A Prince's Love

Chapter 13.

Maadwoa's POV

I wipe my sweat as I bend down to sweep the broken twigs and dust off the ground. My aunt made me scrub the bathroom early in the morning, clean every room in the house after, and now she said I should sweep everywhere around the house. I've been up since nine in the morning doing chores and she won't let me eat until everything is done and she approves of it. It's already 12 in the afternoon and I'm exhausted.

The heat from the scorching sun hits my back as I keep my body down. My forehead keeps getting sweaty and the movement during the chores makes me dizzy. The world looks like it's spinning.

I put the small broom down and carefully walk back to the verandah, where I kept my sachet of water. I quickly open it with my teeth and gulp down the water. The once cool water had become warm and didn't satisfy me as I wanted it to, but at least it was something. I rest on the bench and put my head in my hands. I've had to suffer since morning while my aunt is relaxing inside, watching television.

I stand up before she catches me doing nothing. Before I can take a step, the dizziness overcomes me and I feel myself fall backwards. I fall to the ground, knocking something over, causing there to be a loud crash. I wince in pain as my head falls to the ground and I groan, holding my forehead. I slowly look forward to see one of my aunt's bowls shattered into pieces and I gasp in shock and fear. My eyes widen as I quickly stand up, all the dizziness suddenly disappearing. I carefully grab some of the pieces in my hands, looking at them to see if I could magically piece them back together.

I hear a gasp from behind me and I quickly whip my head around. Auntie Nana stands with her hand over her mouth and I try to speak but nothing comes out. I know this is not going to turn out well at all.

"My bowl!" she exclaims, marching towards me and pushing me out of the way.

I distance myself from her in fear as she stares at the broken pieces in shock. I bite my finger anxiously, waiting for her to explode. It's just a bowl but she is going to make it seem like I just killed her dog, I know it.

She turns to me with a glare and puts her hands on her hips.

"Herh, Maadwoa. Are you stupid?"

I frown. "Ma, it was an accident. I-I'm sorry."

"Do you know what I used to buy this bowl? It's worth more than the raggedy clothes you're wearing! And you have the guts to break my bowl!" she insults and I look down at clothes in shame.

"P-please, I didn't mean to. I fell because I was dizzy and it accidentally broke. I'm sorry, ma." I beg.

"Your life is sorry, foolish girl. You see how lazy you are? So because of these small chores I asked you to do, you got dizzy. And you couldn't take your dizziness out on anything else but my bowl?" she questions bitterly.

I frown and scratch my head nervously. Why is she do angry about this bowl? She has plenty more.

Then a look of realization hits her and she raises her eyebrows.

"Oh! I see now. This is revenge, right? Since I prevented you from eating when I threw your tasteless waakye away, now you also want to prevent me from eating by breaking my bowl." she accuses and I immediately shake my head.

She acts as if there aren't other bowls in the house to eat from, I don't understand what the big problem is.

"No, ma. That's --"

"So that's how you are? Okay, don't worry. Come here." she calmly says, making my heart beat faster.

She's definitely plotting something.