What seems like Paradise

 Mrs Ireti introduced me as her daughter and their new sibling, and introduced them as Tope and Tiwa, but it didn't take the smartest person to know that Tiwa did not like me, and she didn't hide it!

"Our sibling? Wow, mum isn't that too fast?"

Tiwa asked.

Mum shot her a look as that was an insensitive thing to say but I shrugged.

"She has a point. Maybe it's too fast." I responded and Tiwa in question eyed me. Me!

"Pay her no mind, she can be a bit mean sometimes but she'll warm up to you, I promise."

I didn't nod because I didn't care if she warned up to me or not. It's not by force.

Mrs Ireti asked Tope to show me to my room while Tiwa stormed the stairs, either to her room or to curl in a hole to cry– but that was really non of my concerns. Tope led me up the stairs and into my room; a white themed room with fresh sheets, it was large, smelt nice and didn't look mosquito infested.

"Do you like it?" The boy asked.

My neck snapped to him in surprise, I didn't think he was mean but I didn't think he was eager to talk to me either.

"Yes. It's nice." I responded after recovering from my shock.

"Is it better than where you were staying?"

Tope asked and I turned to look at him in question. 

"I'm sorry, I mean no offence."

I walked further into the room and sat on the bed.

"Both rooms are equally nice."

From the corner of my eyes, I saw him nod his head as he headed for the door.

"It's nice meeting you Dalu." He said and I nodded, too exhausted to give him a response.He closed the door beside him and I collapsed on the bed, hands akimbo.

A big part of me still craved home, but I sucked it up, and lay on my bed with only one intent to sleep till the next day.

•

 Sunrays snuck into my windows to wake me up and I checked around for my phone to check the time. I was still in the same clothes from yesterday and my neck hurt like crazy. I craved my neck to check the time and saw that the time read 8;17 am.

I groaned and huffed into my pillow. When I raised my head up, I discovered that the blinds were closed and the bulbs were turned off. That means someone came in here the night before, but that was the least of my concerns. My body was sticky, so I stood up to have a quick hot shower.

 After my shower, I opened my phone to see if I had any new messages and I saw that mumsi has replied to my message telling her I had arrived yesterday.

Don't forget to be a good child that you are. God be with you, my child.

I sighed because a big part of me missed her but what could I do? A house worker came into my room and informed me to get ready because my mother wanted to take me shopping. I already had my bath so I told her to excuse me so I could dress up.

I dressed in old washed jeans and an old t shirt because I did not care for how I looked really. I wasn't in any mood to care. I went down the stairs my phone in hand and I noticed that my mother and her children were already at the dining table.

"Good morning," I greeted to no one in particular but my mother's head turned to me and a smile broke out on her lips.

"Good morning love, how was your night?"

She asked.

By now I was sitting at the table with Tiwa and Tope's eyes boring into the side of my head.

"It was great, thank you." I replied.

"I noticed you had an early night yesterday, are you alright?" she asked and I only nodded.

"Great. We're going to get you new things today and get you registered for school."

I simply nodded and joined them in having breakfast.

*

I simply don't understand rich people tactics.

After spending the day running from botique to store and getting all these nice clothes, my mother got me registered in the school my half siblings attended, all this in hopes to buy my love but I could only fake a smile so she wouldn't feel bad. I was not really moved by the material gifts that she got for me, I just wanted to wait and see if she genuinely wanted me back as her child or if she wanted me back for another purpose. Asides from that, I felt empty. Empty in such a scary way that I wondered what was truly wrong with me. At least back home, I had a hustle to worry about, but here, all my financial needs were sorted out, so what next? What did I have to look forward to?

"You're going to love golden slate academy,"

My mother said with a smile on her face.

We both sat in the passenger seat because she had a driver who had been taking us on our supermarket trips so far. I returned her smile and decided, after an internal battle with myself that I would ask her some questions,but she beat me to it.

"Do you play any sports? Or do you have any extra curricular activities you would like to participate in?" My mother asked.

Was this her attempt to try and be involved in my life? Because she seemed utterly desperate to get my approval, it was almost pitiful to look at.

Her attempts screamed that of guilt but this wouldn't have been a problem if she did not abandon me in the first place, would it?

"I didn't have the time for sports or any other extra school activities." I replied. "Although Mumsi tried to get me many times to join one, I preferred going home to help around the house after school."

"Well that would not be a problem here. You can choose whatever extra activity you fancy."

She responded and I nodded.

"I have not seen your husband," I stated boldy. "Did he travel or…"

I trailed off at the sad look she had on her face.

What was the matter? I certainly did not say anything hurtful or saddening.

She snapped out of her sadness in a glint and her smile was back on her face. "He travelled out for work. He's the commissioner for agriculture so he's usually very busy, but you'll see him soon."

I nodded slowly still trying to process her strange behaviour, but she didn't let the silence last long.

"Do you like your new phone?" She asked with a smile on her face. The smile was beautiful, but weird nonetheless. Did she fear that if she stopped smiling I would see her as evil?

"Yes I like it very much. Thank you," I said in response. The new phone in question was an iPhone 14 pro which she picked out for me because I was indecisive. I just didn't want to buy such an expensive phone because it felt like wasting someone's money and it felt wrong.

She got it for me with a power bank, air pods and a head set and I had a little excitement over my new gifts. Ik would be so proud of me and I smiled to myself.

The rest of the ride was quiet and as we were about to enter the estate the led to her house, she gave me an ATM card. It was a First bank card and I stared at it in confusion.

"That is your bank card. I had it opened in your name last week. You have some money there, feel free to use it as you like."

Some money? How much was some money?

As if reading my mind, she answered my unasked question.

"You have about two hundred thousand naira there or there about. It's your monthly allowance, I just want you to be comfortable." She said and I stared at her in shock as I nodded my head and thanked her.

 At least I could use it to help mumsi. She wouldn't have to worry so much about finances and money for dad's drugs. I made a mental note to drop by the house soon so I could give Oluchi my old phone and drop by the house.

 When we got home, my mother had her workers carry out the things she bought for me and into my room and one worker whose name I later found out to be Cecelia even tried to arrange my clothes for me but I refused blatantly. After a little struggle, she agreed and finally left my room