Chapter 4: The New 'Mama'
As I come back again,
Door just open small when I hear Chika voice.
The house quiet, only faint sound of Chika voice dey leak come out. My chest dey rise, hope dey struggle with fear. I press ear for the door, dey listen.
“Mama... scent.”
I freeze. My head dey swirl. Chika dey talk? Na real word be that? My leg dey weak, I almost fall for corridor.
Through the small space, I see Chika dey stretch hand to the woman wey I see before, dey beg make she carry am.
Both her and Ifeoma shock.
She carry Chika for body.
The picture shock me. Chika, wey never let anybody carry am except Ifeoma, dey hug this woman like say na long-lost friend. Ifeoma mouth open, her eyes big like saucer. The air for room heavy; my own chest wan burst.
“Mama?” Chika bend head, look confused.
He dey frown, his finger dey play with her necklace, as if he dey search for something. Ifeoma dey look am, wonder full her eye. For that small second, all of us just dey inside silence.
That moment, I freeze.
My heart just stop, na only pain remain for my chest.
Na so my leg heavy, as if ground dey drag me. My hand grip the doorframe so tight, nail nearly cut my skin. The pain sharp, my eye dey hot, but I force myself make I no cry.
*[Ah—Chika don call the main woman ‘Mama’!]*
*[Now, the main woman go dey visit Chika, and with her, Chika go dey better.]*
My mind dey spin. This na the thing wey dem dey talk since. Na her dem dey wait for, no be me. The thing dey pain me pass hot pepper soup for empty stomach.
Suddenly, everything clear for my mind.
So na she be the main woman.
Na so story take dey shift. All the while, I think say na me go be the hero. But e clear say na another person dem prepare stage for. My heart dey break, but I just stand there, dey look.
“That one no be your mama, na Aunty Sade,” Ifeoma tell the pikin.
But Chika stubborn, shake head, “Mama.”
Chika voice no get doubt. He just hold her tight, no wan gree release. Ifeoma eyes dey find me for door, but she no fit talk more. The confusion for her face show say she no expect this one.
I push door enter.
I gather courage, my mind dey strong. I no go hide again, even if my heart dey shake.
*[Why the supporting character dey come now, dey disturb their family?]*
*[But dem never be family yet—after all, the supporting character still be the legal wife.]*
I hear the comments for my mind, but I block am. I get right to dey here. My own wahala, I go carry am with dignity.
I ignore the comments.
I wan carry Chika from the woman hand.
He turn him face, no gree look me. “No, you.”
He talk am straight, no fear, no pity. I wan beg, but the words stick for my throat. The room cold, silence dey drag.
Shame catch me, I just feel lost.
Ifeoma clear throat, break the silence.
Her voice firm, like person wey don tire for quarrel. She try to make everybody relax, but tension dey hang like heat for afternoon.
“This is Sade, my assistant. My wife, Amara Musa.”
I smile, nod, look Chika again.
I try force smile, but e weak. My eye red, but I no wan show am for Sade and Ifeoma. My heart dey pound as I call Chika name.
“Chika, time to take your medicine.”
He turn face. “I want... mama to give me.”
The rejection pain. I look my hand, dey try hold the medicine bottle steady, but my palm dey shake. I dey struggle make my voice no crack.
My hand dey shake as I hold the doorframe, medicine bottle don leave red mark for my palm.
Sade perfume and the smell for children room dey mix, my head dey pain me.
My head dey spin. Sade perfume strong, the scent dey fight with that smell of powder and dettol for children room. My hand dey almost drop the medicine.
“How about make I try?” Sade smile, her dimple show. “My small brother sef no dey like medicine when he small.”
She soft, her voice calm. The dimple wey show for her cheek dey make Chika smile back. For one moment, I wish say na me get that magic touch.
Chika just hug her, dey laugh.
I never see am smile like that before.
Sade collect the medicine bottle, her finger touch Ifeoma hand by mistake.
Sade hand soft, her nail pink. Ifeoma just look am, no talk. For my mind, I dey wonder if dem dey notice the connection wey dey grow between Sade and Chika. My own heart dey twist.
*[Ahhh, their finger don touch!]*
*[The supporting character go soon break the medicine bottle, hahaha!]*
The comments loud. E be like say na only me dey hear, but e dey shake my spirit.
The brown medicine just dey turn for the glass spoon as Sade dey hum one soft song.
The pikin open mouth, swallow the medicine sharp sharp.
The melody wey Sade dey hum get small Ijesha rhythm. Chika relax, him face bright. I dey wish say na me fit do that magic, but e no be so.
My heart just break like bottle.
E be like say dem dey tear my heart.
I don take care of Chika for four years, but he never smile for me like that.
Na so pain dey cut me like razor. I dey try hide my face so dem no go see the tears wey wan come out.
I squat down.
“Chika, why you call Aunty Sade... ‘Mama’?”
My voice low, but my pain loud. I dey look Chika face, dey beg with my eye make he see my effort all these years.
Sade look up, talk softly:
“Madam Okafor, abeg no vex. Maybe Chika just feel close to me.”
Her voice gentle, apology dey her face. She bend small, dey rub Chika back. I feel say maybe na true, but the thing pain me deep.
“So, he close to you pass the mama wey don dey take care of am for four years?”
I no fit control my voice. The question heavy. I dey shake, my eye dey red. Na God I dey beg make I no break down for here.