Chapter 13: Last Night in the Compound

That night, as darkness land, Jude Dangana close the compound gate.

He use big key lock am, shake am two times. E no wan make thief or animal waka enter.

Maize don harvest, yam don plant.

Ground dey smell fresh—rain just wash everywhere, and moon dey shine small.

Tomorrow, he go return construction site.

E dey reason how journey go be—bus dey always full, sometimes driver dey fight with conductor.

The day hot.

Jude Dangana just dey restless.

Na so e be for man wey dey travel—body dey hot, mind dey run round and round.

He baff early, then sit for bed, dey look him wife, Morayo, as she dey waka up and down—she dey wash pot and plate for outside, clean Bobo face and leg, put am for bed…

Morayo dey do everything like woman wey sabi—no dey shout, no dey complain.

Jude Dangana dey wait, dey impatient.

Na only pikin dey delay everything. But as sleep finally catch Bobo, everywhere cool.

At last, everything finish, Bobo dey sleep well. Jude Dangana rush carry am go next room.

He tiptoe, make sure pikin no wake again. House quiet, only cricket dey sing outside.

That last night with him wife, he wan make am sweet, make am last for memory.

If you see as two of them dey smile, you go know say love dey real.

After all, e no go come back till Christmas.

Everywhere soft, breeze dey enter window, kerosene lamp dey burn small for corner.

When everywhere set, Morayo, fresh and dey smile, push beaded curtain enter room.

Her wrapper tight for waist, gold earring dey shine for ear. She just dey glow.

The smell of her shea butter just fill everywhere, Jude Dangana no fit hold body, he jump for bed, pull Morayo join am. She pretend to struggle, dey laugh, “You no dey wait! I never even rub my lipstick.”

Her laughter just sweet, e dey ring for room like church bell.