Chapter 8: Sade Moves In

Next morning as I wake,

Sade land, drag her suitcase wey shine like new Ghana-Must-Go, big pass my own.

So no be only tutor—she dey move in.

I nod, tell housekeeper prepare guest room.

Then I enter kitchen go make ugu juice for Chika.

The suitcase big, shiny. Sade wear yellow dress, e fit her well. As she dey roll the bag, the housekeeper dey peep, dey whisper with cook for backyard. I no talk, just dey go kitchen, dey busy myself.

She bend head, smile at me.

“Sister Amara, Ifeoma talk say make I stay for guest room near Chika.”

Her voice dey sweet, she dey try show respect. But the thing pain me small. For this house, my own position don dey shift like sand for rainy season.

My hand dey shake on top ugu stalk.

My throat dey pain me like say glass dey inside. “Okay.”

I force the word, but e heavy. I dey bite my tongue, dey hold back tears. The knife for my hand dey tremble, ugu leaf nearly cut my finger.

The blender dey make noise.

Ugu fiber don jam the blade, stubborn like wahala.

I stop, open the blender, use spoon dey turn. For my mind, na my life dey jam, dey refuse to move forward.

“Oh, and Ifeoma say Chika room need new look.”

She use finger draw line for counter, leave sticky mark for vegetable juice.

“He say the room near children room get better sun—fit me well.”

She dey talk, dey smile. My heart dey pain as I dey remember how I sew that blanket for Chika with my own hand, spend night dey put patch for am.

That room full of Chika training things.

And the blanket wey I sew with my hand.

I dey remember as I dey buy Ankara from Oshodi, dey sew am for night with candle, dey pray say one day e go fit notice. But e never happen.

*[Why guest room? In three days, the main man go tear main woman nightgown when him drunk.]*

*[Na then the supporting character go comot. Her family go arrange next marriage.]*

The comments dey talk their own. My mind dey spin. I dey pray make I no cry for this kitchen.

I off the blender, look Sade.

Kitchen quiet.

Sade step back small.

After small time, I say, “Miss Sade, do as you like. I wan check Chika.”

Then waka go upstairs.

My voice cold, I no look her eye. My leg dey heavy, but I force myself go upstairs, dey hold my tears.