“Take no help,” Sunny snapped with disgust. “What would be the point if it was all just . . .”

“I know,” he said. “We both love soccer. What would be the point if we didn’t have to play well to win, right? Same thing with school. I believe in learning . . . just like you.”

Sunny nodded.

He smirked. “That’s what I like about Chichi. Well, and because na dey beautiful, o.”

Sunny rolled her eyes. Does he even know about Sasha?! she wondered. She considered asking, then decided it wasn’t her business.

“Chukwu,” she said. “I’ve got a favor to ask you.” She got up to finish slicing the plantain.

“What is it?”

She sliced for a bit before speaking. If he said no, she had no idea how they’d get to Lagos. Maybe they’d find a funky train that drove out there. But how would she get the time away . . . without their father disowning her? No, she had to do this very, very carefully.

“We need to go to Lagos for something,” she blurted, turning to him. “Can you take us? It’s important.”

She quickly turned to her plantain, horrified with herself. She’d never been good at subtlety. That was Orlu’s strength. This was her brother who used to punch her hard in the arm and call her Clorox as a way of showing sibling love. How could she be subtle or careful with him?

“What’s so important there?” he asked.

“Don’t tell Mom or Dad,” she said. “I . . .”

“You aren’t involved in some dangerous cult thing, right?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “Nothing like that. I just need to . . . meet with someone. Please, I can’t say more. You just have to trust me. Even if you won’t take . . .”

“I’ll take you,” he said.

“Huh?”

“I’ll take you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I owe you.”

Sunny shook her head. “No, you don’t.”

“You did something that got me out of a bad situation.”

“You’d do the same for me. You’re my brother.”

They stood looking at each other for a long time. Sunny’s heart beat fast with emotion as she remembered how he’d looked that night. She couldn’t keep the tears from welling up in her eyes.

“Okay,” he said softly. “I don’t owe you.”

“So why help me?”

He shrugged. “I want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Okay,” Sunny said, her throat tight. She turned back to her plantain, grabbing a pan and pouring vegetable oil into it. She added a bit of palm oil for flavor, just as her mother had taught her, and then turned on the heat.

“Plus, Adebayo will be there. He’s spending the break at the house of his rich uncle and auntie. They’re traveling to London, and they needed someone to watch their house.” He laughed. “He’ll have a huge mansion on Victoria Island all to himself. Living there like a king. Let me call him. When do you want to go?”