Chapter 6

Strutting all the way from the threshold to where he was sitting, she landed a heavy slap on his cheek.

Then turning to the naked and now very scared girl, she asked," how far is your home?"

Stammering, he replied," not very far… Just around the corner."

"Great, please get going," Naina said, smiling, trying her best to cool down the fried girl's nerves.

Not waiting for a second slap to land on her, she dressed messily and was out of the house in minutes, also giving Nixon time to get decent.

"What gives Ree?" He asked, standing tall in front of his sister with his imposing height of six feet one with broad shoulders.

Standing on her tiptoes, she reached out and started pulling one of his ears, bringing him to her height before pulling him to the table strewn with drugs,

 "You are doing drugs," she commented.

Letting his ear go, she picked up a bag that looked like flour," is this cocaine?"

"Ree… It's not mine…that girl… Derrick. Belongs to Derrick. He brought it in i keep for him," he fumbled around for a lie.

"Do i look like i was born yesterday?" She sassed. "You reek of weed and so does this house. When did it start?"

If it was anyone else talking to him or him like she was, he would have insulted them and thrown them out of his house. But this was Ree, his elder sister, his sister who, at an early age, was forced to be his mother figure, his protector. He would be damned before he let anything happen to her.

"High school. Derrick would sneak a few kinds of drugs at school. But I am working on stopping. I haven't used it in a long while, so you have nothing to worry about" he explained.

"Boy!!! One more lie from you and i will flog you till the neighbors come to your aid," she warned.

The statement made him want to laugh. She was so small compared to him, and he would probably break her if she tried. A smile formed his lips, he nodded. He didn't have to worry, she was here, and she would make everything better.

"Are the two of you eating or not?" their mother called.

"Throw them away" she asserted, before walking away.

After a while, he followed her and they sat down for supper.

"Why are you all broody? Thought you would be happy your sister is back?" Linda queried. 

"When is he ever brooding?" His father Jack interjected.

"He will be coming with me for my attachment," Naina announced.

"That's good. Before then, be useful and join me at the farm," his father commented, a faint smile gracing his lips.

*********

Sitting on her bed, Naina decided to read the entries she made in her diaries.

Taking the first diary she had started the next few days after the fight between her parents, she began.

The address had been changed from addressing a book to a person. A person that as time had gone by she learned to consider a best friend, a confidant of hers. She addressed the diaries to her grandmother, Rossa.

Dear Rossa.

Do you know that i did not go to school today?

Never in all my fourteen years of living did i ever think that i would miss school. But that isn't bad. Dad and mum fought again, this time in front of us. And you know why they fought?

Because dad refuses to take the job offer given by aunt Milly's husband because apparently it will make him look weak.

But let's be real here, i didn't go to school cause we lacked twenty shillings for transport, and we didn't eat that night. So dad has to get over his ego and take the offer.

But then again, if i were dad I wouldn't take the job. You know why?

Of course, you do. You children, sorry to say, are at times the worst. They would treat dad badly and not give him respect just because they helped him. And i would rather find my own way out rather than have them talk sh*t about me and my kids.

I saw mother head over to aunt Christina and got money for breakfast and, let me tell you, she is gonna hold it over mum for months.

Then left during the day and in the evening came back with food. She had gotten a job as a cleaner ,for a guy who was established at very young age of 25 years or was just lucky to be born in a rich family again, and dad was not happy, and he refused to eat. But hours into the night his sugar levels were falling, and he had to eat.

Not too long later, dad got his job back, and they started arguing again about mum quitting her job.

 I really don't understand what the issue is with mum working. To me, it seems like the best thing cause there will be extra cash around and if the issue is working for other people, then why can't he open a small business like a shop for her?

When mum suggested that he outright shut the idea down, and it makes me wonder is there a reason for not wanting his wife to work.

But all in all, am not studying to be a house wife. I will work and i will not let any man or woman dictate whether to work or not.

Mum left the next day and went to aunt Christina. I know she is not coming back cause i overheard her telling anut that she was tired and was going outside the country for work so that she could have money to leave dad.

In a few hours Nicky and i will be at your doorstep with our stuff.

To be honest, I am sad we are leaving our home, and my parents aren't even sure what they want with their life, let alone ours. But I am happy cause there will be no more fighting since they won't be in the same house.

 Does that make a bad person for wishing that?

Then i guess i am.

Just reading that one entry was enough to make her emotional. That was the last time she saw her parents for over a year. And was separated from her brother since her grandmother couldn't afford to take care of two kids with a drunkard of a husband, and would only see her brother on Sunday or during the holidays.

Putting the book aside, she checked up on Lily before heading to bed.