Chapter 2: The Price of Sisterhood

As I finish talk, my papa face strong. “You just leave am like that, no be the same you wey dey always make noise. Since small, anywhere Olawale go, you go follow. Now you just dey talk say you go let am go?”

My chest just dey pain me small small, like needle dey pinch me. Na so I rub my hand for chest, try hide am.

Olawale Adegoke na my so-called elder brother, and the childhood husband my parents arrange for me. No be real blood brother, na just arrangement wey dem do make e protect me as pikin.

After Halima lost, na the second year dem bring am come meet five-year-old me.

My parents talk say make e dey with me as I dey grow, make e dey protect me. Dem say, "Na for your own good, Morayo, na so tradition be." Even my grandma pray for us that year, pour palm oil for ground say we go fit love each other.

And true true, e do am.

From small till now, e dey let me get my way, always dey gentle. If I want go play for rain, na Olawale go cover me with umbrella. If I dey cry, na him go buy me goody-goody or kuli-kuli anytime I dey cry. Sometimes e go help me carry my bag for school, even when boys dey laugh am.

When I reach that age wey person dey crush, na him I fall for.

The guy fine, character set, nothing wey person fit talk against am. Him beard dey always neat, voice deep, e sabi solve maths for me anytime. All my friends dey trip for am, but I dey proud say na my own.

E dey tolerate all my small small wahala.

E dey always support me, no matter the matter. Even when I break my mama favourite plate, e go cover up say na im break am.

Even after Halima come back, dey set me up, when I decide move go stay with grandma, na so e follow me without complain. Sometimes e go cook for me, bring pepper soup when I dey sick. Na so all my aunties dey say, "This boy get patience like Job for Bible."

That year I be eighteen, e dey third year for university.

Everything dey normal, but e still reject me, say I still small, make I grow small. E go talk say, "Morayo, you still be pikin for eye, I no wan rush you." E go rub my head, laugh small, but e no ever allow make anything pass that boundary.

Na from there things begin change.

The first time I notice say something dey off, I wan tell am say my designs don sell finish again, but I catch am dey pet Halima wey dey cry. I just enter room, see am dey wipe Halima tears, dey pat her back like say na im be nurse.

I slap both of them that day.

Later e talk say na my parents send Halima to come beg me make I return house.

E say, how e go betray me?

That time, my grandma wey love me don just die, I no fit lose another person wey dey my side. My mind just dey heavy, all my body dey weak.

So I begin do all those small small things wey girls dey do—wink, smile, even cook eba wey dey turn head—but e no dey move.

Even though I know say na my childhood fiancé, say we go marry last last.

But I no fit wait again.

No matter how I tease am, e go always stop for time. Sometimes I go wear short gown, spray perfume, pass in front of am, but e go just dey read book, no even look my side.

Even when things hot, e go still push me: “Morayo, wait small, I wan keep the best for our wedding night.”

E say time never reach, e no want make I regret.

I think say na respect.

Until I see say Halima dey waka enter im company anyhow.

See am dey find birthday gift for am all over town. E even buy cake for her, put her picture for top. Me, I never see my own birthday like that before.

And after last night wahala, when I faint, I wake up one time for hospital.

I hear for next room, Olawale dey talk: “Uncle, Aunty, no worry. I go stay here with her, make una go house rest.”

Nurse enter, see blood dey flow back for my drip, just talk, “Nobody from your family come? E bad oh.”

I no tell her say my parents and fiancé dey next room, nobody even check on me.

Na that time I know say, Olawale no be cold by nature, na just me e no dey show love.

So I no want marry am again.

I no want marry person wey e heart dey another place, while e dey do like say na duty e dey do for me.

Marriage wey na just name—I no want am.

So I tell my papa with calm mind, “Na me dey behave like pikin before.”

“Now I don wise—a forced melon no dey sweet.” I even quote Yoruba proverb, "Ibi ti a ti lemu, k'awa fi lemu mo; agbalagba to gbo, to n fi agbara gbe owo lo, ko ni ri ohun to fe mu ni."

My papa shock, look me well. “You really fit let am go? You no go fight, you no go insist say you must marry Olawale?”

“Abeg forget.” I swallow the pain for my throat. “I want 10% of your company shares. After the jewelry competition, I go japa abroad, I promise say I no go disturb their wedding.”

“How far? Compared to your pikin marriage, this one no too much, abi?” I smile small, try hide my pain behind business face.