Chapter 8: Paper Stars and Mango Trees

Tobi don go.

First time, I leave am without words.

Before e go, e scatter Musa property for table.

Musa vex instantly.

"See am? He never even do anything, e don dey break things. Wetin go happen for future?"

"Ifeoma, this guy get wahala. No marry am o."

He dey nag, just dey try change topic.

Nothing much dey inside the package.

Some photos, one glass jar full of folded paper stars.

Nothing wey get big value.

But as I see the jar break, the red stars roll everywhere—

Musa face just break.

I sabi those stars. For SS1, na me teach am fold am, as he beg me.

He say he wan fold 520 stars give the girl wey he like before WAEC—as love confession.

I no gree.

I laugh am, say na old school, say he dey do like Baba Kudi dey use needle for embroidery.

"Who dey use that one confess love again?"

He blush, tell me make I face my own, say na pure love he like.

So many years pass.

I no know who he give that jar of stars.

I no know who send me these things.

Though, for bathroom just now, I nearly ask—

But as I see Musa dey pick the stars one by one, like say e wan come back alive—

I remember how we dey fold am under mango tree, breeze dey blow chalk dust everywhere. My curiosity just die.

"Leave am, I go do am."

I find box, pack the stars inside, no answer his nagging like old woman.

I waka go my room.

But as I close door, I see am pass wall follow me.

"Wetin you dey find?"

He pause, talk like say e normal. "Rain dey fall outside. I remember say you dey fear thunder."

My chest lock like padlock wey key loss.

I stare his face.

Until he scratch head, look away.

But na dry season for Palm Grove now. Thunder no dey.

"And you na ghost. I dey fear you pass thunder."

Musa…

The way Musa dey try remember old gist, my chest just dey warm. For Naija, e no easy to find person wey remember your weakness and still dey guard you, even as spirit. I catch myself dey smile small, wonder if Musa dey try use laugh cover the pain wey still dey his eye.