Chapter 5: DNA and Strawberry Perfume

Next morning, after we chop, Mr. Folarin wan carry me go chief’s court.

E dress sharp, tie small native, e face hard. I dey look e shoe, dey wonder if e fit run if I cry.

I hold him leg, cry, “Daddy, abeg, I no wan go! I no fit leave you!”

My tears dey flow like tap wey dem break. I hold e trouser, dey beg, my whole body dey shake.

That fine aunty from opposite come out.

Aunty Ronke, e tie wrapper with one hand, the other hand dey hold phone. Her face full of surprise as she rush come.

As she see us, she rush come, hug me. “My pikin, wetyn happen? Wetyn dey do you?”

Her perfume na strawberry. She dey chew gum, mouth dey sharp, ready to fire gist. She rub my back, her hand cold but soft. I dey feel small safe.

I cry sotay my voice dey break. “Da-daddy wan carry...me go chief’s court...”

I choke on my words. I nearly lose breath as I dey try explain.

The aunty vex. “Mr. Folarin, you no suppose dey threaten pikin like this o. She go get trauma!”

She look am with the kind eye wey teacher dey use when pikin fail exam. E no fit argue.

“Daddy, daddy...”

I dey hold e hand tight, dey beg, my nose dey run.

As I dey sob, aunty hug me tight, dey pat my back. “No cry, my dear. Aunty dey here. I no go let your papa carry you go chief’s court.”

Her voice soft, she dey whisper for my ear. I dey calm small.

Mr. Folarin: “...”

E open mouth, wan talk, but words no gree come out. E just dey look ground.

E wan talk explain.

E clear throat, but aunty no let am. She hug me tighter.

“Mr. Folarin, your pikin resemble you die.” The aunty pinch my cheek, smile. “Her eye and nose na copy and paste. No wonder she fine—she gather all the fine gene from papa and mama!”

She dey smile, teeth white. E make my heart dey sweet me small.

Mr. Folarin frown.

E face turn, like say e dey fight inside him mind. E no fit argue, because the truth dey show.

E look me, him eye just blank for small time.

For that small moment, I feel say maybe e don gree say I be him own.

E no try send me away again.

The tension for him body calm down. E just look me, then carry me inside gently.

As I dey pass study wey dem never close finish, I hear am dey call him friend.

I slow down, ear dey sharp, dey try catch the whole talk.

“Gbenga, abeg help me do DNA test.”

E voice low, but serious. Na like man wey don reach end of road.

“Ehn? When you get pikin? Who born am?”

Gbenga voice loud for phone. Na the kind friend wey sabi do everything.

“Adaeze Okafor.”

The name land like bomb for phone. Silence dey follow am.

“Na she?” The person sigh. “Why you still dey entangle with her? That time she dump you, use you, now pikin just appear?”

Gbenga voice carry small pity, but e still dey ask question. Friendship for Nigeria na so e be—you go still advice, even when wahala don pass.

“Hair with root go work?”

Mr. Folarin voice dey tremble, but e dey try hide am. E dey hope say result go show truth.

“E go work, but Old Fola, abeg no too hope. Adaeze Okafor don marry..."

Gbenga reply, "Just bring am, I go run am for lab—no wahala."

Gbenga voice drop for end. For Nigeria, everybody dey fear paternity wahala. Na so the story go dey, but as I dey peep for corridor, I dey pray say the test go clear my name forever.