Chapter 8: Morning Sacrifice

Morning reach, Chinelo’s mama come beg me say neighbour no fit help watch my sister today, so I go take bus go school.

She dey rush, voice dey soft. Her eyes still red, but she force smile give me.

"I don send one thousand naira to your WhatsApp. Two hundred for bus, eight hundred for lunch."

She bend low, touch my head, dey adjust my collar. The way she dey pet me, e different from my old life.

"No be five hundred…?"

I dey surprise, because I hear her and papa yesterday. I no expect extra money.

Last night, her papa talk say he no go add money.

I dey wonder how she take find money for my lunch. Maybe she borrow, maybe she go market early.

"You still dey grow, no cut your food. Three hundred extra na just small for whole month. I go find way add am." She touch my cheek. "Nelo, no starve yourself for school o. Buy wetin you want chop."

Her hand rough, but the love dey warm. E be like say she dey use finger dey write blessing for my face.

Her finger rough small, but the way she rub my skin, e sweet and pain me at the same time.

I hug her, the kind hug wey I never give anybody since. Na her body dey warm me pass wrapper.

I just hug her. "Thank you, mama."

Tears wan drop, but I hold am. I dey imagine if this na the kind home wey pikin suppose get.

She pause, then pat my back. "Wetin dey do you, pikin? You dey act like another person."

I sharply arrange myself. I no expect say she go notice quick. I just run comot, bring out the phone wey I no use yesterday for house.

I dey sweat for palm, dey fear make she no suspect me again. As I waka enter corridor, I press phone fast.

As I unlock am, Chinelo message just dey rush enter.

E shock me how life fit change overnight. From big madam pikin to small money life, everything just dey new.