Chapter 4 - Back home

Anita goes back home with her parents, who arrived at her school to witness her final graduation ceremony.

Her mother is very happy, but her father keeps his usual non-smiling face, as he drives them home.

He's proud of her, that Anita didn't allow her beauty to sink into her brain and deter her from becoming successful in life. But he's still confused as to why she's the prettiest of all his daughters.

Even though his wife didn't give him a son, Mr. Joshua isn't bothering about that, as their custom permits a woman to inherit all her father's property. Even though she's already married to another man. 

Nevertheless, he still wonders if Anita's truly his child.

Mr. Joshua sighs, driving them towards their home. As the university is closer to their beautiful home in the city.

Arriving home, Mr. Joshua drove his car into their simple compound and parks it. The house is just a beautiful bungalow, consisting of 4 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, five toilets with bathrooms.

Well, Mr. Joshua Baker is the main owner of the house, as he acquired it from the direct land sellers. He sat in his car, while Anita and her mother step down next. 

Anita's sisters—Flora, Esther, Favour, Lisa, and Glory—were all inside. But none of them stepped out to welcome them, as they arrived.

Mrs. Tonia walks into the living room first, while Anita follows suit, dragging her two boxes as her father remains in his car, answering a phone call.

"Mom!" Esther and Favour rush up to their mother first, while Lisa and Glory step out next.

They have separate rooms they shared. Anita and Flora share a room, while Esther and Favour share another room, with Lisa and Glory sharing the last room that was sometimes used as the guest room.

"Welcome back home, Mom. How did the event go?" Favour asked their mother first, as she's an 18-year-old girl.

"It was fine, Favour. Why don't you ask your big sister, Anita about it? She won two awards as the best overall graduating student and best in her department as well," Mrs. Tonia responded with a faint smile, but Favour frowned and replied, "Who cares, Mom?"

"Shut up your mouth, Favour. Anita is your big sister, and you should accord her with some respect!" Mrs. Tonia warned Favour, while Esther quickly responded, "We don't care, Mom!"

"Esther!" Mrs. Tonia growled, warning Esther too.

 Esther rolled her eyes from where she's standing by the middle door entrance, and holding the curtain.

"Is okay, Mom?" Anita said, walking up to meet their mother, and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Your father caused all these," Mrs. Tonia replied, almost bursting out into tears, but Mr. Joshua came in and asked, "Caused what?"

"Nothing," Mrs. Tonia sniffed and quickly wiped off her tears. "I was just discussing something unimportant."

Mrs. Tonia then walked away into the kitchen, while Mr. Joshua's eyes narrowed at Anita, who smiled at him.

Anita isn't an albino, but her beauty is extremely too much, and staring at her dimples, and chubby cheeks. Made her look like an angel from heaven.

"That's fine. Take all these boxes inside, and where are your sisters? Flora, Favour, Esther!" Mr. Joshua calls them out, and they respond. "Yes, Papa!"

"Good evening, Dad. Welcome home."

Flora walked past Anita, who was dragging her two boxes, and then walked up to give their father a welcome hug.

"Assist your senior sister and take those luggages inside," Mr. Joshua instructed Flora after giving her a warm hug. 

Flora scowled and bit her lower lip angrily, and she finally assisted Anita in carrying her second box into the room they shared.

Anita didn't utter a word to Flora, who carried her second box to the room. But as Flora turned to leave, Anita finally muttered, "Thank you." 

Flora didn't respond, as she walked back to the living room to meet her father, who was sitting on the long couch, and taking off his shoes.

"How's your day, Flora?" Mr. Joshua asked.

Just then, the rest of his daughters entered the living room.

"Dad, do you remember that your promise to take me to a private university?" Esther asked.

"Yes, I remember, but you still haven't passed your Jamb exams yet. And this's the fourth time that you're writing the same exam with your younger sister, Favour. Can't you both learn from your elder sister, Anita?" Mr. Joshua questioned them.

"No, father...." Esther and Favour both frowned and responded, surprising their father, and making his jaw drop.

"What has come over you girls? If you still fail to pass your Jamb exams this year again, then forget about going to the university and look for a trade or handwork to learn! As I cannot continue to waste my hard-earned money sponsoring you both through a private university, when you cannot even qualify for a tertiary university. Now leave my sight, silly girls. I am sure you all inherited your dullness from your mother. Can't you learn from your elder sister for once? Don't you see Anita's good grades, despite her being more beautiful than you all?" Mr. Joshua scolded them and they frowned.

"Father....." Flora, Esther, Favor, and Lisa exclaimed sadly.

"Shut your mouths and don't 'father' me. I have been a good father to you all, yet you all cannot be good daughters in return. Fail your exam this year again and see the other side of me!" Mr. Joshua warned, rising from the couch and going to the room. 

However, his wife came out of the kitchen and stares at him and her five daughters in the living room. As Anita is the only one in her room.

"Excuse me!" Mr. Joshua walks past his daughters, and walks into the room he shares with his wife, knowing it's entirely his fault. He has shown more love to the rest of his daughters, exempting their senior sister, Anita, and making her look like an outcast. Now he's regretting it.

Mr. Joshua is even facing some challenges at his office, as some missing funds from some transactions were detected missing under his records. And if this error isn't corrected, then he's on the verge of losing his job as a banker in a top commercial bank.

His brows furrow, seeing his wife entered their bedroom to meet him, a few minutes later.

"Aren't you being too harsh to our daughters today?" Mrs. Tonia questioned, but her husband glanced away, not responding.

He loosened his neck tie, taking off his long-sleeve shirt and strips.

"I'm preparing dinner; it's already getting late," Mrs. Tonia added, but her husband doesn't respond, as he loses his trouser belt.

"Honey, you ain't saying anything ?" Mrs. Tonia questions, and he replied, "What do you want me to say to you? Can't you see that I am busy?"

Mr. Joshua walked past his wife into the bathroom to take his shower, while Mrs. Tonia sighed, and shook her head. 

She knows, all isn't well with her husband, as he has been behaving strangely. 

First, he was acting happier when Anita was announced as best graduating student and the winner of the two prestigious awards. 

He jumped up happily and screamed out "Yes!" Not minding the other parents and relatives around. As they sat, witnessing the awarding of the best graduating student.

But when he saw Anita approaching, his smiles faded, as Anita didn't smile approaching them. 

Anita thought he hated her and wasn't proud of her achievement. However, Mrs. Tonia smiled, remembering how her husband had reacted to his first daughter's wins. 

Although, the school rewards weren't much, as they only awarded Anita some cash and medal rewards. Mrs. Tonia believes her first daughter's certificate will get her into one of the highest-paying jobs in their country.

Mrs. Tonia sighed and walked out of the room she shares with her husband, as he's already taking his bath, and she can hear the sound of water splashing in the bathroom.

She walked into the kitchen, as the okro soup she was preparing had already heated a little. And she served it out on different soup plates.

Just then, Glory walked into the kitchen to assist her and carry it out to the dining room, beside their living room.

Glory's a 14-year-old girl, while her sisters senior themselves with only a two-year gap. And Glory is in Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3).

"Mom, I want to become a business administrator like my big sister, Anita," Glory said, as she carried the tray of soup up in her arms and stared up at their mother.

"There's no problem with that, Glory. You should study hard as well. You've got your big sister, Anita, here to guide you," Mrs. Tonia smiles at her last daughter.

"Okay, mom. Is Big sis going to marry soon? Chika told me that her big sister won't be returning home, as she's already pregnant and expecting a child for her fiancé," Glory asked.

"No, Glory! Although I don't know about that yet. But Anita will first get a job before she settles down. You know your big sister is hardworking, and wants to become an independent woman. Instead of depending on a man for money," Mrs. Tonia replied.

"Oh, so Mom, you depend on our Father too for money?" Glory inquired, surprising her mother.

"No, Glory! Now that's enough of the conversation. Carry the soup out now before it gets cold. Oh, Anita is already here to assist us," Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly, and Glory turned to face Anita, standing by the kitchen door.

Anita overheard their conversation, and she had a faint smile on her face.

"Anita, why are you standing there and staring at us? Come and assist us in serving the dinner out. I'm sure your father will soon be out," Mrs. Tonia said, but Anita's smile faded away from her face, as she heard her father's name and didn't like him either.