Chapter 5: Sisters quarrel

Mrs. Tonia smiles faintly at Anita as she makes way for Glory to pass with the tray of soup in her hands, while Anita walks into the kitchen. Anita doesn't utter any words to her mother, but her face holds a great sorrow that her mom understands better. 

"Anita." Mrs. Tonia slowly calls her name.

"What is it, Mom?" Anita asks as she walks beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father truly loves you, just like the rest of your siblings, and he isn't against your success," Mrs. Tonia replies, holding Anita's hand in hers.

"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 says.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia begins to say.

"Mom, where's the fufu?!" Flora steps into the kitchen and interrupts them as she looks at Anita and walks to the kitchen cabinet to meet their mother.

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

"No, Flora, I am only advising Anita," Mrs. Tonia replies, staring at Flora.

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

"It's over there, Flora; check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responds, and Flora turns, spotting the fufu, which she carries out of the kitchen, leaving them alone.

"As I was advising you, Anita, don't hold a grudge in your heart against your father, okay? You'll never get another replacement for him. He's your father, and I can swear my life on that," Mrs. Tonia says.

"Mom." Anita frowns.

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

"Okay." Mrs. Tonia finally lets go of Anita's hand, and Anita walks to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen washbasin first. She then steps out to join the rest of the family for dinner while their father finally walks out too, remaining silent as he sits and eats the delicious okra soup that his wife has made.

The dining hall is silent, and after dinner, Glory stands up first as she's the first to finish her meal. She clears her plates to the kitchen and walks to the room that Anita and Flora share to wait for Anita, as she wants to discuss something with her.

Later, the rest of the family finishes, and Lisa finally clears all the plates to the kitchen, as it's her turn to wash all the dirty dishes. Lisa shares her turn with Glory in washing the plates weekly while Anita walks back to the room she shares with Flora and finds Glory standing inside their room.

"Glory! What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asked in surprise 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, and Anita stared at her for a few moments. Her baby sister had indeed grown, prompting her to ask Anita an advanced question, unlike the little ten-year-old girl she had left before going to university.

  

"So tell me, what do you want to discuss with me?" Anita inquired, and just as Glory was about to respond, Flora stepped in coldly.  

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

"No, Flora, let Glory be, as we have some things to discuss. As you can see, I just returned," Anita replied, but 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 have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by saying you aren't talking to me?" Anita asked as she stared at Flora coldly. 

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

"Tell me, Glory, what do you want to ask me about?" Anita asked as she opened her bag to remove her laptop and phone, while Glory looked confusedly from Anita to Flora. Anita was her big sister, and Flora too. Glory didn't like how they were quarreling because of her.  

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

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

"Or what? What will you do?" Flora questioned, staring at Anita defiantly.  

"Step away, or you will regret touching Glory first!" Anita warned.

  

"No, big sisters, I am leaving; I will ask you later," Glory nervously responded.  

"No, Glory!" Anita glanced at her, making her shiver.  

"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 warned, and Flora glared at her angrily. 

Anita was a slim figure with a sexy, curvy waist and large breasts, while Flora was chubbier and heavier than Anita. Flora felt she could beat Anita up since she was also taller and bulkier.

"And what if I don’t?" Flora quickly walked towards Glory and dragged her out by the arms, but Anita wouldn’t allow such disrespect, so she stood up and pounced on Flora. Dragging her by the hair and slapping Flora’s pretty dark face multiple times, Anita didn’t give Flora a chance to breathe as the two of them engaged in a serious 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 at Anita, who breathed out heavily while adjusting her clothes. Mr. Joshua had always known Anita as someone who didn’t fight, so what could have prompted their conflict? 

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

"What happened, Father?!" they questioned him as they entered the spacious room, staring from Anita to Flora, who was breathing heavily, and then to Glory, who wore a worried expression. 

"What happened, Glory?" Mr. Joshua finally asked, and she stammered. 

"Father, I came in here to talk to Aunt Anita, and Flora came in and ordered me to leave, but Aunt Anita refused, and Flora insisted, and that’s how the fight started," Glory explained. 

"Flora, why did you ask Glory to leave when Anita is still talking to her?" Mr. Joshua questioned Flora while staring at her coldly. Flora’s cheek was already swollen, and Anita also had a swollen red cheek, which was more noticeable than Flora’s, but Flora was crying profusely, wanting her father’s support. 

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

"I didn’t ask you that. I asked why you sent Glory away," Mr. Joshua said. 

"I want to sleep, Father, and I can’t sleep if they’re discussing," Flora replied, still crying. 

"Hmmm..." Mr. Joshua hummed, knowing it was all his fault, and he warned, "Let today be the last time I will tolerate any form of disrespect from any of you girls towards your big sister again. If it happens again, you will all have to contend with me. Now, Flora, pack your bag and clothes, as you will be relocating to share a room with Lisa, while Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onwards. Any more reports or complaints, I will 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 on Anita's side? Is it because she won two stupid awards?" Flora asked.  

"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, as all you know how to do is badmouth," Mrs. Tonia retorted.  

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

"Now, Flora 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 will have me to contend with, now!" Mrs. Tonia warned, while 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!" Flora screamed, and Anita finally looked at them.  

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

"No, Anita, Flora must apologize; otherwise, I will cease to consider her my daughter from today onwards."  

"Mom..!" they all exclaimed in shock, 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 all of you if you dare to disobey me. Now Flora, apologize to Anita!" Mrs. Tonia insisted, and Flora stared at Anita sitting on the bed, mumbling the words, "I'm sorry, Anita."  

"Repeat it out loud," Mrs. Tonia said.  

"Mom..!" Flora stared back at their mother.  

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia was very serious.  

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

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