Chapter 5: Parental Prayers & Secret Messages

For road as I dey go house, I notice some cars dey follow me—must be Okafor family people.

Dem dey use tinted Camry, but I sharp. I write their plate number, send my papa.

He go handle am.

But, I dey fear, make Okafor family no go suspect Musa?

Na Lagos be this, wahala dey waka for street like moin-moin seller. As I reach house, I rush message Musa.

[You dey busy?]

Musa reply sharp: [I dey okay.]

[If anybody come your shop dey ask of me, abeg no talk anything.]

[No wahala, I go keep am coded.]

I type fast: [Actually, about me and Tunde for internet...]

Before I finish, Musa message land first.

[I no go let your fiancé know.]

I no know why, but that message just dey like say I dey do side chick work.

My hand just hang for air.

Na so guilt just dey bite me. As I dey think, my mama open door.

"Amaka, where you dey go these days?"

I rush off phone, dey hide.

"Just... small private matter."

I dey cross leg, dey act normal.

My mama sit near me, see my ear still red and swell, she frown.

"Why e never go down? You gats careful."

I feel more guilty, use hair cover am.

I dey pray make amebo no too see.

"I go try."

My mama nod: "I no go disturb your private matter, just dey safe."

Na prayer she add join: "Holy Ghost fire, protect my pikin from Lagos boys wey dey do anyhow. God protect you, Amaka."

"But now, abeg, no dey do anyhow. When everything calm down, you fit do as you like."

She pat my back, get up. I dey feel small relief.

"I hear, Mama."

If Okafor family from Port Harcourt enter Abuja, Umeh family go suffer.

I no fit help my parents much, so I just dey try no add wahala.

For Musa shop—

Shop don close, everywhere dark.

Na only small yellow bulb dey shine from corner. Musa just dey sofa, dey look him phone, no move.

E dey wonder if e no suppose mention the fiancé?

Maybe na why she never reply?

The more e think, the more e no fit control himself, regret just dey worry am.

E know say she get fiancé, say e no suppose dey think of her.

But anytime e close eye, na her gentle face, her soft "Musa" just dey ring for him ear.

God know how e take hold himself that time.

Just dey remember am, sweat don full him body, e body dey restless, like agbero wey never see morning bread.

"Amaka."

Musa touch the butterfly hair clip for him hand.

Na the one wey she forget last time as he help her remove am for piercing.

Small red dey shine for Musa eye.

He lower head, gently kiss the hair clip.

"Abeg, no come near me again."

"I no fit hold myself."

Him voice just bitter, pain full am.

The air for shop heavy like rainy season, na only God fit calm am.