Chapter 5- Sister's Quarrel

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly at Anita as she made way for Glory to pass with the tray of soup in her hands.

Anita walked into the kitchen without uttering a word to her mother, but her face held a sorrow that her mom understood all too well.

"Anita..." Mrs. Tonia sighed and called her daughter's name.

"What is it, Mom?" Anita asked, walking beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father really loves you, just like the rest of your siblings, and he's not against your success," Mrs. Tonia replied, holding 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'll always see him as my father, and that's all."

"Anita..." Tonia wanted to say more.

"Mom, where's the fufu?!" Flora stepped into the kitchen, interrupting them. She eyed Anita and walked to the kitchen cabinet to join their mother.

"Mom, why are you holding Anita's hand and talking to her? Are you begging her for something?" Flora asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, Flora. I'm only advising Anita," Mrs. Tonia replied, staring at Flora.

"I don't care, Mom. That's beside the point. I came here for the fufu—Glory only served us soup without it. Where is it?" Flora asked again.

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

"As I was saying, don't hold a grudge against your father, okay? You can never replace him. He's your father, and I can swear on my life to that," Tonia said.

"Mom," Anita frowned.

"That's not necessary for you to swear. Let's go eat first—I still have some work to do and calls to make to Temisa to see if she's gotten home too."

"Okay." Tonia finally let go of Anita's hand. Anita walked to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen basin first, then stepped out to join the rest of the family for dinner. Their father also walked out too and sat silently, eating the delicious okra soup his wife had made.

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

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Later, the rest of the family finished their dinners, and Lisa cleared all the plates—it was her turn to wash the dirty dishes, as she shared the weekly chore with Glory.

Anita walked back to the room she shared with Flora and found Glory standing inside.

"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.

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

"So, tell me—what do you want to discuss?" Anita asked. Just as Glory was about to reply, Flora stepped in coldly.

"What are you doing here, Glory? Go back to your room now!" Flora commanded.

"No, Flora—let Glory 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 over her chest as she faced Flora.

"I've been keeping quiet with you, Flora. What do you mean you weren't talking to me?" Anita questioned, staring coldly at Flora.

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

"Tell me, Glory—what do you want to ask me about?" Anita opened her box's zipper to remove her laptop and phone. Glory stared from Anita to Flora in confusion.

Anita was her big sister, just like Flora, and she didn't like how they were quarreling because of her.

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

"Don't you dare touch Glory!" Anita warned. She opened her box and pulled out her laptop and phone, placing them on the bed.

"Or what? What will you do?" Flora questioned, and Anita looked up at her.

"Step away, or dare to touch Glory first."

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

"No, Glory!" Anita glanced toward Glory, who shivered.

"Step away now, Flora! Or if you're here to rest, the bed is over there—but move away from my conversation with Glory!" Anita warned.

Flora stared at Anita angrily. Anita was a slim figure with a sexy, curvy waist and large brẹasts, while Flora was fatter and chubbier. She felt she could beat Anita up, as she was taller and heavier too.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walked toward Glory and dragged her by the arm, but Anita wouldn't allow such disrespect. She stood up from the bed and pounced on Flora, dragging her by the hair and slapping Flora's pretty dark face multiple times, not giving her 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 daughters' room, making them separate.

"Father, she started it first!" Flora pointed to Anita. Anita breathed heavily as she adjusted her clothes properly. Mr. Joshua had always known Anita as someone who didn't fight, so what could have prompted this?

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

"What happened, Father?!" they questioned 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 questioned her, and she stammered.

"Father, I came in here to discuss something with big sis Anita, and Flora came in and ordered me to leave. But big sis 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, staring at Flora, whose cheek was already swollen.

Anita also had a swollen red cheek, more visible than Flora's, but Flora was crying profusely and wanted her father to support her.

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

"I didn't ask you that. I asked why you sent Glory away."

"I wanted to sleep, and I couldn't sleep if they were discussing," Flora replied, crying.

"Hmm..." Mr. Joshua hummed, knowing it was all his fault. He warned them.

"Let today be the last time I hear of any disrespect from any of you toward your big sister, Anita. If it happens again, you'll have me to contend with. Now, Flora, pack your bags and clothes—you'll be relocating to share the room with Lisa. Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onward. Any more reports or complaints, and I'll deal with you afterward."

"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 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 can't read to do well or learn from your big sister. All you know how to do best is bad-mouthing," she retorted.

"Mom!" Flora broke into sobs again, while the rest of her sisters in the room crossed their arms over 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—otherwise, you'll have me to contend with. Now!"

Flora was speechless. 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 looked up at them.

"It's okay, Mom. I don't need Flora's apology," Anita replied as she typed in her laptop password.

"No, Anita—Flora must apologize. Otherwise, she ceases to be my daughter from today."

"Mom!" they exclaimed, and Mrs. Tonia turned to face them all.

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

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

"Repeat it loudly."

"Mom!" Flora stared back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia was dead serious.

"Fine—I'm sorry, Anita. Please forgive me," Flora pleaded.

"It's okay, Flora. You can leave," Anita responded without shifting her focus from her laptop. Flora swiftly packed her bag of clothes and dragged it out of the room, leaving the rest of them speechless as she departed.