Chapter 5: Family Bond

Mr. Garba dey camp for outside city for half month now, so na only me and Chinonso dey house.

Night dey long for city when soldier no dey house. Every sound dey sound big. Chinonso dey try act brave, but I dey watch am.

The lamp dey burn long, our shadow—one big, one small—dey show for wall.

Na old oil lamp, wick almost finish, but still dey shine. The shadows dey dance for wall like masquerade.

Chinonso just quiet. After e rub medicine for my wound, e go sit near window, hold im knees, wind dey blow the window paper.

Na harmattan breeze, e cold reach bone. The window dey rattle, I thank God say landlord patch the roof last month.

"You go catch cold." I waka go close window.

I reach, gently close am, use cloth block the crack. Chinonso eye still dey lost for outside.

Chinonso look up, e black and white eye full tears. E choke talk: "Dem go carry you go?"

The fear for im voice stab me. Small pikin, but the world already dey weigh am.

I tell am no. Chinonso no too believe me. I smile tell am say I no be gold, nobody go carry me.

I rub im back, try lighten the mood. "No be everybody dem dey pursue for this town. I dey here, e go better."

Chinonso shake head. "You too good. You dey cook medicine for me, teach me book. Na when papa carry you come house, I know wetin e mean to get mama love. You dey think say I be small pikin wey no sabi anything.

The words dey touch my heart. I rub im shoulder, wish I fit hug all im pain away.

But I fit see who good, who bad. Those people today, even though dem wear fine cloth, ride big car, dem heart rotten. Mama, abeg no go with them. You pure, you good; no let them spoil you."

The truth from small mouth dey heavy pass sermon. I hold Chinonso face, smile small, eyes wet.

Everybody before dey talk say I low, say my entering Chief’s house stain their name. Even my own pikin believe am.

Sometimes, I dey think say maybe na true. But every time Chinonso smile for me, e clear all that doubt.

Na only Mr. Garba and Chinonso different.

These two, na only them stand by me. No matter the talk for street, their mind no dey shake.

Mr. Garba carry me come house, no send people eye, marry me for open.

He show the whole area say he no dey fear anybody. Some neighbours whisper, but e no care.

"Who good or bad no be by where dem born am or wetin people talk, na the person heart."

That night, e see me for cold, weak, dey hold half bread wey good Samaritan give me, I no chop am—na to share with one small beggar wey dey my side.

E say, "That moment, I see say you pure—pass snow."

The way e talk am, e face soft. That memory dey warm me anytime wahala wan choke me.

As for Chinonso, as I hear those clean words from small pikin, e touch me.

E no easy for pikin to talk true like that. Chinonso heart dey open like calabash—no stain.

Teacher for school dey always talk say Chinonso get sense, say e go do well for future. But with me, e dey always quiet.

I remember say teacher even call me once, say, "Madam, dis boy get sense, e head no dey touch ground. Hold am well."

Maybe because e lose mama early, and papa no dey talk, e dey keep things for mind.

I sabi that kind silence—na pain wey no get name. I dey pray make e heal one day.

But today, as wahala show, e just come out from im shell. E still be pikin, but e heart clear pass many adults.

I dey proud as I see am talk truth, even with tears for face.

I feel better, I rub im soft hair. "Our Noso go get bright future."

I pray for am inside mind—make God guide am, open way for am.

Chinonso open eye, serious. E promise, "I go try make mama proud."

Na small voice, but e strong. I nod, squeeze im hand.

I smile.

I show teeth, try shine face so e go relax. "I dey always dey proud of you already."

"Before that, just grow well."

E laugh small, the sadness still dey for im eye, but I see say e dey try.

Chinonso smile inside tears, raise hand. "Make we promise—Mama go always dey with me and Papa."

I cross my finger with am. "I swear for my mama head."

The shadow for wall just dey move, two hands come join softly.

Our bond strong pass blood. No matter the world, na we dey for ourselves.

So, e be say, people wey no relate by blood fit still build strong bond.

I think say God dey see us, as family. E no go let any bad thing happen.