Chapter 4: Alone With Tunde

That night, my brother come back, tired, dey apologize. E say, "I gats fly go UK tomorrow for work. When I return, we go hang out."

E dey rub eye, shirt rumpled, briefcase drag for hand. E hug me small, pat my head. "Sisi, you go fit manage Tunde?" I nod, dey laugh. I no fit talk much.

Then e tell Tunde to take care of me well.

E point finger, dey warn am like old woman. "Tunde, abeg, if anything happen to my sister, na your head I go break!" Everybody laugh. Tunde just do like say e no send.

I see Tunde just answer anyhow, then turn back dey cook.

E just say, "No wahala," then carry pot, focus for kitchen. E dey act like person wey e no concern.

My brother dey repeat make I no dey sleep late, but I no really dey listen.

My mind dey somewhere else. I dey reason if I fit ever gist with Tunde like my brother dey gist am. I just dey hope say make dem leave us alone so I go fit gather courage.

As I dey think say I go dey alone with Tunde for two weeks, my mind dey jump, I dey expect and dey fear at the same time.

E be like say my head dey hot. I dey imagine if e go notice me. I dey reason if I go do mistake talk wetin dey my mind.

"Tunde, abeg look after my sister well o, if not, I go chase you comot when I come back."

My brother still dey run mouth, dey form big brother. Na so e dey always over-protect me. Tunde just dey chop chewing stick, no send.

"Make she hungry na."

E just talk back to my brother with him usual style.

If you see Tunde, e dey always quick reply. My brother no fit win am for mouth. Dem dey act like old couple sometimes.

My brother laugh, pretend like say e wan beat am. Dem play small.

Dem go just drag shirt, laugh, then Tunde go dodge. I dey look, dey wish I fit join. The way dem dey play e dey sweet me, but I dey jealous small.

I just dey look them for dining table, small envy dey my mind. I no sure say I fit ever free with am like my brother.

I wish say I fit just drop all my shyness, join their gist. But if I talk too much, my mouth dey quiver. Na so I dey hide, dey observe.

The next morning as I wake, my brother don comot.

I wake see say everywhere quiet, my brother room lock. I check, see say e drop small note, "See you soon, Sisi!" I smile, pack my hair, tie scarf. The house get new calmness.

I check my phone, see message—na warning and advice. I wash up, go downstairs, make indomie.

The message long, "Sisi, abeg, no dey waka anyhow, no dey sleep late, make Tunde no stress you." I just laugh. I prepare indomie, add small pepper and egg, then set table.

As I dey eat, Tunde come down.

E wear big singlet, short knicker, hair rough, e face like person wey just fight lion. I just dey observe from corner eye.

My brother don talk before say e dey vex anytime e wake up. As I see him face, I just keep quiet, bury head inside my noodles.

I try reduce noise, dey form invisible. E no good to wake sleeping tiger. I just dey wish make e pass go kitchen quick.

"Sisi, you no get manners like this."

Him voice deep, e dey look me, one eyebrow up. E sound like person wey dey vex but still dey tease small.

I freeze, look up, smile small under him wicked eye. "Good morning."

My voice almost quench, but I try raise am. I use spoon chase egg around the plate, try look innocent.

He waka come near, look me up and down. "This one no get any nutrient. Next time, call me make I cook."

E collect spoon from me, taste small, then form face. E act like say e dey disappointed, but I dey see the smile for him eye.

E be like say na only to talk that one e come down for, e just waka go up again.

Before I fit talk, e don waka. I dey hear him slippers slap stair, door bang upstairs. E be like person wey no sleep reach, dey find wahala for morning.

I dey look him tall slim back, dey wonder if na just to yab me e come down.

I even dey reason if I offend am. But e be like say na so e be every morning.

But as usual, Tunde temper dey always bad, so I no put mind.

My brother say make I no carry am for mind. I just dey shake head, dey chop my indomie. I dey plan to wash plate sharp sharp, no let kitchen dirty.

For afternoon, Tunde come down, hair scatter, enter kitchen begin cook.

This time, e tie small kitchen towel for neck, e dey cut onions with speed. The smell begin fill parlour, my stomach dey protest.

I just talk small from parlour, "Sorry, Tunde, I dey disturb you."

I no wan waka enter kitchen make I no collect another morning insult.

He just hiss, no even look me. "You no dey call me brother. If you no take time, I go let you hungry."

E voice carry wahala, but I know say e no mean am. E dey form hard guy.

I laugh for back. Tunde dey fierce, but e no bad reach like e dey form.

Na small soft dey hide under the gra gra. I dey see am.

"You no fit try am."

I smile, cross leg, dey tap phone. I dey see as e dey look me for corner eye, but e no gree show say e care.

E pause small, then bring food come table, still dey form wicked. "Come chop."

E drop plate for my front, no even look face, then waka back kitchen. The aroma too sweet. E even add small salad for side, garnish with pepper.