The Other Side of Truth

wed. Uncle Roy’s deep roar of delight swept upstairs with the open blast of frosty air. Sade and Femi tumbled headlong downstairs. Papa, frail and supported by Uncle Dele’s arm, stood smiling in the doorway.

“Take care!” Uncle Dele pitched out h

“Keep writing, my child,” Papa added softly. “As long as we have our pens, we can talk.”

The most important thing was for his case to be public. But every time Sade ate, she thought of Papa. What was it like not to eat at all?

tell Papa. Too much. Desertion at Victoria Station. The shock of Uncle Dele missing. Darth Vader of the alley grabbing their bag. Video Man accusing them and calling the police. Mrs. Graham taking them in, Kevin complaining. The awful Asylum Screening Unit…But also Iyawo-Jenny, Mama Appiah, Mr. Nathan…and of course Aunt Gracie and Uncle Roy, who were trying so hard to make them feel at home. Papa nodded with satisfaction when he heard that they were both in school. However, Sade mentioned nothing about Marcia nor about Mariam. After the earlier hugging and excitement, Femi was quieter. He said little about Greenslades Primary. Even when he was looking up at Papa, Sade thought her brother’s eyes seemed lost inside him.

In the end the conversation returned to how lucky they were to have found each other again. Sade began to explain to Papa why she had given a false surname and suddenly, without warning, she was crying again. Both Papa and Mama Appiah comforted her. All was not yet lost, they said. Mr. Nathan would take on Papa’s case. He would explain to the Immigration people that Sade and Femi were actually Papa’s children. He would ask them to release Papa to be with them, at least while they considered his case.

Where the water rules, the land submits.

od.

A lie has seven winding paths, the truth one straight road.

allow bullies a stranglehold, they’ll have you by the throat!”

ts and voices. They must have joined the streams of cars, trucks, motorcycles and cyclists thrusting th

SADE IS SLIPPING HER ENGLISH BOOK into her schoolbag when Mama screams. Two sharp cracks splinter the air. She hears her father’s fierce cry, rising, falling.
“No! No!”
The revving of a car and skidding of tires smother his voice.
Her bag topples from the bed, spilling books, pen and pencil onto the floor. She races to the verandah, pushing past Femi in the doorway. His body is wooden with fright.
“Mama mi?” she whispers.
Papa is kneeling in the driveway, Mama partly curled up against him. One bare leg stretches out in front of her. His strong hands grip her, trying to halt the growing scarlet monster. But it has already spread down her