Chapter 6: The Family House Trap

I bring out the pictures wey I snap for the next state on my phone.

Evidence dey ground. I show them: buildings, ticket, park. For Naija, if you no get proof, dem go use mouth finish you.

"I dey the next state that time. Even if I rush come, e go still take time—I no fit make am."

I talk am slow, make dem hear well. No space for lie.

"So why you no buy flight ticket? For this kind matter, money no mean anything," my papa talk.

I just dey look am. Na Naija papa style—anything happen, na your fault.

My face change. "Only one flight dey from that state to here every day, and na for night."

You know say our airports dey work their own time. I try explain, but papa just dey shake head.

"You wan make I charter plane?"

I talk am with small vex. Make dem know say I no be magician.

My parents just quiet.

The room quiet. Only Ebuka sniffling dey sound.

Uncle and aunt stop crying.

Dem dey reason am. I fit see say wahala dey balance for their mind.

Doctor come check, say surgery go well.

Doctor talk say everything go dey okay. He nod head, write something for file, then waka commot. For Naija, that one mean say your own don better pass some.

After some days, as he recover well, he fit discharge.

Everybody begin dey pack load small small. Hospital dey chase for bill.

But uncle and aunt dey worry about hospital bill.

Dem begin dey calculate: who go pay, how dem go do am. For Naija, hospital bill fit finish person.

Dem talk am, decide make dem leave hospital two or three days early.

I no blame dem. Money no dey, wahala go multiply.

But after discharge, where dem go stay?

Everybody begin look each other. Eye dey waka from me to my papa, back to my aunty.

Dem no get house for city, and my cousin no wan go back village.

For village, shame dey. City, comfort dey pass, even if e hard.

So, everybody just dey look me.

As if na my name dey wall for their forehead. I just dey pretend.

I put confused face. "Wetin happen?"

I act am well. My acting don dey improve.

Uncle look my papa.

Everybody dey play ping-pong with responsibility.

My papa open mouth, close am back.

He dey wait make another person talk first.

Uncle look my aunt.

Aunty dey shake her leg. She dey try arrange words for mouth.

Aunt look me, hesitate, then talk:

"Erm, Chijioke, you buy new flat, abi?"

I nod. I dey wait her next move.

"So make your brother stay with you for now?"

I wan laugh. Na so e dey start. Small small, wahala dey enter house.

"No worry, he no go stay long."

Na so dem dey talk. Before you know, na one year e go reach.

"After me and your uncle arrange things for village, we go come."

She dey twist hand, dey avoid my eye.

My parents no talk, but dem dey look me like say dem know I go gree. Dem turn to my cousin, say, "Ebuka, stay with Chijioke for now. With Chijioke taking care of you, we go rest."

They dey set me up, as usual. All their eyes dey on me, waiting for my answer.

My mama smile, "Yes, Chijioke babe dey house too. From now, make she dey cook better soup for you every day. Make Ebuka rest for one month, we go talk the rest later."

Mama dey add mouth, as if na small thing. "Chijioke, make sure you buy correct fish, no be all this Titus wey dey scatter for pot."

"Yes, brothers suppose help each other," uncle say, happy.

Everybody dey happy, except me. Inside my mind, I dey laugh. This life, na me go write my own script. This time, dem go see say Chijioke no be mumu.