Chapter 2: Choosing Okoli, Tempting Fate

I choose the Okoli family.

My mouth dry, but my spirit dey strong. As I open mouth, I talk am with confidence wey I no get before. Everybody just pause—like when NEPA take light for night.

I pinch my thigh make I no jump from shock.

The pain remind me say na real life I dey—no be dream. My mind dey run, I dey try balance myself for chair, dey remember everything wey I don suffer. I grip my wrapper tight, my heart dey hammer like village drum for festival.

This thing no pure. For my last life, na this same time my sister make wahala, dey shout say na Musa from the army she wan marry.

As I remember the last time, the wahala still fresh for my mind. Zainab voice dey ring for my ear, her stubbornness no get equal. Even mama nearly cry that day, say two sisters dey drag one marriage matter like market women.

Mama Efe look me with confusion. “My daughter, yesterday you dey talk say na that Musa family young general you go marry. Wetin make you change your mind today?”

Her face get that kind look—eyebrow high, mouth small. Mama Efe no dey play with tradition, but she still dey wonder wetin fit make woman change mind sharp sharp. She fold her wrapper, look me with eye wey dey see pass tomorrow.

“Yesterday my head no correct. Soldier fit waka go war for three, five years—who wan live like widow, make she try am. Besides, me I dey fear. I no fit dey live for fear every day—what if one day I really become widow?”

As I talk, everybody for room quiet. My voice strong, but na truth dey my heart. I no fit dey count days for window like old woman wey husband abandon. Life too short.

“Abeg, see how merchant family like Okoli dey sweet! Money full everywhere, maids and old women dey serve, and men dey take turns pamper you… Sister, you no agree?”

As I talk that last one, Zainab look me with one kind eye, like say she dey try read my mind.

I notice as her eyebrow move up small, like person wey dey suspect thief for market. Zainab get wahala for eye—she no dey trust anybody, even her own blood.

My face stay normal, but inside my mind dey shake.

My hand dey sweat, but I just dey form strong for face. If dem see inside my heart, dem go pity me.

Wetin she dey talk so?

Her voice carry wahala. E be like say two of us dey play chess, but she dey see my next move already. I dey pray say she no go notice say my body dey shake.

She don… come back to life too?

I try remember, since when my sister dey look me with that kind deep eye? The way she dey measure me now, e be like say she carry something for mind wey I no fit see finish.

Since we small, anything wey I want—even if Zainab no like am—she go still drag am with me.

Our childhood na real wrestling. If I pluck mango, she go pluck bigger one. If I choose song for evening, she go change am for me. Even play, we dey drag. Mama say na so twins dey behave, but we no be twins o.

Last life, I just look Musa portrait, she rush marry am, but her life turn wahala.

I still dey wonder why she no see the sign. She rush, marry soldier, thinking say na easy life. But na tears full her pillow every night. Suffering no be play mate.

I look her face, see as she dey blush, remember how jealousy make her kill me last time because men love me pass her.

Her blush dey sharp, but I no trust am. That same blush na wetin dey cover bitterness for her heart. My own sister—see as jealousy turn her eye red that last time.

I bend my eye down make she no see as I dey reason am.

My mother always say, 'When your sister dey look you for face, sometimes e dey look you for spirit.' I just shift my eye, hold my peace.

Last life, she think say I dey enjoy for Okoli family, so this life, she wan collect Okoli family from me?

Na so wahala dey start. Person go dey jealous another person blessing, no know say every blessing get him own small curse. I dey watch am well.

“Oh, my good daughter, you don finally wise up.”

Mama Efe smile well. “Okoli family na the new merchant king for Makurdi, money no dey finish. With your beauty, you suppose enjoy life well.”

Mama dey shine teeth, her gold tooth dey glint for corner of her mouth. Even her voice change, like say she dey hail me. Na true—Okoli family dey reign. Money dey flow, and everybody dey find way enter their circle.

She turn to me, dey form serious. “My first daughter get sense—one sabi book, one sabi fight, so to pair you with young general make sense.”

Mama dey proud, she no dey hide am. For her mind, as long as one daughter enter Okoli, another enter army, the family don balance. People go hail her for market.

I smile. “Aunty, you dey talk true.”

As I comot for hall, my leg dey shake. God don open eye for me give me second chance for this same day.

I wipe my face small, swallow spit. E shock me say God fit give person second chance. I no go waste am. As I dey waka, I dey plan my next move. I fit smell the soap wey mama dey use, the smoke from kitchen dey rise, and my heart dey beat like talking drum. This time, na me go hold steering.

This time, na my sister go jump enter fire pit wey be Okoli family—not me.

As I dey waka go my room, my mind dey run. No be everything wey dey shine be gold. Zainab fit dey happy now, but fire dey wait am for front. I pray make she sabi swim for hot water. But I still dey wonder—if na me, I go fit survive the wahala wey dey come? Na person wey carry last chop cold food.