2

Sobbing by the road side tirelessly with snot rolling down her nose, plastering all over her front dress as she kept throwing stones at lizards that were running all over  the neighboring. 

Rosela couldn't believe that her dear mother who doesn't play or joke with the things that concerns her, would suddenly give a deaf ear to her complaints all of a sudden and turn instead to believe her monster husband, Amunsa. 

She stopped throwing stones at the lizards and sat still, glaring at cars that drove by as her fragile mind took her backward on the way and manner her father used to treat and take good care of her as a baby. 

When she was a little girl, her father used to cuddle her to sleep, singing lullabies for her to fall asleep and how he used to wake her very early in the morning, bath her and get her prepared for school just in time while her mother concentrated and dealt only with the breakfast in the kitchen. 

Her father back then would always makes sure that her lunch box was filled up with fried potatoes and ripe plantain together with scrambled eggs and how he used to take her straight to the school and come back on time to pick her up when school closed. Even with his work, he still tried his best, checking very well and making sure that  her lunch box wasn't empty. 

His smiles always swept Rosela off her feet with his handsome face with deep dimples and gapped teeth. 

She sat all lost in thought without hearing or noticing who might have walked by or decide to do something bad to her while sitting outside all alone as Anuella, her step-sister walked through, meeting her crying by the road side. 

"Ehh! Rosela, why are you crying sitting out here all alone"? She asked sitting by her side, not minding whether her white dress would get stained with the green grass she sat on, she used her thumbs to wipe off her wet face. 

Rosela sniffed as she said, not fixing her eye on Anuella, "Just go and leave me alone because even if I tell you now, you won't believe me instead you will hate me and start seeing me as the evil one that is trying to destroy a home" she glared a little at her with her eyes all filled up with tears as she said that. 

She ha a feeling that even if she told her about it, Anuella would not believe her at all. But on the other hand, she thought of trying to see  if anyone for once in that house would believe her. 

Anuella sigh "just try me first, Rosela" massaging  her back as she said. 

She raised her face, eyes already swollen up and fully fixed in with that of Anuella this time as she explained to her, hoping that she would believed her. She held held down her hands while telling her exactly what happened. "Your father tried to touch me again Anuella". 

"What!". She stood up from were she was sitting angrily, throwing down Rosela's hands with her face twisting. 

"I said it... Nobody would believe me" Rosela said still sobbing, putting down her face as she studied the ground she was sitting on. 

Aggressively "How on earth do you want me to believe such a serious accusations from you concerning my father? I understand that my dad is not your biological father and that you don't like him but that doesn't mean you should go this far in destroying his image in this town". 

"Now let this be the last time you would ever say such a thing about my father, got it? Fool" She walked out on her and into the compound, murmuring to herself angrily. 

She went straight to the kitchen when she got inside of the house perceiving good aroma of the pepper sauce her mother was busy preparing in the kitchen for dinner, though the aroma of the sauce didn't mover her as she was angry concerning what Rosela told her about her father. she wasn't happy at all. 

Dansanisa saw Anuella wearing a long face, walking into the kitchen. Her mother saw her and wondered what could have been the problem with her, it's was unlike her as Anuella was not the type that always got upset easily except when someone badly offends her but still, she would still losen up and smile. 'This one must really hit her to make her feel this way', she thought silently as Anuella walked towards the kitchen cabinet. "Anuella were where you all this time? Dansanisa asked. 

Twisting her face as she answered her mom angrily "Ah! Mom, I went out to get a pack of sanitary pad". She said. 

"What's wrong with you, why is your face like this?" her mother asked when she noticed her mood wasn't that bright as it was supposed to be. 

Angrily she responded "Is it not Rosela mommy? I met her crying outside and when I asked, she started making false accusations on daddy, saying that he tried touching her again, can you imagine that mummy? Sometimes I wonder who she really thinks she is in this house because the last time I checked, she doesn't have any right here". She said beating and shaking her body in anger. 

Dansanisa gave her a wired stare "What right are you even talking about Anuella? Aside from that, where is she now?" She asked. 

"Outside the compound mummy" she said pointing towards the direction as she raised her voice. 

Dansanisa sighed. "I don't know why Rosela is doing this to me and this family, I don't understand why she is putting up with this attitude because I know very well that my husband, your father can't stoop so low in molesting her. It's not possible. I trust the man I got married to and I know he can never do such a thing". 

"She is being taken care of by this same man she is making false accusations of" She adds. 

"I wonder, mummy, this girl is really going too far on daddy. I bet she is trying to make you and dad start having a fight. I didn't know Rosela hates my father this much to even accuse him of such thing, because I know that my father can never, ever do such a disgusting and crazy thing to her, even if my father wanted to do such a thing, it's absolutely wouldn't have been her, maybe someone else outside". She said getting pissed up and worked up, looking at her mother's face to see its was changing due to what she said about her father wanting to cheat. 

She tried taking the words she said back though her mom didn't take it that far because she, herself trust Amunsa so much to even believe what Rosela, her own daughter, told her about Amunsa. "Mom... Please, I know that dad can't do such a thing now, you and I know him so well" she said. 

She took a deep breath "that won't happen Anuella, no daughter of mine would ever come between my marriage. I onced lost my husband to maggot, six feet under and I'm not ready to risk this second one" She said gazing at one direction as she studied the wall. "Anyway, dinner is ready, come let's go. Take this one to the dinning table" she arranged showing her the one to take. "I will definitely talk sense into Rosela later" she adds. 

"You should mummy, you should. I mean, she should stop now before it's get outside and to the hearing of our neighbors as that would definitely tarnish daddy's image and reputation around this neighborhood. What about my school mate, they would laugh at me, calling me daughter of a rapist." she said as she took the plate  of food to the dinning. 

Dansanisa laughed out of anger as she said "No that would never happen Anuella, its hasn't gotten to that". 

"Mom I know but she has to be stopped because dad is not that, of which Rosela is accusing him of. He is not capable of doing that. He is not a monster mommy"  she said. 

"I will Anuella, its not that bad anyway, it's never too late, I will handle it with a utmost care. " she said. 

Both walkes together to the dinning table to have their dinner.