Chapter 4: Dinner with Suspicion

For dining table, Tobi dey pamper my sister anyhow. I tease them: "Me na third wheel for here, dey spoil una romantic time."

Everybody laugh. Tobi even serve my sister drink before himself. My sister dey blush like school girl wey crush on new teacher.

My sister blush. "Yinyin go soon reach marriage age. Mama and Papa go find better husband for you."

She talk am with pride, like say e dey her hand to arrange marriage for me. I smile, shake my head—Naija mama style, always dey worry about who next to marry.

"Na you dey rush me go market? You no even let breeze blow me small before you dey find husband."

Marriage age? I look her well. I just celebrate my coming-of-age last month na. She even give me gift.

I remember that gift well—na beaded anklet, red and white. She say make I always wear am for protection. I never remove am since that day.

As I dey look her, Tobi face change small, but he hide am quick, smile for my sister.

His smile be like say e dey try hold something back. I notice small sweat for him forehead, but he brush am off with handkerchief.

"See you—just last month you give Yinyin coming-of-age gift, you don forget already."

The way he talk am, you go know say e dey try lighten the moment, but e dey keep eye for my sister reaction.

My sister tap her head, shame catch her.

She even bite her lip, look me with one kain sorry face. The room come quiet for small seconds.

"Ah, my memory don dey fail. Yinyin, no vex."

She touch my hand, squeeze am small—her own way of saying sorry. I fit feel her worry reach bone.

I hide my doubt, come play along.

"You wey dey remember everything before, now you dey forget my own? Abi we don dey far?"

I talk am like joke, but inside, I dey wonder wetin dey really do my sister. She never forget my matter before.

She rush beg. "No vex, Yinyin."

Her voice almost crack, like person wey dey hide tears. For our family, we no dey like to let small thing cause wahala, so I just wave am off.

Tobi change topic quick.

E clear throat, shift plate, like person wey wan dodge bullet.

"Yinyin, which kind man you like? Make I dey look out for you."

I smile, half play, half serious.

"For house, na only me and my sister. Now wey you don marry well, maybe na me go carry husband come Bai family, make our line no cut."

My voice low, but everybody hear. For our side, family name and line dey very important. Na why every elder dey pray make pikin full house.

My sister face change small, but she no talk anything. Tobi, on the other hand, stiffen proper. I clock that one. He look me quick, force one big smile.

His smile dey stiff like yam wey never done. I dey see say something dey worry am for inside.

"Your parents go handle am; me I dey worry too much. Yinyin, try this palm wine. E sweet—you go like am."

He pour small for me, eye me to see my reaction.

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

I sip am, the sweet taste make me smile. For village, na palm wine mean welcome and respect. For city, e be luxury.

Outside, rain threaten but never fall—Abuja sky dey always play games this season.

Before long, one housegirl rush come whisper for Tobi ear. He stand up fast, worry show for face.

He no even let the girl finish before he stand. In our place, if man rush like that, e mean say the matter serious.

"Bola and Kemi fall, injure themselves—I need go check them."

He no even wait for answer, just waka go. Na so my mind begin wonder again.

As I see am rush out, I frown.

I dey recall say I never see Bola and Kemi before. But Tobi run like say na him own pikin. My spirit begin turn.

"Sister, who be Bola and Kemi?"

One kind suspicion enter my mind. Na Tobi children be this?

I ask with low voice, make nobody hear us. For our side, family secrets no dey expose anyhow.

"Dem be my mother-in-law distant niece pikin."

Her face soft, but her eyes dodge my own. E be like she dey reason how she go explain reach.

Mother-in-law distant niece? My mind tight. E be like all those cousin wey dem raise together.

I know say for some families, cousin fit turn pikin, especially if mama or papa die early. But my spirit still dey restless.

"Sister, that cousin dey eye your husband?"

I ask am straight, no sugarcoat. For Nigeria, if you no put eye, some kind wahala fit enter house.

She shake head. She say she suspect am before, but later find out say the cousin don become widow early, na only old madam remain for her. She carry her two pikin come find help. But as she reach Tobi house, sickness hold her, she never fit comot from bed. Even if she wan follow Tobi, she no get power. But the two children dey enjoy well.

Her explanation calm my mind small. I remember my grandma story about how family must help each other, especially widow and orphans.

I nod, dey reason am.

"Brother-in-law really care for them o."

My voice soft, but my heart still dey find truth. I dey watch my sister face for any lie, but her eyes clear.

My sister frown small.

"Na my fault say I never born. Mama Tobi talk say if I no fit get belle, we fit adopt Bola and Kemi."

Her voice low, almost break. For our side, woman wey never born dey always get pressure, but I see say her husband people dey try support her with this option.

Just as I reason am. I look my sister worried face, but her destiny just dey hide, like say fog dey cover am. I no fit see her future well—na very strange thing. Once you enter spiritual work, you go face Five Wahala and Three Shortages—every Bai family heir no dey get money, family or health like normal people. But we dey use our good work pray for Bai family, so the rest of the family dey enjoy peace and better life.

As I dey reason, I remember say my own papa tell me, 'Spirit power get price.' No juju for free, na so elders talk. I dey wonder if my sister dey carry any hidden burden because of me.

My sister always dey nice, dey help people, her luck full ground, life dey easy. But now, that luck just dey like flower inside mist—real but not real, shadow dey mix with light.

I dey pray inside me, 'Ancestors, abeg make my sister luck return in full.'

*Footnote: Five Wahala and Three Shortages mean say people wey dey do some kind spiritual work no go get three things (money, family or health) and go suffer five wahala as the price for their power.

For village, dem go say, 'If you chop juju, you go sabi pay the debt.' The thing dey worry me deep.