Chapter 5: Borrow Pose, Run Go House
As soon as I hear say Tobi don go, I jump commot from bed.
I no waste time. I tie wrapper for chest, dey look for cloth. I dey sweat, leg dey shake.
My cloth tear. I open wardrobe, plan say I go borrow im babe cloth, but everywhere na only men cloth full.
I dey scatter hangers. Everywhere dey neat, no single earring or lady shoe. I dey confuse, dey look.
Huh?
Which kain love be this? E never reach bring cloth for house?
No single babe cloth?
E sure me say this one serious. Maybe na new babe, or she never dey sleep over.
She get separate wardrobe?
Na so I open another side, still nothing. My eye dey red. No time.
No time to check. I just carry im shirt and jacket wear.
Im shirt smell like men’s perfume and small sweat—e choke me. The shirt big, jacket long reach my knee. If person see me, dem go think say I dey do fashion parade.
Tobi tall pass doorframe, I dey look up like small pikin. I come resemble small pikin wey dey play dress-up, as I wrap myself for im cloth.
My reflection for mirror just dey funny. I shake my head, no time for laugh.
I roll up sleeve and trouser, carry my dress wey don spoil, run go outside.
I dey tiptoe, dey peep like thief. As I waka for compound, security just greet me. I force smile, waka pass. No time for story.
As I waka commot for the estate, I breathe out.
Sun dey shine, breeze dey blow. I just feel small relief. Freedom sweet die.
Finally, I free.
Even if Tobi find out say no be im babe last night, e no go ever think say na me.
Na this kain hope dey keep person alive. I dey pray say make story no leak.
I go dey safe.
My plan na to act like nothing happen. Na only God go judge this matter.
Maybe our sibling matter still fit repair.
I dey hope say time go heal the wound. Na Naija, family matter dey always twist.