Chapter 7: Qudu and Uche Pavilion

No matter as people gossip say me and Fola dey do, I no hear.

My ear dey block. I focus on Fola, dey avoid everybody.

I just dey hold am, no gree leave am.

Anytime e wan travel, I dey hold him hand, dey beg with eyes. My heart dey fear.

I dey fear—fear mama, fear Oga, fear everybody for this compound wey dey plan evil.

Every corner get enemy. I dey check shadow before I waka. Night, I dey sleep with one eye open.

Fola see my fear, so e always dey hold me.

E dey sleep beside me, dey tell me, "No let fear kill you. I dey here."

E dey tell me story, dey look star with me.

For backyard, we go lie down for mat, dey watch star. Fola go talk story of old kings, of brave women wey fight for land.

E no dey like leave me alone for Eastern Quarters, even when e dey travel, e go carry me follow body.

Any journey, I dey follow am like shadow. For horse back, for canoe, I no let go.

Qudu village na better place, full of talented people. As we reach there, I fit smile small.

Qudu sweet. People dey laugh, dey play music for night. Market dey bubble. I see old palm trees, smell fresh bread, hear laughter wey dey real.

I hear say one place for Qudu dey, dem dey call am Uche Pavilion—na there dey most lively.

People dey talk say if you no reach Uche Pavilion, you never sabi Qudu. Na place for celebration, for wahala, for story.

Fola read wetin I write for paper, hold me, dey laugh soft.

E dey tease me. "Halima, you wan waka for place wey only big boys dey go?" E dey shine eye.

“Halima, you sabi where Uche Pavilion be? You sure say you wan go?”

E dey form serious, but I see small smile for him mouth. I just nod, my face dey beg.

I no even care where e be. I just pull Fola sleeve, dey beg am like pikin, make e carry me go.

I drag am, dey laugh inside mind. The idea dey sweet me.

Fola gree at last. Imagine, Crown Prince carry princess go brothel.

Na wah o! If elders hear, dem go faint. Fola just look me, shake head. "You stubborn sha."

Na first time madam of Uche Pavilion see person bring woman enter brothel.

She pause, her eyebrow raise. The girls for door stop dey dance. Na whisper begin fly. "Na who be this? Na which prince get this kind boldness?"

Her face change, e be like say she dey fear wahala.

Madam wear red lace, headtie tall like palm tree. She clear her throat, smile with fear. "Young master, abeg, hope una no bring palace wahala come my shop?" The air smell of pepper soup, palm wine, and small sweat—real Naija enjoyment.

I hold Fola arm tight, shame and awkwardness dey catch me.

My heart dey beat, face dey hot. Girls dey look me, dey size me up. I dey hide for Fola shadow.

No wonder na the most lively place—na pleasure house.

Music dey play, laughter dey fly. I dey wonder if my life fit ever be this free.

As Fola see my eye dey look everywhere, e just waka enter with boldness.

E no even send anybody. "Abeg, show us table, make my friends chop small life."

“Ahem, this young master and him lady just come enjoy. Abeg, take care of my two friends well.”

E talk am like person wey sabi road. Madam smile, call two girls, give Fola friends.

I just dey laugh.

I no fit hold am. For my mind, I dey imagine elders face if dem see us here.

Fola sabi put him friends for wahala.

E get sharp mouth. If you hear am talk, you go believe say na here e dey live.

The two guys wey follow am be him study mates.

One dey shy, the other dey bold. Dem no know where to put eye.

One, neat and from big family, no like wahala at all.

If fly pass near am, e go shout. E dey carry handkerchief, dey wipe sweat.

The other one, sharp and stubborn, general pikin, no dey hear word.

E get scar for chin. If you say make e no drink, na that time e go order wine. Na real troublemaker.

I sure say na their first time for this kind place. As I see their face red, I laugh sotey I fall for Fola body.

Dem dey look floor, dey play with cup. Shame dey catch dem. Fola dey laugh, me sef dey laugh, happiness dey my body small.

“No dey laugh people.”

Fola pinch my hand, but e dey smile. E face dey form serious, but e heart soft.

I blink, no understand why e dey form serious.

I look am, then wink. Na small play wey dey sweet me.

After e arrange for him friends, Fola no send them again, just carry me go private room.

He hold my hand, guide me go one side. Madam smile, arrange special room for us, call two girls make dem serve us.

Everywhere, fine fine girls full ground.

Dem dey sing, dey clap, dey dance. The smell of palm wine, pepper soup full air. My nose dey happy.

Green curtain, gold everywhere, palm wine full table, everybody dey enjoy.

The room shine, light dey bounce for wall. For my mind, I dey think say, if peace dey, na here I for like stay.

Fola happy pass today, dey make me drink small fruit wine, but na him drunk pass.

E dey talk too much, dey laugh loud. Wine full him hand, eye dey shine. "Halima, you no sabi say today na your day?"

“Halima, abeg dey smile. Your smile na the finest thing for this world.”

E look me, eye dey soft. My heart dey beat, I dey blush. For first time, I feel like person wey dey loved true true.

I dey always thank God say Fola no resemble Oga at all.

If to say na Oga, my body for dey shake. But Fola soft, e dey patient, e dey see me.

So I fit love am with my whole heart, no dey remember who I be or the pain of my lost kingdom.

For that moment, I forget everything. Na just me and Fola dey this world.

Dem say e resemble late Queen well well, face calm like church mother.

Palace maid dey talk, "If you see late Queen, you go know say Fola na real pikin." E get that peace, that calm.

So I kiss those red lips like say I dey pray, like say I dey beg for forgiveness.

My hand dey shake, but my heart dey pure. I dey beg God, "Make this love last. Make Fola no suffer because of me."