ÀṢÀKẸ́

CHAPTER TEN

I shivered from my bones. Màámi was about to find out what I tried hard to keep away from her.

“Ǹkan lára àwọn tí wọ́n bá bàámi ṣiṣẹ́ ni mà” (it's one of the people who work with my dad ma), I scratched my hair and stammered.

“Kíló ṣẹlẹ̀ mà?” (what happened ma?), màámi turned to the angry woman, and gently asked.

“Mttchewwww! Wòó, ìwọ jíṣẹ́ mi fún wọn bí wọ́n bá dé!” (Mttchewwww! See, you relay my message for him when he returns), she said to me, looking away from màámi. She tightened her grip on the other child at her right hand, hissed and walked away.

It was a big relief for little me who didn't know what she would have done. I felt bad that I had to lie to her again, after covering up the truth from her. Màámi looked dazed and unable to piece together what had just happened.

Fully aware that she could ask me questions, I diverted her attention by asking, “màámi, ṣé ẹ sùn dáadáa?” (mummy, did you sleep well?).

“Bẹ́ẹ̀ni ọmọ mi”  (yes my daughter), she stretched and gave a big yawn.

“Oọ̀ tíì ṣa ẹ̀wà yẹn tán ni?!” (Aren't you done with picking the beans?!), she continued.

“Rárá ma” (No ma), I said as I rushed to carry the beans, and continued with it.

“O jẹ́ ṣé kíá, kólè jiná kótó di alẹ́” (You better be quick, so it can be ready before night), she turned her back and returned inside. Ignorantly, I danced in relief that the secret had been covered up, while my heart bore a heavy guilt. I cautioned my father later in the night to be more careful and discreet about the whole situation.

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          Returning from the stream, where I went to fetch water for cooking and the morning bath, I met a group of girls gathered in front of my house, with morenikeji. I wasn't expecting them to come this early. Some held in there hands hoes, some, weaved baskets. Seeing I had not taken my bathe, talk less being prepared, they were dissatisfied. Passion was clearly written on their faces, it  took one with similar zeal to decipher.

“Ẹmábìnú, ẹ jẹ́ n sáré lọ wẹ̀” (Don't be annoyed, let me quickly have my bath), I raced in to get my bucket and bowl. They waited, watched me scoop water from the big bowl into my green bucket. I ran into the  bathroom, with water splashing everywhere. Unlike these days, especially in the urban settings, when we have the modern bathroom, those days, we washed our bodies in enclosed rusted iron sheets. There was little privacy as they were usually built outside the house, and it was less comfortable. They later evolved to concrete-built enclosures with roof coverings, and  curtains for doors.

I rushed out of the bathroom, apologizing with every step I took. I grabbed a random àdìrẹ (dyed) top, with a matching wrapper. I ignored the wrist beads above my mirror, I wore them for special occasions. If I would forget anything, I couldn't forget to take a good look at the beautiful girl I usually saw, when I stood before my mirror. It was the only time I got to see who I really was. Trying so hard to hide my prideful blush, I got carried away with my glowing dark skin. I was a little disappointed by the huge pimple that sat below my right cheek, but couldn't ignore my neatly curved eyebrows.

“Àṣàkẹ́!! Dáwa lóùn jọ̀ọ́” (Asake! Please answer us), one of the girls shouted. I knocked on màámi's door, taking permission to go to the farm with the girls. After she granted me the permission, I took a spare hoe and one of the weaved baskets that were stacked at the backyard, and we headed towards my father's farm first.