Chapter 2: New Bonds, Old Shadows

Early rainy season, third month: na time for Makurdi spring exam. All the scholars for the region gather, dey hope say dem go enter that big hall wey every student dey dream about. For one roadside inn, one tall, fine young man rush enter the room, happiness full him face.

Outside, the smell of wet sand and fried akara dey mix, rain just stop to fall. The whole town dey alive with young men dey recite poem, dey compare note for corner. Inside the small inn, mosquito dey hum for ear, but joy cover the whole air. Na so Musa burst enter with face like person wey chop suya and get change back. Even the akara woman for junction dey hail am.

“Temi! I make am, I make am!”

The way e shout ehn, even pepper seller for outside fit hear. Him leg dey dance, eyes dey shine like lantern for dark.

“Tenth place! I get tenth place!”

I just drop the laundry as Musa rush hug me. Normally, the guy dey always gentle, dey use all those correct big grammar, but today, he hold me like small pikin, no wan let go.

E hold me sotey my feet nearly commot ground, wrapper shift small, but I no even send because joy full room. Musa body dey shake, sweat mix with the fresh smell of rain. If to say na market, people for don gather dey watch two of us.

I laugh, pat am small. Na then he realise say he don overdo—he quick leave me, waka two steps back, dey apologise up and down.

Musa dey fidget, dey scratch head. “Ah Temi, sorry o! No vex! Na excitement carry me. No be say I no get home training.”

I cover my mouth, tease am say na mumu him be, make him face red sotey he no fit look me for eye.

I tell am, “See your life outside! You dey form big man, but small good news, you don turn baby!” Him ear red, he just dey look floor. The way I dey tease am, na only old friend fit talk like that, and him laugh come shy shy.

Three years ago, after I fake my death run commot from palace, na scammers nearly sell me out. Na Musa save me, carry me go him house. He dey live with him mama, wey him leg no dey work, and dem no get money at all. The first night wey I reach, na behind door the guy sleep, dey watch over me.

For this life, na only God dey see wetin dey people heart. That Musa, even when beans no dey house, he still share the last yam with me. Him mama dey huff, but she soft for inside. I remember how he sleep for ground near my door, say make I rest well. Night breeze enter through window, but I sleep well because I feel safe for once.

I feel bad, so I leave the only silver wrist bead wey I hide, sneak commot. But I no know say outside world hard reach like that—no money, you no fit waka anywhere. As dem frame me say I thief, carry me go chief’s court, na Musa show again come rescue me. Him small body stand for my front, all that bookman character disappear as he dey fight for me.

I for don enter wahala that day if not for Musa. Him voice shake for chief front, but e no run. Even when big men dey shout, Musa stand gidigba. As dem dey try disgrace me, he talk, “I fit swear for this girl!” Everybody shock, chief even drop kola nut. Na that time I know say person wey get heart dey different from person wey get power.

Na there I understand: when Queen Mother and Crown Prince just dey look as dem punish me, dey talk say royal family no dey do pass rule, say dem no fit help pikin wey no be from main wife, so make I bear am. But if person truly care for you, e no go ever gree make you suffer for nothing.

Sometimes, na stranger go show you love pass who suppose be your blood. For Musa eyes, I see say loyalty no get tribe. I think about palace people wey just dey turn face, dey balance rule and law for their own comfort. Musa own na action, no be grammar.

So that time, I no run again. I follow Musa go house. To pay am back, I dey help with small small work. One year ago, as Musa mama nearly die, we marry for her front. But we never touch body.

You know say for our side, respect dey matter. We do small wedding for parlour, mama happy sotey she dey smile even for pain. But from that day, Musa talk say we go wait do am proper, when the time ripe. Na so him dey treat me with respect—like sister, like wife, like friend.

He talk say, “Temi, you fit be better person pikin. I no know wetin push you reach this level, give me chance marry you, but I no wan wrong you. If I pass exam, I go do proper wedding, all the rites go dey. If I fail, I go treat you as my sister, help you find better husband.”

The way e talk am, you go know say e mean am from belle. I look am that night, see as sincerity dey shine for him face, like morning sun after long rain. For this life, sometimes na person promise be your only pillow.

Some people go talk say na empty talk, but no be Musa. The guy eyes dey always clear, and he dey keep to him word. Wetin he do just now, na big thing for him character.

Even mama for compound dey always use am compare other boys. “See Musa, na better pikin. If my own son get half that sense, I for dey dance every weekend!”