Chapter 5: The 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 and didn't utter any word to her mother, but her face held a sorrow her mom understood well.

"Anita..." Mrs. Tonia sighed and called her name.

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

"I want you to know that your father really loves you, like the rest of your siblings, and isn't against your success," Mrs. Tonia replied and held 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 stepped into the kitchen and interrupted them, as she eyed Anita and walked 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 asked, as she crossed her arms around her chest.

"No, Flora. I am only advising Anita," Mrs. Tonia replied and stared at Flora's face.

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

"It's over there. Check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responded, and Flora turned and spotted the fufu. Flora carried it and walked out from the kitchen, leaving them alone.

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

"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 place to Temisa to know if she has gotten home too."

"Okay." Mrs. Tonia let go of Anita's hand, and Anita walked to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen washbasin first.

Later, Anita stepped out of the kitchen to join the rest of the family for dinner while their father also walked towards the dining table. He was silent as he sat and ate the delicious okro soup his wife had made.

The dining hall was silent, and after their 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 be through, as she wanted to discuss something with her.

Later, the rest of the family was through, and Lisa cleared all the plates to the kitchen, as it was her turn to wash the dirty dishes. She shared turns with Glory in washing the plates weekly.

However, Anita walked back to the room she shared with Flora and met Glory standing inside the room.

"What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asked Glory as she stepped into the room and walked closer to sit on the bed she shared with Flora.

"I came here to discuss with you, big sis," Glory replied, and Anita stared at Glory for some minutes, as her baby sister had indeed grown to ask her advanced questions—unlike the little ten-year-old girl she had left before going to the university.

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

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

"No, Flora. Allow Glory to be. 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 around her chest as she faced Flora.

"I have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you aren't talking to me?" Anita questioned as she stared at Flora coldly.

"You heard me correctly. I have no business with white wïtches. 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 zipper to remove her laptop and her phone, and Glory stared from Anita to Flora in confusion.

Anita was her big sis, same as Flora, and she 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 her!" Anita warned, and she brought out her laptop and phone, keeping 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 will ask you later," Glory nervously responded.

"No, Glory!" Anita glanced toward Glory, and she shivered.

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

Anita was a slim figure but had a sexy, curvy waist and big bréasts, while Flora was chubbier than Anita. She felt she could beat Anita up, as she was taller too.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walked toward Glory and dragged her by her arms towards the door, but Anita wouldn't allow such disrespect.

Anita stood up from the bed and pounced on Flora, dragging her hair and slapping her pretty dark face multiple times, not giving Flora 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, and Anita breathed out heavily as she adjusted her clothes properly.

Mr. Joshua had always known Anita as one who didn't fight, so what could have prompted their fight?

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

"What happened, Father?!" they questioned him 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 finally 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 as he stared at Flora, whose cheek was already swollen.

Anita also had a swollen red cheek too, as hers was more visible than Flora's, but Flora was crying profusely and wanting 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 want to sleep, Father, and I cannot sleep if they're discussing," Flora replied.

"Hmmm..." Mr. Joshua hummed as he knew it was all his fault, and he warned.

"Let today be the last time that I will get any form of disrespect from any of you toward your big sister again. When next it repeats, you will have me to contend with. Now, Flora, pack your bag and clothes. You will be relocating to share the room with Lisa, while Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onward, and any more reports or complaints, I will deal with you afterward."

"Father!" Flora exclaimed, but Mr. Joshua 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?" Flora demanded.

"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. Only bad-mouthing is what you know how to do best," Mrs. Tonia scolded.

"Mom!" Flora broke into tears while the rest of her sisters in the room crossed their arms around 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. Else you have me to contend with. Now!"

Flora was speechless, and 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. She swallowed and stared back at their mother.

"No, Mother!" Flora shrieked, 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, else she ceases being my daughter from today."

"Mom!" they exclaimed, 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 with you all if you dare to disobey me. Now, Flora, apologize!" Mrs. Tonia insisted.

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

"Repeat it loudly."

"Mom!" Flora stared back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia was serious.

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

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