Chapter 4. Returns home.

Anita returns home with her father and mother, who come to her school to attend her final convocation ceremony.

 

Her mother is overjoyed, but her father maintains his usual expression as he drives them home.

 

He is proud of her for not allowing her beauty to sink into her brain and prevent her from achieving success in life, but he is still perplexed as to why she is the prettiest of her siblings.

 

Even though his wife does not bear him a son, Mr. Joshua is not concerned because their custom allows a woman to inherit her father's property even if she is already married to another man.

 

Mr. Joshua sighs as he drives towards their city-based home, as the university is closer.

 

Arriving home, he drives into their simple compound and parks, as their home is a flat with four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and five toilets and bathrooms.

 

Mr. Joshua Baker owns the house, which he acquired and purchased from the direct landowners.

 

He parks his car and opens the door, while Anita and her mother, Mrs. Tonia Baker alight the car. Flora, Esther, Favour, Lisa, and Glory, are inside but did not step out to greet their parents as they arrive home.

 

Mrs. Tonia walks into the living room first, followed by Anita, who drags her boxes while her father remains in his car, answering a phone call.

 

"Mom!" Esther and Favour rush up to their mother first, followed by Lisa and Glory.

 

They have separate rooms that they share: Anita and Flora share one, Esther and Favour share another, and Lisa and Glory share the last room, which they sometimes use as a guest room.

 

"Welcome back home, Mom. "How did the event go?" Favor ask their mother first, as she is an 18-year-old girl.

 

"Fine, why do not you ask your older sister about it?" Mrs. Tonia responds with a faint smile, "She won two awards, the best overall graduating student and the best in her department." Favour frowns.

 

"Who cares, mom?" Favour answers.

 

"Stop talking so much, silly girl. She is your big sister, and you should treat her with respect!" Mrs. Tonia warns Favour, and Esther responds quickly, "We do not care, mom!"

 

"Esther!" Mrs. Tonia also warns Esther, who rolls her eyes as she stands by the middle door entrance, holding the curtain.

 

"It's okay, Mom." Anita walks up to their mother and gently taps on her shoulder, but Mrs. Tonia responds, "Your father caused all of this." Mrs. Tonia nearly sobbed as she said that.

 

"Caused what?" Mr. Joshua inquires as he walks into the living room, and Mrs. Tonia quickly wipes away her tears and replies, "Nothing; I was just discussing something unimportant."

Mrs. Tonia quickly entered the kitchen, while Mr. Joshua's gaze narrowed to Anita, who smiled faintly at him.

 

Anita is not an albino, but her beauty is undeniable and charming. Looking at her dimples and chubby cheeks alone made her appear like an angel from heaven.

 

"Fine, take all of these bags inside, and where are your sisters? "Flora, favour!" Mr. Joshua calls them out as they respond, "Yes, Papa!. Good evening, Dad. Welcome back home."

 

Flora walks past Anita, who is dragging her boxes, and approaches their father for a welcome hug.

 

"Assist your sister and take those luggages inside," Mr. Joshua tells Flora after giving her a warm hug, and she bites her lower lips angrily before assisting Anita in carrying her second box to the room they both share.

 

Anita says nothing to Flora as she carries her box to the room, and when Flora turns to leave, Anita finally says, "Thank you," but Flora does not respond as she walks out of the room and back to the living room to see her father sitting on the long couch, taking off his shoes.

 

"How are you doing today, Flora?" Mr. Joshua asks Flora, and the rest of his daughters emerge.

 

"Father, remember your promise to take me to a private university?" Esther inquired.

 

"Yes, I remember, but you still have not passed your Jamb exams, and this is your fourth time taking the exam with your younger sister Favour. Can't you both learn from your older sister, Anita?"

 

"No, father!" Esther and Favour both respond, surprising their father and dropping his jaw.

 

"What has happened to you, girls? If you still do not pass your Jamb exams this year, forget about going to university and instead look for a trade or handwork to learn, as I cannot waste my hard-earned money sponsoring you both through a private university when you do not qualify for a government university. Now, leave my sight, silly children. I am sure you all got your dullness from your mother; can you not learn from your older sister for once? Do you not see her good grades, despite the fact that she is more attractive than you all?"

 

"Father!" Flora, Esther, Favor, and Lisa all express sadness.

 

"Shut your mouths and do not call me. I have been a good father to you all, but you can not be good daughters in return. Fail your exam again this year, and you will see the other side of me." Mr. Joshua warns them, and he rises from the couch.

Just then, his wife emerges from the kitchen and looks at him and her five daughters in the living room, as Anita is the only one in her room.

 

"Excuse me!" Mr. Joshua walks past his daughters and into the room he shares with his wife, which he realizes is entirely his fault. Mr. Joshua has shown more love to the rest of his daughters than to their senior sister, Anita, making her feel isolated; now he regrets it.

 

Mr. Joshua is even facing some challenges at work, as some missing funds from transactions have been discovered missing from his records, and if the error is not corrected, he risks losing his job as a banker in a government-owned bank.

 

His brow furrows as his wife enters their room to meet him a few minutes later.

 

"Are you not being too harsh on our daughters today?" Mrs. Tonia inquires, but Mr. Joshua simply looks at her and moves away. He removes his long-sleeved shirt and strips after loosening his neck tie.

 

"I am preparing dinner; it is already late," Mrs. Tonia tells him, but he does not respond as he also loses his trouser belt.

 

"Honey, you are not saying anything in response?" Mrs. Tonia finally inquires of her husband, and he responds, "What do you want me to say to you?" Can't you see that I am busy?

 

Mr. Joshua walks past his wife and enters the bathroom to take his bath, while Mrs. Tonia sighs and shakes her head in sorrow.

 

She knows something is wrong with her husband because he has been acting strangely, and he even pretended to be happy when Anita was named the best graduating student.

He jumped up and screamed "Yes!" oblivious to the other parents and relatives around him, standing to witness the awarding of the best graduating student, and when he saw Anita approaching, his smiles and happiness faded because Anita did not smile at them because she assumed he hated her and was not proud of her accomplishment.

 

Mrs. Tonia smiles slightly, recalling how her husband reacted to his daughter's victories. Although the school rewards were modest, with Anita receiving cash and medals, Mrs. Tonia believes her first daughter's certificate will lead her to one of the highest-paying jobs in the country.

 

Mrs. Tonia sighs again before walking out of the room she shares with her husband, as he is already taking a bath and she can hear water splashing in the bathroom.

 

She walks into the kitchen after the okro soup has heated and warmed up slightly, and she serves it on soup plates. Just then, Glory walks into the kitchen to assist her and carry it to the dining room next to their living room.

 

Glory is 14 years old, as her children seniors themselves with only two years between them, and Glory is still in Junior secondary school three.

 

"Mom, I want to be a business administrator, just like my big sister," Gory says to her mother, holding the tray of soups up in her arms and looking up at her mother's face.

 

"There is no issue with that. You should also study hard. You have your big sister here to guide you." Mrs. Tonia smiles at Glory.

 

"Okay, mom. But is big sis planning to marry soon? Chika informed me that her big sister will not be returning home because she is already pregnant and expecting a child with her fiance," Glory inquired.

 

"No Glory! Although I am not sure about that, Anita will get a job first before settling down. You know your big sister is hardworking and wants to be an independent woman first before relying on a man for money," Mrs. Tonia responds.

 

"So, mom, you also rely on my father for financial support?" Glory asks, surprising her mother.

 

"No Glory! This concludes the conversation. Take the soup out before it gets cold." Mrs. Tonia says and her gaze shift to Anita, "Oh, Anita is already here to help us."

Glory turns to face Anita, who is standing by the kitchen door.

 

Anita overheard their conversation and gave them a faint smile.

 

"Why are you standing there staring at us? Come help us serve the dinner." Mrs. Tonia says, "I am sure your father will soon be out," and Anita's smile fades away as she hears her father's name and dislikes him as well.