CHAPTER 5

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly at Anita as she made way for Glory to pass with the tray of soup in her hands, and then she walked into the kitchen. She didn't utter a word to her mother, but her face held a sorrow that her mom understood better.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia sighed and called her name. "What is it, Mom?" Anita asked and walked beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father really loves you, like the rest of your siblings, and isn't against your success," Mrs. Tonia replied as she held Anita's hand in hers.

"Hmph," Anita sighed. "I know, Mom, but I don't care about that. If Dad likes me, fine, if he doesn't, fine. I will always see him as my father and that's all."

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia called again.

"Mom, where's the fufu?!" Flora stepped into the kitchen and interrupted them as she eyed Anita and walked to the kitchen cabinet to meet their mother.

"Mom, why are you holding her hand and talking to her? Are you begging her for something?" Flora asked, as she crossed her arms around her chest.

"No, Flora, I am only advising her," Mrs. Tonia replied and stared at Flora.

Flora asked again, "I don't care, Mom. That's by the way. I came here for fufu as Glory only served us soup without fufu. Where's the fufu?"

"It's over there, check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responded, and Flora turned and spotted the fufu. She carried it and walked out from the kitchen, leaving them alone.

"Like I was advising, don't hold a grudge in your heart against your father, okay. You can never get another replacement for him. He's your father, and I can swear with my life on that."

"Mom," Anita frowned. "That isn't necessary for you to swear. Let's go and eat first as I still have some work to do and some calls to place across to Temisa to know if she has gotten home too."

"Okay," Mrs. Tonia finally let go of Anita's hand, and Anita walked to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen washbasin. She later stepped out to join the rest of the family for dinner, while their father finally came out too. He was silent as he sat and ate the delicious okra soup his wife had made.

The dining hall was silent, and after their dinner, Glory stood up first as she was the first to finish her meal. She cleared her plate to the kitchen and walked to Anita and Flora's room to wait for Anita to finish, as she wanted to discuss with Anita.

Later the rest of the family finished and Lisa finally cleared all the plates as it was her turn to wash all the dirty dishes. She shared the turn with Glory in washing the plates weekly, while Anita walked back to the room she shared with Flora and found Glory standing inside the room.

"What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asked Glory as she stepped in and walked closer to sit on the bed she shared with Flora.

Glory replied, "I came here to discuss with you, big sis," and Anita stared at Glory for some minutes, as her baby sister had indeed grown, and was asking her advanced questions unlike the little ten-year-old girl she left before going to the university.

"So tell me, what do you want to discuss with me about?" Anita asked, and as Glory was about to reply, Flora stepped in coldly. "What are you doing here, Glory? Return to your room now!" Flora commanded.

"No, Flora, allow Glory to stay. We have some conversation to discuss. As you can see, I just returned," Anita replied, and Flora flared up. "I wasn't speaking to you, so stay out of this!"

"Meaning?!" Anita stood up from the bed and crossed her arms around her chest as she faced Flora. "I have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you aren't talking to me?" Anita questioned as she stared at Flora coldly.

"You heard me correctly. I have no business with white witches. Now, Glory, leave here. I want to rest," Flora repeated, and Anita smirked and sat back on the bed.

Anita opened her box zipper to remove her laptop and phone, and Glory stared from Anita to Flora in confusion. Anita was her big sis, same as Flora, and she didn't like how they were quarreling because of her.

"Glory, leave!" Flora commanded again and walked closer to Glory to drag her out.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Anita warned as she opened her box, took out her laptop and phone, and placed them on the bed.

"Or what? What will you do?" Flora questioned, and Anita looked up at her. "Step away, or you'll have to touch Glory first!"

"No big sisters, I'm leaving. I'll ask you later," Glory nervously responded.

"No Glory!" Anita glanced towards Glory and she shivered. "Step away now, Flora! If you're here to rest, the bed is over there, but move away from my conversation with Glory!" Anita warned.

Flora stared angrily at Anita. Anita was a slim figure with a sexy curvy waist and big breasts, while Flora was fat and chubby. Flora felt she could beat Anita up since she was taller and fatter.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walked towards Glory and dragged Glory by her arms out. Anita wouldn't allow such disrespect as she stood up and pounced on Flora, dragging Flora by her hair and slapping Flora's pretty dark face multiple times, not giving Flora a chance to breathe. The two of them engaged in a fight. "What's going on here?" Mr. Joshua questioned as he stepped into his eldest daughter's room, causing them to separate.

"Father, she started it first!" Flora pointed to Anita, and Anita breathed out heavily as she adjusted her clothes properly. Mr. Joshua had always known Anita as one who didn't fight, so what could have prompted their fight? He stared at Glory and just then the rest of his daughters and his wife rushed into the room.

"What happened, father?!" They questioned him as they walked into the big room and stared from Anita to Flora, who was breathing heavily, and to Glory, who had a worried expression on her face. "What happened, Glory?" Mr. Joshua finally questioned Glory and she stammered.

"Father, I came in here to discuss with Aunt Anita, and Flora came in and ordered me to leave, but Aunt Anita refused, and Flora insisted, and the fight started," Glory explained.

"Flora, why did you ask Glory to leave, when Anita was still talking to her?" Mr. Joshua questioned, as he stared at Flora, whose cheek was already swollen. Anita also had a swollen red cheek, which was more visible than Flora's. Flora was crying profusely, wanting her father to support her.

"Father, she slapped me first!" Flora pointed to Anita.

"I didn't ask you that. I asked, why did you send Glory away?"

"I wanted to sleep, father, and I cannot sleep if they're discussing," Flora replied.

"Hmmm," Mr. Joshua hummed as he knew it was all his fault, and he warned, "Let today be the last time that I will get any form of disrespect from any of you towards your big sister again. When next it repeats, you will have me to contend with. Now Flora, pack your bag and clothes; you will be relocating to share the room with Lisa. Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onwards. Any more reports or complaints, and I will deal with you afterwards."

"Father!" Flora exclaimed, but Mr. Joshua had already walked out.

"You caused all this, Flora. Why disrespect your big sister?" Mrs. Tonia questioned, but Flora frowned. "Mom, are you also picking on Anita's side, is it because she won two stupid awards?"

"Shut your mouth, Flora. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Last session you had carry-overs, and yet you cannot read to become good or learn from your big sister. The only thing you know how to do best is to badmouth."

"Mom!" Flora broke into sobs again while the rest of her sisters in the room crossed their arms around their chests angrily.

"Now, apologize to Anita first before you start packing your bags!" Mrs. Tonia instructed.

"I won't do that, Mother," Flora refused.

"And I insist, else you have me to contend with now!"

Flora was speechless as she stared from their mom to the rest of her siblings, and to Anita, who sat on the bed opening her laptop to switch it on and waiting for it to boot. Flora swallowed and stared back at their mother.

"No mother!" She screamed and Anita stared at them. "It's okay, Mom. I don't need her apology," Anita replied as she typed in her laptop password.

"No Anita, Flora must apologize, else she ceases being my daughter from today."

"Mom!" They all exclaimed and Mrs. Tonia turned to face them all. "Yes, mark it as my warning from today onwards and note that I can also disown you and cut ties with you all if you dare to disobey me. Now, Flora, apologize!"

Flora stared at Anita sitting on the bed, and she mumbled out the words, "I'm sorry, Anita."

"Repeat it out loud."

"Mom!" Flora stared back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia was dead serious.

"Fine, I am sorry, Anita. Please forgive me," Flora pleaded.

"It's okay, Flora. You can leave," Anita didn't shift her focus away from her laptop as she replied, and Flora immediately packed her bag of clothes and dragged it out of the room, leaving the rest of them speechless as she left.