Chapter 5 – Sister's quarrel

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly at Anita, when 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, her face holding a sorrow that her mom understood too well.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia sighed and called her 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 will always see him as my father, and that's all."

"Anita..." Mrs. Tonia began.

"Mom, where's the fufu?" Flora interrupted, stepping into the kitchen and eyeing Anita as she walked up to the kitchen cabinet to join meet 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 am 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?"

"It's over there, on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responded, and 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 in your heart against your father, okay? You can never find another replacement for him. He's your father, and I can swear on that," Mrs. Tonia said.

"Mom," Anita frowned.

"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 check if she's gotten home too."

"Okay." Mrs. Tonia 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.

Mr. Joshua walked out too and sat silently, eating the delicious okra soup and fufu 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 then walked to Anita and Flora's room to wait for Anita, as she wanted to discuss something with her.

Later, the rest of the family finished, and Lisa cleared the plates, as it was her turn to wash the dirty dishes—she shared the chore with Glory weekly. Anita walked back to the room she shared with Flora and found Glory standing inside.

"What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asked, stepping into the room and walking 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 Glory for a moment. Her baby sister had indeed grown and was asking more advanced questions, unlike the ten-year-old girl she had left behind before going to university.

"So, tell me, what do you want to discuss?" Anita asked, but 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 a 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!"

"What do you mean?" Anita stood up from the bed and crossed her arms over her chest, facing Flora.

"I've been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you're not talking to me?" Anita questioned, staring at Flora coldly.

"You heard me correctly. I have no business with white witches. Now, Glory, leave here—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 opened her box's zipper to remove her laptop and phone, and Glory stared from Anita to Flora in confusion.

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

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

"Don't you dare touch Glory!" Anita warned, opening her box and pulling out her laptop and phone to place them on the bed.

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

"Step away, or you dare to touch Glory first!"

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

"No, Glory!" Anita glanced toward Glory, making her shiver. "Step away now, Flora! If you're here to rest, the bed is over there, but move away from my conversation with Glory!" Anita warned, and Flora stared at Anita angrily.

Anita was slim with a sexy waist and full brẹasts, while Flora was fatter and taller. Flora felt she could overpower Anita.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walked toward Glory and grabbed her by the arm to drag her out, but Anita wouldn't allow such disrespect.

Anita stood up from the bed and pounced on Flora, grabbing her hair and slapping Flora's pretty dark face multiple times without giving her a chance to breathe. The two 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 at Anita, and Anita breathed heavily as she adjusted her clothes.

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 asked, walking into the big room and staring 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 Glory, and she stammered.

"Father, I came in 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 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, hers more visible than Flora's, but Flora was crying profusely and wanting her father to support her.

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

"Hmm," Mr. Joshua hummed, knowing it was all his fault. He warned, "Let today be the last time I get any form of 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 bag and clothes—you'll be relocating to share the room with Lisa, while 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 taking Anita's side? Is it because she won two stupid awards?" Flora demanded.

"Shut your mouth, Flora. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Last session, you had carry-overs, and yet you can't read and learn from your big sister. All you know how to do is bad-mouthing."

"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, or you'll have me to contend with—now!"

Flora was speechless and 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. She gulped and stared back at their mother.

"No, Mother!" Flora screamed, and Anita stared 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, or she ceases being my daughter from today," Mrs. Tonia declared.

"Mom!" they exclaimed, lookimg at her in shock, and Mrs. Tonia turned to face them all.

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

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

"Repeat it loudly," Mrs. Tonia said.

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

"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 hurried out.