Chapter 6: House Meeting Gbege

Palm Grove Estate na school district house. Normally, I dey there with housekeeper. Papa and mama dey villa for Maitama side. Sometimes I waka between both, dey wait for papa. Now I think am, papa send me away so e fit beat mama, and since she no dey talk, nobody go know. I squeeze my hand.

I dey look window as car dey waka. Palm Grove house dey humble—two rooms, small kitchen, old TV. For villa, everywhere big, but cold. I dey think say peace better pass big house.

As we enter, people full everywhere. Papa just relax for sofa, leg cross, red shoe show. E just dey like say nothing concern am. I hear maid say before e meet mama, na so e dey behave. So e mean say e dey act all along.

People dey greet papa, 'Your Highness, welcome.' Him face no change, just dey scroll phone. E dey press WhatsApp like person wey no get worry. The red shoe wey e wear na the latest designer—dem type wey only big men get.

“You don come.”

His tone short, like say we be strangers. I look mama face, she strong, but I fit see pain for her eye. Na so Abuja people dey do sometimes, dem go bone, hide all emotion.

Kemi dey kitchen, dey bake biscuit, make coffee for people. She put hot cup for papa front. E just open eye small, hand press chair, make sofa sink. Anytime e see mama, na so e dey behave—like e dey lose guard. E hold breath, Adam apple move, but e no wan show am.

The coffee aroma full room. Kemi dress neat, hair pack with gold clip. She dey do like say she be wife already, waka up and down, dey serve people. Some aunties dey hail her, dey call her 'our wife'.

I look mama. She wear simple white dress. After small time, papa close eye, return to normal. E just bone look Kemi. “I no like coffee.”

Mama sit quiet, eye down. Her hand dey shake small. The white dress na the one she sew herself. E plain, but e clean.

She pause. “You use to like am.”

She say am with small smile, but papa no look her. She dey try remember old time, but papa eye hard.

“That one na before.”

E voice cold, e just dey chop groundnut, no send anybody. The way e talk, everywhere cold. Some people dey cough, dey shift for chair.

Grandma try help Kemi. “People dey change. You just come back, you no go know. You and am get history. After marriage, una go understand each other.”

She dey try soft pedal, but na only Kemi she dey encourage. As if say my mama no dey the room. Na so these old women dey behave when dem pick person to support.

Aunty Shola hiss. “We no come watch una love Nollywood story.”

She just spit the word, eye roll. Some people snicker, but Kemi bone.

Everybody focus, call Secretary Musa. E greet my mama ‘Madam’. Grandma bone face. “Soon she no go be. Why you dey call her that?”

Secretary Musa still dey try show small respect, but grandma no send. She use eye cut am, like say e do abomination.

The spoiled pikin hug Kemi leg. “Na my aunt. Aunt, you fine, you smell sweet.”

The small pikin talk am loud. Everybody laugh, Kemi smile, but e look like e dey force am. My chest tight.

Kemi smile, but her eye show say she no like as pikin touch am. She signal Secretary Musa. “Make una rush finish this thing. Mama pick good date. Just this few days—no time.”

She dey snap finger, like person wey dey order driver. Even elders dey move for her sake. My mama just sit, dey wait for judgement.

E nod. “Who dey take care of the pikin?”

Secretary Musa dey run the checklist like say na job interview. Room quiet, everybody dey watch.

Aunty Ngozi and Aunty Grace raise hand. “Na me.”

Dem dey quick mention, so dem go fit get small money if dem lucky. My mama just keep quiet.

“Housework, like wash cloth, cook?”

Aunty Bose raise hand. “Na me.”

She bend head, dey wait for nod. Na so dem dey share work for Okafor house, so everybody fit chop small.

“Villa cleaning—Madam dey do?”

“No.”

Secretary Musa dey write for file, e brow dey squeeze. E dey list all responsibility like say e no get patience again.

“Homework help?”

Aunty Ngozi say, “Na Mr. Okafor.”

She dey see the wahala every day.

Secretary Musa lick lip. “So wetin Madam dey do exactly?”

Room quiet. The sound of clock tick loud. Even generator hum low, as if e dey hide.

Everywhere quiet.

Even mosquito no fit buzz. All the aunties dey look table, some dey press phone, but nobody answer. I dey squeeze mama hand, dey pray make God show mercy.

Aunty Ngozi think hard. Wetin she do… Even to stand up, na Mr. Okafor dey carry her. Aunty Grace talk, “Madam dey try.”

Her voice weak, she dey fear grandma. But e true, even with all the wahala, mama dey try. She dey take care of everybody, even people wey no like her.

Secretary Musa turn to her. “Abeg, talk.”

E voice soft, but e mean business. All eyes dey her body, she swallow saliva.

She count for finger, “When Mr. Okafor cook, she dey pick vegetable. When Mr. Okafor dey mop, she dey wipe him sweat. After Ranran born, she nurse for four days, dey wake up for night. When Mr. Okafor carry Ranran, she dey pour water for am. All the fish for house, na she dey kill.”

She dey count small small, but my heart dey sweet me. Even if dem no value her, I know say mama dey important. Na she dey keep house together. Some aunties dey nod head in secret.

…Secretary Musa look. “This one… e be like say nothing to pay Madam for.”

E try cover pity for face, but e hard am. As e talk, grandma dey smile like say e win award. My chest dey burn.

Grandma look us, happy. “You don enjoy Okafor family good life for years. E good say we no dey collect money from you. See agreement here—nothing for you. Carry your pikin commot.”

She dey wave paper for air, face strong. E pain me, but my mama no talk. Her eye just dey look ground, but I fit see small tears for corner.

She face papa. “Son, you get wahala?”

Her voice soft, but the meaning clear. If papa get small pity, na now e go show. I dey watch am, dey pray.

Papa just talk, “Anything.”

Him voice blank, e no care. I see Kemi dey smile, the rest dey wait. For my mind, I dey beg God make something spoil their plan.

Him eye land for bite mark for mama collarbone, e smile like say e proud. I remember that place—na him bite am. Tufiakwa, bad man. E dey beat mama, still dey happy for him work.

Na so I make silent vow, say I go always protect my mama, no matter wetin. Even if all Okafor family join, dem no go fit break her spirit. God no go shame us. I swear, no matter how dem try, my mama go rise.

Everybody dey happy. Only Kemi face dey pale anyhow.

She just force smile, but e no reach bone. I sabi say wahala still dey come. But for my mama, I go stand gidigba, no shaking.