CHIDINMA SHE HEARD HER mother called and rushed out of her room to meet her mom

"Mom I'm here"Joy answered rushing over to stand at her side

"You haven't get dressed since!"her mom said in disdain and she swallowed looking away

"I'm so sorry mom,I just finished taking my bath"she said

"I'm ready mom"she suddenly heard her younger sister said rushing over to them,she was wearing a dark blue jeans trouser,a pink shirt and white and pink sneaker

"My baby,I know you will get ready on time"their mother said lovely to Happiness and she smiled widely happy about the way her mom praised her "and now Chidinma get ready before I open my eyes,you're too lazy it's time I stop giving you food because that's the cause of this your laziness,fat like a pig"her mother said giving her the stink eye and her shoulder slumped head laid down low as she walk away from her mother and sister

Her mother always make her feel less important like she's a burden to the family and she hates that

"It's not my fault I'm fat"she muttered when she entered her room wiping away the tears in her eyes,she brought out her dark jeans trouser and blue shirt her mother already ordered her to wear and took her black and blue snicker wearing it too before leaving her room

"I'm ready mom"she said smiling joining them in the dining room

"That's good for you"her mother answered dismissively giving all her attention to Happiness

She sat down sadly and started eating her breakfast when their father joined them

"Morning my girls!"their father greeted and they all replied

"Well what do we have here"the elderly Igbo man said sitting down with his family in the dining room

"Daddy are we really going to the beach?"Happiness asked

"Yes Chinyere"their father replied,their parents preferred refering them with their traditional names rather than English name and they are okay with that

"Dad you know I have phobia for water"The little girl complained rolling her eyes and huffing

"It's going to help you overcome your fears and don't worry your sister will be there with you"their father tried to calm her down

"Hope you won't drown me?"Happiness asked her elder sister and Joy laughed

"I'm just going to help you"Joy said instead,she knew how dramatic Happiness can be and how she overreact over any small issues

"Well said and done,you should finish your breakfast so that we can head out"their mother said and they nodded eating the rest of their breakfast in silence

The family left the house in the care of their househelp Ruth,they went to the beach and their parent asked them to change their wear into the bikini they brought with them,they did as they were told and played on the sand on the beach

"God! This is amazing Chidinma,I love the sand"Happiness said and Joy laughed,she love seeing her sister happy

Even though she's over dramatic, always get their parents support and the favourite of the house she still love seeing her sister happy

"The sand is cool that's why"Joy replied helping her sister to build the little castle they're trying to build

"So cool!"Happiness replied giggling "she should go to the water"she said standing up

"What about your phobia?"Joy asked standing up too

"Forget it,I don't care"Happiness replied in a very confident manner making Joy to laugh

"Well if you say so,I'm going to leave you there and run away"Joy said smirking

"You think I'm afraid? Mom said I'm a super girl"Happiness replied showing false muscled arm making Joy to laugh

"Bet it I'm not going to answer you when you call for my help"Joy said folding her little hands around her body

"Who said I'm going to ask for your help,you're the one that's always scared I'm not a scaredy cat you are the one Chidinma is a scaredy cat Joy is a scaredy cat scaredy scaredy scaredy!"Happiness said pulling out her tongue at Joy

"Okay I'm going to show you who is the scaredy cat"Joy replied smirking and they match over to the bank of the beach,the water was softly tapping their legs

"If you can do this then you are not a scaredy cat"Joy said diving into the water and started playing in the water "come on Chinyere! Show me what you got"Joy said laughing and Happiness huffed jumping into the water and started playing

"You see? I'm not a scaredy cat"Happiness said pulling out her tongue at Joy who only laughed

"Something got my leg help me! Help me!"Happiness suddenly said and Joy got scared rushing over to help her only for Happiness to started laughing

"I got you! You see you're the scaredy cat"Happiness said pulling out her tongue at Joy who only got angry,Joy decided to leave her alone inside the water to really get her scared

"Joy wait! Chidinma! Don't leave me!"Happiness cried as Joy walk away

"You're not scared right? So you can enjoy the water alone"Joy replied walking away while Happiness cried calling Joy's name

Joy didn't stopped while she kept wailing for her to come back, she suddenly stopped walking away angrily when she heard her stop screaming,she rushed over to meet her and saw her drowning and got scared

"Mummy! Mummy! Daddy! Daddy! Mummy! Happiness is drowning!"she cried calling her parents,they rushed over to her immediately running past her to save their favourite daughter

They pull her out of the water trying to get her to wake up but she didn't budge,Joy got scared and started crying,she felt like she killed her sister and regretted trying to show her who is scared or not

"You want to kill my daughter right?! Just because she's much more beautiful and intelligent than you you want to end her life,I always knew you don't like your sister,I only knew you hated her!"Her mother yelled at her crying,their father quickly rushed Happiness to the hospital and her case got worst

A week later there wasn't any sign of improvement and all Joy got throughout those seven days was insult and how she wanted to kill her sister,no one gave her the listening ears except Ruth who listened to her and believed she never wanted to kill her younger sister

She wakes up in the morning too scared to stand up and go outside afraid of her mother's wrath,she knew how Happiness absence affected the family,it isn't a lie that she is the source of light in the house,she decided to go downstairs when she feels hungry and slowly tiptoed out of her room,she stopped eavesdropping when she heard her mother talking to Ruth

"Our plane will be leaving in the next thirty minutes,my husband and I have decided to take Chinyere away to receive better treatment,my husband and I won't be back anytime soon and we will be leaving Chidinma in your care,we can't afford to take her with us and have her successfully killing her sister,if it's about your pay and the feedings don't worry we will be sending money to your account monthly"Joy heard her mom said and her eyes welled up in tears

She has always loved her family no matter what they did to her they will always remain her family and she didn't believe her mother was planning on leaving the country without her

"Mummy!"she shouted rushing over to her hugging her tightly,she had been scared of facing her mom eye to eye but right she didn't care, she's just scared of her mom leaving her "please mom don't leave me here,take me with you I promise to be a good girl,I won't stress you anymore,I will do whatever you want mummy please don't leave me!"she cried while embracing her mother

"Rejoice stop it!"her mother said angrily,she rarely calls her Rejoice and when she do she's really angry "I'm not having you do anything to Chinyere again"her mother said with tone of finality

"When are you coming back?"she asked giving up,she knew her mother better than still begging her

"Soon"her mother replied walking away,she expected an hug but she wasn't giving,she expected her dad to talk to her but she didn't see him, they believed what happened was done on purpose

She felt sad all over again and cried shouting her parents name

"Dad! Mom! Dad! Dad! Mom! Mom! Please don't leave me! Don't leave me please don't leave me!"she wailed

"Please don't leave me!"Joy shouted waking up from her sleep,she started heaving heavily sweating profusely

She stood up running to the bathroom and washed her face,she had the dream again which is not really a dream, it's like reviewing what happened like a movie and anytime she does she feels extremely down that day,she left the bathroom and went down stairs to meet Ruth preparing their dinner

"You woke up?"Ruth said busy turning the jollof rice she was preparing

"I dreamt about them again"Joy said and Ruth stopped what she was doing,she knew about the dream and was happy the dream stopped two years ago and thought Joy was finally leaving the past behind

"It's been long"Ruth muttered

"Yeah! I want to call them"

"What?!"Ruth exclaimed her eyes going wide "I don't even have their contact so how are you going to talk them,the only thing that shows they're still alive is the alert I receive every end of the months"

"Well I have their home contact,I'm not really sure Jonah got it for me and I haven't have the mind to check it out"Joy replied shrugging

"Since when?"Ruth asked

"Five days ago when the school ended"Joy replied

"Are you sure you wanna talk to them?"Ruth asked,she knew it's not easy for Joy and it's going to be ten times worst if they reject her again

"I have already made up my mind,I can't lie to you Nana I miss them a lot and I always wish to see them,see how they had changed even in the least,I want to see Happiness again play with her,I want her to annoy me like she use to make me so angry"she said chuckling dryly while a lone tear escaped her eyes "I want us to be like before,I don't care if Happiness is their favourite or not,I just want them to be here with me again,I will sacrifice anything to be with them Nana I'm not over them, never can I do that"she ended her short speech brushing away the escaped tears in her eyes

"Come here!"Ruth said drawing her closer and hug her "I understand what you feel,you're too sweet to go through this"Ruth said and she bursted into tears crying in her arms

"Okay baby girl,let's call them hmm?"Ruth said and she nodded,Ruth grabbed her hand and they went inside her room,she brought out the sheet of paper Jonah gave her five days ago

She typed the number on her phone and her hand started shaking afraid to dial the contact

"Baby!"Ruth called and she looked at her "I'm here with you, whatever they say you should know I support you and I'm never going to give up on you,I love you"

"I love you too"she replied wiping a lone tear away before pressing the dial button and the number started ringing and her heartbeat accelerated according to each ring of the call till the ring suddenly stopped and she heard a voice she has been dying to hear

"Mom!"