Chapter 5

Mrs. Tonia smiles faintly at Anita, who makes way for Glory to pass with the tray of soup in her hands, and she walks into the kitchen to meet her mother.

Anita doesn't utter any word to her mother, but her face holds a sorrow her mom understands better.

"Anita..." Mrs. Tonia sighs and calls her first daughter's name.

"What is it, mom?" Anita asks and walks beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father loves you like the rest of your siblings and isn't against your success," Mrs. Tonia replies and holds Anita's hands closely.

"Hmph," Anita sighs.

"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..."

"Mom, where's the fufu?" Flora steps into the kitchen and interrupts them.

She eyed Anita and walked to the kitchen cabinet to meet her mother.

"Mom, why are you holding her hands and talking to her... Are you begging her for something?" Flora asks as she crosses her arms around her chest.

"No, I am only advising her," Mrs. Tonia replies and stares at Flora.

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

"It's over there, check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia instructs, and Flora turns and spots the fufu. She carries it and steps out of 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 is your father, and I can swear with my life on that."

Anita frowns.

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

"Okay," Mrs. Tonia lets go of Anita's hands, and Anita walks to go and wash her hands in the kitchen washbasin.

Anita later steps out to join the rest of the family for dinner while Mr. Joshua steps out, and he's silent as he sits and eats the delicious okra soup his wife has prepared.

The dining hall is silent, and after their dinner, Glory stands up first as she's the first to finish her meal. She clears her plate and walks to Anita and Flora's room to wait for Anita as she wants to speak with Anita.

Later the rest of the family is through, and Lisa clears all the plates as it is her turn to wash all the dirty dishes. She turns with Glory in washing the plates while Anita walks back to the room she shares with Flora and meets Glory standing in there.

"What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asks Glory as she steps in and walks closer to sit on the bed she shares with Flora.

"I came here to discuss with you," Glory says.

Anita stares at Glory for some minutes. Her baby sister has indeed grown to ask 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 asks, and as Glory is about to speak, Flora steps in coldly.

"What are you doing here, Glory? Return to your room now!" Flora commands.

"No, allow her to be. We have some conversations to discuss. As you can see, I just returned," Anita replies, and Flora flares up.

"I wasn't speaking to you. So stay out of this!" She snaps at Anita.

"Meaning?!" Anita stands up from the bed and crosses her arms around her chest.

"I have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you ain't talking to me?" Anita questions, and she stares at Flora.

"You heard me correctly. I have no business with White witches. Now, Glory, leave here. I want to rest," Flora repeats.

"No big sis, Anita, I am leaving. I will ask you later," Glory nervously says.

"No! Glory," Anita glances towards Glory, and she shivers.

"Step away now, Flora! If you're here to rest, then the bed is over there, but move away from my conversation with Glory!" Anita warns again, and Flora stares at Anita angrily.

Anita has a slim figure but has a sexy curvy waist and big breasts, while Flora is fat and chubbier than Anita. She feels she can beat Anita as she's taller than Anita too.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walks towards Glory and drags her out by her right arm, but Anita won't allow such disrespect.

Anita stands up from the bed, and pounces on Flora. She drags Flora by her hair and slaps her pretty dark face multiple times, not giving Flora a chance to breathe, and the two of them engage in a fight.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Joshua steps into his eldest daughter's room and questions them, making them separate.

"Father, she started it first!" Flora points to Anita, and Anita breathes out as she adjusts her clothes.

Mr. Joshua has always known Anita as one who doesn't fight. What could have prompted their fight?

He stares at Glory, and just then the rest of his daughters and his wife rush into the room.

"What happened, father?" They question him as they walk into the big room and stare from Anita to Flora, who's breathing heavily, and to Glory, who has a worried expression.

"Glory, what happened?" Mr. Joshua finally questions Glory, and she stammers.

"Father, I came 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 explains.

"Flora, why did you ask Glory to leave when Anita is still talking to her?" Mr. Joshua asks as he stares at Flora, whose cheek is already swollen, Anita also has a swollen red cheek, as hers is more visible than Flora's, but Flora is crying profusely, wanting her father to pick her side.

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

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

"I want to sleep, Father, and I cannot sleep if they're discussing," Flora replies.

"Hmph..." Mr. Joshua hums.

He knows it's all his fault, and he warns.

"Let today be the last time that I will get any form of disrespect from any of you towards your big sister Anita. When next it repeats, you will have me to contend with. Now pack your bag and clothes; you will be relocating to share the room with Lisa, while Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onwards. Any more reports of complaints, and I will deal with you afterward."

"Father!" Flora murmurs, but Mr. Joshua steps out.

"You caused all this, Flora. Why disrespect your big sister?" Mrs. Tonia asks Flora.

"Mom, are you also picking on Anita's side? Is it because she won two stupid awards?" Flora asks.

"Shut your mouth, Flora. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Last session, you had a carryover, and yet you cannot read to become good or learn from your big sister. Only bad-mouthing is what you know how to do best" Mrs. Tonia scolds.

"Mother!" Flora breaks into sobs again, and the rest of her sisters in the room cross their arms around their chests angrily and frown, not liking Anita either.

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

"I won't do that, mother," Flora refuses.

"And I insist. Else you have me to contend with now!"

Flora is speechless, and she stares from her mom to the rest of her siblings and to Anita, who sits on the bed opening her laptop to switch it on and waiting for it to boot.

Flora swallows and stares back at her mom.

"No, Mother!" She screams, and Anita stares at them.

"It's okay, mom. I don't need her apology," Anita says as she types in her laptop password.

"No, she must apologize, else she seizes being my daughter from today."

"Mom!" They all exclaim, and Mrs. Tonia turns to face them all.

"Yes, mark it as my warning from today, and note that I can also disown you and cut ties with you all if you dare to disobey me. Now, Flora, apologize!"

Flora stares at Anita sitting on the bed, and she mumbles out the word.

"I am sorry, Anita," she says, and Mrs. Tonia replies, "Repeat it out loudly."

"Mom!" Flora stares back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia is dead serious.

"Fine, I am sorry, Anita, please forgive me," Flora pleads.

"It's okay, you can leave," Anita doesn't shift her focus away from her laptop as she responds, and Flora immediately packs her bag of clothes and drags it out from the room, leaving the rest of them speechless as she leaves.