Chapter 2 Her Grandmother's House

Adanna woke to the sound of a cock crowing in the distance and the muffled clatter of pots in the kitchen.

The fan above her spun slowly, creaking like it had a bone to pick with the ceiling. She blinked against the pale morning light that slipped through the curtains.

"Adanna!" her grandmother's voice rang out, strong despite her age.

"Oya, wake up, joò! Come and eat before your food gets cold o!" Adanna groaned lightly, dragging herself from under the covers.

She had forgotten how Mama Rose turned breakfast into a family event. She padded barefoot into the kitchen, where the smell of fried eggs, fresh tomatoes, and boiled yam made her stomach growl.

Her grandmother stood by the stove, wearing a faded wrapper and her ever-faithful hairnet.

"You're still using that same wrapper?" Adanna teased. Mama Rose turned, spoon in hand. "This one? This wrapper is older than your ex-boyfriend's promises." Adanna burst out laughing. "Mama!" "Don't 'Mama' me," her grandmother replied with a mock frown.

"Sit down and eat. London didn't feed you well. Abi dem dey ration food for there?" "No o," Adanna said between bites. "I just wasn't eating much. Too much work. Too much life."

Mama Rose watched her quietly for a second, then reached across the table and gently touched her wrist.

"Hear me well, Ada. You didn't run away. You came home. Whatever it is you're carrying, drop it at the gate. We don't do heavy hearts here."

Adanna nodded slowly, unsure if she could explain the ache that had taken root inside her chest since last year. So she didn't. Instead, she looked around. The kitchen was exactly the same-white and green tiles, hanging iron pots, and the radio in the corner tuned to Fresh FM.

"Musa said you cleaned my room yourself," she said.

"Of course," Mama Rose said proudly. "I even put new curtains. Yellow ones. You always liked yellow."

Adanna smiled, touched. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, my darling. Now, I want you to rest this week. No stress. But after that, you must go outside. Reconnect. Abi you came to be hiding inside house like snail?"

Adanna chuckled. "I'll go out, Mama."

"Good. Tomorrow, you'll follow me to church. Then maybe stop by the primary school near our street-Brother Felix's son is the headmaster now. He said they're looking for someone to teach photography to the students. Just part-time."

Adanna raised a brow. "You already found me a job?"

"Did I say job?" Mama Rose replied, smirking. "I said opportunity. Whether you take it or not, na you sabi."

They both laughed. Outside, the sun began to rise with that golden Ibadan glow, soft and strong. And for the first time in a long while, Adanna felt something warm begin to flicker in her chest.

Maybe this city still had stories for her. Maybe she hadn't come back just to heal...

But to begin again.