey laugh, hand for mouth.

I form serious. "Aunty, if you loud small again this morning, the whole compound for hear."

I even mimic her chanting. She wan flog me with rag.

"I just buy drink. Make we jolly small."

She raise small bottle. I reason say make we no spoil mood.

I nod. "I no too sabi drink o. Make we take am easy."

I dey fear, make I no misbehave.

Six bottles beer, three each. Nothing do us.

Music dey play small, we dey gist about secondary school, about NYSC wahala.

I go buy six more. Small small, we begin dey high.

I dey calculate my head, say make I no pass limit.

I look her. "Aunty, talk true—how much you fit drink?"

I wan test her.

She shy, raise one finger.

Her eye dey shine, but I sabi say na lie. Women sabi trick.

"You sure? Na only one more you fit drink?"

I dey laugh, dey shake head.

"Continue jare."

She even reach for bottle. Na there I know say she get mind.

Men—especially northern ones—no like make woman outdrink them.

I dey try hold pride. But today, make anybody win.

Me, I just talk say I no sabi drink make she no feel bad. But since she dey form, tonight na one go stand, one go fall.

Na so we dey compete, dey laugh. Na real party.

I go downstairs again, buy two crates—twenty-four bottles each.

Neighbour for next flat even dey look us through window. Dem dey wonder wetin we dey celebrate.

After food and drink, we light candle, make wish, chop cake, dey burp.

She close eye, talk small prayer. I just dey look her.

"God go heal your heart, Halima. Make better days dey come."

Somehow, we come dey close.

Her laugh dey loud, her eye dey soft. I feel say na friend I get at last.

"You no fine reach like that, but your heart pure. Since my papa die, na first time person dey do birthday for me."

As she talk am, everywhere just calm. I dey nod, dey try smile.

I nod.

I tap her shoulder. I no talk much, but I feel her pain.

"You, fine girl with better shape, but why your mouth no dey hear word?"

She laugh, almost spit drink. "Na so dem born me."

We drink two more each. As beer dey ginger, I ask wetin I dey reason since.

My mind dey hot. I just throw question.

"With your look, you suppose dey flex for better place. Wetin carry you come this kind house?"

She pause, face drop small. She look wall, then me.

"My family get money before, but papa sick. We use all the money treat am, e no work. He die three months ago, I come out hustle."

Her voice low, but strong. I just dey nod. E pain me.

Just that short talk, pain full am. Life no easy.

Sometimes, I wan ask more, but I just keep quiet. Na her pain.

I no even ask about her mama. If person no mention mama, na either family get wahala or mama don die. No be my matter.

I know say for north, sometimes mama dey far or e get another house. I just respect myself.