Chapter 3: New Families, Tall Grass

Na so three years waka pass.

One day, Mama bring one new uncle come my grave.

She gently dey pluck the grass for my grave, one by one.

Each blade she pluck, her finger go shake small. She no rush, as if she dey apologize to earth for pressing am. Sun go set, orange light go shine for her back, make her look like angel wey pain dey chase.

As Mama come, my mind sweet me. She don dey look better—her spirit don dey shine.

Even her wrapper fresh, the lines for her face don dey soft. I see say she dey try heal. My own spirit dey leap, I want hug her well.

I smile, greet her, “Mama, you don come! I dey practice everyday.”

“Mama, you dey miss me? Make Yanyan send you dream?”

“Mama, who be this uncle? Na your friend?”

“Mama…”

This time, before I finish, Mama first talk. She say:

“Yanyan, Mama wan commot for here.”

Her voice low, like rain wey dey fall for distant zinc. Na that time I know say change don land for her mind.

I shock, come bend my head. “To commot no bad, Mama…”

My own spirit dey shiver. If Mama commot, who go dey visit me again? My voice small, but I gree—wetin I fit do?

Mama bring out plenty sweet from her bag—plenty lollipop.

Before, na only one I fit chop for one day. Now I fit chop as I like. E make sense…

I fit imagine my mouth dey red with sweet, just dey crunch as I like. If to say spirit fit get taste, I for chop everything.

She put the food for my grave front, hold uncle hand, say:

“Mama wan marry… This uncle na better person. If Yanyan dey, uncle for love you too.”

Her eye red, but she try smile. The uncle squeeze her hand, dem balance for each other like two mango for one branch.

Uncle squat down. E different from Papa—him hand rough, face rugged, but him voice soft:

“Yanyan, no worry. I go take care of your mama well.”

He look my grave with respect, nod head like person wey dey salute elder.

I quiet for long, then squeeze myself between them, smile say:

“Mama, uncle, una fit go. Yanyan… Yanyan go take care of herself.”

My own voice try dey strong. I no wan hold anybody back. Na spirit wahala if I dey drag dem down.

Before dem commot, Mama still cry. She say:

“Yanyan, if you dey miss Mama, abeg send me dream, no forget.”

Na only the elephant grass wey breeze dey blow answer her.

The grass dey dance, dey wave like say e fit pass my message.

Uncle hug Mama, wipe her tears.

He go murmur something for her ear, carry her bag, then dem waka commot.

Another two years waka… Nobody come my grave again, the grass don tall scatter everywhere.

If goat pass, e go chew the grass, then look me with yellow eye, like say e sabi spirit dey near. But nobody dey clear am like before. Sometimes, I go sit for there, dey count the stars, dey hear the wind dey whistle old woman song.

My small grave sef don hide, nobody dey see am.

So, when Papa and that aunty pass with my small sister, dem no even stop at all.

E be like say na only the palm tree remember say person dey there.