Chapter 5: Family Shadows

That night, dem tie Eldest Sister hand and leg, carry am inside wrapper go village.

Dem no allow anybody follow. I watch as dem use Ankara cloth bundle her, her voice low, but she no beg. For our people, to carry person go village by force na big punishment. Everybody for house just dey shake, even the housemaid dey cry.

Mama call four of us come her side, dey trim hibiscus bonsai with golden scissors. "You know why daughters from big family must sabi drum, draft, write and paint? No be just to form fine girl. Na so you go learn say all this fine things for world fit hide the hardest choices."

Her voice calm, but if you look well, her eye red. As she trim the bonsai, leaf dey fall, she arrange am again. I see say even for pain, she dey show us how to keep face. No Okoye woman dey break for public.

She look up, eye waka pass all of us. "Chairman daughter fit talk love, but only under big umbrella, only if the man family fit match us. You hear?"

The way she look us, e be like say her eye dey search inside our mind. She dey warn us—love dey good, but Okoye daughter must use sense. We kneel, even small Temi dey sniffle.

We kneel, answer her.

"Yes, mama," we chorused, our voice low. Na that time I understand say for Okoye family, obedience na like air—you must breathe am.

Just one month after, Eldest Sister send letter come house. Tears stain everywhere, regret full the letter. Mama read finish, throw am inside charcoal stove, fire turn am to black butterfly.

The day she read the letter, silence full kitchen. After she burn am, small breeze carry black ash pass my leg. Mama no cry, but her hand dey shake as she drop the scissors. Even the fire for stove make sound like sob.

Second Sister, as usual, hand mama handkerchief. Mama collect am, ask like joke, "After Christmas, time reach to find husband for you. You get anybody for mind?"

Halima dey always get sense for when to show kindness. As she hand over the handkerchief, she still smile, but e get one shadow for her face. For our culture, mama question like that fit mean test. Everybody listen for answer.

Second Sister enter mama arm, dey act like small pikin. "Me I no know anything, Mama, but Bible talk say make woman dey gentle—na una go choose for me."

Na play she dey play, but na coded answer. She no gree show her real mind, but she dey act as if she be obedient pikin. Even mama smile, her face soft. For inside her answer, I see sense wey pass her age.

She no shine reach Eldest Sister, but her sharp face and correct behaviour dey always make sense. Mama eye flash approval; she hold Second Sister close, talk soft, "Three days from now, you go follow me go Prince of Umuola flower party."

As mama talk am, Second Sister body relax. Everybody know say invitation for that kind party na step to bigger thing. Mama use the moment give silent blessing—na signal say Halima dey ready enter society properly.

I understand. For big family, every talk, every action get meaning. Even mama love dey always get calculation join am.

Sometimes, when I dey look mama, I dey wonder if na only Okoye house dey like this. But for all the families wey I know, love dey always mix with small politics. Everybody dey count move like draft player.