Chapter 4 – Returned home

Anita went back home with her father and mother, who had attended her graduation ceremony at the university.

Her mother was overjoyed, but her father, as usual, kept his stern, unsmiling face as he drove them home.

Although he was proud that Anita had not let her beauty distract her from achieving success, he was still puzzled as to why she was the most beautiful of all his daughters.

Even though his wife had not given him a son, Mr. Joshua wasn’t particularly bothered. Their tradition allowed a daughter to inherit her father’s property, even if she was married. However, he still couldn't shake off the lingering doubt about whether Anita was truly his biological daughter.

He sighed as he drove toward their home. Fortunately, the university was close to their house in the city.

Upon arriving, he drove into their modest compound and parked. Their home was a simple bungalow with four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and five bathrooms.

Mr. Joshua Baker owned the house, having purchased it directly from the landowners. He stepped out of the car first, followed by Anita and her mother.

Inside the house, Anita’s sisters—Flora, Esther, Favour, Lisa, and Glory—were all present, yet none of them came outside to welcome them home.

Mrs. Tonia walked into the living room first, with Anita following, dragging her boxes. Mr. Joshua remained in the car, answering a phone call.

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

Each of the sisters shared a room: Anita and Flora shared one, Esther and Favour shared another, while Lisa and Glory occupied the last room, which sometimes doubled as the guest room.

"Welcome back, Mom. How did the event go?" Favour, an 18-year-old, asked.

"It was great. Why don’t you ask your big sister? She won two awards—Best Overall Graduating Student and Best in her Department," Mrs. Tonia replied with a faint smile.

Favour frowned. "Who cares, Mom?"

"Shut up! Silly girl. Anita’s your big sister, and you should show her some respect!" Mrs. Tonia scolded.

Esther quickly added, "We don’t care, Mom!"

"Esther!" Mrs. Tonia warned, as Esther rolled her eyes from where she stood near the middle door entrance, holding the curtain.

"It’s okay, Mom," Anita said, stepping forward and gently tapping her mother’s shoulder.

But Mrs. Tonia shook her head. "Your father caused all this." Her voice wavered, and she nearly burst into tears, but just then, Mr. Joshua walked into the living room.

"Caused what?" he asked.

Mrs. Tonia sniffed and quickly wiped her tears. "Nothing. I was just talking about something unimportant," she replied hastily before walking off to the kitchen.

Mr. Joshua narrowed his eyes at Anita, who gave him a faint smile. She wasn’t an albino, but her beauty was striking—almost unreal. Her dimples and chubby cheeks made her look angelic.

"Fine. Take all these bags inside. Where are your sisters?! Flora! Favour!" he called out.

"Yes, Papa! Good evening, Dad. Welcome back home," Flora greeted as she walked past Anita, who was still dragging her boxes. She went up to give her father a warm hug.

"Help your sister carry those bags inside," Mr. Joshua instructed.

Flora bit her lower lip in irritation but obeyed, reluctantly picking up Anita’s second box and carrying it to their shared room.

Anita didn’t say a word to Flora as she carried the box, but as Flora turned to leave, Anita finally said, "Thank you."

Flora ignored her and walked back to the living room, where their father had settled on the couch, removing his shoes.

"How was your day, Flora?" Mr. Joshua finally asked.

Before Flora could respond, the rest of the sisters stepped out.

"Father, do you remember your promise to send me to a private university?" Esther asked.

"Yes, I remember. But you still haven’t passed your JAMB exams. This is your fourth attempt, and you're still writing the same exam alongside your younger sister, Favour. Can’t you both learn from your elder sister, Anita?"

"No, Father!" Esther and Favour responded in unison, shocking their father. His jaw dropped.

"What has come over you girls? If you fail your JAMB exams again this year, forget about university and find a trade or skill to learn! I cannot keep wasting my hard-earned money on private university fees when you can’t even qualify for a government university. Now get out of my sight! You both take after your mother in dullness. Can’t you learn from your elder sister? Don’t you see how well she performed, despite being the most beautiful among you?"

"Father!" Flora, Esther, Favour, and Lisa exclaimed sadly.

"Shut your mouths and don’t 'father' me! I have been a good father to all of you, yet you can’t be good daughters in return. Fail your exam again this year and see what happens!" Mr. Joshua warned as he stood up from the couch.

Just then, Mrs. Tonia stepped out of the kitchen and saw her husband and their daughters in the living room. Anita was still in her room.

"Excuse me!" Mr. Joshua muttered, walking past his daughters into the bedroom he shared with his wife. He knew it was his own fault—he had favored his other daughters over Anita for years, making her feel like an outcast. Now, he was beginning to regret it.

His troubles at work were adding to his stress. Some funds had gone missing from transactions under his supervision, and if the error wasn’t resolved, he was at risk of losing his job at the government-owned bank where he worked.

His brow furrowed as his wife walked into their room a few minutes later.

"Aren’t you being too harsh on our daughters today?" Mrs. Tonia asked.

Mr. Joshua glanced at her but didn’t reply. Loosening his tie, he removed his long-sleeved shirt.

"Dinner is almost ready; it’s getting late," she informed him.

Still, he said nothing as he unbuckled his belt.

"Honey, aren’t you going to say anything?" she finally asked.

He sighed. "What do you want me to say? Can’t you see I’m busy?"

He walked past her and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Mrs. Tonia sighed and shook her head. She knew something was wrong. He had acted strangely all day. She remembered how excited he was when Anita won her awards—how he had jumped up, shouting "Yes!" in front of the crowd. But when Anita approached them, her expression was unreadable. She thought he hated her.

Even though the school’s cash prize and medals weren’t much, Mrs. Tonia believed Anita’s degree would secure her a high-paying job.

Sighing, she left the room and returned to the kitchen. The okra soup she had been preparing had finished cooking, and she began serving it into different bowls.

Just then, Glory walked in to help.

"Mom, I want to become a Business Administrator like Anita," she said, balancing a tray of soup in her arms.

"That’s wonderful, Glory. Study hard, and your big sister will guide you," Mrs. Tonia smiled.

"Okay, Mom. Is Anita getting married soon? Chika told me her sister isn’t coming home because she’s pregnant for her fiancé," Glory said.

"No, Glory! Anita will get a job first before settling down. She’s hardworking and wants to be independent before depending on a man," her mother explained.

"Oh. So, Mom, do you depend on Dad for money?" Glory asked innocently, making her mother pause.

"No, Glory! That’s enough questions. Take the soup out before it gets cold. Oh, Anita is here to help," Mrs. Tonia said, noticing Anita standing by the kitchen door.

Anita had overheard their conversation and smiled faintly.

"Why are you standing there? Come help us serve dinner. Your father will be out soon," Mrs. Tonia said.

Anita’s smile faded at the mention of her father’s name. She still resented him.