Chapter 4: Kamsi’s Big Mouth and Hospital Gist

I call my brother, Kamsi, e rush come from another state the next day.

As I send am text, Kamsi jump bus, reach before noon. Na true brother, even though e dey use mouth finish person.

Kamsi just enter, no even greet, na so e start wahala.

He dey shout for me, no wan stop.

"Morayo, na you cause all this for yourself. You even born from one-night stand. Now you see say e no sweet? That time, I tell you make you remove am and marry the person wey parents arrange, you no gree. Sometimes, I no understand your head."

Kamsi no dey use brake. E dey talk as e dey hot am, and I know say na love dey ginger am.

I know say I wrong, so I just mutter, "Who no know say e bad?"

I bend head, dey press baby finger, no fit meet him eye.

Kamsi shake bottle in anger, dey look Tega inside stroller like say e wan strangle am. Water nearly pour, I rush collect am, no wan add more wahala.

I quietly carry the baby closer.

I hold Tega well, my hand tight. Make Kamsi vex no reach my pikin.

As he see me do am, he vex more.

He face squeeze, I fit see vein for him forehead.

"You love that man reach to spoil your body, dey pee for body, enter labour room alone?"

Him words cut deep, but na the truth.

My brother too direct.

If to say na another person, I for walk out. But Kamsi na my blood.

But as I no fit take care of baby alone, I just talk wetin go calm am down.

Na so I soften my voice, beg small, "Abeg, help me."

"I know I wrong. Abeg, just help me look after baby for some days. When e big, I go make sure say e dey respect him uncle."

I even promise am small gift—maybe when I get, I go buy am better wristwatch.

"Hmph."

Him mouth still twist, but e collect baby. I breathe small.

Even as he still dey frown, he feed the baby, so I relax.

Kamsi sabi complain, but if you give am food, or baby smile for am, he go mellow. I just dey thank God.

Truth be say, Kamsi no lie. Before, I dey care about my shape, no fit tolerate small fat. But from pregnancy till birth, I add 25 pounds. I bear am.

As I dey think of my old shape, I just dey laugh. Now, if anybody ask, I go tell am say motherhood dey humble person.

As we dey argue, Dr. Femi enter.

The air change. Kamsi adjust, I dey arrange myself.

He carry blue medical file, face cold. "Ward round."

His voice na like person wey dey report for army camp.

Dr. Femi drag curtain, face dark. "Remove your cloth."

The way e talk am, even nurse for corridor pause. I just dey wish say I be stone.

So direct? Before, e dey gentle. Why e dey vex today?

My mind dey turn, dey count all my sin.

I just begin fear.

Na so hand cold, voice shake. Na old Femi be this?

I open my cloth small small, dey peep Dr. Femi face, no fit breathe well.

I dey watch him face—see as him jaw dey clench. If not for medicine, I for run commot.

After exam, Dr. Femi waka pass Kamsi. That one open mouth.

As Dr. Femi waka, Kamsi dey look am like person wey see ghost. Na so mouth open wide.

"Sis... brother-in-law?"

The name burst out, echo for ward. I just hide face.

Ah, see as missing person just show.

I dey side eye Kamsi, make e rest. But e just dey roll tongue.

Dr. Femi ignore am, just waka go, only leave him proud back.

E no even answer, just bounce go like say e dey above the matter.

Tch. Wetin dey make am proud? When my son big, I go find am ten papa, make we see who go proud pass.

Na so my own mouth sharp pass my mind.

Abeg. I look Kamsi, vex. "Why you dey call person family anyhow?"

I use eye warn am, but e just dey reason am own matter.

"No be you tell me make I dey call am so?"

E dey remind me of those campus days, when we dey run things as family. Na me spoil am, now e dey pain.

Back then, when we dey together, Kamsi sabi everything. That time, Dr. Femi na science guru, Kamsi dey follow am everywhere, dey call am brother-in-law.

Na so Kamsi dey form big boy, dey always dey follow Dr. Femi talk about chemistry and all those yeye subject wey I no fit understand.

Kamsi come look me well. "Sis, talk true, this my nephew no be Dr. Femi pikin, abi?"

E talk am low, but my heart jump. My hand dey tremble small. The resemblance dey, but I never talk.

My heart skip.

For inside me, I dey pray make e no guess right.

The next second, I just bone. "Which kind talk be that? We never see for five years, I go born for air?"

I say am with small laugh, make the thing no show for my face.

As I look up, Kamsi face show say 'I sabi everything.'

The way e dey look me, na so I dey suspect say I don cast.

My hand dey shake, I dey guilty.

If e talk again, I fit burst cry. I dey avoid him eye.

E fit know?

The thought dey worry me, but I still dey pray say e no go push.

No possible, I never tell anybody.

I dey assure myself, but my voice low.

I carry cup, hide my guilt. "Abeg, leave that one. No ask again."

I sip water like say my throat dry. The talk heavy for air.

Kamsi hiss and waka with the baby.

E waka like soldier, mutter for mouth. I just relax, happy say wahala don pass small.