Chapter 3: Blood Money or Family?

If I go remember, na about six months ago I start dey follow Ifedayo.

I dey remember that day like yesterday. Sun hot well, power no dey, AC for branch office no even dey blow. As Ifedayo enter, everybody begin dey stand, dey shout, "Welcome, Oga!" I just dey look them, dey wonder why dem dey rush to please am. For my mind, I dey remember say my own life dey another lane.

That time, I just dey work for one branch office. Ifedayo come for inspection. As e enter, all the oga dem rush am, dey serve malt, dey try please am. Ifedayo just dey form humble, dey ask random question. Everybody stand like soldier, except me—I still dey slouch for chair, dey think of my own matter. Na my first project, my mind no dey ground.

My body dey for there, but my mind dey with my sister for hospital. The malt dem dey serve, na only me no touch. I dey reason if my salary go fit buy her medicine this month.

Ifedayo waka come, just dey look me, no talk.

E walk near me, eye dey sharp, but e just smile small, like say e see something wey others no fit see. I dey try compose face, make e no read me finish.

General manager knock my head, “This na Oga Ifedayo! You no go greet am?”

Everybody for office begin dey look me. One person even whisper, "Dis boy don die today." For my mind, I just dey pray make ground open.

I stand, nod for Ifedayo. I no be person wey dey lick shoe, I even hate am.

Ifedayo smile, like say e like the thing. I just bow small, carry my own wahala for pocket.

Ifedayo adjust e glasses, tell general manager, “This boy good. Make e report for headquarters tomorrow.”

Na so all the managers dey surprise. Some dey whisper, "Na who e sabi?" Me, I dey confuse. For this Lagos, promotion dey come with wahala. For my mind, I dey fear—hope say no be trap.

Maybe na my mind, but I feel say e look me with pure wickedness.

E eye sharp, e smile tight. E tap table, then just walk out. The whole place cold. People dey look me like say I win lottery, but I dey feel say na only me know say thunder fit strike soon.

I no believe in free food. My spirit no even wan near am, but I need money. My sister get leukemia, I don spend all my money. I even sell papa-mama house. Hospital medicine no dey work again, my sister don thin reach twenty-seven kg. Na only me and her remain. I no fit just look her dey suffer.

My spirit dey weak. For this Lagos, if wahala jam you, na only you go dey. But I get one promise for my mind—no matter wetin, I no go let my sister die for hospital bed. I dey ready do anything, but my soul still dey shout, "No carry blood money."

Next day, I wear suit, report. Ifedayo rush carry me go garage, ask, “You sabi drive?”

The suit na borrowed, trouser almost tear for back. As I waka enter, Ifedayo hand dey my shoulder like say we be family. The boys for garage dey hail, "Omo headquarters don land!" My body dey shake small.

“Yes.” But my mind no sure. I get license, but I never really drive.

Na small I fit drive keke, but this one na Range Rover. Even the smell for car dey different. My palm dey sweat so tey steering wheel dey slip for my hand. I dey try form guy, but sweat dey wet my shirt back.

“Good. Carry me go Palm Grove Estate.”

E give me key, then just enter back seat. As I press button, car do "vroom"—my heart nearly jump comot mouth. My mind dey pray make I no jam police checkpoint or go scratch car.

The Range Rover steering wheel dey make me fear, but Ifedayo no rush me. E dey show me button, make I start slow. I jam brake anyhow, but e no vex. E just dey happy for reason I no know. As we dey go, people dey snap car. For red light, some fine babes knock window, dey toast. Ifedayo say, “How you see am? If you like any, carry dem enter.”

Dem dey laugh for window, dey blow kiss. One even write number for tissue, push am through glass. I just dey focus my eye for road, dey pray make Ifedayo no talk make I stop pick anybody.

My body dey shake—not because I like woman, but because if I scratch this car, even if I sell myself tire, I no fit pay.

I dey sweat, dey grip steering like say e go disappear. For Lagos, if you jam person car, na your destiny you jam join.

For the junction before Palm Grove Estate, as we dey wait red light, one pregnant woman dey cross. Ifedayo bend near my ear, say, “You see that pregnant woman?”

E voice low, but the thing cold. E dey whisper like say e wan teach me one secret, but my heart begin race.

“Hmm.”

I no fit look am for eye, I just dey nod head, dey follow wetin e talk.

“Step am, jam am.” Ifedayo talk.

My hand shake. I dey reason, "Wetin this man dey talk?" My head dey hot, but I dey try compose face. Even agbero for bus stop go fear this kind talk.

Which kind nonsense be this? My body just dey sweat, hand dey shake for steering.

I dey look mirror, dey see my own fear for face. All the money wey Ifedayo dey promise no go wash blood comot for my mind.

“Do am! Jam am!” Ifedayo voice dey loud.

E begin dey knock my shoulder, like say e dey ginger me. For my mind, na prayer I dey pray, "God abeg! No let me sin today!"

“Oga, she fit die.” I hold myself.

Voice low, but strong. My tongue dey heavy, but I gats talk am. Na only God dey protect person for this kind situation.

“I go give you thirty million. I go get you better lawyer—at most you go do two years for jail. Thirty million! You go work five hundred years for your old job before you see am.”

The way e dey yarn am, e sweet for ear, but my body dey reject am. Na only person wey never see poverty go understand this kind temptation.

“Oga, she get belle...”

I dey plead. My eye dey red, but my voice dey break. I dey see my sister, dey see this woman wey carry another life for body.

“Fifty million, abeg! Jam am!” The woman don near front of car. Ifedayo dey vex, dey knock my head.

E voice rise, like say I be goat wey no dey hear word. The woman look our car, face pale. My foot dey for brake, I no fit move.

That moment, I just dey see my sister for hospital bed, empty fridge for our room, manager wey dey curse me. I grip steering, press leg for gas. But the woman turn look us, fear for her eyes, hand dey hold her belle.

Tears dey my eye, my hand dey sweat. The woman dey look me, but I see my sister for her face. Na God save me, I no fit move.

At last, I no fit do am. I just slump for seat, dey pant like person wey dem beat.

I close eye, dey shake. I dey pray, "God abeg, no let my hands carry innocent blood." I no even fit talk.

Ifedayo knock my head again, then relax for back seat. I check rearview mirror—e face wicked die.

E hiss, then look window. The thing dey pain am, but e no talk again. My heart dey beat fast, but I just dey hold steering, dey wait for green light.

But after one minute, e calm. E say, “Green light. Move.”

The tone flat, like say nothing happen. I press accelerator, dey drive go. My mind still dey shake, but I dey thank God say I survive.

If Ifedayo get any good side, na say e dey give money well and dey treat e boys well. Just one month with am, I don make money pass all the years before.

Even my neighbour for street dey hail me, "Onuche, abeg find me small job for una side!" My pocket dey rise, but my mind dey fall. Na only my sister dey notice say I dey change.

Six months, I don save almost one million, dey calculate my sister hospital bill. Once I get enough, I go disappear from this man hand.

Every night I dey mark calendar, dey pray say my plan no go fail. I dey reason say if I run, Ifedayo fit send boys go find me, but I no care. I just wan save my sister.

“Bro, you dey look tired o. Your eye don get black circle.” My sister lean for pillow, dey look me.

She sabi me well. Any small thing, she dey notice. Her face thin, but her mind sharp like blade. E dey pain me say I no fit give her better life.

“No worry. Na new work, so I dey try more.” I smile, peel orange give her.

I dey use smile cover pain. My hand dey shake as I dey peel, but I no wan make am worry more. Hospital room cold, but her smile dey warm.

“Sometimes I dey think, if no be me, you for dey happier.” My sister, just twelve, wise pass her age.

She dey look window, voice soft. Sometimes she go quote Bible, say "God no go give us pass our strength." But for her eye, I dey see worry wey small pikin no suppose carry.

“You dey talk like mumu. Mama and papa don die. If no be you, who I go dey talk to? How I go happy?”

I pat her head, try smile. For my mind, I dey remember when we dey small, she dey run follow me up and down street. Life don change, but na only she I get.

She smile, chop orange. “You fit get girlfriend. Then you go get person to talk to.”

I laugh, shake head. "Who go date person wey dey run errand up and down, face dry like garri?" She just laugh, the sound sweet my soul. For that moment, my pain disappear.

I laugh. As I wan talk, my phone ring. Ifedayo dey call, “Come pick me. Quick.”

The ringtone loud for hospital corridor. Nurse dey look me. I wipe face, pick call. Ifedayo voice no dey ever calm for phone. Once e call, na wahala dey come.

Ifedayo get rule: anytime e call, you must answer and show face sharp-sharp—like work wey dey clock in. If you try, you get bonus. But if you fail, na wahala, no be just fine. One time, Musa dey play with massage babe, miss call. That night, dem cut two of e fingers.

Na true story. Musa dey hide hand now, dey claim say na accident, but all of us know truth. For Ifedayo hand, mistake dey cost person body part. Some boys run commot, but some dey stay because of money.

If people no beg, maybe na e whole arm dem for cut.

Dem beg with all dem power. Even Musa mama come kneel for ground, dey roll for sand. Na so street dey—nobody fit fight money power.

Na so e dey treat e boys, even e own blood. I see am beat e younger brother—boy of fifteen, sixteen, slim, wear expensive school uniform. Ifedayo slap am more than thirty times, blood dey come out e mouth, cheek swell. E whisper something for e ear, the boy just dey shake head, fear make am fall for ground.

Neighbours dey hear slap, but nobody fit enter. The boy dey sob, dey bite lip, but e no fit talk. Ifedayo fit do am again if e try argue.

Before I enter car, I see the boy—Tochukwu—bite lip, eyes dey burn with hate.

I look am, e look me back. The pain for e eye deep—like say e dey plan something. I just waka go my own, I no wan enter family wahala.

I rush go meet point, sweat full my body. See Ifedayo with woman for hand. E say, “Carry Miss Bisi and me go estate.”

The sun dey hot, but e bodyguard dey spray perfume for e body. The woman beside am dey smile, shoe dey shine like mirror. I open door, dey wonder who she be.

The woman enter car, dey laugh. The voice familiar. I look back—fine face, fair skin, dimple. Na my secondary school classmate, Bisi Adeyemi, the school fine girl everybody dey craze for.

Her laugh sweet, like small bell. She see me eye, but she no even blink. The memory rush me—how I dey hide for assembly just to look her face that year.

I remember how she dey win best dancer for inter-house sports, how boys dey fight for her seat. Of course, I dey among.

My heart jump. For my mind, I dey remember love letter wey I never send. The dream die that day, as I see her hold Ifedayo hand.

Inside car, Ifedayo dey touch Bisi, hand dey enter her skirt. Bisi blush, “Stop am.”

She dey push hand small, but dey smile. For Lagos, men dey do anyhow, but woman wey dey enjoy go still dey complain. The way she dey laugh, you go know say she dey like am.

“Screech—screech—”

I jam brake, everybody shout. Bisi makeup scatter. Ifedayo still calm, but Bisi dey vex.

The car brake, I grip steering, sweat dey pour. As I dey watch them, I nearly jam billboard.

One danfo driver for back shout, "Oga, you wan learn driving for express?"

My hand dey shake. Ifedayo just look me through mirror, no talk. Bisi dey adjust cloth, dey wipe powder for face.

The sudden stop make their head hit front seat. Bisi makeup scatter, she vex, “You no sabi drive? You dey craze?”

Her voice sharp, like say I be houseboy. I swallow shame, just dey look road.

My mind cold—she no remember me.

I dey reason say maybe na better thing. If she remember, she fit laugh me join. I just dey drive, dey thank God say we never jam trailer.

Ifedayo just gentle, “Onuche, drive well, watch road.”

He voice calm, but if you hear am, you go sabi say threat dey inside. I adjust mirror, dey focus.

That night, I sit for downstairs for estate, dey hear as dem dey make noise for up. The sound loud, dey enter my ear. Somehow, Ifedayo know say I dey downstairs, but e no close door. My body dey shake, heavy feeling dey press me, I wan shout, scatter all the expensive things wey dey there. Voice for my head dey shout: carry knife, rush go upstairs...

The house quiet, but the noise for upstairs dey disturb everywhere. I dey grind teeth, dey grip chair. The sound be like thunder, e dey make my mind wan scatter. I dey talk to myself, "No do am. No climb. E no worth am." But my hand dey shake, my eye red.

The only girl wey I ever like since I small, now dey with the man wey I hate pass, and me, I just dey there like mumu.

My chest dey burn. For my mind, I dey reason say if I fit get just one chance, I go change everything. But na Lagos, and my leg dey for ground. I just dey swallow tears. Inside me, old dream die, but my body still dey for steering.

The shame dey eat my mind. As I wan craze, Ifedayo voice call me back: “Onuche, carry Miss Bisi go house. Drive slow, Miss Bisi dey tired.”

I stand, adjust shirt, wipe face. As I climb stairs, I dey talk to God, "Make I no do anything stupid."

Bisi face red, she dey play hit Ifedayo chest.

She dey laugh, dey whisper, "Stop am, jor!" but you go know say na play. Her wig almost shift, lipstick dey scatter. Ifedayo just dey smile, dey follow her come downstairs.

Ifedayo smile, grab her yansh. As I dey go, I see am dey look me from back, wicked smile for e mouth.

E dey watch me, like say e know everything wey dey my mind. I no talk, just dey drive slow, dey pray make this wahala finish.

From that day, anytime Ifedayo carry Bisi go out, e dey carry me follow body. This thing come dey make me...