SISTER’S AT WAR EPISODE 8.

SISTER’S AT WAR EPISODE 8.

The next morning, Ijeoma walked quickly to Ikenna’s house. As she entered the compound, she saw his mother, Ujunwa, sweeping the yard. Dust rose gently with every stroke of the broom.

“Mama, good morning!” Ijeoma greeted happily, rushing forward. “Please, give me the broom.” She stretched out her hand to collect it.

Ujunwa looked at her warmly and smiled. “Ohh nwam, my beautiful daughter…” She handed the broom to her. Ijeoma began sweeping immediately, moving the broom across the sand.

“Mama, how many times will I tell you to stop stressing yourself like this? Please, leave this this work for me,” Ijeoma said.

“Okay, my daughter,” Ujunwa replied, sitting down on the bench. “It’s just that I don’t want to stress you.”

Ijeoma laughed. “Mama, stress me ooo! Stress me well, for the sake of your son, my husband-to-be. Biko.”

Ujunwa burst into laughter, shaking her head. “Okay, my daughter, jisike ooo.”

“Mama, where is my love?” Ijeoma asked, looking towards the door.

“He is still sleeping ooo…” Ujunwa began, then saw him. “Wait, there he is.”

Ikenna came out of the house, scratching his eyes and yawning loudly.

“Mama, good morning,” he greeted, then turned with a smile. “Ije m…”

“My love!” Ijeoma dropped the broom and ran into his arms. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.

“Hmmm, let me close my eyes ooo,” Ujunwa teased.

“Mama, don’t close them, open them well!” Ijeoma replied, laughing.

“My love, how are you?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine, honey. How was your night?” Ikenna replied.

“It was sweet, my love. Please go back and continue your sleep. Let me finish this sweeping, then I’ll cook something delicious for you,” Ijeoma said, looking into his eyes.

Ikenna chuckled. “Thank you, my baby.”

Ujunwa shook her head and said loudly, “Ikenna, you see why I told you to come back to the village and marry a wife? A good wife, wife material. Those Lagos girls are just nonesense,they don’t know anything at all”

“Mama, please…” Ikenna laughed and went inside, leaving Ijeoma smiling as she swept.

Not long after, the gate creaked. Amaka entered, carrying a nylon bag with food. She was dressed so well, looking fresh. The moment Ijeoma saw her, her face changed. She dropped the broom, placed her hands on her waist, and stared at her sister with fire in her eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Ijeoma asked sharply.

“And what does it look like I came to do here?” Amaka replied boldly.

“Better leave this place now before I do something you won’t like,” Ijeoma warned.

“Why not come and carry me out yourself?” Amaka shot back, then raised her voice. “Ike’m! Ike’m!”

Ikenna rushed out immediately. His face lit up when he saw Amaka. “Amaka, you came!” He went straight to hug her, holding her close.

Ijeoma’s heart squeezed as if someone was pressing it with hot iron.

“Good morning, Ike’m,” Amaka said sweetly.

“Good morning, my sunshine. How are you?” Ikenna replied, smiling widely.

Ijeoma almost screamed. Sunshine? The word stung like pepper on her skin.

“I’m fine, my darling. I hope you’re fine too?” Amaka asked, still leaning on him.

“I’m fine, dear…” Ikenna answered softly.

“Look, I brought you food,” Amaka said, handing him the nylon.

“Ohhh, thank you!” Ikenna opened it quickly. The smell of rich stew filled the whole compound. “Woooow, this smells so good. You’re truly a good cook.”

Amaka laughed proudly. “Who doesn’t know I cook well? I even cook better than some people.” She glanced at Ijeoma and smirked.

Just then, Ujunwa came out from the backyard. Amaka quickly bent down. “Good morning, Mama.”

“Good morning, my daughter. How are you?” Ujunwa asked kindly.

“I’m fine, Mama,” Amaka said, smiling.

“This one you and your sister came the same time, ehn…” Ujunwa said, looking curious.

Amaka ignored the question. “Mama, how are you?” she asked instead.

Ijeoma could not hold it anymore. With anger burning inside her, she threw the broom hard on the ground. Gbaaa! The sound made everyone turn. Without a word, she walked away fast, her slippers raising dust behind her.

They called her, but she didn’t answer. She pushed the gate and stormed out.

“Amaka, what’s wrong with your sister?” Ujunwa asked, confused.

“Mama, don’t mind her,” Amaka said quickly. “Maybe she woke up from the wrong side of the bed today.”

“But she was very happy when she came,” Ujunwa said slowly.

“Mama, it’s nothing. Let me finish the sweeping,” Amaka said, grabbing the broom.

Meanwhile, Ijeoma reached home, boiling with anger. She entered their room and started scattering things, shouting like someone possessed.

“She is trying me! Amaka is trying me in this house! I will deal with her, I swear I will deal with her!”

Her voice shook the whole house as she pulled clothes, scattered chairs, and knocked things down.

A knock came at the door. She ignored it at first, but the knock continued. She was alone at home her mother had gone to the market, her father to the farm.

It was Obiora outside. He knocked and knocked, but no reply. He sat on the pavement, waiting patiently. Moment later When he was about to leave, the door opened.

He smiled immediately. “Hi, beauty,” he greeted warmly. But Ijeoma’s face was dark and unfriendly.

“I thought I warned you never to bring your ugly self here again?” she snapped.

“Ije m” Obiora started.

“Ijeoma,” she cut him off sharply.

“Okay, Ijeoma, please… I love you. I can’t sleep at night because of you. Please give me one chance. I promise I will take care of you.”

“Obiora, you are very stupid,” Ijeoma shouted.

“Yes, I am stupid when it comes to loving you. Please, Ijeoma, just one chance,” Obiora begged, moving closer.

Paa! Paa! Ijeoma landed two hot slaps on his face. “Get out of here, foolish man! Look at you, poverty-stricken low life! If I ever see you in this house again, you will lose your two legs. Nonsense!” She shoved him out and slammed the door.

Obiora stood outside, frozen in shock, his hands holding his red cheeks.

Just then, Amaka walked in and saw him. “What happened? Obiora, what did my sister do to you?” she asked in surprise.

“Nothing… I’m fine, dear,” he muttered and walked away slowly.

Amaka pushed the door open and stepped into the house. Immediately, she paused. Chairs were overturned, clothes were on the floor, and the whole place looked like a storm had passed. She dropped her nylon bag slowly, staring around in shock.

“What is all this?” she asked aloud. “Who scattered the house like this?”

Ijeoma, who was sitting on the edge of the bed breathing heavily, turned and faced her with blazing eyes. “Amaka, so you still have the guts to step into this house?”

Amaka raised her brow, folding her arms. “And why won’t I enter my father’s house? Did you build it? Ijeoma, don’t start with me this afternoon.”

Ijeoma sprang to her feet. “Shut that your filthy mouth! So after disgracing me in front of Ikenna and Mama this morning, you still have the boldness to show your face here?!”

Amaka hissed and laughed mockingly. “Disgrace you? Don’t deceive yourself, sister. Nobody disgraced you. Ikenna only showed me love, real love, and you could not stand it. Is that my fault?”

Ijeoma’s face tightened with anger. She walked up to Amaka until they were face-to-face. “So you have the guts, the audacity, to carry your filthy self to my man’s house? Amaka! Are you mad? Ikenna is my husband-to-be, not yours! Do you hear me?”

Amaka clapped her hands slowly. “Your husband-to-be? Since when? Ijeoma, open your eyes. If Ikenna truly wanted you, he wouldn’t have called me his sunshine in your presence. He wouldn’t hold me the way he did. Face the truth,he doesn’t want you!”

Ijeoma shouted, her voice shaking the whole room. “Liar! Evil child! From the day you were born, you have been a thorn in my flesh. Always competing, always jealous! But let me warn you if you ever step foot in Ikenna’s house again, I will deal with you in a way you will never forget!”

Amaka snapped her fingers at her. “Big sister indeed! Elder sister that has no shame! So it’s because of Ikenna you are shouting like a mad woman? You call yourself elder, yet you cannot even keep a man! Look at you wasting your years, now afraid that your younger sister will shine before you. Useless pride!”

Ijeoma’s eyes turned red with fury. “Amaka, call me useless again and I will beat the daylights out of you in this house!”

Amaka smirked, moving closer. “Beat me, let’s see. You are only noise, nothing else. No wonder Ikenna prefers me. Who wants an old cargo like you?”

That last insult broke Ijeoma’s patience. With a loud cry, she pushed Amaka hard on the chest. Amaka staggered but quickly rushed back, dragging Ijeoma’s wrapper. The fight began loud, bitter, with chairs falling and both of them screaming at the top of their voices.

“Witch!” Ijeoma shouted.
“Frustrated goat!” Amaka fired back.
“You will never marry before me!” Ijeoma cursed.
“Idiot! You will die single!” Amaka screamed.

The noise spilled into the compound. Neighbors began to gather, whispering and pointing. Some children ran off shouting, “They are fighting again! Ijeoma and Amaka are fighting ooo!”

One woman shook her head and said, “Eh, two sisters fighting because of a man. This will not end well.”

Another woman quickly shouted to a small boy, “Nwam, run to the market and call their mother now-now! Tell her her daughters want to kill themselves here!”

The boy didn’t waste time. He dashed off barefoot, raising dust on the road as he ran towards the market to find their mother.

Inside, the sisters continued their bitter clash, hair flying, wrappers loosening, both of them consumed with rage.

To be continued…..

SISTER’S AT WAR EPISODE 8.

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