Chapter 5: Aunty Shola Thunder

News full everywhere about mama and papa divorce. Mama best friend, Aunty Shola, dey work for nearby city. As she see the news, she rush come. Dem spend the whole day for parlour dey abuse papa.

You need see Aunty Shola. As she land, na so she throw bag for chair, remove wig, balance for sofa. She no send anybody, her voice loud, e enter compound. Neighbours fit dey hear the talk.

“How Okafor Chukwudi take promise me?”

She dey hit hand for chest as she dey vex. 'No be this man dey toast my friend every day, dey promise heaven and earth?'

“Any man wey get ‘first love’ for mind, no dey trust am. Dem fit dress well but behave pass animal. Chukwudi own too much!”

Na so she dey count different stories of men wey behave anyhow. Even mama just dey smile small. E lighten the mood.

“No man dey reliable. I vex. Where Okafor Chukwudi? I go finish am. E no get shame!”

She shake head, eyes wide, mouth no rest. Na so e be for our compound—woman go talk her mind, no fear anybody.

Mama puff cheek, raise middle finger join.

Mama do am slyly, but Aunty Shola catch am. Dem laugh small. Na the only time I see mama relax small since the wahala start.

Quick flashback hit me—one day for market, one agbero dey shout for mama, Aunty Shola just bounce come, push the man, shout, "You wan die today? Touch my sister again na!" Since that day, dem bond strong like super glue.

Aunty Shola just hold her head, come dey find something for mama cloth. She begin curse. “That witch beat you?”

She search for bruise, eye dey red. Her voice shake, she dey remember her own mama story. She swear for Okafor family join.

Aunty Shola papa use to beat her mama, so she dey fear men. When papa dey chase mama that year, na her hard pass to win. Now, papa forget memory, e spoil our trust.

She dey always talk say, 'I no go let any man try my friend.' E pain her pass as if na she dem beat.

I run go sofa, squeeze small tears. “Auntie, papa lie give me. E dey treat mama bad. E dey bully her.”

My voice low, but Aunty Shola hear am clear. She stretch hand, pull me close, rub my back. I dey shiver, but her body warm.

“What? Ranran, talk everything.”

She dey boil. Mama dey wave hand say, “No be like that. Baby, you misunderstand…”

Mama dey try use sign talk say make I no talk. But I stubborn. Aunty Shola no dey joke with injustice.

I hide for Aunty Shola arm, dey accuse papa. “Papa na pervert.”

I no even sabi the meaning well, but for my mind, e mean say person wicked anyhow. Aunty Shola eye open, she carry me go room, lock door sharp sharp.

Mama body shake, wan stop us, but Aunty Shola strong, lock her for room.

She no dey hear word. She tell mama make she wait, say she wan hear everything.

“Ranran, no fear. Even if sky fall, anybody wey try you, na me go face am.”

She squat, signal me make I continue, eye red.

Her own tears don start to dey pool. She dey hold my hand, rub my back, dey whisper, 'Talk, my pikin, na your day.'

I talk, “E flog mama. I see red mark for her arm. She say na accident, say she jam something. Papa beat her for room—things scatter, mama cry, beg am. Papa say no, say she do bad, must collect punishment.”

I dey choke as I dey talk, but I no stop. Aunty Shola dey shake head, dey curse under breath. 'God punish that man,' she mutter.

Aunty Shola vex. That time, phone ring for parlour. Grandma call.

The ring loud, everybody quiet. My heart dey pound as I hear grandma voice.

“Kemi don come back. Why una still dey here? Yesterday for hospital, you hear wetin Chukwudi talk. No expect shishi. All elders dey here. Carry that load come—Secretary Musa dey wait. Na nanny market price dem go pay you. If you no come, you no go see anything. Let’s go.”

Her voice sharp, no respect for anybody. Na so Aunty Shola hiss, carry bag. Mama just nod, tears for eye, but she pack load. I go behind them, small bag for back.

Aunty Shola drive us go.

The car dey smell of fried fish and air freshener. She play old King Sunny Ade song as we dey drive, say make we no worry, everything go set.

But as I dey look mama face, I make promise for my heart—nobody go fit break us, no matter wetin.