Chapter 6: Secret Calls and Psalm 91

Next morning, na ringtone wake me.

I dey dream say I dey win lottery, na ringtone cut am. My body no gree wake. Na so I dey drag pillow.

I no even know who dey call.

Phone dey ring, but my mind still dey sleep. E fit be those annoying marketers.

Half sleep, I try reach phone, no fit.

My hand dey heavy. I dey try touch phone, e dey far.

"Baby, sleep jare."

E dey always pamper me for morning. E go pat my back, make sleep sweet me.

Person pat my back gently.

E dey use gentle touch. For morning, e dey act like nurse.

Sleep dey my body, I turn for him hand, sleep like log.

I dey enjoy am. For my mind, I fit sleep till 10am, no problem.

When I finally wake, I open eye, see one black eye dey look me.

If you see Tobi eye, e dey sharp. Today, e sharp pass usual.

Tobi dey look me, eye different today.

E dey look me like say e dey search for answer for my soul. I dey shiver.

Normally, when he wake, na two things—either him eye dey full love or e dey hot.

Na true. Sometimes, e go smile like say na only me dey world. Other days, e go dey serious.

But today...

Today different. I feel am for air. Even AC cold no reach this one.

Cold catch me for body.

I hug blanket tight. I dey fear, no even know why.

"Tobi?" I drag him sleeve, fear dey me.

I dey try reason am. Wetin I do? Wetin I forget?

Wetin dey do am?

E dey look me. No smile, no frown, just dey search.

Tobi hold my phone.

Na there I know say wahala don land. Phone na evidence. E hold am like say e dey wait make I talk truth.

E don answer my morning call.

E sharp. E go pick call if e suspect. I dey reason who fit call early morning.

Na because of the call?

I dey try connect dot. My head dey calculate.

I dey reason—who fit call me?

For this Lagos, early call na rare thing. Who dey disturb?

Apart from telemarketer, papa, and house girl, nobody.

Na true. Na only those ones fit reach me. But none suppose shake Tobi.

None of them fit vex Tobi.

So wetin?

E mean say something pass normal. My mind dey fly.

He dey play with my hair, voice rough: "Baby, you dey hide something from me?"

Voice don change. No be play again. I dey shake.

I shake head sharp sharp. "Which one?"

I dey pray make this matter pass, but e dey catch fire.

He lean near, gently raise my chin.

E dey use soft hand, but eye dey serious. "No hide from me," e dey talk without words.

"So tell me—wetin be this check-up and abortion appointment wey I see for your calendar?"

Na there everywhere quiet. Na only heart dey beat. I dey search for words. In this Naija, secret no dey hide for long. Time to talk true.

Every morning, mama go pray loud, dey cover house with Psalm 91.

My hand dey cold, voice dey shake, but I gats talk.