Chapter 1: Grief, Hunger, and a Lie

People for town talk say Okoye compound quiet pass graveyard that evening. Even breeze no wan blow.

Women from all the compounds gather, wrapper tie well, some dey wipe their face, some just dey whisper. For Makurdi, when one big man's child die, e be like rain wey fall for everybody head.

Me, with my belle full and holding his keepsake, fell down in tears at the gate of the Okoye compound.

My eyes red, nose dey run, hand dey shake as I hold that ivory thumb ring. My feet don waka far, dust full my body, but hunger no let me rest. For that moment, even the mango tree by the compound gate bend small, like e dey pity me. My tears just dey flow without shame.

Honestly, all I wanted was to chop some free food, then disappear. Na only better food I dey find, then vanish like NEPA light.

Na so my mind dey work sharp-sharp: enter, collect, disappear like breeze wey blow finish after early morning.

Who would have thought wahala go jam me quick?

If dem talk say person wey dey look for small wahala fit jam bigger one, I for no believe. But that day, wahala land me quick like harmattan dust.

Next time I open my eyes—

I smell that special soap wey rich people dey use, see white ceiling, and two faces dey hover over me. I blink, my eye dey heavy. The two elders of the Okoye family were each carrying a small baby, smiling till their teeth dey show.

Dem just dey glow like Christmas bulb. Madam Okoye even carry her own with style, dey bounce small. "See as the nose resemble, even the eyes sef na the same."

Me: "Erm... make I stay one more year, abeg?"

I dey reason say, as e dey go, free food fit dey for one more year. Na so I shift for inside wrapper, dey calculate my next move.

Second year.

The two small children dey behave like say dem copy their papa from head to toe. Small pikin wey never sabi talk, but dey raise eyebrow like Ebuka, dey squeeze mouth like him, even the way dem dey sleep—na the same leg cross. Madam Okoye go call me come look, she go laugh: "Morayo, see am na!"

Me: "Hehe, I go stay one more year again."

As I dey count calendar, I dey chop, I dey help for house, my belle dey full. Who go leave that kind enjoyment?

Third year.

Ah ah? Dem dey talk say Okoye family son don come back from death?

Neighbour dem dey knock gate, dem go come look the twins, point finger, nod head, talk for low voice. Some dey carry small gift, dey pray for the family. Okoye house full like market.

Na so I rush grab the two children begin run.

I no even know when my heart begin dey beat like talking drum. My mind tell me say if dem find out truth, my own go finish. I gather the twins, tie dem well, carry slippers for hand, begin waka run like say dog dey pursue me.

One pair of eyes, cold like black stone, just dey look us three.

If to say na for Nollywood, I for hear small thunder for background. The way the person stand for road, e resemble ancestral spirit. Chai! See gobe.

"So na true say I get both son and daughter now?"

Voice strong, deep, like river for rainy season. My heart miss two beats. Even the children quiet.