Chapter 3: Compound Shadows

Aunty rush carry me go General Mansion.

She no even let me bath or change cloth. She drag my hand like say na market goat she dey lead. My mind dey race as we waka cross compound. By the time we reach gate, my slippers almost cut.

Behind the curtain, I fit see the man shadow, frail, cough dey come out from am now and then.

The room get cold, candle dey shine small. His cough dey heavy, body shadow long for wall. The smell of medicine and hot balm choke everywhere.

Mama Musa dey cry, hold Aunty hand: “Rukayat, thank you as you run around for Musa. Now as e don pass danger, no need for spirit marriage. You try well well.”

Her voice shake, tears dey wet her face. She dey squeeze Aunty hand like say she wan break am. Even my heart dey cut for her pain.

Aunty eye sharp, she talk: “Mama, this marriage must still happen.”

Aunty face tight. She cross hand for chest, voice strong like say she dey quote law. "No be say we fit just cancel everything now."

“Wh-why?”

Mama Musa surprise. Even as tears dey her face, her eye open wide. The other women for room dey shift body.

“Maybe Halima luck strong. As dem just arrange the engagement, General Musa wake up. If we continue the marriage, luck go follow am, he go get better, future go bright.”

People dey nod head, some dey murmur, "E fit true o." For our place, once person get luck, everybody wan tap from am. Superstition full ground.

Mama Musa hesitate, look me, wan talk but hold am.

She bite her lip, look my face, then look ground. I fit see say her mind dey heavy, but she no fit talk.

Doctor waka come out from behind the curtain.

Doctor Yusuf, young man with thick glasses. He dey hold stethoscope, face serious, sweat dey for him forehead. Everybody quiet.

He stop small. “Mama, General…”

He sigh, look Aunty, then look Mama Musa. Him hand dey shake small.

“No outsider here, Doctor. Talk well.”

Mama Musa wave hand, dismiss stewardess and other women. Na only family remain.

“Even though General don wake, the wound dey for inside thigh. I dey fear say for future, e no go fit…”

He clear throat, look ground. The air thick like hot ogbono soup. Everybody dey wait for the real gist.

“Fit do wetin?” Aunty rush ask.

She push forward, voice sharp, “Doctor, talk am clear. We dey hear.”

“Fit do husband and wife matter.”

Everybody freeze. Even housefly stop for air. The silence heavy like yam.

Na so everywhere quiet. Mama Musa leg weak, I rush support am make she no fall.

I hold her waist, help her sit for chair. She hold my hand, grip am tight. I fit feel her fear pass through me.

Her red eye fix on me, sorrow full am. “My child, you go gree marry this kind husband? No worry, I no go treat you bad. Just see am as if you dey come be my pikin.”

Her voice soft, like breeze for early morning. She look me with hope, even as pain dey swallow her heart. I almost cry again.

Aunty rush cut in, “She go gree! Her level go change from low to better—why she no go gree?”

She clap hand, try change the mood. "E go better for her body!" she add, voice full of energy.

For my mind, I no even know wetin to talk.

My mouth dry, words hang for throat. I just dey look everybody, head empty.

Before, I sef get better background.

I remember my papa house—big compound, mango tree for centre, goat dey tie for one side, children dey play ten-ten under sun. My own room dey for back, close to chicken coop. That time, happiness still dey my mind.