Chapter 8: Together, No Fear

These two years with Mr. Garba, my patience don reduce. I hiss from pain, tears almost drop.

For old days, I for just beg, but now, I fit hiss. Na sign say small small, my spirit dey heal.

"Musa Junior!" Chief Musa stand, eye sharp. Musa Junior shock, dey look the blood for my hand.

For the first time, I see fear for im eye. E hand shake, but e no talk.

Chief Musa help me stand, bend like e wan carry me treat the wound.

E voice still hard, but I see worry for im face.

I quick pull body, use my handkerchief press my palm. "No need, Chief. Na small wound. I go treat am for house."

I no wan owe dem anything. I hold my ground, even as blood dey drop.

Everywhere freeze. After long silence, Chief Musa leave me, face no show anything.

E turn face, hands behind back, just dey watch curtain. I pack my wrapper, steady myself.

E too proud to beg me stay.

I see say pride dey everywhere, rich and poor.

By morning, as I want, I waka comot from Chief’s house. The car dey speed, some broken porcelain small so tey as I dey pick am, cold dey catch me.

Morning breeze dey slap my face, but I happy say I free.

For house, I happy say Chinonso don go school early, e no go see my wound vex.

I quick wash wound, hide bandage under sleeve, no wan let pikin worry.

But as I turn, I see Mr. Garba lean for door, im tall body dey shine for morning light, still wear soldier cloth, dust full body.

E look tired, but e smile as e see me. I rush go meet am, my mind rest small.

E no talk, just carry me enter house. My wounded hand rest for im shoulder, pain dey catch me. My eye red, I hide my face for im chest.

I smell sweat and soap for im neck, my spirit calm.

Morning fog dey clear outside.

Sun dey rise small small. For our small parlour, peace dey.

As Mr. Garba half-kneel bandage my hand again, I no wan cry, so I change topic: "Why you come back early? Rotation don finish?"

I try smile, make am no worry too much about my pain.

Mr. Garba quiet small, then talk say soldiers from East Camp fit soon transfer go Sunning Pass.

E voice low, but I hear the worry inside. Sunning Pass far, no be place wey people dey rush go.

Sunning?

My mouth open small. I remember say dem dey talk am for radio—sandstorm, cold, water no too flow.

East Camp na main guard for capital, important for city security. Why dem wan move am go northwest?

I dey reason say maybe na politics. Everybody dey protect im own power.

Mr. Garba no dey talk too much. Since na government matter, e no fit explain, just say e fit get to do with Chief Musa.

I see the fear for im eye, even if e hide am. I squeeze im hand.

But as I reason am, I fit guess.

All the politicians dey play game. Soldier go here, chief go there. Na so life be for our country.

The governor start rule when e still young, e dey depend on Chief Musa, but e dey try get im own power. Now wey governor don strong, with Prince Musa for north dey support am, e wan reduce Chief Musa power, so e dey move soldiers.

Politics for Naija dey complicated. Everybody dey do calculation.

Mr. Garba no worry. By law, soldiers fit carry family go northwest. But life hard for there, sand everywhere; e dey fear for me and Chinonso.

I know say e dey think about school for Chinonso, cold for me. But e dey hide the fear under smile.

If we stay for capital…

Danger still dey, but at least we sabi the place. If we move, everything go change.

Mr. Garba look my wound, im face tight.

I squeeze im hand, let am know say we dey together.

I sabi wetin dey worry am, I tell am, "Family suppose dey together."

E look my face, see the truth for my eye. No matter the wahala, as long as we dey together, we go survive.

No matter how hard life be for northwest, as long as e dey with me, I no fear.

I smile, touch im face. "Na together we go dey, for better, for worse."

Mr. Garba look me well, then wipe my face gently, say, "You dey try, my woman. I dey your back, no fear."

E hug me tight, im chest dey shake with small sob.

The man strong for outside, but for inside, e soft for me.

"Sorry."

E voice crack. I rub im back, let am rest.

E never fit give me the peaceful life e promise when e marry me.

But na peace wey we dey build together, small small.

I shake head. If no be am, I for don die that cold night two years ago. E give me shelter, give me home, I no fear throwaway again. That one reach.

I no fit forget the night e carry me from street, e no ask question, just give me food.

That evening, as Chinonso hear say we go move go northwest, e happy well. Even though date never set, e dey pack book, dey talk which one e go carry.

E dey plan which friend to write letter, which sweet to buy for journey. E spirit high.

As e dey tell im friends outside goodbye, e happy say, "Papa, Mama and me dey go. I no go fit help una copy book again."

The other children dey beg am, "Bring biscuit come back o!" Chinonso laugh, say e go try.

I smile, come outside call am for food.

I see am run inside, dust dey fly for leg. E face shine, e teeth white.

Suddenly, person hold my cloth from back. I shock, turn.

My body cold. I spin, see hand for my wrapper. My heart miss beat.

For early spring evening, Musa Junior sneak comot from house, only wear one cloth, grass still dey im hair. As e hear Chinonso talk, im face pale, sick eye red, tears dey shine inside.

The sight shock me. For that moment, e look like lost pikin wey no get where to go.

E voice low, almost like whisper: "Where una dey go? If una leave me, who go remain for me?"