Chapter 8: Broken Glass

I just hold my pain. For back, Sewa give me order: "Come clean here."

Na so I waka go, dey do as she talk. For my mind, e dey pain me, but I no fit shout.

I waka go—na the main guy knack plate for ground by mistake.

My heart cut. See as plate break for ground, I know say wahala don land.

"I go bring broom."

I dey try act like good boy. For Naija, na small thing dey cause big quarrel.

The main guy talk with vex, "Broom no dey clean well. Kneel down, use your hand pick am."

E shock me! Wetin be this? Even for film, dem no dey talk like this. I just dey look am with eye wey dey fire.

That time, system jump out, dey happy: [Kneel down quick, squeeze small tears, look the madam with pity—if you behave like lost puppy, e dey work pass anything.]

Omo, system dey find pity points. I no dey do!

Sewa lean back small, dey look me with one kind eye.

E be like she dey expect me to behave like mumu. But today, I no get time.

If na before, I for just do as dem talk. Sewa for frown, say I dey do like fake person.

I remember all the insult, all the suffer wey I don see. This time, my body no gree.

But this time, I just point the floor.

I use my hand gesture, voice calm, no fear. The thing shock everybody.

"My hand sef no clean. Madam Sewa cook for you, you dey waste am. Why you no lick am yourself?"

See tension! E be like say thunder strike for parlour. Na so everywhere quiet.

One kain surprise show for Sewa eye, the main guy stand, dey hold himself from vexing: "You sabi who I be?"

His voice loud, but I no fear. If na fight, na street we dey.

"Shola, apologize," Sewa talk with cold face.

She dey do like principal wey catch student for assembly. But my body dey boil.

"Why I go do am?"

No shaking. Today na today.

As I ask, Sewa eyebrow squeeze: "Since you don collect Sewa family money, you suppose know your place, no be so?"

Her voice cold like ice block for freezer. But I no gree.

The main guy sip palm wine, nod: "Sewa, make my people handle this. I no fit watch as he dey look you like that."

The tension dey choke. I dey ready for anything.

My body dey hot: "Sewa na my legal—"

I talk am with all my mind. No fear, na my right I dey defend.

Sewa just break her wine glass for ground—gbam!

The sound loud like knock for night. Everybody freeze. Even me, I no fit talk.

Her hand dey shake, wine stain her Ankara skirt, but she no even look.

"Get out, make you get out!"

Her voice sharp, no space for talk back. I just dey look her.

I no look back, I just waka commot compound. This time, Sewa really vex.