Chapter 3: Cake and Slap for Hospital

That day, news of Abuja crown prince kiss Okafor family daughter scatter everywhere. I see my mama eye red. Sometimes, I wish she fit talk, so she go help me abuse people.

Even for school, some of my classmate begin whisper. Dem dey show me picture for phone. Abuja gist dey spread fast, like wildfire for harmattan. The shame dey my body.

Since that night, papa no dey come house. Next news be say e get accident, forget mama and me. For hospital, dem use bad mouth finish my mama. Papa no even shake.

Na for hospital corridor I hear some women dey say, 'Shey na this woman be the one wey hold Okafor prince with juju?' Na so dem dey laugh, snap picture. My mama eye just dey red, but she hold my hand tight, make I no cry.

Before, when grandma talk for dining table say mama no fit born boy, papa vex, scatter table, carry us go house. How things come be like this now? I wan cry. Papa and mama go divorce. I better stay with mama. She no fit talk; people go bully her.

Before, papa dey always defend us. E no let anybody disrespect my mama. If small wahala happen, e go carry us go cold stone creamery, buy us big bowl. Now, I dey reason say if I follow mama, even if life hard, at least na true love dey there.

“Brother Chukwudi.” Kemi dey look us dey shame. After she watch reach, she come enter. Papa just answer small “mm.”

The way she call him 'Brother', e sound like Nollywood story. She stand for door, dey admire herself for window reflection. People just dey watch her, dey talk under breath.

Second Uncle family come too. Their pikin, wey dem spoil, dey carried for shoulder, dey make noise. E see cake for papa bedside. “I want cake! I want cake!” Na the cake papa buy for me yesterday. I fear say e go hungry, so I carry am come hospital.

The pikin come down, rush grab cake. I look papa, beg am. E just bone, raise finger, pinch him brow. “Make e chop am.”

Na so my hope scatter. Papa just wave hand like say I no matter. My chest tight, the cake be like gold for me, but nobody send me.

I fold hand, vex. “I no want. Papa, I no like you.”

My voice break small, but I talk am anyhow. My eye dey red. The whole room just dey look me, some dey laugh.

Everybody begin laugh like say na joke. “Nobody like you sef.”

Even my grandma giggle, as if my pain be comedy. The laugh full the room, my heart dey cut. Na only mama eye dey soft, but she no fit talk for me.

Kemi say, “This cake dirty. Make I carry you go buy better one.”

Her voice get fake sweet. As she talk, she eye dey shine, like say she dey mock me. Na so my hope for that cake just vanish.

The pikin raise chin, “Okay.” E throw my cake for ground, chin still up. “Chop am, you this useless dog.”

Chai! See as you waste am! My cake wey I dey cherish, just land for ground. Nobody talk. My hand dey shake, but I no cry.

E be like say Okafor family no even dey see me. I be fish seller pikin—and na girl join. But this one, I no gree. I rush slap am.

I no even reason consequence. As my hand land for the pikin face, the sound loud. The whole room just freeze. My heart dey jump.

Second Uncle face change, e wan kick me. “You this useless girl.”

E rush come with heavy leg. I fit smell the sweat wey dey drip from e armpit. My mama drag me behind her, but my leg dey tremble. I dey wait for the pain.

Before, na only papa dey protect us. Now e forget. My body light, but the pain no come. Secretary Musa quick carry me, put me for mama hand. Papa voice come, e dey hide anger. “Noise too much. Carry all the people wey no concern commot.”

Secretary Musa strong, e just lift me sharp sharp. E eye dey kind, e whisper small, 'Sorry, my pikin.' Papa voice carry command, even nurses fear. I dey safe for mama arm as we dey waka go downstairs.

Na me and mama e mean. Mama no cry, just hold my hand. As we reach downstairs, we see say rain dey fall. Bad weather.

As we waka for corridor, the rain sound for zinc loud, like say heaven dey cry for us. Mama just hold umbrella above me, but the water still touch my shoe. I dey pray make better day come.

But as I dey squeeze my hand, I promise myself—nobody fit push us comot for this world.