CHAPTER FOUR

 Jina felt at peace after clearing her doubts. She straightened up her shoulders and stood in front of the full-length mirror that stood near the dressing table. With a gleaming face, she admired her reflection in full capacity. There was a vivacity of beauty and gracefulness in her appearance. In a moment, she strides across the room and pokes around for a hankie that was slightly covered by her pink duvet and struts back. She wiped her face and suddenly her eyes were drawn to the picture flame that stood on the dresser. This, she and Richard had taken on their wedding day. She gazes at it for a couple of minutes in adoration.

"I would never be able to smile again if I lost you, Richard." She said, dabbing it with her hand. She was still admiring its details when she heard a knock at the door. Jina briskly placed it back in its position and composed herself on her bed.

"Yes, come in." She said, drawing her gaze to the door in anticipation. Mellisa turned on the latch and the door slowly opened. At the sight of her daughter, Jina smiled sweetly.

"Oh, it's you, my dear!"She had a noticeable unusual amazing expression on her face. There was a soft light in her eyes. The beam of light that spread in her room seemed to flow and flourish through her heart. Melissa was bewildered. She trotted towards her and wrinkled her pretty face.

"Mum, you look happy. This way your face is beaming is a clear verification that you are delighted."

said Mellisa with verve.

"I am, my dear."  She said with vitality and smiled. Melissa approached her excitedly and sat beside her. The expression on her face proclaims her curiosity to know the cause of her mother's pleasure.

"Tell me, mom," she insists," what's the secret?" Jina fixes her stare with a smiling face. 

"How can I tell you, my dear, that your dad is the reason for my joy? Will you be able to understand me? No, you won't. You are too young and narrow-minded. Only when you are old enough to fall in love will you be able to comprehend such matters of the heart." She thought and scratched her head and thought. After meditation, she turned to her daughter and darted a smile of dry amusement and pursued, 

"What secret? Is there any reason why I should be sad?" She asked with her eyebrows knitted and smirked. There was an easement in her heart. With her flabby arm, she pulled her closer and cuddled her hair and smiled tenderly.

Seeing that her goading wasn't leading anywhere, Mellisa shrugged her shoulders and veered to a different conversation.

"Don't you want to watch the next series of your soap? It will commence in two minutes. If you will excuse me, I will take my leave. I don't want to miss a pinch of it." "Alright, I will join you in a minute, baby." She spoke with much passion and vitality. Her daughter leapt off and walked out of the door hopping down the stairs. Jina turned and gazed at the image again and licked her lips.

"I hope you come home soon, honey," she muttered and then headed downstairs delightfully.

Mercy hears the sound of her mom's footsteps and shifts her position while Mellisa strides to the kitchen to alert Esther, who is preparing dinner.

"Are you almost done," Mellisa, asked? Esther was chopping vegetables. She went across and checked on the rice that was steaming. With a spoon, she shovels a little rice and tastes.

"Yeah, in a few minutes, this will be ready. " she nodded in affirmation. 

"Ok, and the tea, have you put some in the flask? Dad always takes tea before going to bed." Esther fumbles around nervously for a small pan. Her cousin, gauging that she still had many irons in the fire, decided to lend a hand.

"Wait," she interrupted, taking the percolator from her," I'll do it.  Feel free to ask me about anything, Ok?" Esther nodded and smiled.

"Just make sure the vegetables are well prepared. They are mom's favourite."  Mellisa's simplicity and friendliness amazed her. The traits in her are greatly opposed to her mother's. She stared at her adorably and nodded agreeably, 

"Ok." It was obvious she was tense. Everything was still strange to her. It would take her time to orient in this whole new environment. She however was grateful that her cousin was able to help. 

Jina enters the living room and finds Mercy watching a cartoon movie. 

"Baby, I'll have to interrupt your pleasure," she said with a broad smile and stroke her hair affectionately.

"It's ok, mom. I was feeling bored anyway." She reckoned to embrace her new toy. Jina walks over and turns on her channel. She lies down on a couch and pillows herself with one of the scattered cushions.

"Mom, I'll bring you some tea," said Mercy, placing the soft toy she held in her hand on the couch. Jina loved taking tea while watching. It was obvious that she would sooner or later ask for it.

"No need," Jina curtailed her and called Esther instead.

"Esther..." she yelled. Mercy pouts slightly and moves an ounce forward. Jina noticed that her daughter insisted on proceeding to the kitchen. There was a glint of anger in her eyes. 

 "Sit down and watch with me." She said, gesturing to her former seat."But…"

 "Don't insist, dear. You can't be doing the work of a servant when I pay her to do her job," she said and wrinkled her nose.

Mercy sat down with hesitancy. Her mother's attitude puzzled her. Esther was Jina's niece but why was she treating her like a stranger? She couldn't approve of Jina's obnoxious behaviour towards her close blood relation.  With her luminous eyes, she gazed at her mom contemptuously, her heart filled with discontent.

"Esther hearing her auntie's voice unnerved her.  Her heart thumped fast. The hair on her head stood on end.

"Hurry up! She's impatient." Mellisa implored. Soon she notices that Esther's hands were dripping with water and stops her," Wait," she proffered her a wiper to clean her hands." Esther's hands tremble as she lunges for it.  Mellisa strokes her shoulder and encourages her,  "don't worry, soon you will get used to her." I know mom isn't easy to get along with. She's sometimes impossible!" She told herself. 

"Don't worry, I know she's difficult to deal with, but I am here for you, hmh!" Said Melissa smiling but inward she knew that it wouldn't be so easy for her.

"Esther nods nervously and walks out of the kitchen and struts to the living room.

As soon as Jina notices her, she turns her face away in distaste as though she had seen excrement. The poor girl advances and kneels in front of her.

"Auntie, you called me." Jina turns and glares at her resentfully. Esther cowers and keeps rubbing her hands jittery. Jina sniffs and wrinkles her nose.

"What's that vile smell, ugh? Did you take a shower, God! You stink…" With a grimace she blokes her nose with a cushion.

"Mom!" Mercy stares at her mother disdainfully.

"What? Isn't it true that she's smelling like rotten meat right now?"

 Esther hangs her head in humiliation and her eyes glisten with tears.

"Mom, why are you like this? Why treat people as if they are some piece of trash?" Mercy's eyes became wet as she spoke. Jina heaved in anger. Her daughter's reproach provoked her. With gross hatred in her eyes, she chases Esther out of the room to go and scrub her body. The poor creature storms out and moves back to the kitchen. Tears streamed down her face. There was only despair in her heart. She ran into Mellisa at the entrance and quickly swivelled past her in terror.

"What did mom do this time?" Mellisa grumbled walking vigorously to the living room.

Mercy seethed with anger and constantly pressed the soft toy she held in her hands as if she would strangle it any moment. Her mother's character was cruel and left her puzzled and irritated. Despite her disparaging action, Jina uttered a whooping delight in her excitement broadly and with much vitality as she watched the breathtaking humorous episode.

"What happened here? I heard some noise and Esther, why is she sobbing?" asked Mellisa, her voice imbued with seriousness. Mercy sneers at her mom who appears to be immersed in the airings on the television set. Mellisa flickered with anger and walked up to her mom to distract her attention.

"Mom, what happened to Esther?    she's bathed in tears?" She asked, raising the tempo of her voice. Jina flares up and changes to a sitting posture her face creased in anger. 

"Are you all questioning my character now? Are you now taking sides with that filthy stinking wretched animal…"

"Mom, stop!" Mellisa roared. Jina springs up in outrage and silences her daughter with a slap. For the first time, she laid a hand on her. Jina immediately cupped her hand to her mouth in self-reproach and regret. Trying to calm the situation she leaned towards Melissa to soothe her but the latter recoils and breaks off incoherent with anger. 

"What have I done? Oh, God!" Jina goes after Mellisa. The latter storms into her room and locks herself inside.