Chapter 2: Family Drama & Shadows

The smile for my face just hang there as I dey hear Tunde dey talk:

"This birthday, just count am as the one wey I owe Morayo. E don balance now."

Na so e be. In this Lagos, party dey turn to family drama sharp sharp. I feel everybody eye for my body, like market women dey judge person wey price fish too low.

Aunties dey pass puff-puff and zobo, their eyes sharp like market women. Everybody start to dey hail am, call am "love chairman."

"Ah! Na true! Love chairman, you sabi run things o!" One uncle shout, make everywhere burst with laughter.

Finally, one person look me direct ask:

"You no dey fear say she go find out?"

People dey watch to see my reaction, as if dem dey wait for fight for inside BRT.

Tunde just bend head, voice still lazy:

"Fear wetin? Fear say she go hold me tight, no wan let go?"

He cock eyebrow, like say him dey throw challenge, and the crowd lap am up like pepper soup.

Everybody burst laugh.

"True talk, deaf girl dey follow Tunde for seven years. Na wah o."

I see one girl for corner dey whisper, "Na mumu love, e never tire am?"

"If no be say she resemble Morayo small, she for no even get chance."

I squeeze my palm, pretend say the laugh no enter my skin. Inside, my mind dey scream.

As dem dey mock, Tunde bend put birthday hat for my head. The hat scratch my scalp, but I just dey smile like say e sweet me.

Him face, so close, still that cold, sharp, fine-boy face.

I smell the faint cologne, that expensive one wey dey like dry wood and rain. For a moment, I remember the first time him borrow me him jacket for secondary school, but I chase the thought quick quick.

Person come ask, "But she don dey with you for seven years and she fine. If she waka go... you fit let her go like that?"

Some aunties wey dey for party dey nod, dey gossip low.

Tunde hand shake, the hat just dey one side for my head.

My heart catch, but I force smile. Everybody dey wait Tunde mouth like say na prophet him be.

After small time, him just bone face, give one cold smile:

"Lock am for house. Who talk say she fit run?"

The room cold. Chatter stop. Na so everybody understand say this one na real wahala, no be play.

Everywhere just quiet.

Nobody take am play. Everybody know say Tunde family get power, and this oga head no correct—e fit really do am.

But for wetin?

I dey ask myself that question for heart. Wetin I gain for this bondage?

Tunde gently adjust the hat, him eyes soft, but him words sharp like blade:

"I wait for Morayo for seven years, just dey hope she go come back."

My chest twist as I hear am. So I be just placeholder, seat wey dem reserve for bus but conductor no go ever reach?

"I for like carry am put for my heart every day. I no fit even talk one bad word give am."

He say am so low, you go think say e dey confess for church.

"To keep stand-in for house, at least e dey help me pour all the wahala wey dey my chest, abi?"

Everybody laugh.

Dem dey laugh say him sabi value person—and laugh say I dey pitiful and mumu.

My nails dig enter my palm, my whole body dey shake with pain.

I remember all those times I dey defend am for social media, dey fight faceless fans. All for nothing.

Tunde carry arm put for my shoulder, come show me him phone:

[Abeg, make wish. Everybody dey wish you happy birthday :D]

I cover my ears blow the candle.

As I dey blow, I wish say I fit vanish. The noise, the pain, the shame – e too much. Na only me know say the wish na for freedom.

Everybody shout again together:

"Happy birthday to Morayo!"

I no know who add: "Make Tunde proposal succeed!"

Somebody shout from kitchen, "Oya, next na wedding o!"

Tunde just hiss: "Una never chop? Why una dey shout like say una dey whisper?"

He roll eye, tap phone again.

Next thing, my phone receive him message:

[Small mumu, which wish you make?]

[No wish say the album go sell big again o, your brother don already popular reach everywhere.]

He dey tease me as usual. But this time, my chest dey squeeze. I dey wish make tears no show.

I just dey force my tears back, dey swallow am small small.