"How can you say that about someone who left us without caring?" Nadine slams her plastic bottle of on the counter beside her cereal bowl.
"But I miss her." Amira states from across the kitchen.
Farouk wanted so badly to say he missed Zayda too but Nadine would also come for him so he grabbed a plate and poured his cereal as if he it wasn't his business, poured his water and milk then grabbed a spoon off the rack and sat on the counter to eat.
"She's still saying it." Nadine stomps her feet round the counter getting to Amira while Farouk just stops eating and watches them, just watching both sisters, too conflicted to know what to do.
Amira takes tiny steps backwards until she hits the wall. Nadine holds her wrist and begins to twist it and she releases a scream.
Farouk jumps down from the table and tries to drag Nadine away but he only gets a violent nudge to the stomach from her elbow.
He still goes for her arm and pulls her away while Amira cries, massaging her wrist and shaking her arm. Yusuf kicks the door open and asks what happened.
"It's Nadine that wants to break Amira's hand." Farouk answers, still holding Nadine.
"What's wrong with you?" He rubs his eyes "I thought thieves broke in."
"Well tell her to stop talking about that girl." She angrily removes her arm from Farouk's hold and goes back to her cereal.
"Which girl?" Yusuf asks.
"Zayda." She puts a spoon of fruit loops in her mouth and drops it back in the pool of milk "That girl."
"She's still our sister."
"Are you now choosing her over us?" Nadine carries her bowl off the table, coming closer to Yusuf looking like a predator about to finish her prey.
Nadine is normally bitter but her dislike for Zayda just like some of her other siblings came from an unknown place. They all know none of them were adopted but all of the just couldn't accept Zayda except Amira and Usama.
"I'm just saying. She's still family."
"Disgusting." She spits, exiting the kitchen.
Yusuf looks at Amira but doesn't say anything. She looks at Farouk who quietly carries his plate and goes back to his room. Nadine's feline pet crawls to Yusuf's feet and rubs her back on him.
He carries her out and drops her by Nadine's door before going to his room. He's no longer sleepy when he lays down. His eyes stay attached to the ceiling till his phone beeps and he looks at it. Amna.
Amna: I hope you're sorry 🙃
He sat up, grimacing. What did she mean by that? He hissed and dropped his phone but it dinged and he lifted it again.
Amna: If you're awake and reading this I want you to know I understand you miss me.
Now he just thought she wanted him to forgive her without begging. He wasn't in the mood to play. They are both supposed to still be suffering from jet lag. He hoped she wasn't on drugs.
Amna: I forgive you too.
He stared at his screen for a few more seconds but pressing the power button. She's really foolish, he whispered and closed his eyes.
The next morning, he called in sick but they didn't complain because he got them the contract. They'd already gotten the minister to approve it but he demanded they find an investor to put money into completing the construction. Minister + Investor = millions of Naira divided by Yusuf and himself which was a win-win for both parties since it wasn't his job but he did it anyways.
YOU ARE READING
I See Fire
ChickLitFather, mother and children all have secrets. A child finds out and decides to use it to help them. She decides to run away but without forgetting to write each of them a letter so who's going to find what first? It's a fight to the death. Everyone...
