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~CHAPTER SIX~

I bang my brothers room door, oblivious to the rules of the house which says KNOCK GENTLY BEFORE ENTERING ANY ROOM, I don't care now because I am ready for a fight . Yes! With my junior brother, real one.
I flung the door open and walked in, a good thing he was playing his computer game, this is the right time to get my pound of flesh.
I disconnected the computer game without a word to him.
"awn awn! What is your problem now? How dare you destroy what I managed to fix?"
"Any word from you, I promise you will receive a slap in the face." I said with anger.
"My, what happened to you, did you wrestle in your dream last night? "
I looked at him sternly, contemplating on what to do to him. I raised my fist wanting to punch him , but he held it.
"Wait are you serious, you truly want to fight, okay I get it you did not win the wrestling that is why you want to face me with that chimpanzee looking face of yours. Well I am not your coach o! Go and face him in your dream." he said and laughed. I hit him on his shoulder with my fist, signaling to him that I am not here for a joke, this is a serious matter.
"You told daddy" I muttered as my anger washed away with tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Told daddy what?"
"You told him, you can't deny it, why? Didn't I tell you the truth. You waltzed off with my flowers even after telling you it's from Dera. What kind of brother are you for God's sake? " I cried with all my heart and soul.
"I didn't believe you when you told me, I knew there were more to it that meets the eye. If I may ask, who give red roses when it's not valentine"
"A girl" I said sarcastically and sniffed.
"You can't deceive me Nora, you did it, just admit it ." he smiled sheepishly.
"Oh yes I did ,that is what you and dad wants to hear" I said sarcastically. "You want a step mom ,don't you?"
"No, never!"
"Then why did you tell daddy?"
"I don't want anything bad to happen to you and I can't keep such a bad secret."
" he kissed me on my cheek not my mouth"
"You didn't tell me that, you only told me he kissed you"
"I didn't "
"okay , okay. Whether he kissed you on your mouth or cheek it is still a bad secret, I only want to protect you. "
"You protect me? I don't have anything to say to you, the deed has been done. Let me let you know, I am not joining you to fight against stepmom or nanny anymore, I am not going to be the activist, you do it yourself" I said and took few steps back.
"Are you calling it a quit?"
"whatever you think it is." I said and walked out defeated . I came in as a hungry lion ready to pounce on my prey, but in the end I am leaving as the prey. I ran to my room and slammed the door.

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I took out my mom's picture from the usual place, I placed it on my legs that were cross-legged on my neatly dressed bed. I kept on starring at the picture for hours, no word were coming out, they were all buried in sobs.
"Mummy, why are you crying?" My cute baby sister who will be two years in a couple of weeks said after looking at me for more than a minute. I wiped my tears with my palm and helped her to sit on my bed.
"Honey, have you eaten? "
"Daddy fed me, it was noodles and I enjoyed it. "
"Good "
" Mummy why are you crying?" Ekinadose asked me again. She called me Mummy because she believes I'm her mum, since I have been taking care of her from birth.
I cleared my throat and smiled bleakly. "It's daddy, he made me cry."
"sorry" she said as she reached for my head to say sorry in the baby way.
"If you don't want to see me crying, then go and tell Daddy you don't want a second mum."
"okay" she said and jumped off the bed. I didn't care if she was going to say 'Mummy said I should tell you that I don't want a second mom'.
All I cared about was the welfare of Ekina and nothing else, I don't care if my dad and my brothers see food to eat, once Ekina eats I am satisfied.

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I heard a knock on the door in our front porch, I was in the living room watching my favorite TV Channel-- ID(Investigation discovery) channel. I love this channel, it's all about investigations about criminals, they arrest them and sentence them. Well it's not a movie channel it's true story that had happened or that is happening live. You might think I want to join the FBI or something, but No I just love this channel, I love everything about the army though I don't want to join one because of the way Nigeria police force is. I don't want to start accusing them but they have a lot of query from me.
"Hey! Nora how are you?" Mrs Adenike said as I opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" I tried to act politely by smiling, but inside of me I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.
"I came here to see your father" she smiled revealing a dimple in her cheek bone in her round face, weird place for a dimples, but it kind of made her cute."Is your Dad around?"
"He is not home yet" I lied.
"Alright when he comes back tell him, I dropped by."
"Ah! Nike you are around."
"Imade you're home" Adenike walked into the house and shoved me aside from the entrance. I gritted my teeth and opened my eyes wide in fury, I wanted to bounce her out of my house, yes! My house. How dare she just___ she is really testing my patience. I watched her as she sat in the same couch with my Dad, to me they were too close for my liking.
"Imade your daughter told me you were not around, I wanted to start going, had it been you had not come that is how I would have missed this great opportunity ."
"Nora! What are you doing standing there.Can't you bring something for your guest? " My dad shouted at me, which made me angry especially because of this Fool sitted here. God forgive me for insulting, actually you said we should love our enemies, but not this one sitted here, you did not love devil, so I will not love this Ydal(Lady spelt backward), I can't call her a lady, she is not meant to be called that, infact she is supposed to be categorized as a 'it' not 'she'.
"Which guest?" I blurted out. I didn't want to hide my hatred anymore, let her know I hate her, maybe this will make her back off.
"Can you be polite for once?". My dad said looking at me disdainfully.
"I've been polite all my life."
My dad eyed me"Bring something for our guest, even if it's just water. Do not be forgetful to entertain strangers"
"She is not a stranger, she's a___". As if he knew what I was going to say, so he cut me off.
"Go to your room, later we will talk about this"
I walked away proudly, leaving my dad feel the shame I caused.
"Imade don't worry, I am fine, she is just acting childish" Adenike said disappointedly.
"Childish? I know you are hurt, I will deal with her. Don't worry"
"But ,Imade how could you sit here and allow your daughter talk to you in that manner? That is very bad o! Imade you did not train up your children well. See how the other one talked to me the other day I came, that small one. I felt sad I just had to hide it, Now this one again."
"I am sorry about this."
"You are even apologizing, they are suppose to apologize not you" she hissed and shifted away from Mr Osayande.
"So what brought you here?"
Mr Osayande changed the topic of discussion.
"You can't just change the topic like that. Ah! What is your problem, maybe this will be one of the reasons I will not marry you?"
"what reason?"
"Your Children now"
"Please you need to be patient with them, with time they will adjust."
"For how long?" she said with a mournful look.
"As long as you love me"
"Imade age is telling on me already, I am 36 years."
"And looking radiant" Mr Osayande said with a smile touching her hair." I like your natural hair it's soft and hmm" he playfully said hoping it will make her laugh.
"Imade I am done here!" She ranted, making Mr Osayande startled at her response.
"Done with what?
"With us" she stood up carrying her bag from the middle table. "Imade you are not serious about this relationship at all. There is no time to waste, I am taking my leave. You should Know me by now, I no dey use time play" she said and walked to the door. "Open the door"
"Nike I Know, but we should think of the children too "
"So it's the children that are piloting your life now ehn? Ha! No wonder they can talk to you with no respect, now they have transferred it to me. I will not take that nonsense o " she said as she forcefully opened the door.
"Let me help you with it" Mr Osayande said when he saw her car key drop .
"No thank you " she said and walked out slamming the door behind her.
Mr Osayande Stood in the same position that Miss Adenike bewildered. I heard my Dad cry for the first time right from where I was, I felt sorry for him and felt bad for how I treated the lady, but it's for our own good.