Chapter 4: My Pain No Be Story Again

I shake her hand off, look Uncle Musa for face. "You think say new one na the same?"

My voice strong. For this life, some things no get replacement. Na only who never lose person go talk like that.

Uncle Musa dey try nod.

He open mouth, close am, words no come out. E dey reason say maybe if he talk, e go just escalate.

I sharply carry their family photo for wall—the only complete picture wey dem get when his papa still dey alive.

I raise am up, balance am for hand. Everybody freeze. Even Halima mouth open. I no fear anybody again.

"Oya now, make I tear this photo, make una go snap new one."

Everybody shock. Na real threat be that. For Naija, family photo dey sacred. I see vein for Uncle Musa neck stand.

Uncle Musa face change, veins dey show for im hand, im voice dey shake with anger.

He dey breathe heavy. "Morayo, you don pass your boundary. You too stubborn. I no suppose marry you at all."

Mama Musa dey waka up and down, dey worry.

She dey bite finger, dey mumble. "Which kind wahala be this?" But na dem plan the wahala from beginning.

You see am? Na when e pain dem, dem dey feel am.

If na my papa, na story. If na their photo, na fight. Everybody dey selfish.

[The heroine too much! I no fit watch her suffer. My chest dey tight.]

Dem dey reason say I don mad, but na dem push me reach this point. Bullet comments dey ginger me.

But my voice calm. "So now, you go return my watch?"

I drop the photo back. I no get time for gra gra. If dem break my watch, dem go lose their own memory too.

As Uncle Musa give sign, Halima face show small vex, but she bring out the pocket watch slow slow.

She form face, like person wey wan cry, but e be like she dey vex say I win the battle.

Her eye dey shine one kain. "Take am. If e spoil, no blame me o."

She hand am over, finger still hold am small, then she let go.

I no even shake. "If the watch spoil, the photo too no go complete."

Na so I collect my papa watch back, nothing do am. As I hold am tight, I swear for my mind—nobody go use my pain do story again.

I open am, check am. Tick tick still dey. My eye water but I no cry. I rub am, kiss am small, then hide am for wrapper wey I tie for waist.

After this wahala, Halima no fit stay. She run go house dey cry. Uncle Musa bone face for me, chase after her.

Halima pack her bag, run. Uncle Musa rush follow am, mouth dey talk, hand dey fly. E no even send me again.

Mama Musa just dey mumble, "Woman wey dey form good girl, once dem marry, dem go dey do anyhow."

She dey complain, dey act victim. But na dem start am.

I no talk, just go my room.

I lock door, sit for bed. I hold my watch, pray small. I tell myself say from today, nobody go use my papa memory do mumu.

Night don reach. I dey look my train ticket for table.

Moon dey shine for window. My small bag dey ready. Only me, my God, and my papa spirit dey here with me.

If no be say night waka no safe, I for don commot. I no get plenty load—just some clothes and small valuables.

For our side, woman no suppose dey waka for night alone. I hold myself, wait for morning. My stomach dey turn, but I dey brave up.

Suddenly, door burst open. Uncle Musa enter, carry bowl of noodles.

He enter, eyes red, face hard. He never enter my room like that before. The noodle smell dey choke. Na so I know say wahala dey.

He no dey enter my room before, so e shock me.

Na only on top of serious issue person go break custom like this for Naija house. My hand hold ticket tight.

The train ticket for table I no fit hide am, he don see am.

His eyes see am sharp. He dey try read am. My heart miss one beat. I dey ready for anything now.

He pause, then sigh.

He drop the bowl for table, sigh heavy. The air dey thick.

"Na for me you buy this train ticket abi? I don already agree say I go Abuja with Halima. Tomorrow, return this ticket and buy two tickets for three days time go Abuja."

He dey command as if na market woman. My mouth just tight. I no answer am. I dey plan my own move for my mind.

As I no talk, his voice soft small.

He dey try gentle tone now, maybe he think say na so e go win me back. "No think too much. Halima na your neighbor sister, she go be my sister too. She be—"

Outside, breeze dey blow dust for street, moon just dey hide for cloud—like say even night dey fear wahala.