Chapter 5: Flashbacks and Fading Hope

As I finish talk—

“Amara.” Ifeoma voice cut in, strong.

I look up again.

Sade eyes don red, tears wan drop.

Ifeoma enter, her step heavy. Sade try hold her tears, but her voice dey shake. The room dey cold, my skin dey tight like say cold breeze blow from nowhere.

As Sade wan cry, Chika begin vex again.

“Mama, no cry. You bad!”

He throw medicine bowl give me again.

Chika scream, the sound high. E scatter my head. The bowl fall, break small. I sidon, my spirit weak. Na only Chika voice dey ring for my ear.

*[I no understand wetin the supporting character dey do. She dey pity, but na the plot talk am.]*

*[The supporting character go just accept her fate. Next, the main man go arrange make the main woman be Chika private tutor.]*

My mind dey follow the comments like person dey watch film. I dey ask myself, who dey write this script?

As I see as the comments dey talk wetin go happen, I no mind the brown medicine wey stain my cloth.

I waka comot for the door.

Before, I for rush go comfort Chika first.

But today, I just too tired.

Na true. I just tired. My body weak, my eye no fit see clear. My leg dey drag for ground as I waka away.

Four years ago, for Chief Okafor birthday party,

He just like me as he see me.

“Miss Musa, you study early childhood psychology?”

I remember that party well. Jollof rice smell dey everywhere, Fuji music dey blast, my papa dey spray money. People dey hail my papa, dey praise am say him daughter fine, sabi book. Chief Okafor wear agbada, him eye dey sharp, him mouth dey twist with small smile.

My papa never even hear the question finish, he just nod anyhow.

The next day, Okafor family announce say dem wan marry from our family, call my name direct.

Even as I go be Ifeoma second wife, my papa happy like say he win lottery.

My papa dance that day, spray money for air. My stepmother follow laugh, dey adjust gele every five minutes. Everybody for village dey talk say my star don shine. Only me know say my mind dey fear.

That time, my stepmother dey mock me:

“Last month, one psychologist wey go UK chop bite from that Okafor family pikin, need five stitches.”

She cover mouth, dey laugh,

“I wan see how your fine skin go last..."

She laugh, voice like thunder. I just bone, no talk. Inside, fear dey catch me, but I gree because I no get choice. For our place, person no dey argue with elders.

But one month later, I register marriage with Ifeoma.

He use the same voice wey he dey use for business talk tell me:

“Every Wednesday and Friday night, stay with Chika for him training. Saturday morning, carry am go outside small.”

I just dey nod, dey write schedule like say na lesson plan. My hand dey pain from plenty writing, but I no talk. Ifeoma voice no get feeling, e dey dry like sand paper.

Outside, rain dey fall like say e no go stop.

I hold my new marriage certificate, my hand white from how I grab am.

E no be like marriage, e be like work contract.

That rain that day, e wash my spirit. Na so I siddon for corner, dey look the paper, dey wonder how my life take reach this junction. Na only God know wetin I dey pray.