Chapter 12: Thunder and Silence

*'No matter how supporting babe touch, main guy no go ever betray chief wife.'*

*'No let main guy red face deceive you—e dey form pure. Inside, e dey hate her.'*

*'When supporting babe go comot? She dey disturb. Main guy never sleep finish because of chief wife wahala, see as eye dey red. E pain me.'*

My mood spoil sharp sharp.

I hold Auwalu face, look am well—

True true, small black for under e eye.

I vex, remove my hand, one kind frustration block my chest.

I no fit breathe.

“Leave am, I no want medicine. You fit go.”

Auwalu shock.

Sadness flash for e eye.

But e still remove the needle gently, waka go.

After small, e run come back, remind me:

“The flower tea for table fit help your body. No forget to drink am.”

I purse my lip, rest chin for hand, think for long.

Just now, I see say Auwalu eye red.

E nearly cry.

For me.

As I remember am, I still drink the cold zobo tea finish.

Then I run go outside.

As I push am away, I feel like person wey dey break own calabash. The pain for Auwalu eye nearly make me change my mind, but pride hold me. I watch am remove the needle, slow, gentle, no vex. When e come back to remind me about the flower tea, I know say e still dey care, no matter all the wahala. As I sip the cold zobo tea, the thing cool my body small, but my mind still dey hot. I no fit rest, so I tie scarf for head and rush go outside—maybe breeze go clear my head.