Chapter 9: Darkness and New Breeze

That day, as I dey go house, keke jam me from back, I faint.

My mind dey road, I no notice keke dey reverse. Next thing, darkness. The world just vanish.

As I wake for hospital, doctor talk say I don dey coma for five days.

The room dey white, nurse dey move up and down. My body dey weak, my head dey spin. I dey try remember wetin happen.

I just dey confuse, carry phone wan call Tunde, butler rush enter.

He dey sweat, face worried. As e see me, joy full him face.

"Madam, thank God you don wake! I dey check you everyday—God help us!"

His voice high, he dey almost cry. I manage smile, dey try sit up.

I smile small.

Even with pain for body, I thank God say life still dey.

"Sorry, I make una worry. I dey okay."

My voice weak, but I dey try reassure am. I no like make person dey panic because of me.

But butler face serious.

E bite lip, look ground, then look my face. My heart dey pound, I dey fear say another wahala don land.

I look am. "Wetin happen? Mama-in-law dey vex?"

I dey pray say na small thing. But e face dey pale, hand dey shake.

He pause. "Madam, Chief Adegbite don die."

The words hang for air. My hand lose grip, flask for pap nearly fall. The world spin, I dey struggle to breathe. My heart stop. I try sit up, but my head turn.

My eye wide.

I dey shake. I blink, dey hope say I mishear.

"Wetin you talk? Who die?"

My voice high. My heart dey run. I dey sweat for hand.

Butler talk slow.

His words slow, heavy. E be like say rain dey fall inside my ear. I no fit process am.

"That night wey you get accident, Chief get attack outside. Dem rush am hospital, but e die."

I gasp, cover mouth. The world just spin. I try remember last time I talk to am.

"House don scatter since. Madam faint from cry, Baba dey force himself handle things. Dem just finish burial this morning."

Tears roll for my eye. My chest dey pain. For Naija, burial dey follow quick when person die high blood pressure. I dey regret say I no dey there.

I just dey, no move—like say my spirit don comot.

I dey look ceiling, the beeping of drip dey sound like old drum. I dey try catch breath, but e hard.

Butler sigh, "Madam, abeg hold yourself. You no fit fall now. Baba say make I dey check you. Plenty inheritance paper need your signature, abeg try come house."

His voice dey beg. I dey remember all the wahala wey follow family property for Naija. If you no sharp, dem fit run you street.

I no talk, just sit up slow.

My hand dey shake, but I dey try act strong. My mind dey race. I dey think of wetin next.

Butler rush hold me. "Car dey wait. Abeg manage—Baba dey worry."

He hold my arm, dey try balance me. E dey fear say I go fall again. Na only him dey show me this kind care.

I gently remove my hand.

I whisper, 'No worry, I go manage.' For my mind, I dey pray make God give me sense to survive this new chapter.

Butler look me, confuse.

He dey wait for order, but I dey blank. For my head, nothing dey clear.

I lean back, rest for bed, talk soft:

My voice na whisper, my heart heavy. I dey look window, dey beg God for direction.

"If e really dey urgent..."

I pause, close my eyes. Na only God know wetin tomorrow go bring.

"Make he come see me by himself."

I let the words hang for air. For the first time, I no rush obey. Na small change, but for my heart, e be like new breeze dey blow. Maybe this time, I go get my own voice.