Chapter 3: Inheritance or Injustice?

My stepmother vex as I dey shake am, her face red. "Stop am!"

She free herself, begin shout: "Your sister and her husband die for accident. Why you no open door!"

As she dey talk, she dey look left and right to make sure people dey hear. Her voice carry, enter compound.

"Lock spoil. Mummy, abeg wetin you talk? My sister and her husband... die?"

I pretend fear, dey look her.

I bend small, put hand for mouth, make my acting complete.

She just squeeze small tears out, begin cry:

Her nose dey run, but no single real tear for eye.

"Dem die for spot—my pikin don go!"

Her voice break, she fall for my chair, try roll small for floor. I hold her, make she no spoil my rug.

But before her cry even cool, she rush push my niece come my front:

She drag the small girl come my front, like say she dey dash goat for Christmas.

"Your sister don die. Na only you fit raise this pikin."

Her voice get that kind tone wey dey make you feel guilty if you say no.

I look my niece—she just dey innocent, like say she no sabi anything.

Her eyes big, nose dey run, lips pink like new pawpaw, hair rough.

Small pikin, dem dey use am play game.

I remember how for village, dem go use orphan do as charity, but for here na pure manipulation.

"No trust am. That pikin wicked pass her papa and mama."

The messages loud for my head, like masquerade drum for new yam festival.

"True talk. She sef sabi the plan, na you she wan set up."

I shake my head, try clear am, but messages no dey gree.

"See as she small, she don get sense for bad thing. If you adopt her, na wahala."

"Uncle..."

Her voice low, like mosquito. She hold my hand, dey squeeze.

My niece look me, eyes red, tears full everywhere.

I see myself inside her, the way I look my papa when dem beat me that year. Tears push for my eye, but I blink am back. I no fit let her see say I dey weak.

Suddenly, one idea enter my head.

E come like flash, like spirit just whisper for my ear.

I bone all the warning messages, bend down, hug her tight.

I carry her for body, pat her back, feel as her tiny hand hold my neck.

"No fear. Uncle go take care of you."

I whisper for her ear, make her know say I dey for her.