Chapter 6: Tailor Aunty and Small Mercies

For road, I see one boutique, change to better cloth, then go house.

The tailor aunty wey sell the cloth even dey look me one kain. She look me, click tongue, say, “My dear, you fine o, but wahala dey hide for fine face.” I just laugh, dodge question.

As I reach my own room, I roll for my soft bed.

My body sink inside foam. The bedsheet dey smell fresh, I dey hug my pillow. Tears wan commot, but I hold am.

I no sleep at all last night, then morning na... that kind thing.

The wahala too much. My mind dey run marathon. I just dey beg God make dem no ask too much question.

My mind finally calm small.

E be like say cold water just wash my spirit. I just dey thank God for small mercies. God, abeg, no let this shame follow me reach next week.

I tell housekeeper make dem no disturb me, I sleep reach afternoon.

Housekeeper look me, nod. She sabi say when madam no dey house, I dey like sleep. She no even disturb me at all.

Lucky say Mama and Papa travel, so nobody dey disturb me for food.

Peace sweet pass money. Nobody dey shout, nobody dey knock.

I rub my eye, go downstairs, plan say make I tell maid to cook something. As I reach stairs, I see Tobi dey wait for down.

The shock nearly carry me go. I freeze. My heart beat double. Wetin he dey find?

He look up, im eye scan me: "You don wake?"

Him tone no sweet, but e no harsh. I dey try read im face, no clue.

I remember as he talk, "Baby, you don wake?" this morning, followed by two hours of... action.

Shame wan finish me. My brain dey race. I dey pray say make e no remember anything.

I just step back: "Brother?"

Voice small, like person wey swallow hot eba.

Im eye just dark, I no fit read am.

Na so eye dey be when pesin get plenty for mind. E dey reason something big.

I force smile: "Why you come house today?"

I dey try form normal, but my voice shake.

He knock im knuckle for stair rail: "Wetin you think?"

Which kind question be this? My body dey sweat.

How I go know?

I dey look away, dey plan my next move.

I change topic: "You don chop? I dey hungry. If you never chop, make we tell kitchen add extra."

My voice dey crack, but I gats maintain.

He ask: "Na now you dey chop?"

I bone face, lie: "Yes, as I reach house yesterday, I remember say assignment dey. I stay up finish am, sleep all day."

My hand dey my pocket, dey pinch my skin. The lie sweet for mouth, but pain for chest.

He just smile small: "You do homework for house last night?"

Im smile no reach eye. My spirit dey shake.

I nod: "Yes now."

He just raise eyebrow, but no talk further.

"Okay." Tobi talk like say e no too care. "Make we chop. My dear sister wey read all night, suppose chop well."

I sigh. Maybe e no notice anything. My mind calm small, but e still dey shake.