Chapter 6: Family Matter Na Season Film

For afternoon, police come.

Their Hilux loud, siren no dey on. Neighbours dey peep for curtain.

But as we no even know where accident happen, police no fit check anything.

Inspector ask, "Which river? Which bridge? Who see am?" My stepmother just dey stammer.

Dem even dey look us like say we dey play.

One officer whisper to another: "See as dem dey waste our time."

My stepmother deny am: "Who go play with life and death? E no make sense!"

She form tears, try hold her chest, look sky.

"Dem fall inside river, na sure. Abeg help us find dem!"

She shake head, dey press handkerchief for face.

Police just dey frown.

The oga among them just sigh, write something for small notebook.

Our city river long well, no camera. To find person hard.

I remember that river, the one wey dey near the old refinery. Even fishermen dey fear am.

Police talk say make we wait for news.

"If person waka comot, news go reach us. For now, nothing we fit do."

I follow them reach outside, ask how long before dem fit declare person dead.

Sun hot, but I stand, dey look officer eye to eye. People dey look us.

Officer say if na accident, after two years, dem fit talk say the person don die by law.

Two years...

I repeat am for mind, as if na long prison sentence I dey receive.

I just dey reason am for mind.

I dey wonder whether to tell my village people, or make I wait.

Too long, too many wahala fit happen.

If dem come back, wahala. If dem no come back, still wahala.

I no fit wait two years.

I tell myself, "Nnamdi, you go need sense for this kain drama."

But as I enter house, I know say this na just the first round. The real wahala never even start.

As I reach house, my stepmother no gree leave Kamsi matter.

She dey follow me upandan, dey ask question, dey press phone. I dey dodge her.

My niece hold my leg, dey cry: "Uncle, you no like me?"

Her voice break my heart small, but I hold face strong.

I bend, smile for her:

I rub her head, adjust her dress. "No cry, my pikin."

"How uncle go no like you? Kamsi na my precious."

But I change am quick, act worry: "But uncle fit lose job soon. If you stay here, suffer go plenty. You fit manage?"

I put fake frown for face, rub my forehead like person wey dey calculate school fees.

Kamsi look my stepmother, as if she dey find signal.

The girl sharp o. I notice how her eyes dey dance, na small madam she go be.

My stepmother surprise, ask me: "Which work loss? Your job no dey steady?"

I look her for eye, shake head, sigh:

"Industry dey dull. I don dey company long, salary high, na why dem wan sack me first."

She begin look around my parlour, dey imagine how she fit share am with her pikin.

My stepmother wan talk, but just dey look my house.

She dey eye my TV, my new fridge, my AC. I see am.

This my big flat for Palm Grove Estate worth millions, sure dey sweet dem for mind.

If na village, dem for dey calculate how many goats dem go sell if dem inherit me.

I add quick:

I tap the wall, sigh deep.

"House sef na mortgage. Soon I go comot."

I press the word, make am heavy.

That one just break her hope.

She choke, face bend.

She frown: "Why you go mortgage your house?"

She dey try hide her disappointment.

I act sad, explain:

I shake head, look ground, voice low.

"Bad friend tell me about sharp business before Christmas. I invest, lose everything."

I lie well, mix small truth, so e go sound real.

"House mortgaged, my whole life savings don vanish. Now, job sef dey shake. Kamsi go suffer if she stay."

My face strong, but inside, I dey laugh small.

Her face just change, dark.

I see her blood dey hot. She dey reason if e worth am to push this plan again.

Next thing, she shout: "Nnamdi, na excuse you dey find to dodge responsibility?"

Her voice high, like person wey chop pepper.

I copy her earlier way for police station, raise voice:

"Who dey play with this kind matter!"

My shout shock my stepmother, her face just change.

Neighbours peep window, dey listen. My voice loud so dem go hear my own side too.

"Hahaha, see as old witch shock—regret wan kill am."

For my mind, I dey clap for myself. If dem wan do acting, make I show dem say I fit act pass dem.

"Main character play this move well."

I dey hear small voice for my head dey hail me.

I just dey laugh inside.

No be every day person dey get upper hand for family wahala.

Dem wan run me street? E no go work.

My mind dey sharp. If I slip, dem fit finish me.

As I expect, my stepmother just waka comot, vex, drag Kamsi go.

She hiss, her slipper dey sound for corridor. Her back bent, Kamsi dey drag behind.

Kamsi sef, as she dey go, give me one wicked eye.

See small devil.

I shake my head, reason say, if small pikin fit dey do eye like that, I go need prayer.

But before ten minutes pass, messages start again.

"Old witch dey check your property. Oga, shine eye!"

I remember say the last time I leave my key with her, she open all my cupboard, check my papers.

[She dey call your people for work to confirm if dem dey sack. She no gree give up.]

She dey stubborn. That woman fit chase lawyer reach village if she wan get her way.

My mind jump. I call my padi, move all my money go him company as investment, even mortgage house to am.

I move sharp, my padi dey loyal, I trust am. I tell am say, "Guy, if you hear any story, just bone, no talk."

I do am sharp, but work matter I no fit arrange.

I dey pray make HR no call my house line.

Soon, my stepmother call. As I pick, she just dey shout:

I hold phone small from ear, her voice fit break earpiece.

"Nnamdi, you no get conscience! You still dey pretend say you no wan adopt? You wicked!"

She fit carry matter reach family WhatsApp group. I dey wait make elder intervene.

"I warn you, Kamsi na your blood. If you neglect am, I go deal with you!" Remember, na who dey alive dey hear insult—if you no gree, na your name go spoil for village.

She dey threaten, but me I dey bone. My own be say, make I no let dem run me down.

"Open door, I don bring Kamsi come your house already!"

For gate, I hear her voice dey echo. I know say drama never even start.

For Lagos, family matter na season film—na only God know how many episodes remain.