Chapter 6: Family Dinner Ride

For road, my sister dey drive, she say, "Why you no get boundary with women at all?"

She dey squeeze steering, face dey serious.

I confuse. "How?"

I dey adjust seat belt, dey look window.

"Halima dey put medicine for you, you just dey look? Man and woman no suppose dey touch anyhow. You no know say na from clap, dance dey start?"

Her talk dey embarrass and vex me. "Wetin you dey talk? You dey old school. She say she study medicine, wan help. I no think am, and she no go get any other mind."

I dey vex, but I still dey respect am. Na so e be—family na family.

My sister hiss. "Na because she be my padi, I dey warn you—no go near. I sabi una—no matter how gentle una look, for mind una get wahala. I no dey talk say Halima get problem. Na you I dey warn—no dey reason rubbish."

She use one hand point me, her nails dey pink. Her tone sharp, like teacher for boarding school.

I protest, vex. "No be your brother I be? I get sense, abeg. No fear."

My chest dey tight, but I try form big boy.

She come dey ask if I get babe for north, even drag that girl from secondary school.

She dey dig old wound, dey find gist.

"You too naïve, bad girls fit use you shine. I hear say that girl follow you go north. No let am deceive you—no be love be that."

Her voice soft small at the end, but I fit sense worry. For Naija family, every gist dey finish with advice.

My head just dey pain me. Wahala full ground.

I rest my head for glass, dey watch street light dey pass. I dey wish say make this family drama get stop button. For my mind, I dey promise myself—one day, I go get my own space, no more elder sister drama. But for now, na family be everything. I no know say this family wahala just dey warm up.