Chapter 3: Itoro Disappear, Agbalumo Hide

My personal maid, Itoro, come back from outside.

Itoro na Akwa Ibom girl, sharp mouth, sharp hand. Since my mama no fit follow me come, na she be my small family here. If not for Itoro, loneliness for don kill me. Sometimes, she go bring news from market, sometimes she go teach me small Calabar song.

As she see say nobody dey, she quietly bring out small paper package from her chest, open am, and give me.

She use eye scan everywhere first. "Aunty, make you chop before madam go catch you," she whisper, mouth near my ear. E be like say na spy work she dey do. Na so e be for inside polygamous house.

Na packet of agbalumo.

The smell alone make my mouth water. I never chop agbalumo since I waka enter this house. For my village, na sign say dry season dey go. My tongue don dey itch for am.

I quickly pinch one, put am for my mouth. The sour-sweet juice just cool my body, I close eye enjoy am. The juice stain my palm orange, the smell remind me of dry season for village.

As I bite, juice splash for my tongue. My heart just calm. For that brief moment, I fit forget say wahala full my life.

Itoro wrap the rest, hide am back again.

She hide am inside wrapper, arrange am well under mattress. For this house, even food get enemy.

With agbalumo for my mouth, I just smile with Itoro. Even to chop agbalumo, we dey hide do am.

We dey look each other, dey laugh small. The world outside fit dey rough, but for that moment, na only me and Itoro dey.