Pains of Amara(Completed)

Chapter 48

AMARACHI

Ogechi gasped out of shock immediately my hands came in contact with her cheek.
The impact of my slap was so strong that she fell on the chair.
She held on to the cheek in surprise and stared at me with mouth agape.

"Did...you...did..you..just slap me Amara?"Ogechi asked in shock.

"If you try what you did again, if you ever in your life try it oh Ogechi!!! I'll beat you black and blue and design this your useless face!"I yelled.
I was totally ready for Ogechi today.
I kept on panting as perspiration covered my forehead.

Ogechi just stared at me with jaws dropped.
"What is happening here? Amara!"aunty Lydia screamed at me as she immediately walked in on us from outside.

Ogechi immediately threw a tantrum.
I just stood fixed at the spot with no expression on my face.
"Mama Amarachi tried to kill me o"Ogechi lied.
Pathetic.
I wasn't shocked.
I was used to her lies.

"My own Princess! You want to kill my princess for me you this witch!"Lydia screamed as she threw her purse at me.
I dodged the purse and refuted her accusation.

"No aunty. Ogechi did something I didn't like. I didn't try to kill her"

Aunty Lydia slowly walked forward to me, staring at me like a lioness that just saw a prey.

"You are even talking?"Lydia rhetorically asked as she moved closer and I stepped backwards.

Suddenly she grabbed hold of my hand and pushed me roughly to chair, giving me blows as Ogechi stood up to join her.

*********************
The Next Morning

I sat outside, carefully observing the measurements of a customer.
Aunty Lydia basically dropped all her workload on me yesterday after beating me.

My face was a little swollen and bruised.
Thoughts of Nne came rushing into my mind.
I badly wished she was still with me.
I still couldn't fathom how she died.
She was perfectly fine so how did she die?

Tears were already forming in my eyes.
I missed Nne so badly.
I dabbed my eyes with a part of my cloth and focused on the work in front of me.

The gate opened with a sonorous sound and I stretched my neck to see who it was.
I was so surprised to see that it was Mrs Justice.
How does she know here?
Did she come for aunty Lydia?

I immediately stood up to welcome her with a bright smile on my face.
"Goodmorning ma"I chirped happily .

"Goodmorning Amarachi how are you doing?"

I nodded my head at her,"Very well ma"

"Why are there bruises on your face my dear?"Mrs Justice asked as she grazed my cheek with her fingers.

"Nothing ma. I just fell down this morning"I lied, covering up the inhuman practice of aunty Lydia.

"Ma how did you know my house?"I asked immediately trying to change the topic. I was curious to know actually.

Mrs Justice let out a chuckle and smiled at me.
I cleaned my chair for her to sit.
"Your grandmother was my late mother in-law's friend. I saw her as my mother inlaw too to be honest. I usually come to visit her back then when I was still in the village with my husband"

She mentioned Nne.
So she and Nne were close.
No wonder I felt so happy being around her.

"Where is Nne Amara?"

A sad look washed upon my face and my face became downcasted.
"She died some weeks ago"i replied in a sad whisper.

Mrs Justice's eye widened and she gasped with her hand covering her mouth.
"I'm so sorry about that my dear. Oh she was a lovely woman. Accept my heartfelt condolences"Mrs Justice sympathetically said.

I nodded my head at her and put on a faint smile.

"Amara...."aunty Lydia called out as she came outside but stopped in her sentence when she saw Mrs Justice.

"Ada good morning o. So nice seeing you again. How are you now? You visited me today. How do you know here?"

"I and Nne were close back then when I was still in the village. I usually came here to visit her. I heard she died, I'm so sorry"

Lydia sighed and wore a sad look.
"My dear as you can see o. My mother has left me. Thank you ok. Hasn't Amara offered you anything to eat?"

Mrs Justice waved her hand at Lydia,"No need ok. Thank you for the offer"

Her eyes suddenly drifted to the material I was sewing.
"Wow!"Mrs justice exclaimed.

"Who is sewing this? This is beautiful!"Mrs Justice exclaimed once more as she held on to the fabric,scrutinizing it.

Watching her praise my work made me let out a giggle.
"It's me ma"

She gazed at me.
"Wow Amarachi you are such a good seamstress. Nne was right about you"

Nne told her about me? Wow.

I caught a glimpse of aunty Lydia feeling uncomfortable with someone praising me as usual.
She had this dreadful look on her face.
I caught glimpses of her glaring at me.

"Madam lydia why haven't I seen Ogechi sewing? I only see Amara sewing"Mrs Justice asked as she dropped the fabric and looked up at aunty Lydia.

Lydia blinked severally and cleared her throat.
"Ehmm..see"Lydia stumbled upon words to speak.

"She isn't around most times. She is busy with you know trying to enter university and also busy with helping me run my shop"Lydia lied.

I just stood at the spot and wore a frown on my face as I casually tried to look at her.
This woman was always lying.

Mrs Justice just hummed and nodded her head.
"I'll take my leave now. Madam Lydia take care ok and Amarachi come and visit me some time ok"

I nodded my head, grinning like a child.
Once she left, I turned to see aunty Lydia staring at me dangerously.

"Amarachi you are a big enemy of progress I swear. You are so wicked"

What did i do now?

"How am I wicked?"I asked immediately.

"You even have mouth to talk"
Aunty Lydia glared at me once more before turning to go inside.

I was so confused.
Why does this woman hate me this much?

It was a question I would never get the answer to.
I shrugged my shoulders and went back to my seat when aunty Lydia suddenly emerged carrying a bowl with her.
I could see steam emerging from the bowl.
Hot water was in the bowl.

"Come here!"she ordered.
I slowly stood up and went over to her.

"Mrs Justice praises your work right? She praises the work of your hands right? Let me see how you would sew once I'm done with you"aunty Lydia threatened.

I was still contemplating on what she meant when she suddenly grabbed my two hands and plunged them into the bowl of hot water.