Chapter 7: Fish and Gist No Dey Hide

These days, Tobi no too dey im apartment—na house he dey stay.

I dey reason am for night. Maybe im babe chase am comot, or maybe family talk dey tire am.

I reason say maybe he fight with im babe.

Na so relationship dey be sometimes. Small wahala, everybody dey go own corner.

After all, this kain cheating matter no dey hide.

If dem catch am, na social media go carry am sharp sharp. My head dey heavy. I dey sorry for the real babe.

I dey bite my pen, dey sigh.

I dey write assignment, but my mind dey road. Na only God know wetin go happen next.

I no sabi who be my sister-in-law, but abeg, sorry.

If I see you, I go beg you. This mistake choke me.

No be my fault at all.

Na bad luck waka enter my domot. I dey pray say make better thing still happen for me.

E dey pain me.

Sometimes, my chest dey tight, like say stone dey there.

I look my assignment wey I never finish.

The paper long, deadline near. I dey drag pen, dey think of future.

I don reach final year. Maybe make I just go abroad.

I dey check JAMB website, dey apply for schools wey my friend tell me about. Na wayo life, but I gats move on.

As we dey under same roof, me and Tobi dey see each other steady.

Anytime I hear im voice, my heart dey skip. If I hear im shoe for corridor, I go just hide for my room.

If na me be im babe, I no go fit bear am.

Na only God fit settle this kain matter. For Naija, family secret dey always leak last last.

Even though Tobi never know anything yet.

If he ever find out, I no know how e go be. Na family wahala for WhatsApp group.

I start to dey check schools for abroad, apply for masters.

Every night, I dey pray, dey fast. I dey submit form, dey send document. If japa no work, na village I go run go hide.

My application never even go through, na im another wahala start.

Like say devil dey do shift for my head. I dey think say after one problem, peace go enter. Lie.

Today, kitchen cook steamed fish.

The smell full house. Normally, I go happy. But today, na wah.

Before before, I dey like am.

Mama dey always say I get sense for food. But today, I just dey vex.

But today, the fish smell just dey make me wan vomit.

My mouth dey water, but not for good reason. I dey sweat. My stomach dey turn. Wahala dey.

Tobi carry one piece put for my plate. I no wan fall hand, so I force myself eat am.

E dey look me, dey wait make I chop. I no wan make anybody suspect, so I dey form strong.

But as the fish touch my mouth, na so I begin gag.

My throat just close. I run go toilet. Tears for eye.

Something dey wrong.

My body dey shake. I dey reason say this one pass normal. E be like say wahala wan blow.

I suddenly remember say e don reach one and half month since that night.

I dey count for hand, dey check calendar for phone. My mind dey race.

And since then, my period wey dey always show sharp-sharp never come.

My chest tight. I dey sweat like goat wey dem wan slaughter.

I look up, jam Tobi eye.

Im face strong, but im eye dey soft. E dey try talk, but words no come.

He just dey look me steady.

I dey shake, dey fear wetin he go talk. I dey plan say if e shout, I go run.

"You vomit?"

Im voice low, gentle. E pain me.

I rush talk: "The fish too get smell today."

I dey lie, but my voice dey quiver. I dey hope say e no go notice.

He carry one taste: "I no see anything wrong."

Im eyebrow rise. E dey study me.

I lie: "Na your taste wey don spoil."

I dey try smile, but e no reach my eye.

Tobi drop im spoon, pull tissue, gently clean my mouth.

The care choke me. I dey near tears.

"Na so? My taste spoil?"

Im tone soft, but e get one kain pain. I dey feel am.

"I think say..."

I dey stammer, no fit talk true. My hand dey shake.

He talk am slow, voice low—“Na morning sickness dey worry you, abi? My own blood.” My world just scatter.