Chapter 5: Sisterly Support and Decision Time

When I wake, days don pass. My sister Morayo, wey I save before, dey wipe my face with hot towel, eye don red finish from cry.

Her voice dey low, but love dey show for every action. She mix local herbs inside warm water, dey press my head. Her wrapper tie anyhow, hair dey rough, but her heart dey pure.

She dey curse Musa Garuba as she dey clean me.

Her mouth dey sharp. "That Musa! E no get sense. Na so dem dey treat person wey help dem? I for throw stone reach palace!"

I quickly cover her mouth.

I use one hand drag her close, whisper, "Shhh, you wan make palace guard come arrest us? Musa don be big man now."

“Musa Garuba no be who he be before—he don be Crown Prince. If you vex am, even earthworm for our backyard fit collect.”

I talk am half-joke, half-serious. Even cockroach no safe if Musa vex.

Morayo eye redder, tears just drop for my hand.

She sniff, wipe eye, voice dey break. My heart cut as I see her pain. My small sister, always dey fight my battle.

“Ayo, Musa—the Crown Prince don beg King make him marry Fatima Bello as Crown Princess.”

Her voice dey heavy. I hear am, but my heart no wan believe.

“How you go do?”

She look me, her mouth dey shake. My own eye open, because news shock me.

I shock, no expect say Musa Garuba go move so fast.

I nearly fall for bed. "So Musa no even reason me, just run go meet king?"

Morayo still dey cry, hold my shoulder, voice shake: “He even send guard surround our house, say he dey fear you go cause wahala.”

I for laugh, but the thing pain me. So Musa dey fear say I go scatter him marriage? E pain me reach bone.

“He no promise to marry you before? Now he don be Crown Prince, he forget promise. Which kind person be that!”

She dey shout. My own eye don wet. My heart dey heavy, mouth dry.

I wince, tears wan fall join.

I no want cry, but pain choke me. For my mind, I dey think say all my effort don waste.

Morayo vex pass, “Ayo, you dey sad, abi? I go find way carry you go see am, make you face am!”

She dey talk like person wey wan carry cutlass go palace. If to say she big, she for break gate down.

I shout, pain catch me.

I scream, "Ha! Ori e o! Ayo, how you go let that Musa treat you like this? Small small, na wound be this!"

“No… you dey press my wound. E dey pain.”

She release me quick, face full of guilt. She rush bring medicine bowl.

She loose hand quick, carry medicine bowl give me.

Her hand dey shake, she dey blow the hot tea, dey beg me make I drink am. I fit see how she worry for me.

“Who be this Fatima Bello sef? When you dey unconscious, everywhere for capital dey talk say she and Crown Prince na perfect match! But na you dey with am for seven years.”

She dey list Fatima achievement like newspaper. My own seven years na just ghost story for these people.

“For mama put, na Fatima Bello deliver gold for dry season, save His Highness from knife, fight noble family alone, even disguise as man follow His Highness.”

She dey act drama, even roll eye as she talk. I just dey shake head. Na so tale dey spread for this town.

“His Highness talk say her name don spoil, so he go palace that day beg for her hand.”

She look me with pity. My heart dey pinch me. E pain pass malaria.

“I believe na Fatima Bello dey spread these stories! She hear about you and His Highness, na why she dey yarn all these things.”

Morayo dey vex, but me, I know palace politics pass her.

Afraid say she go choke me, I quick sit up, correct am.

I no wan let anger carry her go wrong side. I sit up, even though pain dey catch me.

“Wrong. No be Fatima Bello—na Musa Garuba.”

I break am down for her, explain say na Musa dey spread the story for his own gain.

“If he no gree, all these news for no spread so fast.”

I watch Morayo face, see how shock dey spread. My small sister dey pity me, but I dey try hold my chest high.

Morayo eye full of pity and vex. “How His Highness fit do like this?”

She dey reason say Musa suppose get better heart. I just shake my head.

I snort. “Na love catch am.”

I try laugh am off, but pain still dey inside. Love na real thief for this town.

“Every man get one babe for him heart wey he no fit forget.”

I talk am like proverb, because na truth for this life. No matter how strong man be, if one babe hold am, na she dey rule am.

“Morayo, remember: man promise no dey sure. Anything wey dem owe you, dem go use another thing try settle am.”

I talk am soft, like mama used to say. For this life, na only your own be real. Man fit change mind, but you go still dey here.

As she nod, I happy.

At least, my talk enter her ear. She wipe her face, squeeze my hand small.

“Tell those people outside say I don wake. I wan see Musa Garuba.”

I talk am with small pride. This time, na me go face my own matter, no send anybody.

Morayo eye shine. “I dey go now, Ayo! You must win His Highness back!”

She run go outside, hope dey her face. I just lie down, dey think of next step.

Me: “….”

For my mind, I dey wonder whether I go still get my own happy ending for this story.