Chapter 4 - Returned Home

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

Her mother was very happy, but her father maintained his usual unsmiling face as they drove back home. He was proud that she hadn't let her beauty distract her from becoming successful in life, but nonetheless, he was still confused as to how she was the prettiest among all her siblings.

Even though his wife hadn't borne him a son, Mr. Joshua wasn't bothered, as their custom permitted a woman to inherit her father's property, even if she was already married to another man.

He sighed and drove towards their home. The university was close to their home, which was in the city. Arriving home, he drove into their simple compound and parked. Their home was just a simple house, a flat consisting of four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and five toilets and bathrooms.

Mr. Joshua Baker owned the house; it wasn't rented, as he had acquired and bought it directly from the landowners.

He parked his car, while Anita and her mother, Mrs. Tonia Baker, stepped out. Anita's sisters Flora, Esther, Favour, Lisa, and Glory were all inside, but none of them came out to welcome her upon their arrival.

Mrs. Tonia walked into the living room first, while Anita followed suit as her father remained in the car, receiving a phone call.

"Mom!" Esther and Favour rushed up to their mother, while Lisa and Glory stepped out next. They had separate bedrooms they shared.

Anita and Flora shared a room, while Esther and Favour shared another. Lisa and Glory shared the last room, which sometimes doubled as a guest room.

"Welcome back home. How did the event go?" Favour asked their mother. She was 18 years old.

"Fine. Why don't you ask your big sis about it? She won two awards: one as the best overall graduating student and best in her department," Mrs. Tonia said with a smile, and Favour frowned.

"Who cares, Mom!"

"Shut your mouth, silly girl. Anita's your big sister; you should accord her some respect," Mrs. Tonia warned Favour, and Esther quickly responded, "We don't care, Mom!"

"Esther!" Mrs. Tonia warned Esther too, while Esther rolled her eyes from where she stood by the middle door entrance curtain.

"It's okay, Mom." Anita walked up to their mother and tapped her shoulder softly.

"Your father caused all this," Mrs. Tonia said, almost bursting into a sob.

"Caused what?!" Mr. Joshua asked as he stepped into their living room, and Mrs. Tonia quickly dried her tears.

"Nothing. I was just discussing something unimportant," Mrs. Tonia quickly walked into the kitchen, and Mr. Joshua's eyes narrowed at Anita, who smiled faintly.

Anita wasn't an albino, but her beauty was too much and too charming; staring at her dimples and chubby cheeks alone made her look like an angel.

"Fine. Take all these bags inside, and where are your sisters?! Flora, Favour!" Mr. Joshua called them out.

"Yes, Papa! Good evening, Dad, welcome back home," Flora walked past Anita, who was dragging her box, and went to give her father a hug.

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

Flora bit her lower lip and assisted Anita in carrying her second box to the room they both shared.

Anita didn't utter any word to Flora as she dropped her bag in the room and turned to leave.

"Thank you," Anita finally muttered, but Flora didn't respond.

Flora stepped out from the room and walked back to the living room, meeting her father seated on the long couch, taking off his shoe.

"How was your day today, Flora?" Mr. Joshua asked, and just then the rest of the girls stepped out.

"Father, you remember you promised to take me to a private university," Esther said.

"Yes, I remember, but you still haven't passed your JAMB exams. This is the third time you're writing the exam with your younger sister Favour. Can't you both learn from your elder sister Anita?"

"No, Father!" Esther and Favour quickly responded, surprising their father as his jaw dropped.

"What has come over you girls?! If you still fail to pass your JAMB exams this year, then forget about going to university and look for a trade or handiwork to learn. I cannot waste my hard-earned money to sponsor you through a private university when you cannot even qualify for a government university. Now, leave my sight, silly children. I’m sure you all inherited your dullness from your mother. Can't you learn from your eldest sister for once? Don't you see her good grades, despite her being more beautiful than you all?"

"Father!" Flora, Esther, Favour, and Lisa screamed.

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

Just then, Mrs. Tonia stepped out of the kitchen. She stared at her husband and her five daughters in the living room; as Anita was the only one in her room.

"Excuse me!" Mr. Joshua walked past his daughters and into the room he shared with his wife. He knew it was all his fault, as he had shown more love to the rest of his daughters than to their eldest sister, Anita, making her look like an outcast.

Now he was regretting it. He was even facing some challenges at his office, as some missing percentage of a transaction was detected under him, and if the error wasn't cleared, he was on the verge of losing his job as a banker in a government-owned bank.

Mr. Joshua's brows furrowed as his wife stepped into their room a few minutes later.

"Aren't you being harsh to our daughters today?" Mrs. Tonia questioned him, and he just glanced at her and stared away. Loosening his necktie, he took off his long-sleeve shirt.

"I'm preparing dinner. It's already getting late," Mrs. Tonia informed him again, and he didn't respond. He stood up and loosened his trouser belt again.

"Honey, aren't you saying anything in response?" Mrs. Tonia asked him again.

"What do you want me to say to you? Can't you at least see that I'm busy?" He walked past her and stepped into the bathroom.

Mrs. Tonia sighed and shook her head. She knew all wasn't well with how her husband had been behaving; it was so unusual of him. He had even been acting happy when Anita was announced as the winner of the award for best graduating. He had jumped up and screamed yes, not minding other parents and relatives standing around to witness the awarding of the best graduating student. But when he saw his daughter, his smile and happiness faded as Anita didn't smile approaching them. Anita thought he disliked her and wasn't proud of her achievement.

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly, remembering how her husband reacted to his eldest daughter's win. Although the university rewards weren't much – they awarded Anita some cash and a medal.

Mrs. Tonia believed Anita's certificate would get her one of the highest-paying jobs in Nigeria.

Smiling faintly, Mrs. Tonia walked out of the room she shared with her husband, as he was already taking his bath; she heard the sound of water splashing in the bathroom.

She stepped into the kitchen as the okra soup had already heated and warmed a little. She served it out, and a few minutes after dishing out the soup, Glory stepped into the kitchen to assist her and carry it out to the dining room beside the living room.

Glory was 14 years old, as Mrs. Tonia's children were two years apart. Glory was still in secondary school, in Class 3 of junior secondary school.

"Mom, I want to be a business administrator like my big sister," Glory said as she carried the tray of soup and stared at her mother's face.

"There's no problem with that, Glory. You study hard as well; you have your big sister to guide you," Mrs. Tonia smiled at her.

"Mom, is Big sis going to get married soon? Chika told me her big sister wouldn't be returning as she's already pregnant and expecting a child for her fiancée," Glory said.

"No! Although I don't know about that, Anita will get a job first before she settles down. You know your big sis is hardworking and wants to be 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 asked.

"No, Glory! Now, enough of the conversation, carry the soup out before it gets cold. Oh, Anita is already here to assist us," Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly, and Glory turned and faced Anita, who was standing by the kitchen door.

Anita had overheard her mom and youngest sister's conversation and had a faint smile on her face too.

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