Chapter 4: Family No Be Blood Alone

I survive long on the food wey Ochuko dey bring.

Sometimes, I dey reason say maybe Ochuko get special blessing for sharing. E no dey ever tire to give. Even when food scarce, e go still find way give me small. God bless that boy.

Until Independence Day reach. At first, I wan go house for the holiday. But as I reach, my mama just grab my neck, drag me comot—she no gree make I stay.

That day pain me. My mama strong for hand, voice loud pass the generator for compound—everybody dey hear. She drag me with vex—say I dey disgrace am, say children wey get sense dey help family, no be to dey go school like olodo.

She talk say as long as I dey insist to go school, she no go ever recognize me as her pikin. Other girls my age don dey work for Lagos, but me I too dey pamper, no wan go. Since I stubborn, make I no depend on family at all. E better make I no come house.

Her voice dey echo for my ear. She call me lazy, say I dey disgrace her name for compound. The thing pain me, but I no fit cry. I dey form hard girl, but inside my heart, e dey cut me.

I just dey sniff, dey hold my schoolbag, stand for door. The smell of ofada stew dey come out, door wide open. My mama bring out the chicken, my younger ones rush am. My small sister hold drumstick, look my side, na so my mama knack her. "Eat your food, wetin you dey look her for?"

My eye dey water. My small sister look me, her own face dey pity, but she no fit talk. Na my mama word strong pass. Hunger dey knock, but pride dey hold me for throat.

My sister stop, just siddon. I bow my head, the small light from inside stretch my shadow reach outside—the shadow just dey dull like me.

The light wey dey shine before don die. My body cold. For my mind, I dey remember when family dey together chop Christmas rice. Now na only shadow dey follow me waka.

Later, my mama lock door, light vanish. I hug my bag, waka go. That night, na for motor park I sleep.

Mosquito dey sing for my ear, agbero dey shout price, but na hunger dey loudest. Omo, ground cold, mosquito plenty. I wrap myself with scarf, try sleep. Drivers dey play loud music, agbero dey shout. For my dream, I dey chop fried rice. When I wake, na my own saliva dey my hand.

Next morning, as I wake, na so I see Ochuko. He dey travel with him parents, e shock as he see me for ticket gate.

E face change—eyebrow raise, like person wey see ghost. He quick run come my side.

"Wetin you dey do here?"

My mouth dry. I no even know how to talk. I just dey look ground, dey kick stone.

"My mama no gree make I stay house. Here for park, e even warm pass."

I talk am low, make strangers no hear. E no easy to admit say your own mama reject you. But hunger no dey hide story.

"Chei, na your real mama be that?"

Ochuko face show pity and surprise. For his mind, maybe he dey wonder wetin I do.

"Na she."

I talk am with all the strength wey remain. I no even get energy argue.

"..."

Ochuko quiet. E just look me, eyes soft. For some seconds, na only the sound of drivers dey enter ear.

That day, Ochuko no enter bus. I no know wetin he tell him parents, but as dem commot, he remain.

E do small waka, talk with him papa, then wave as them drive off. Na so he stand by my side, hand for pocket.

After he see him parents off, he come back, sigh. "Come, make we go my side."

He talk am like say na normal thing. No drama. Just solution.

He waka front. I quick carry my bag, follow am. Ochuko senior me two years, him tall, get long leg—every step he take, me I go take three.

I dey try match am, but the bag heavy. Still, I no wan dull myself. I dey try do big girl, but body no gree.

After two steps, he turn, collect my bag. I look up, he just smile give me.

The smile wey Ochuko give me that day, e sweet pass sugar. For my mind, I dey thank God say I get friend like am.

"Amaka, my luck bad o. My parents wan carry me go Calabar beach, now na your bag I dey carry."

I just laugh, scratch my head. For my mind, I dey wonder which kind wahala be this.

"No vex."

I dey talk am with shy voice. I no too sabi say thank you, but I dey hope e understand.

"Forget. You dey hungry?"

Ochuko eye dey search my face. E sabi say I no dey ever lie about hunger.

"Ah, I dey die."

The hunger no even let me joke. My voice low, belly dey rumble.

"No wahala, as your brother still get money, make we go chop."

That word, e sweet me. As Ochuko talk am, hope return for my chest. For my mind, I dey count spoon before food even land—today, hunger go hear am.