DANIELLA✔

Chapter nine

Dedicated to anike55

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Wednesday was born and I woke up early to do all the house chores. As usual, I first made my way to the kitchen to do the dishes and warm all the leftovers. But then, I realized that something was just different. The house was unusually silent, unlike other days where uncle Henry and the twins would be awake, moving from one place to the other to prepare for the day. Then I remembered that we were told yesterday in school that today was going to be public holiday, since it was October 1st — Nigeria Independence Day.

It was no wonder why the house was as silent as a graveyard, which means, everyone was still fast asleep. I started to regret ever waking up early to do the house chores when I should be having a sweet dream by now on my bed. But anyways, there was nothing wrong with doing the chores now and going back to bed later. With that thought in mind, I got back to doing the kitchen chores.

Suddenly, I heard a loud noise from upstairs. It sounded like two people were arguing. I walked out of the kitchen, hoping to hear the sound clearly and then I heard the loud bang of a door still from upstairs, which preceded uncle Henry shouting my name.

"Daniella! Daniella!"

When I heard the sound of his footsteps approaching downstairs and I noticed his voice becoming louder, I ran back to the kitchen and continued what I was doing. For some unknown reason, I was scared.

"Daniella!" It seemed like he was downstairs already because his voice was very loud now.

"Sir!" I answered and ran out of the kitchen to meet him. When I got out, he was nowhere to be seen. I scrunched my brows in confusion. Didn't uncle Henry just call me now? I thought out loud.

I got an answer when he walked out of my room, wearing a singlet and a sagged trouser with a leather belt in his hand. Fear gripped me as I saw the belt and I retreated backwards. Was he going to flog me with the belt?

"Were you counting my calls or what?" He asked, obviously awash in rage. "Or you want to tell me that you didn't hear me calling you?"

"No sir, I didn't." I shook my head immediately. I felt so nervous. "I was busy in the kitchen."

"That's your business! Follow me now to my room and explain yourself!" He said angrily and made his way upstairs.

Explain myself? I grimaced as I wondered what he meant by that. I wiped my wet and somewhat soapy hands with my skirt and made my way to his room.

When I got to the front of his room, I pushed the door open and I entered inside. Annabelle and Amanda were standing in the room, aunty Caro was sitting up on her bed while uncle Henry was just prowling around the room. Everyone in the room looked so tensed and I was nervous as hell.

"Why I called three of you here is because I can't find my money. I kept five thousand naira in my wallet yesterday night, only to wake up this morning and not find it. Now, I want total honesty, who among you took the money?"

"It's not me o!" Annabelle quickly said, raising her hands in surrender. "I can never take your money from your wallet without asking."

In my opinion, I felt what Annabelle did just now wasn't right. I made a mental note to tell her never to display such act with a police officer or a detective, unless, she would be a suspect.

"Then who did if it wasn't you?" Uncle Henry asked.

"I don't know oh." Annabelle said. She looked so scared.