Chapter 6: Birthday Surprises and Silent Tears

Tunde don go. But the Oba palanquin still dey wait for front yard.

Na gold and blue, with peacock feather wey dey wave for wind. Everybody dey look, dey talk low. E no easy to see Olori step out.

Him palanquin big pass the ones for other women—you fit lie down inside. My back no too strong, so anytime we dey go out, he dey always carry me ride with am.

For market days, people dey hail, dey pray as we pass. I dey wave, dey hide my cough.

Chief Ayo bow. "His Majesty talk say make Noble Lady Mora use this palanquin go back palace."

Na tradition, if Oba like you, he dey use his own things honor you. E dey show say Morayo get favor.

After Morayo enter, Chief Ayo whisper give me: "He talk am to pepper you, but na for you e do."

For palace, every move na sign. Chief Ayo na sharp man, him sabi read the wahala.

I smile, enter my own peacock palanquin.

My hand dey tremble small, but my face dey bright. For palace, you no dey show weakness anyhow.

Since I wan avoid am, make I do am till the end.

For my mind, I dey reason whether I dey do the right thing. Pain dey push me, but love dey guide am.

As I dey go, my sickness come up, I cough blood. The glass show my pale, tired face.

As I look my reflection, I dey remember the old me. Life get as e be.

I come even happy small. At least, he no see me like this.

If Tunde see me like this, him go break. Na so love dey bind people, even when pain dey.

Tunde arrange make Morayo stay same palace with me. Him talk say my house near him King’s Chamber—easy for am to visit Morayo.

People dey talk, but me I know say na my own Tunde dey try reach. E no want me alone.

I happy. E make am easy for me and Morayo to dey together, and for her to serve for bed.

I wan arrange make Morayo serve Oba quick. But Morayo always talk say e too fast. She go blush, wave hand: "We modern people dey value feeling. E suppose happen naturally. I never ready for Oba."

Her words dey funny me. Palace love no dey get schedule, na elders dey arrange am.

I wan talk more, but one palace maid rush enter.

Her breath dey scatter, face full worry. For palace, when maid dey run, wahala dey close.

"Your Majesty, wahala don happen—Lady Ifeoma and Lady Zainab dey fight again!"

Those two, na real cat and dog. Everybody sabi their wahala.

Lady Ifeoma and Lady Zainab na cat and dog. Today you insult me, tomorrow I kick you. Na only when I dey, dem dey behave.

For palace, if you no get person wey dem respect, every day go be fight.

As I reach palace garden, nobody dey. I confuse, then laughter burst behind me.

The laughter loud like Lagos traffic. Na surprise dey wait me.

All palace women gather from everywhere, bow together: "Happy birthday, Your Majesty the Olori! May happiness and health full your life for thousands of years!"

Long life, good health, children full compound—na our prayer for you today, Olori.

The wish carry heavy weight. For Naija, birthday blessing dey important, especially if e come from many mouths.

I shock, stand for one place.

My body freeze, joy dey rush my heart. E shock me like Christmas ram wey escape.

Lady Ifeoma carry tray of sweet fruit, smile: "I hear say you no dey chop well lately, so I make these to help you."

The fruit smell fresh, orange and mango dey shine. Naija fruit dey carry flavor reach heaven.

Lady Zainab bring embroidered scarf: "I see say you dey sick, so I stay up sew this for you."

The thread dey tight, handwork neat. She fit dey stubborn, but her hand dey kind.

"Your Majesty, I buy coral bracelet for you..."

"Your Majesty, you like this cat?"

"Your Majesty..."

Everybody wan do something. Na so heart dey join hand.

Every year, Tunde always wan do big birthday for me. I go shout for am say e dey waste money, make e use the money help poor people, and I tell am make dem no dey celebrate my birthday again.

I dey act tough, but deep down, I dey appreciate the love. For Naija, we dey use celebration chase sadness.

I no expect say the women for harem go plan surprise for me.

This one touch me, because palace women no dey easily unite. Na my own little miracle be this.

For the poetry party, the women dey recite poem, dey play game. Everywhere just dey jolly. When game hot, dem go dey chase each other.

Their laughter dey echo for corridor, dey sweep away sickness from my body.

Morayo open mouth. "I never see harem wey dey this peaceful."

Her eye dey wide, na true she talk. Palace no dey ever quiet like this.

Lady Ifeoma laugh. "Na Olori good heart dey cause am."

Everybody dey nod, true talk. For Naija, good heart dey bring respect pass power.

Lady Zainab tease: "True! If no be Olori, I for don beat you finish."

Her joke dey lighten the air. E mean say old beef don clear.

Lady Ifeoma shake fist: "Try am, I go tear your mouth!"

Small play dey sweeten big wahala. Everybody dey happy.

I squint, smile, pick fish give Morayo.

The gesture small, but e mean say I dey pass blessing give am.

"To manage palace no hard, no easy. Just do am fair. No partial, no bias, follow rule, treat people well. If you dey sincere, dem go sincere too. Balance strong hand and soft hand, you go win people heart."

Na wisdom wey elders dey talk for evening when sun dey go down. I dey share am like groundnut for Morayo hand.

Morayo hold head. "Abeg, Madam, no dey preach."

Her voice dey playful, but her heart dey collect the lesson.

Lady Zainab cut in: "No mind all that. We love Olori because she dey good. Olori go rather suffer than make another person uncomfortable."

Her words soft, full respect. Na so woman to woman love dey strong for here.

Lady Ifeoma sip palm wine, add: "Last harmattan, when palace no get charcoal, Olori give her best charcoal to the small ladies, catch cold herself."

If you give, people go remember. Na so legend dey start.

From there, all of them begin talk.

"When my papa enter cell for nothing, Olori help me, na so my papa survive till dem clear am."

"When I first enter palace, I dey fear, na Olori first smile for me. She dey dear pass my real sister."

"Me too, me too. Truth be say, I prefer Olori to Oba wey always dey frown."

Their laughter dey rise like choir for church. Na pure joy.

"Hahaha, Oba only dey frown for us, but for Olori, him dey humble like small pikin!"

"Shh, we fit talk that one?"

Everybody just dey laugh, their laughter dey fly like butterfly.

I hug my hot water bottle, dey smile as I watch everybody dey happy.

Inside me, I dey thank God. This kind happiness, na blessing.

Suddenly, one small hand pull my sleeve.

The touch soft, like baby pawpaw.

I look down; na one small princess, round like puff-puff, smile dey her face.

Her eye dey bright, her spirit pure. She be like tomorrow hope.

"Mama Olori, I wish you long life—make you live thousand years!"

Her voice clear, everybody quiet, dey watch us. Small pikin blessing dey pure.

Morayo eye red immediately.

Her own pain dey show, but she dey try hide am. Na so true friendship dey.

I ruffle the small princess hair, happy.

Her hair soft, she giggle, my chest warm.

"Thank you."

For this world, nothing sweet pass genuine prayer.

Happiness and health, long life. Blessing full like sea, long life like mountain. But e be like say I no go fit reach am.

The wish dey touch me, but I dey accept my fate. For Naija, we dey believe say every season get e own time.