Chapter 5: Mansion of Unfamiliar Smells

As I dey drown inside fear, the car stop.

The horn blast short, and the gate open as if the gateman dey wait since. The car drive in, and the compound big—flower everywhere, tiles for ground, no sand, no goat. For my mind, I dey wonder if anybody dey chop suya here.

We don reach one big mansion for GRA.

GRA houses dey different. The fence high, the gate tall like palace. Inside, the house be like those wey I dey see for TV—upstairs, glass, big veranda. Even the air cold pass my own house. Security men dey everywhere. The Okoyes fit host governor here.

Even the compound smell like fresh paint and air freshener, no single scent of firewood or goat.

People full outside the gate dey wait.

Relatives, friends, maybe neighbours. Some people dey peep, others dey try see the new pikin. Everybody dress fine, their perfume strong, their shoes clean. Nobody dey shout, nobody dey chop mango for outside. E shock me.

As my parents dey introduce them, I dey look all of them:

Each person get their own style—some serious, some dey smile, some dey check me as if I be goods wey dem just buy from market. I dey greet with ‘Good afternoon’ but my voice small.

The serious first brother, the sharp-eye second brother, the relaxed third brother, and the fair, fragile sister wey just leave hospital.

First brother tall, glasses for face, he dey read book even outside. Second brother dey eye everything, sharp mouth, you fit see say nothing dey escape his notice. Third brother dey lean for pillar, dey press phone. The sister, the one wey dey sick, dey sit for wheelchair, fair skin, hair combed well. Everybody fine. Everybody dey look me.

If you look am well—

The arrangement no different from all those stories wey dey trend for Tiktok and NTA soap—‘Lost Daughter Returns’. My heart dey do kpim kpim. I dey count my steps.

Na the exact cast wey dey inside all those swapped-daughter stories.

Even the aunties and uncles for compound resemble those TV people—everybody fine, proud, dey talk with accent. I dey feel like TV remote wey dem carry enter wrong house.

I remember all the wahala wey dey happen for those books, fear grip me again.

My legs dey shake. I wan run, but everywhere dey full. Na only God dey help me hold tears.

I burst cry.

This one loud, pass before. My voice crack, snot dey flow. Even the drivers and gate men look up.

Cry pass before.

My chest dey tight, my throat dey block. Tears just dey fall. I no fit stop am. All the wahala, all the fear—everything pour out at once.

......

The whole family shock as I dey cry.

Some of them dey look me with pity, some dey nod head. I see one aunty dab her eyes, another uncle whisper, “Eya, the pikin dey miss home.”

Mama eyes red beside me.

She hold me close, her voice shake: “My daughter, no cry again. You go dey alright. God dey.” She brush my hair, clean my face. I hear her sniff. I know say she dey try strong for me.

"This pikin don suffer. See as she happy reach, tears dey flow because she finally reach house."

One of the aunties talk so, hand for her chest. The women gather, dey form support, dey give me tissue, dey rub my back.

Papa shake head.

He sigh, voice deep, “She go adjust. Na change dey make person fear.” He call the steward, “Bring food sharp sharp. No let her suffer.”

"She too slim, like small cat. Make kitchen prepare better food for Amarachi tonight."

One of the cooks nod, dey run go kitchen. My new father pat my shoulder, tell me, “You go chop till you smile.”

Big Brother still form serious, but reach touch my head.

His hand soft, he no talk plenty. He just pat my head, give small smile. “Don’t worry, you go like am here.”

"Our small sister too happy to see us, na why she dey cry like this."

First Brother talk am, but him voice gentle. He wink me small, as if to say, ‘No fear, I dey your side.’

Second Brother adjust glasses, softly tell steward:

“Make sure she get food she fit chop. No do oyibo food for her. Give her something she sabi.” The steward nod, write for notepad.

"Arrange big welcome dinner for Little Sister. And check if she get any food allergy."

He dey serious, but his voice sweet. I fit see say he care small.

Third Brother no fit enter the crowd, so he dey run round outside, dey shout:

“Little Sister! Welcome o!” He dey wave, dey smile. I even wan laugh if no be say I dey cry.

My new sister sniff.

She wipe her own tears, voice soft, “Amarachi, no cry. If you cry, me too I go cry, then everybody go think say na our house dey chop onions.”

"You... you no cry again o, if you cry I go follow cry, then wetin we go do..."

She try smile, but her mouth dey shake. I feel small comfort.

......

Tears full my eye as I look everybody.

The crowd dey real, but the people soft. My heart dey shake, but hope dey small small. I tell myself, maybe e no go bad like book.

Hmm.

I pinch myself to know if na dream. I look the faces again, dey wonder if my story go end different.

Na so e dey be for swapped-daughter stories?

But this one dey different small. Maybe God hand dey inside.