Chapter 8: Chisom’s Cough

My back jam wall, I groan. Chisom hear am, run out barefoot, stand for my front, dey eye Musa, no let am touch me.

Musa look down at am, hiss, talk, “You and your mama dey disturb person.”

I see Chisom eye red. That talk break im heart.

Under im pillow, e dey hide Musa picture. E always know say na im papa.

All those nights wey sickness dey worry am, as e sleep for my hand, e dey dream say Papa go come house.

E dey talk say e miss Papa, just like Papa miss am, dey cry for night.

E talk say e no go go again, no go let Mama suffer again.

But later, as e wake from dream, finally meet Papa.

But hear am say, “You and your mama dey disturb person.”

Musa just look Chisom, then look away.

E bone face, frown, throw me ATM card, talk, “Use am treat your pikin—one million, ten million, spend anyhow.”

“No dey drink with men again, and no forget to thank my wife.”

After that, e hug Halima, comot.

Chisom look as e dey go, call soft, “Papa...”

Then turn back, hold tears, talk slow to me, “Mama, Chisom no want Papa again.”

Im face serious, as if e wan talk plenty, then cough begin, blood dey come out, stain floor, my body, and Musa photo for im hand... Blood stain the floor, red for my eye, like palm oil spill for market.

I hold am as e weak for my hand, hear am dey talk soft, “Mama no dirty, Mama clean well, na Chisom spoil Mama cloth.”

“Mama, throway Chisom, no want me again, no make yourself suffer...”

I dey hear as im voice dey fade, watch as e close eye, I scream im name, dey mad.

I never even tell am—say for this world, which mama go throway im own pikin?

Na me carry am for ten months.

Nurses begin run, carry am from my hand, rush am go emergency. I force myself calm, follow dem.

I close my eyes, whisper, "God abeg, no let my pikin go. I no get anybody except you."

As I look up, I see Musa dey run come end of corridor, tears full im face, im body dey shake as e ask me, “Ifeoma, na me dem just call Papa?”

For that corridor, as Musa dey look me, the whole world dey silent. Nurses dey run, but na my pain dey loudest. I hold my heart, beg God, make e no collect my only joy for this life.

As I hear my pikin last cough, my leg weak, but I swear for God, this pain no go kill me—no today.