Chapter 1: The Cage No One Sees
He still no gree talk to me, and he no dey let me touch am.
Every day, e be like say Chika dey inside one invisible cage, wall dey between us. Sometimes, he go dey rock back and forth like old mama for village, or dey press that car tire for ground like mechanic wey dey check for leak. The silence dey heavy, like harmattan for early morning. I dey always wonder if na me dey do something wrong, or if na so e go be forever.
When he throw toy give me again, na so different comments just flash for my mind:
*[No matter wetin the supporting character do, Chika no go ever accept her as him mama.]*
*[The real woman wey suppose be here dey come soon, and Chika go recover from autism.]*
Sometimes e be like say even my own shadow dey mock me. All these small small thoughts, like people wey dey gossip for backyard, dey rush my mind. I dey ask myself, who write all these scripts for my life? Who decide say I no fit be Chika real mama? As I stand there, the pain just dey drag my chest like ogene bell for evening.
As I look the family photo of the three of them wey dey hang for wall,
I carry the pikin give Ifeoma;
Make she come back come be Chika mama.
The picture dey there like judge, dey look me. Their smile for the photo too wide, almost like say dem dey laugh at me. I go dey wonder, where I fit belong for this family wey no ever gree accept me finish? I just hand Chika over, my fingers cold like say harmattan enter house. Ifeoma hand warm, steady—like she dey claim wetin belong to am. I dey pray make tomorrow better pass today, but my heart no sure.