Chapter 6: Morayo Steps In

Me and Morayo don dey together pass two years, but we never tell our families.

We dey do coded love, dey waka for corner. No be say I no trust her, but as she talk say make we hide, I follow.

No be say I no wan, na Morayo no gree. She say if family know, dem go dey rush us marry, and she still wan enjoy freedom small.

She dey always laugh, “Abeg, I never ready for all this in-law wahala.”

I respect her wish.

I just dey pray say one day, we go fit announce with big smile.

This time, na she talk say she wan visit my family shop. I happy, but as I remember crowd, I pause.

I dey picture queue, abeg, as people dey shout for abalone. I no wan make she dey uncomfortable.

“Shop dey too busy today—I fit no fit attend to you. How about tomorrow? Crowd no go too much.”

I dey soft talk, dey try balance family matter with relationship.

“No wahala. I no need make you follow me up and down. I dey used to help my parents since small—maybe I fit help here too.”

She talk am with confidence. Na so Morayo be—she no dey fear crowd.

As she insist, I send her address.

I reason say, “E good make she see family life, maybe she go understand wetin dey.”

“Sis, I get something to do. I dey go out.” I keep phone, tell my sister, begin go.

I look her for eye, she just nod, then waka go her room quietly.

She nod, enter bedroom.

She no talk, just close door slow. I dey wonder if na abalone day again.

I no know if na my eye dey deceive me, but I notice small wrinkles for my sister eye corner and neck. If you look quick, she no even look like woman wey still dey her twenties.

Na shock. Sometimes her skin dey dry, sometimes e dey shine. I dey fear, but I close mouth.

But as Morayo dey come, I no get time think am. I carry abalone rush out.

I tell myself say I go solve family mystery later.