Chapter 2: My Eye Sabi See Story

When I small, I already sabi say my mama na the heroine and my papa na the hero. I dey look them, dey imagine as dem go dey inside Nollywood film, front cover, two of them, smiling like say wahala no dey this life.

Because I dey see words dey float for their head. E no be juju, but na my own special gift. Since small, I dey see story for people body—like subtitle only me fit read. I go just dey look dem, words go dey shine, sometimes e go blink small, like small torch for night.

I hold Aunty Kemi the nanny hand, dey find book, dey try piece the meaning of the words together: for Mama head, e talk ‘female lead’; for Papa own, ‘male lead’. As I dey see am, my mind dey wonder, wetin these big big words mean? Even small pikin like me dey notice say this one no be normal play.

I ask Aunty Kemi, say wetin ‘male lead’ and ‘female lead’ mean. I dey drag her wrapper, my voice dey sweet, sharp sharp, "Aunty, abeg, wetin be male lead? Wetin be female lead?"

Aunty Kemi smile, tell me, “Na like king and queen for Nollywood film, or that couple wey dey front of wedding cake.” She use that her soft voice, the one wey dey make person calm, rub my back small.

She carry one ‘Snow White’ book, read the whole story for me. As she dey read, she dey add her own Naija twist—"If na for here, dem for use juju drive away the wicked queen o!" We laugh, her voice dey flow like market woman wey dey gist.

From that day, prince and princess live happily ever after. My mind begin dey dream say na so e go always be, na so life suppose sweet.

I think say na better story be that. I begin believe say, if my Mama and Papa na hero and heroine, our own story suppose end well. I dey feel say na dem get the luck.

My papa and mama love themselves, our family dey peaceful—na only Grandma go dey complain sometimes say she want second pikin, nothing fit sweet pass our home. Our house dey always full of small laughter, the smell of Mama soup, and the sound of Papa radio for evening. Sometimes, Grandma go dey pray, dey ask God make another belle show, but even that one na just normal family wahala, e no spoil the love for house.

But life no dey ever go as you plan am. For Naija, even when breeze calm, e fit change to storm in one minute. E be like person wey dey sleep for NEPA light, sudden blackout go remind you say life fit turn any time.

When I reach five years, everything change. E happen quick, like say person off switch. No sign, no warning—just like that, our house turn another thing.

I see another person with words for her head. This one different. The words dey shake, like say dem no sure of their place. My mind begin reason, who this woman be?

She fine well well. After Papa pick her from airport, she cry enter him hand. Her braids dey fresh, Ankara bag for hand, but her eye red like pepper. Her tears dey fall like say she lose something big. E shock me, but Papa just dey hold her, dey rub her back.

Me and Mama come back from nursery school. As we open door, na so we see them dey hug. The way dem freeze, e be like we catch thief for market. Silence hold everywhere, even our shoes no fit make sound.

Dem shock. You fit hear pin drop. Even the lizard for ceiling pause.

We too shock. My Mama mouth open, my own too. My hands dey cold, like say I touch freezer water.

Papa try explain. E dey stammer, voice low, "Amina, this—eh, Aisha..."

That woman too try explain. She dey wave her hands, eyes red, "Aunty, abeg, I no mean any harm..."

Mama face dey change, e dey darken. The calm wey dey always her face don vanish, now e dey hard like stone. Her lips dey press, eyes dey sharp.

I look the four words for the woman head: evil, wicked, female… the last one I no sabi. I dey struggle to spell am for my mind, like pikin wey dey fight with spelling bee for school.

My papa and mama busy, so I go meet Aunty Kemi. I dey tug her sleeve, "Aunty, abeg, help me, I wan know!"

Last last, I find the word: supporting. E be like small victory, like when pikin find change for old pocket.

Wicked female supporting character. The words heavy, like say dem get weight for my chest. I dey reason wetin e mean, why person go get such name?

I ask Aunty Kemi wetin those words mean. I dey look her face, eye wide, I no wan miss any answer.

Aunty Kemi nearly laugh scatter. She bend, hold her waist, "Ah ah! Our Yaya, which kin eye you get?"

“Oh, our Yaya, how you take sabi ‘wicked female supporting character’ at your age?” Her laughter dey echo for parlour, even the neighbours for flat fit hear.

She laugh, carry the gist go tell Grandma, Papa, and Mama. As she dey talk am, she dey add ginger, "This Yaya na real story pikin!"

Normally, all this kind play for evening food dey make everybody laugh. Na so dem go throway joke, everybody go dey merry. Na family way.

But that day, na only Grandma laugh. Her laughter dry, like old engine wey no get oil. Papa face strong, e no fit smile.

Papa face be like person wey chop bitterleaf. The bitterness dey show, like say him dey regret the food wey he chop.

Mama face strong. Her own don change, you go think say she dey prepare for fight.

The woman look like say she wan cry. She dey hold her hand, voice dey shake, "Sorry, abeg. I no sabi say e go reach like this."

She drop her spoon, talk with panic, “Aunty, abeg, I go leave now. I no go come back again.” Her bag dey drag for ground, shoe dey fall for her leg as she rush.

She just run commot. The way she run, e be like person wey see Eyo for Lagos street after dark.

Papa rush follow am. He no even wear slippers, just dey chase her.

Grandma face change, she vex. “Amina, na so you dey train your pikin?” Her voice sharp, like person wey swallow pepper.

Aunty Kemi sharply carry me go. She use body block, carry me for waist, whisper, "No cry, Yaya. E go soon pass."

I feel say na me cause wahala. Guilt dey my heart, my eye dey wet, I dey fear say I don scatter family.

But why dem dey blame Mama? My mind dey twist, I dey reason, "Na me talk am, why dem dey do like say na Mama fault?"

I still insist: “Aunty Kemi, abeg, wetin be ‘wicked female supporting character’?” My voice dey low, almost like whisper.

Aunty Kemi no know wetin to talk. She just dey look me, like say she dey find words inside her head.

She just sigh. “For story, wicked female supporting character na the person wey wan scatter hero and heroine. She go dey form innocent, dey find pity, people go dey help am bully heroine. But no worry, last last, villain go get her own, hero go sabi the heroine value, come back to her.” Her voice calm, like mama wey dey pet stubborn pikin for midnight.

She talk am sure, I believe am. My heart come down small, I begin dey hope say na true.

But things no go like she talk. For real life, na another kind wahala. Stories no dey always end well for here.