Chapter 6: Palm Grove Secrets

For evening, after I chop with Mama, I jam my cousin for corridor, she dey act somehow.

Her body language dey funny—she dey look front, look back. E be like say she dey hide gist.

As she see say na me, her fine face relax.

Her eyebrow come down, she smile that smile wey dey melt people heart.

"Morayo, how you dey waka like cat? You scare me o."

She giggle, carry hand touch chest, pretend say I almost give her heart attack.

I smile, ask her, "Where you go?"

I no wan make am look like say I dey spy, so I ask am gently, voice calm.

My cousin face red finish. "I go palm grove meet friend. We just talk small."

She no dey look me eye-to-eye, just dey play with her wrapper. I notice the shyness, I know say e mean something.

I nod, I know say I no mistake the people wey I see earlier today.

For mind, I dey confirm say na Musa she go meet. The world small, and past life dey repeat.

Na for that palm grove dem connect for past life, now for this life dem meet again.

E shock me how fate dey play game. Palm grove still be their secret place, no matter how story change.

I no believe say Musa, wey always dey chase government work, fit still get this kind mind.

I shake my head. The same Musa wey dey serious with politics, fit still sneak go find love under palm tree. Na wah!

Jealousy just rise for my chest.

I no go lie, my body dey hot. I dey try hide am, but e show small for my face.

As I wan find excuse run, na so my cousin talk:

I dey ready to waka, but Zainab tap me for back, wink, “No worry, your own go land soon. Make I reserve space for you for palace?”

"By the way, that my friend talk about you today too!"

She wink small, the playfulness for her voice make me forget pain small. I dey wonder which friend, but I just smile, act like say I no too care.