“Go wear that long dress instead” mama said with a scowl on her face

You only stared at her with your mouth open

Your brain forcing you to say something,

Anything?

“Tell her that despite your long dress that touched your toes, priest Emeka still asked you to raise it up so he could see what color of painties you wore.”

He even made you drink of the white liquid that came out of his sausages. With his eyes closed and mouth half open he poured them into your mouth.

Later that day you explained to Ngozi and you both laughed as she shook your hands and she called you a woman. But you still felt uneasy. A brooding feeling you can’t shake.”

“Tell her that despite your long dress Peter who owned the tuck shop called your breasts growing oranges as he squeezed too hard and placed biscuits on your hands warning you to keep quiet.”

“Tell her that Mr James always called you his wife and laughed when you awkwardly fell and your long dress exposed your thighs.

He called you a tender meat as he licked his lips.”

“Tell her that you loathe the long dress and it didn’t stop the market boys from trying to lift your dress up.“

“Tell her that you prefer to be in a tube skirt and crop top and display your properties out there. After all why hide something when everybody already saw it. You craved freedom.”

Tell her all these your brain pushed you

But your mouth sat open

Firm in malice as it refused to listen to your brain

You said nothing as you went into the room and wore the long dress over your head.