Chapter 3: Night No Get Cover for Pain

Night dey come, the sky dey dark, evening light dey fade small small.

Street dey cool, harmattan breeze dey enter house, lanterns for window dey dim. Small children dey play ten-ten for backyard, but my mind dey far.

Temi come back with maid, her small voice dey call me.

Na her usual 'Mama!' voice, loud, innocent. I no fit let her see my eye still red.

"Mama, Temi dey hungry."

She hold her bookbag, stand with one leg cross. The way she dey look up, small nose wrinkle, my heart soft small.

I quick turn, hide my sadness, smile as I rub her cheek.

I bend down, touch her hair, fake smile make am real. 'No let Temi worry.'

"No wahala, Mama go check your coconut chin-chin now now."

I wink, she giggle, jump small. That her laugh dey heal person small, like medicine for tired spirit.

Since I don buy wara, I begin fry tilapia, dey watch the pastries for basket too.

Fire dey hot, oil dey splatter, my mind dey waka up and down. I check chin-chin, check akara, but my heart still dey somewhere else.

Oil splash for my hand, kitchen maid rush come,

She almost pour water for ground as she dey hurry enter. 'Madam, abeg, e too risky!'

"Madam, abeg make I do am. Why you dey stress yourself?"

Her own voice dey high, but na concern dey her eye. She dey always want help me, even though I dey tell her say I like to cook.

I wipe sweat, wave her off.

I no fit let anybody do this one for me. Cooking na my way to clear head, na small joy for inside wahala.

"E no reach like that."

I smile, try lighten the moment. She still dey hover, but I know say she go gree leave me.

Because Ifedike too dey choosy for food, ordinary food no dey satisfy am, sometimes he go just drop spoon waka comot for table.

My sister dey laugh me say, 'You no marry man, you marry food inspector.' Even Mama Ifedike dey beg me, 'Just dey manage, e go mellow.'

Everyday he busy with work, but he go just dey starve?

Sometimes, I see am sit for parlour dey rub him stomach, but pride no go let am talk say hunger dey catch am.

I notice am, so I begin cook myself, dey find recipe, dey try small small.

I even learn how to fry kpof-kpof, use extra crayfish for moi-moi, all to make Ifedike smile small. I dey check internet for new ways to do pepper soup, just to surprise am.

First time I carry food give am, Ifedike shock, chop extra half bowl rice.

Even Mama Ifedike notice, she wink me, say, 'Na food dey carry man go house.' That day, I fit fly.

After that, I just dey do am from time to time.

Now e be like normal thing for house. I just dey use am hold small peace for my chest.