Chapter 3: Night of Tears and Family Shame

One night, I dey work overtime. By the time I finish, na almost 11pm—office don empty.

The generator sound low, everywhere dey quiet like burial ground. Rain dey threaten for sky, I just dey pack my bag dey reason how I go find keke home, when I hear soft cry. E weak me.

As I wan leave, I hear small sobbing.

First I pause, dey ask myself if na rat dey cry, but as I listen well, I hear woman voice. E soft, e gentle, e pain my heart.

I follow the sound, na so I see Ifunanya squat for one corner inside break room.

My heart jump. The sight shock me. Her face dey hide for between her knee, tears dey soak her sleeve. I never see her like that before.

When she see me, she quickly wipe her tears, fear show for her eyes.

She jump up like say she thief. Her eye red, she dey try compose herself, but e clear say she no expect anybody. I gree for her—nobody go wan make oga catch dem for that kain state.

I ask her wetin happen, whether she need help.

My voice gentle. "Ifunanya, hope say you dey okay? Wetin dey worry you? If you wan talk, I fit listen." I no wan scare am, so I just stand for door, no enter.

She just shake head, force small smile, stand up, come dey beg say sorry for disturbing me.

She try form strong, use tissue wipe her face. "Sorry, sir, I no mean disturb. E no too serious." The thing pain me, but I respect her space.

I no know wetin she meet—e no be work matter—but my mind tell me say this na my chance.

For my mind, I dey reason say, opportunity na opportunity. Even if I no know the full gist, I fit use this one hold her close.

Before I know, Ifunanya don disappear from the office area.

She waka sharp, no even wait make I ask more question. Na so some babes dey behave if dem dey hide pain.

I rush follow her, manage spot her outside company building.

I no dey trust dark, but for Ifunanya, I ready risk. As I reach outside, I see her shadow for street light, she dey stand like person wey lose road.

She just stand there. As I wan call her, I notice say one man dey stand for her front.

The man big, skin tough, clothe rough, face strong like okada man wey dey quarrel with LASTMA. My eye sharp, I no wan do anyhow.

The man look forty-something or fifty, dress anyhow, eyes dey shine like person wey get bad mind.

Old slippers, singlet, jeans wey be like say e no see water for three months. As I look well, I fit smell kai-kai mix with tobacco from where I dey. The smell strong like bus park for Onitsha, e fit wake dead man. The man face be like person wey don fight life tire.

I shock say Ifunanya sabi this kind person. She dey in trouble?

For my mind, e be like movie. Wetin fine babe dey do with this kind agbero? I dey prepare say maybe na armed robbery wahala.

I no too miss am. As the man open mouth, I shock.

"Daughter, I don finally see you. Na here you dey work, abi? You dey make money like this? No forget your papa o."

Him voice rough, like person wey swallow gravel. Ifunanya freeze. Her shoulder drop. She dey try act strong, but I see say her mind dey shake.

I see the greed for the man eyes, Ifunanya dey shake, and I quickly piece everything together.

You know say for Naija, e no dey hard to know when somebody dey plan scam. As I see the way him dey look Ifunanya, e be like say na ATM he dey see.

I don already reason say Ifunanya family no too get, but maybe the matter worse than I think.

Na now I confirm say the thing deep pass as e show for surface. If your papa fit find you for work like thief, e mean say him need something bad.

But this na my best chance to get close to her. I decide to try my luck.

Omo, if na street, dem go call am sharp guy. I step front, reason say na now I fit show say I dey her side.

I waka go front, put my arm around Ifunanya from back.

She stiff small, but I no mind. I use gentle voice: "Ifunanya, time don go, hope say everything dey alright?"

"This night don reach like this, you never go house?"

I dey talk like say na normal office palava, but na coded move. I wan make the man fear say she get person.

Ifunanya turn see me, her body shake small, but she no push me away.

Na then I know say she really dey helpless. She gree make I hold her, even though normally she dey form distance.

The man look me up and down.

Him eye sharp. E dey size me, dey check if I go fit pay am or fight am. For Aba, na so dem dey behave.

"Ah, you don get man? Even better."

Him laugh come out like frog. "E good as you dey take care of my pikin. You go try help your father-in-law na."

He come close, cigarette smell full his mouth.

If you see as the stench slap my face—kai! But I hold myself, no wan disgrace Ifunanya.

"Guy, na me make my daughter fine like this, and she still be virgin. You suppose try thank your father-in-law well."

Omo, see market! I dey almost laugh, but I hold face. This kain talk you no go hear for better family. But for Aba street, na normal.

Chai, I don hammer.

For my mind, na jackpot. All the time wey I dey wait, na now e pay. Even Ifunanya papa dey announce her value like say she be cow for market.

My mind dey sweet me, but my face still dey normal.

Inside my body, I dey do silent dance. But I use serious face, no wan let am know say I dey happy.

Ifunanya glare am, wan insult am, but I pull her behind me.

She ready to vex, but I quickly hold her wrist, whisper, "Leave am, abeg."

I bring out bundle of cash give the man.

I dey always keep small money for pocket—Aba na place wey you fit need am sudden. As I hand am the notes, him hand dey shake like person wey see beer for free.

"Ifunanya never work long—her money no too plenty. Abeg, no disturb her again."

I talk like say I dey beg, but na warning join. I dey look am for eye, make e know say I mean am.

The man just dey count money, no even look my side.

Him hand sharp. Money pass front, e no even thank person. For am, na normal business. E pain me for Ifunanya sake.

Ifunanya try stop me, but I quickly pull her comot.

She dey talk, "No, Obinna, abeg," but I just carry her hand, drag her gently. I no wan make she dey see her papa again for that night.

We no stop till the man disappear.

As we waka reach other side of road, she still dey breathe heavy. I dey look back, confirm say the man no dey follow.

Ifunanya apologise: "Sorry, I go pay you back when salary enter next month."

Her voice dey low, e pain me. I see shame for her eye, but I just shake my head, squeeze her hand small.

I gently cover her mouth, then hold her hand.

I use finger cover her lips small, look her face. "No talk that one, abeg. I dey your side. God no go shame us, I swear."

"If na money go solve am, e no be problem."

I dey form caring, but na true talk join. Person wey you love, you suppose help.

"If I fit, I wan protect you, be your backbone."

I dey talk slow, dey try make her feel safe. As I talk, my hand dey rub her back small, like say I wan chase cold comot.

I feel her hand dey shake for my palm. Her eyes don red.

She wan cry again, but she dey try hold herself. Her body warm, even as breeze dey blow small.

I hug her gently. She rest her head for my shoulder, finally relax.

I let her stay there. For that moment, she be like small pikin. The place quiet, only generator hum for background.

Then she yarn me her story.

Her voice low, almost like whisper. She talk as if e dey pain am to remember.

That man just now na her papa, Mr. Nwachukwu.

E shock me, but I gree. This Aba, na any kind thing you fit see. She no need talk plenty, I fit feel the shame for her voice.

Useless gambler—he don sell everything for house, even almost sell her join.

The kain story wey dey burst brain. E no easy. I dey reason say some people papa na real wahala for life.

When Ifunanya be five, he don carry her give traffickers. Her mama carry kitchen knife, chase them for two streets before she fit rescue her.

Her eyes red as she talk this part. I fit imagine small Ifunanya, barefoot, dey run for muddy street, tears mix with rain.

Her mama die when Ifunanya be twelve. From there, she hustle on her own, dey do part-time work, finish school.

Omo, that kain wahala no easy. She fit cry now, but she no gree. I dey respect her mind.

But her papa no even leave the small money she dey make. If she no give am, he go threaten say he go disgrace her for school.

That one pain me pass. Imagine as person dey hustle, still dey fear say family go expose you. E hard.

She finally finish university, run come Aba, think say she don escape the wahala.

I dey nod. Everybody dey run from something. But Naija wahala dey follow person like shadow.

But see as e be…

She quiet. The rest, I fit imagine.

I no need make she talk more. I just hold her tight. Rain don start dey drop small, but we no move.

I pull her for chest. "No worry. As I dey here, you no go face this thing alone again."

I talk am like promise, but inside me, na plan I dey run. Still, I mean am small. For that moment, na me be her protection.

After that day, Ifunanya just naturally become my babe.

Na so relationship start for Naija. Sometimes, na pain dey bind people together. From that night, she dey always check on me, dey open up small small.