Chapter 2: Inside Chief’s House

Since nobody dey house, I go stay for my aunty place.

I waka enter her parlour, dust dey for table but that Chief’s wife aroma still dey—smell of camphor and ogiri dey mix for air. Housegirl dey sweep veranda, greet me with eye, no talk.

My aunty na the second wife of present Chief of Okpoko Hills. She no get pikin, but the first wife wey don die leave son behind—Obinna, him name, person wey pure like river water, cool like harmattan moon.

For this our compound, everybody dey respect aunty, but e get one sadness for her face. Sometimes, I go catch her dey look window, like she dey count spirit for breeze.

Aunty say make I dey call am cousin.

She talk am like joke, but e serious for her heart. 'Ngozi, no call am Oga, na your cousin be that.' E sweet me small, but the distance dey plenty.

This my cousin na better person, just say e dey do like ice block for people body.

People for village dey always talk say Obinna na 'Ice Prince'—no be say him get money pass everybody, but him heart cold. Even small pikin dey fear to greet am sometimes. But if you see am play draft with elders for evening, you go know say e get soft mind for inside.

But all the big girls for city dey rush, wan win cousin heart.

You go see dem, nails long like pencil, face paint full like masquerade. Every Christmas, dem go dey hang around Chief’s house, dey find reason to greet. Me, I just sidon for corner dey count ceiling. Wetin concern me?

But cousin no send anybody, na only him ambition dey for him mind.

If Obinna no dey read big book, e dey waka for bush, dey think deep. Sometimes I dey peep am from window, dey wonder wetin dey worry am. E sure me say na only person wey get wahala dey waka like that.

Aunty don hint me tire; even person wey slow like me don sabi wetin she dey talk.

She go look me for eye, talk with that her slow Igbo accent: 'Ngozi, na you I dey talk to o.' If I pretend say I no hear, she go knock my head small, laugh join.

"If you fit try, marry Obinna, na your luck be that."

Every time she drop that line, she go cough, adjust her head tie. 'Try' get plenty meaning for our side. I dey wonder if na spiritual matter or na ordinary.

This her ‘try’ mean say make I dey follow cousin everywhere.

Me sef get coconut head, I begin follow Obinna up and down, dey look for excuse to dey near am. Sometimes, na only him shadow I dey chase. Na wahala.

But the more I dey try, the more cousin dey dodge me.

One day, I nearly fall inside well for backyard because I dey pursue am. Housegirl laugh sotey, her toothpick fall from mouth. I just carry myself go inside room, dey pray for night.