Scars (Romola 2)

18: Soaked Bread

Romola crossed to the other side of the road so she could find the bus that would take her to Iya Tobi's store at Yaba.. She crossed over the puddles with short jumps. Thank God last night's rain did not flood the whole street.

She strolled down the lane on the other side. A little girl walked past her with a tray of bread on her head. The bread hawkers were getting younger and younger. When she was that girl's age, other people her age sold pure water. The large bread tray was almost twice the size of the girl. She could easily pick a loaf of bread off the girl's head and run.

"Oni bread." A man said.

The girl dropped the bread tray . The girl would have to be somewhere around Lolade's age. Romola faced the road. The Yaba store was much bigger than the Itire road. She could not afford to be late. Hopefully, last night's rain would not cause too much traffic.

A danfo bus roared down the street, its tires digging into the earth. She moved backwards, barely missed a scratch from the bus. Other people swore at the bus driver as the bus passed by, spraying rain water into the air. and riann down curses at the bus driver.

A short cry soon dominated the noisy scene.

"See, I can't buy it again. Dirty rain water has touched it na."

"Please, buy. It's just small. If you use water and wash it, it will go."

"Sorry oh. No."

"Please na."

Romola stepped away from her place in the crowd, towards the voice. Was that Lolade?

"Give me my money, jhoor."

"Please sir, if I don't sell this bread, I won't eat today."

"Is that my problem?"

The man tried to force the money out of the girl's hand. Romola winced. Any wrong move and his grip would snap her wrist. "Stop."

"Aunty," The man said to her. "See this girl oh. She wants me to buy this dirty bread."

The amount of times people fought over bread never stopped to amaze her. "How much is the money you want to collect?"

Romola dug into her bag.

"200."

"It 150." Lolade tried to force her hand out of the man's hold and even though her hand was so lean, it looked like they could slip out of his clenched wrist,

"Here." Romola handed the man a crisp 200 note.

He let the girl go and she fell into the pool of greyish mud. The man swooped down to pick up a loaf of bread.

Romola grabbed his wrist, staring into his foxy eyes. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Nobody will buy this damaged bread. Let me just eat it."

"You didn't want to buy it. You are just a greedy man.

"Leave the bread jhoor." Another man behind her added. .

The man dropped the bread and walked away. Romola turned to the other voice; the agbero continued his work of stopping bikes and taxing them.

"Thank you."

"Na 150 you suppose give that man. No dey do like mumu." The agbero tapped his temple before chasing another bike..

Lolade remained on the floor with her head buried in her arms.

"Lolade. Lolade?"

Through tears, the girl mumbled. "Leave me."

Romola pulled the girl up. She would most definitely be late unless she could resolve this issue. "Look at me."

Lolade hid her head on Romola's stomach.. Romola put her hand under the girl's chin and lifted the chin. "Lolade, it's me, Romola."

"Maami said I should not talk to you." Lolade repeated between sobs.

"It's okay. The man is gone."

"The bread. The bread. All the bread is bad. What will I do? Maami will beat me."

"Ssshh. It's' okay. Let's go. I will fix it."

The girl shook her head but Romola put her at hands length, using her long sleeve jacket to clean her sister's face. "Don't worry. I will fix everything."