Chapter 1: Addition No Get Value

Aunty always used to say, 'Second wife pikin, na so so wahala—dem talk say our head no dey house,' blaming me even before I land for this world, as if na my fault say I no dey promising enough.

Sometimes I just dey look ground, dey twist my finger, dey wish say ground go swallow me. You know as Naija aunties dey, wahala no ever finish for their mouth. Sometimes I go sit for back of the corridor dey plait my hair, e go be like she dey see me from spirit world. If I ever frown or my head just touch wall, she go point, "See am! You never even reach woman, you dey form elder. Ehn? Your mama born you come put sand for my garri!" Her voice dey enter the whole compound, and I go just swallow my own tears because who wan challenge aunty?

To prove to her say I fit make something out of my life, I try earn small respect during the family feast for our compound.

Everybody dey look me, even my cousins wey dey play ten-ten for veranda stop to watch. I tell myself say if I fit shine this once, dem go reason me well. My palm dey sweat, but I no gree wipe am. Respect for this our family na like gold, e dey hard to get.

Plenty titled men come that day. I climb on top one wooden basin, dey pretend say I dey pick water lily as I dance.

Them beat drum with spoon for empty crate, I dey swirl small like person wey get two left legs, but I try. Even my small brother dey peep from under table, dey laugh inside him mouth. I been dey pray make make the basin just balance till I finish.

But last-last, the basin turn upside down.

Na so I land for ground, head first, wrapper shift small. Everybody burst laugh, even my uncle nearly drop him snuff bottle. Na wahala dey, but who wan help me? Shame no be small.

Shame catch me, and even my fiancé run commot.

That day, I know say my life don bend—nothing go ever straight again.

As I dey for ground, my heart dey beat like talking drum. My fiancé, Emmanuel, just waka sharp-sharp, no even look back. Na that kind shame dey bite reach bone. Even my mama cover face, her friend dey hiss. Tears just full my eye.

As I no get power, and as second wife pikin wey no fit secure marriage, dem just pack me join my senior sister as part of her bride price when she dey marry…

Dem arrange am one kind. My papa say, "Better to follow person go, than stay here dey collect insult." I pack my small bag, tie wrapper, follow my senior sister like goat. Inside me, I dey pray make better thing still reach my hand one day.