Even When Your Voice Shakes by Ruby Yayra Goka

Author:Ruby Yayra Goka
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Published: 2022-01-06T00:00:00+00:00

That night when Nikoi called, I told him what had happened and how I’d been scared Madam would scold me for waking her up, but how later that evening she had come to thank me instead.

“Her child was hurting, of course she’d want to know about it,” Nikoi said.

“It just struck me how different she and Amerley-mami are, that’s all.”

“Don’t go making comparisons, Amerley. You have enough to eat, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back. Your sisters have the same. Be content with what you have.”

I twirled the cord around my finger and sank to the floor beside the phone side table. “I’m not being ungrateful, I just . . . Sometimes it’s hard not to be bitter, you know?”

“I know,” Nikoi said. “But if you think about the unfairness of life—what did your madam’s kids do to deserve an easy life, what did we do to deserve ours—if you keep thinking about things like that, you’ll just be sad and bitter all the time. It’s hard to believe, but we’re better off than some people.”

I knew what he said was true, but living with the Iddrissus had opened my eyes to so many things. It just didn’t seem fair.

“How are my sisters?”

“They are fine. Amarkai boarded my trotro on her way to school on Wednesday. She said Amorkor will get a prize at the end of the term in English literature.”

My heart warmed. “That’s not surprising. All she does is read. How is everyone else?”

Nikoi chuckled and I could hear the laughter in his voice as he said, “I think Ofoe-mami misses you. She keeps complaining that your sisters don’t buy her kenkey anymore. She asked when you’d be back.”

I laughed. “The girls are scared of her. She’s too harsh.”

“Speaking of harsh people, how is your Magajia?”

“She’s the same. Always finding work for you to do if she finds you idle.”

“How’s the business going?”

“Not bad. I fixed two buttons on a shirt for one of Priscilla’s friends’ masters today. The shirts were not even torn. One button had come off and the other was hanging by a thread. The man was going to pay one hundred cedis to a tailor to fix the buttons for him.”

“Ei. One hundred cedis?”

“Uh-huh.”

“So no one in their house had a thread and needle?”

“Nii, I don’t know for them.”

“I’m happy for you. At this rate, you will get your machine in no time, and then you can help me buy my taxi.”

I laughed. “It’s not really my doing. It’s Priscilla. She’s a very shrewd businesswoman. I don’t even know how she knows so many people. Some of her friends have started bringing me their own clothes as well.”

“Drat,” Nii whispered.

“What is it?”

“I have one minute remaining on this calling card.”

“Say hello to my sisters for me when you see them, and please congratulate Amorkor for me.”

“I will. I’ll call you next Saturday.”

“I’ll be waiting. Have a good week.”

“Have a good week too.”

“I—”

Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep, the dial tone sounded in my ear.

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