Chapter 2: Price for a Prince

I nearly kneel down beg the boss.

For market like Palm Grove, pride no dey buy anything. I almost drop my knee, beg the boss make e reason me. For my chest, shame dey squeeze my heart, but wetin man go do?

I gather all the money my family get, search everywhere, still short five thousand naira.

I shake my bag, turn all my wrapper pocket. I even remove small change wey I hide for bra. As I dey count, sweat dey drip from my brow. My hand dey shake. If person see me, e go pity me. I dey reason whether to beg person borrow the balance. Family money join my own, yet e no reach.

The boss roll eye, hiss: "No get money, dey form big girl."

For Jos, if you no get money, nobody send you. Boss face strong, e no dey smile. E dey act like say e fit see through my brain. If na before, maybe e for reason with me, but today, e no get time.

Who go believe say Suleiman cost like this?

If dem talk price for prince before, na people go laugh. But as wahala land, everybody dey act like say Suleiman no be human being again. I dey wonder if price for human being dey change like fuel price.

If I know, I for no do shakara.

My mind dey blame myself. If to say I humble small, I for no enter this kain wahala. Sometimes, na pride dey kill person pass. My spirit just dey low.

Wetin bad if dem call me poor? At least e better pass say I really no get.

Poverty no be curse, na condition. If dem laugh you today, tomorrow fit dey different. As I dey think, I dey remind myself say shame no dey feed person.

"Boss, abeg wait small, maybe one big man go come buy am," I beg.

My voice don drop, almost like whisper. I dey beg, hope say boss fit pity me, or make miracle happen. But for market, pity na like water for basket—e no dey last.

Na all my life savings I wan use, my mind no gree.

The thought dey hammer my head. All the money wey my mama gather, the one wey my papa dash me for New Year, everything dey go for one day. Wetin remain for me after today?

Boss hiss again, shake head: "Prince of Mai-Angwa family do bad thing, so dem finish all of dem, carry all their property. Dem throw the pikin for slave market make e suffer, make e even die. Abeg, which big man go come buy am? Even street beggar dey avoid am."

The boss voice get as e be, e dey talk like say e no care if Suleiman die. People for market dey nod, dey whisper. For Naija, once pesin lose status, na only strong survive. I feel small, like say make ground open swallow me. The way e talk, you go think say Suleiman na curse.

I turn look Suleiman.

E still dey same spot, eye no dey blink, head still high. Even as everything spoil, e no let pride fall. I dey try read e mind, but e face no show emotion. I remember how dem dey hail am before. Life fit change in one second.

E just siddon for cold ground, clothes tear, face still calm.

The market sand cold, but Suleiman act like say e no even dey feel am. Clothes wey dey palace before, now na rags. Still, e no look anybody for face, e just dey look ground like say e dey count sand.

E no send all the people wey dey gossip, e face still dey shine.

I dey wonder whether na pride or na stubbornness dey keep am. Some women dey point, dey whisper. "See as prince still dey shine, even for gutter." E get as e be.

The madams don dey push come front, dey check am well.

Some dey touch am leg, some dey squeeze arm, dey check muscle. Market women sabi check commodity. E pain me, but wetin I fit do?

One even stretch hand touch e face.

As she touch am, Suleiman eye flash. For Jos, to touch prince like that, before na taboo. Now, nobody send. The world don change for am.

Boss don tire: "You dey buy or you dey play?"

Boss voice don rise. E dey act like say e fit use stick chase me. The market dey expect show, but e want money.

I close eye, bite teeth, give am the cash.

My hand dey shake as I drop the money. As e collect, I feel like part of my life dey go. Na my mama tears I dey spend, na my papa hope dey leave my hand. Na heavy price, but I no get choice. Tears almost drop from my eye, but I hold am.

After I buy Suleiman, I give am the slave contract.

As I hand am the paper, I look away. I dey shame for myself, for Suleiman. For Jos, contract na big matter. As I give am, I dey hope say e go understand my reason.

"Oya, dey go, no let me see you again." I wave hand like say I dey chase fly.

I try act strong. For this kain matter, sometimes na gra gra person go use hide pain. But my hand dey shake. As I wave, my voice crack small.

My chest just dey pain me.

I rub my chest small, as if say I fit press out the sorrow. E dey pain me say my help na like punishment.

I been think say if I break engagement for prince palace, I fit gain something.

I dey reason say na payback time—maybe small luck go smile for me. But this one pass my power. My mind dey regret.

Who know say na loss I go chop?

Nobody dey see tomorrow. Na so e be. I no know say na lose-lose matter I enter. For this country, help na risk.

Spend money, break engagement, we suppose go our separate way.

For my mind, after today, everybody go waka their own. Maybe tomorrow, e go thank me.

But Suleiman no gree go. Instead, e just dey follow me waka.

Suleiman head stubborn. Instead of e to waka, e just follow me like shadow. People for market dey look, dey wonder wetin dey happen.

E talk small: "You suppose protect me."

E voice soft, but e eye strong. For Jos, na abomination for woman to protect man, but Suleiman dey demand am. E mouth no shake. E fit mean am.

I shout: "Why I go do that one?"

I no fit hide am, my mouth quick. Everybody for street turn look us. I try act like say I no care, but e pain me.

Suleiman reply, calm: "I get money."

Just like that. No emotion, no beg. E talk am as if e sure say money go change everything. For Naija, money na master key.

I quiet small, then force smile: "No vex, na my mouth loud, I no mean am. Na so I dey talk normally."

I try laugh, cover my shame. For Jos, to talk anyhow fit cause wahala. I dey reason say make I no spoil my luck.