Chapter 1: I No Come Beg

Returning to the Okafor mansion, I land inside their parlor with my head held high—green tea impostor daughter for one side, my senseless biological younger brother for the other. Time don reach to ask my real parents the kind question wey dey boil for my mind. "I dey wonder, una never hear say if pikin no dey get along, na because the parents don lose their virtue?"

The way I drop am, even breeze for parlor pause—everybody just dey look me like say I be spirit. Her chest stuck like eba when water finish—she no fit move. But I still stand gidigba, even if my leg dey shake small. I know say wahala fit burst, but I no fit carry my mouth go back. For my mind, Mama Ireti voice dey ring: "If you no talk your mind, dem go take you do mumu."

As I yarn finish, Okafor family just freeze. You fit hear pin drop. The AC hiss louder, like say e dey try calm matter. Ebuka mouth open, Ifunanya press lips together like say she wan swallow cry, Papa Okafor just dey blink, Mama Okafor hand dey tremble inside her wrapper.

I no dwell for their shock. I just return my flask inside my canvas bag and ask, "Abeg, which room be my own?"

My voice sharp like pepper. The flask na my badge—carry am everywhere since Mama Ireti time, always get small zobo or water inside.

The Okafor parents, just recover from shock, start to glance upstairs like say answer dey hide for ceiling. Papa Okafor clear throat, Mama Okafor adjust her wrapper, eye dey dodge my own, like say she dey find who go rescue am. Both of dem just dey point up, mouth no sure.

I grab my suitcase, wheel still dey wobble, but e strong. As I dey climb the stairs, I fit feel dust of my past follow me, but I no look back.

Okafor family, still dey shock, quickly follow me like say na masquerade parade. Nobody wan make I lost for their house. Even Ebuka dey jog join, like say na race.

Dem carry me reach front of two rooms. "Look well—see the one wey you like," dem talk, voice get that fake cheeriness wey dey cover wahala. Mama Okafor open both doors wide, hand still dey shake.

I frown, voice serious. "Na some kind high sense test be this?" I squeeze face, eye dem up and down. My wahala no be today wahala—this one don bake for years.

"Ehn?" Okafor family really look confused. Papa Okafor scratch head, Mama Okafor dey blink like say dem hear jazz. Ebuka wan laugh but hold am. Ifunanya just dey look ground.

I point out the obvious: one room na big suite—fine decoration, walk-in closet, small study; the other na small guest room, just like developer sample, no even big reach the suite closet.

As I dey point, hand no hide my wahala. The suite get big window, curtain wey be like wedding gown. Other room just dey bare, wall clock still get tag like say dem never plan for person to sleep there.

"Even blind man go fit feel difference." My voice rise small—make dem know say I no dey play.

Normally, nobody suppose dey choose—anybody with eye go know better. Ebuka peep inside suite, face show say na there him go pick if dem ask am.

"But e clear say this suite no be say una prepare am for me." I waka enter, eyes dey scan all the clear signs say person dey live here. Vanity by window, lip gloss, hand mirror, school notes with Ifunanya name. I touch vanity, feel powder dust, smell faint coconut oil. The room get history, no be empty room.

"Person don dey live here before, and that person na young girl." Slippers for corner, teddy bear for bed, everything dey show say Ifunanya get story for this space.

I sigh, then look at Ifunanya—her eyes still red—and talk straight. My voice low but weighty: "So, na here Ifunanya dey stay before."

Since na so, your behaviour dey confuse me o. My mind dey run—why una dey give me her space, unless una dey test me or wan show say una fit?

If una wan give me her room, una for clear all her things. For street, if person dey change hand for room, dem go clear old owner things. Here, dem no even try.

Instead, una arrange another wey no fine reach, come tell me to choose by myself. I fit only suspect say na test una dey try run, dey hope say after I see everything, I go just pick the smaller room by myself. For Naija, we sabi these kind games—na who get sense go survive. For my mind, I dey pray make thunder no fire person if dem dey lie.

"No be so?" I no even smile. Silence heavy pass harmattan.

As I drop am, Okafor faces come sour. Ebuka bite lip, Ifunanya eye don turn glass. Mama Okafor look like person wey swallow maggi cube. Papa Okafor sigh, look away.

Even Ebuka—wey dey find my trouble since—I look am. "Mummy, Daddy, na true?" His voice small, but serious.

"Abeg, no talk nonsense, e no be like that," Papa Okafor and Mama Okafor talk, embarrassment full their face. Their voice low, like say dem dey beg ground to open. For their mind, na big shame say pikin dey expose dem.

Ifunanya rush talk: "No be so. Na me wan give Sister the room by myself." Her voice dey shake, but she try stand for herself. Her hand grip her skirt, knuckles white.