THE LEGEND OF DAYO 1: THE EMERGENCE

the depths of his eyes. She knew just how badly Olusegun Osuolale was affec

smiled, trying to hide her pain without success. “You know I’ve lived w

mering quite noisily on the roof, as if the wet season had taken affron

ubbed his cheeks against hers, and she

am, for just a few minutes so that you can sleep s

uch his grey hair, but she could not raise

like that,

oys his, and that was why she loved him so much and had cho

he smiled bravely through and watched

we were married at first, each time

ad and smiled gently at h

soft voice and ran a calloused hand down her right cheek

was my greatest pleasure,” she murmured, and they

d brushed his lips a

all the time,” he whispered. “But Neji will

door, can’t you, dim?” she

able to speak

nwunyem,” he said tenderly. “And when the

and nibble

happy to part for your c

when the door opened, an

t whilst Uche Joseph was holdi

sat up and quickly

nd carefully lifted a bowl of light soup with te

low table, and then he proudly hande

athematics today, B

ok the envelope and

“What position did you get this time, eh? In the last two terms, you were edgin

t, Baba, and I was in the

the mathematics exams, and you were in the thirty-second position, t

d whilst his mothe

’s the blockhead in the family now, ah? You were very bad in mathematics during

then he gaped with sudden disbelief and hi

xam paper you go steal write your name for the top? Ninety-five per cent

paused and looked at her father, and her hand was not quite s

n and dabbed at the spill, and then sh

ph was la

! Suddenly, things I had forgotten were coming back to me! The Economics paper today was eas

purum said, and her husband looked

, he’s now your boy, abi, and no lo

ar them now. Her mind was working overtime, and as she

gun Osuolale asked, suddenly concerned by the exp

t it was just a shallow

ese days,” her mother said with a gentle smile.

darling?” Olusegun

g pimple bumps have cleared from her face, Baba!

. “Your skin is now so, so. beautiful. The

nd gently spooned it up with soup,

t anything to do with the

in the room as her mother c

ting at, Princess?” O

ather levelly, her beautif

n the store, when Mrs Ibrahim was proving so dangerous, y

and he tried to avoid his

ing on?” Grace

nd put the bowl of

s, and the profits are astounding. My horrible pimples cleared, and Uche’s school performance is mind-boggling, to say the least. I have seen some of his exams papers, and the results are

our mother,” Olusegun said carefull

o him yet, Baba!” Helen said calmly, k

one to the other,

e now!” she said softly

it?” Uche Joseph asked sud

whispered. “

thing is going on well for all of us…no, those of us who have bee

as about to ask you. You break down each month, but this m

onth, mama. And I don’t even feel a twitch of pain. It is so smooth and painless, so comfortable that I crie

her face horrified. “The

e strange bright light she had seen inside the storeroom. “Blessed, more li

” Olusegun Osuolale said softly. “Could

nd out, Baba,” Ne

face asked

her pain. Let’s take her down to the boy, Baba. And then we’ll know whether it is a coincidence, or that boy’s presence is indee