Chapter 4: The Price of Family

Wetin be this? Wetin e dey do?"

I hear the message, but I bone face. No be every advice person suppose follow.

"This main character no dey hear word. E wan use head jam wahala."

I wan laugh, but I still dey act serious. Na dem go tire.

"Advice no dey enter stubborn ghost, abeg."

Messages just scatter everywhere.

But some people still reason for my side.

One message say, "If na you, you go fit leave small pikin for road? Na wah o."

Because my stepmother still dey wear recorder. If I refuse now, na me go suffer.

I dey look her hand, see small red light for phone, e mean say she dey record.

As she hear say I wan adopt my niece, joy just full her face.

Her mouth wide, teeth shine, she nearly for jump for joy.

Even my niece rush kiss my cheek, she no even show say her papa and mama die.

Na that kain innocent pikin behaviour. Or maybe na acting she dey act too, e hard to trust anybody.

I take deep breath, stand, face my stepmother direct:

I gather my voice, make my words strong so she go know say I no be mumu.

"When dem go pay compensation money?"

My stepmother shock. "Which money be that?"

She cough, act like she no hear well, eyes dey fly left and right.

I act surprise pass her:

I open my mouth wide, touch chest, as if na her own idea I dey repeat.

"No be trailer accident you talk? Trailer insurance dey pay big money. Two people die—dem suppose pay!"

My tone dey innocent, but my eyes sharp, dey catch her every move.

She no expect me to reason money, she begin dodge.

She adjust wrapper, look ceiling, try form say she no sabi anything.

I bone face, press her:

I no blink, my voice dey heavy. "If you chop that money, e go no go well. That money no be for you, na for Kamsi."

"You never chop the compensation for your belle? That money na for my niece o!"

I even use finger point her small, make she know say na warning.

As she no fit talk, my stepmother vex, drop all pretense:

She fling wrapper, stand akimbo, eye red.

"How you go say I chop the money? I no know anything!"

She dey shout, voice high like generator for hot afternoon.

"Nnamdi, you no get conscience? Your sister and her husband just die, na money you dey talk?"

She dey form victim, but I dey watch am, dey wait wetin she go talk next.

Bang, bang, bang—

She turn, begin knock Mama Chinyere door:

She dey knock, her mouth dey run like tap.

"Mama Chinyere, come see person wey no get heart!"

Her voice sharp, try gather sympathy.

Mama Chinyere, wey just wake, come out, face strong.

She tie wrapper, yawn, look my stepmother with one kind eye.

My stepmother grab her, point me:

"Na him! Sister and her husband die, all e dey think na money!"

She form cry, dey drag Mama Chinyere for hand.

She eye Mama Chinyere.

Mama Chinyere and my stepmother na partner for gist. She catch the sign, join attack:

"Na true. You no suppose dey talk money for this kind wahala. Na pikin you go look after first."

Say I no get respect, say after dem die, na money dey my mind, no be to raise my niece.

I see other compound people don open door, dey peep. You know Lagos compound—once voice rise, curtain go shift, everybody dey watch like free DSTV. Na so gossip dey start for estate.

She threaten say she go spoil my name for whole compound.

She dey talk as if she be chairlady for residents association.

I fire back: "If na your family die for accident, you no go find out wetin happen first?"

I spread my hand wide, face crowd, make dem hear my own side.

"So, Mama Chinyere, you be angel wey if dem kill your person, you go just keep quiet?"

My tone dey hot, I step closer to her.

"Your gossip no reach me. I dey find justice for my people, and for my niece!"

I face everybody, talk strong, show say my own reason pure pass their own.

My stepmother and Mama Chinyere just mute, face red.

Dem no fit reply me. Dem just dey look ground, dey fumble with wrapper.

Then Mama Chinyere ask my stepmother which kind accident.

She clear throat, face my stepmother, eyebrow high.

Both of them exchange eye, my stepmother just slap her head:

She act like person wey forget soup for fire.

"Ah! I forget!"

She hold her neck, voice low, try change story.

"Nnamdi, no talk rubbish. Your sister and her husband no die by trailer—na dem drive fall inside river, car sink, dem no see body!"

Her voice shake, like person wey dey fear police wahala.