Chapter 4: Betrayal and Begging the Heir

Goats dey bleat for backyard, children dey chase tyre for sand. "Aunty, you too dey careful," Itoro look me with pity.

"See Madam Mi and Lady Lami, dem dey waka up and down with big belle like say dem wan show everybody say na golden pikin dem carry. If I go kitchen, I go jam their maids dey beg for snacks. Everybody dey ask for pepper soup, but na only you dey request for ukodo. I no even know why you dey stress yourself," she talk.

I shake head, smile. "Itoro, na condition make crayfish bend. Madam Mi no get enemy, Lady Lami get strong back. My own, na make I carry my belle jeje." She laugh, clap hand small. Sometimes I wish say I fit live free like the others.

I just sigh.

My chest heavy. Sometimes I go stand for balcony dey look sky, dey ask God whether e get who dey see me for this world. This sigh na from deep heart, no be ordinary one.

Madam Mi and Lady Lami dey show themselves because dem no sabi my senior sister at all.

If to say dem sabi her reach as I sabi, dem for no dey waka anyhow. My sister fit smile with you today, tomorrow e go be like say you never exist. I dey warn Itoro sometimes, "No carry news reach madam ear o."

Itoro come pause: "But madam dey look gentle and calm. We really need to dey fear like this?"

Even for market, people dey talk say my senior sister too gentle. But na people wey no see am when door close. If gentle fit poison, na so she gentle reach.

"After all, na Heir pikin you dey carry. No matter how madam be, she no go fit touch you, abi? She no dey fear her husband family?"

If only Itoro know say for this house, to be pregnant no be guarantee of peace. I look Itoro eye, "Some people dey fear only God, Itoro. No be husband family."

I softly pat Itoro hand. "No wahala, make we just dey careful."

I squeeze her palm small, her skin warm. For this house, na only her dey hold me like say I be human being.

I don see her way before.

For our village, my sister fit tell person say rain go fall, sun go shine, the person go just obey. I sabi the power wey dey her hand.

Before I even enter this house, dem don promise me to another man, but my senior sister see say I fine and easy to control, she come use trick scatter my engagement, force me follow her marry.

Na true talk. I been get person wey dey look my side—fine tailor from Uyo. Na my sister send message say my head no correct, I get stubborn spirit. The boy family withdraw. Next thing, I dey here.

I don see many things—she be person wey no dey stop till she get wetin she want. For her front, no amount of careful ever too much.

If she talk say frog get teeth, you no fit argue. For her mind, na only her suppose shine. I dey walk for eggshells every day.

I pack the small clothes and baby wrappers wey I sew, tell Itoro make she carry go give my senior sister.

Every stitch, I dey pray inside my mind. I dey hope say, if I show her respect, maybe she go soften. But for this house, respect na like water, e dey finish quick.

Itoro look me with pity. "Why Aunty no keep small for herself? Our small master no go need cloth when e born?"

Her voice soft, e dey make me feel small. I look her, shake head. "Na how we go do, my sister dey in charge."

I look my belle, look Itoro. "No be say you still dey?"

I try smile, even though my chest dey pain. Sometimes, small joke fit help cover big pain.

Itoro laugh. "True talk! You still get me!"

Her laugh dey ginger me, like egusi soup wey dem put crayfish. I smile, small hope dey my heart.

But this time, Itoro no come back for two whole hours.

My heart dey knock, sweat dey my palm. I try distract myself, but I dey count time.

Noon don pass, still no sign of her.

Sun high for sky, birds dey shout, but for my room, silence fit kill. I dey listen, dey pray say she go soon come.

The more I wait, the more fear dey catch me, I no fit sit down again.

I waka up and down. Even my leg dey shake. Na so wahala dey start.

Itoro always dey put me first; na she dey bring all my food. Unless something serious happen, she no go ever let me hungry.

If I cough, na she go rush bring hot water. To see her delay—no be ordinary.

Something don happen!

My chest squeeze, I grab wrapper, rush go outside. For this house, delay mean danger.

I hold my fear, go find Itoro.

I kneel small, whisper, "God, no let evil swallow my own."

I dey tell myself, "God, abeg, make e no be as I dey think." I dey mumble prayer as I waka.

I first waka go my senior sister place.

The air for her corridor dey cold, like say harmattan dey blow only there. I see one small boy sweep floor, I dodge his broom, heart for mouth.

Her nanny come out come tell me say Itoro get sticky hand, thief jewelry, so dem don sell her off.

I no believe my ear. The woman talk am like say she dey talk about goat. "Sold," she repeat, face hard.

Sold!

I sit for ground, back touch wall. Na so pain grip me like cramp. My ear dey buzz. I never hear that kind wickedness before.

Na like thunder strike me for head.

I try stand, my leg dey shake. If no be say my belle big, I for roll for floor. I dey see stars.

I know say na my senior sister handwork.

Nobody fit tell me otherwise. This one na strategy, no be accident. My heart dey bleed.

Itoro na my right hand. If my senior sister wan deal with me, she go first cut off my helper.

Na true! If you wan bring person down, first remove those wey dey support am. Na old strategy, but e dey pain like fresh wound.

Na why dem carry Itoro go!

She dey plan make my leg weak. If Itoro no dey, who go help me cook, clean, or even dey my side?

Forget say my belle big, I kneel for my senior sister door, dey beg with tears.

"Oga, abeg! Dem carry my only person, Itoro—help me, I dey beg!"

My tears dey wash ground, my nose dey run. If shame fit kill, I for don die.

But my senior sister no even gree see me.

I hear her voice from inside, "Nanny, close that door. No let noise disturb my peace." Like say na ant dey cry for outside.

Nanny Kemi just insult me: "Aunty Ngozi, wetin you want? You know say madam dey pregnant, you still dey make noise for here—abi you wan disturb her peace?"

She push me with broom, spit ground, face strong. The insult dey hot like pepper. "If to say na my mama, I for flog you."

She spit for my face. "You and your maid, two of una get bad mind!"

I clean spit from my cheek. The pain enter bone.

"Your maid thief madam jewelry, now you dey come cry. Abi you wan harm madam, harm the small heir?"

The way she talk, e be like say dem plan am. Accusation wey no get leg. My hand dey shake, mouth dry.

With this kind big accusation, I no fit talk anything.

I dey fear, because if dem push am, na only God know wetin fit happen. Sometimes silence na your only shield.

I just waka commot, no power.

I look sky, ask God, "Wetin I do for this life?" My leg weak, my heart dey break.

I no fit argue, I no fit throw myself away here.

If I open mouth, na more wahala go follow. My mama teach me, "When dog dey bark, goat dey hide."

If dem beat me die for here, wetin go happen to Itoro? She no go ever come back.

I dey reason am well, na so I hold my tongue. I dey weigh my options.

I must find another way to save her!

Even if na to beg Chief, or kneel for village square. Anything to bring Itoro back.

After I think well, I grit my teeth go the Heir study…

As I dey waka, I dey plan my words. If this chance pass, my helper don go for life.