Chapter five(unedited)

A double tap brought me out of my threshold consciousness. I turned to see the silhouette of the person inside.

"Why care to knock when you're already inside?" I grumbled

"How's my little princess doing?"

Wait,what? "Papa!" I cleaned my eyes and immediately jumped off the bed. In a millisecond I jumped into his arms in embrace. His chest vibrated as he laughed.

" My baby is growing everyday. What have you been eating in my absence? Very soon you will become taller than me." Papa said smoothening my short hair.

"Papa."

"Yes Darling."

"Is this really you?"

"Yes baby, its me."

"I've really missed you Papa."

"I missed you too Princess."

"Papa?" I loosened my arms and looked at him.

"Mhm."

"Tell me you've resigned." Papa laughed and averted his gaze.

"Let's talk about that later,okay?" He said as he smoothened my hair one last time.

"You're avoiding this again Papa."

"I am not Baby, let's just go and enjoy our dinner."

Papa wouldn't talk about this with us, I should know better. Ever since he resigned from his job and enlisted in the army 9 years ago, he never talked about his ordeal in the army.
I remember the look on everyone's face that day. We were just 8 at that time. Our big brother was 17. Papa came home that day and broke the news of his resignation and that he was going to recruit in the army. Scarlet and I were the only ones happy about it. We were sitting beside Papa, Scarlet to his right and me to his left, Mama and Maurice were sitting across from us. They looked like they were going to cry. I didn't understand why they looked that way but I understand now. We are no longer those kids who were happy because they were going to brag about their father to their friends. We now know what being in the army entails and that's why we want him to resign.

Mama called from the Dining " Emerald rush to the table, let's start eating before it grows cold."

"I'm coming." I quickly rushed to dining room and sat adjacent to Papa and opposite from Mama. "What are we having for dinner?" I asked

"Moi moi and akamu." Scarlet answered coming out from the kitchen with her apron still tyed around her. She was carrying a bowl of Akamu and a jug of water in the other hand. " Let me help with the bowl." I offered as I stood up,she instantly gave it to me.

I am neither a fan of Akamu nor Moi moi but I was still going to eat anyway. "Mama, I thought you said we're going to eat Abacha when Papa comes back?" I whined

"Your Papa just came back, we'll still eat the Abacha." Mama wasn't talking like a happy person. " I know this isn't your favorite but you should have at least helped your sister with the cooking. She washed the beans and did every other thing herself." Mama said in dissaproval. I instantly felt guilty. I searched my brain for excuses but I couldn't come up with one.

Like she always did, Scarlet took all the blame. "It's all my fault Mama,I didn't tell Em we were going to cook."
"Seriously Mama,I thought we were going to eat the remaining soup this night." I explained.

" 'Thoughter' Emerald,it's high time you owned up to your mistakes and stop giving excuses,are we clear?"

" Yes Mama, I'm sorry."

Papa has been quiet all along staring at everyone of us with a glint in his eyes. He missed us. "Weldone Scarlet. And Em, I know you'll do better next time. Now it's time for us to devour this awesome meal." Papa concluded.
We said a brief prayer and everyone collected a wrap of moi moi each on their plate. "Mmm, Scarlet this is tasty. It's been ages since I had a decent meal." We all raised our heads to look at him questinly. He didn't know when he said that.

"No,no,no, it's not what you're thinking. I mean I've not had a meal on a dining table for a while now." He gave us a tight lipped smile and returned to his food.
"Papa?" Scarlet called. We know he wasn't telling us the truth.

"Okay, I will tell you. In the army, we call any food made from beans decent. I don't know why but that was how I saw it." He laughed.

"Papa?" It was me this time. We won't let it go just like that.

"Okay girls,how is final year of secondary School? I know it must be really tough on you." He avoided the topic as he always did. He looked at mama,his face screaming 'save me'.

"Girls, I think its better you don't know your father's ordeal in the army. So,let's go back to our food before it grows cold." Mama said all of these and went back to her plate without sparing father a glance.

Something's definitely wrong. I looked at my sister and she shrugged her shoulder. Only the clinking sound the spoons and forks made against the plate was heard. An absolute silence took over our little chat.

"Papa, regarding School, it has been really fun these days,the only problem we have now is our geography teacher. He is a very wicked man. Rumours has it that he's gay."

"Gay?" My parents asked in unison.

"Yes" she paused "well, I'm not sure but what he does makes the rumour sound true. He flogs girls only and takes interest in male students alone." She kept going on and on. Scarlet Asinobi is the only person I know that can talk for 5 hours straight without getting tired.

"Em,why are you not talking? Is school not fun for you?" Papa asked and everyone landed their gaze on me. Even Mama who looked like she wasn't interested in the topic had her eyes on me.

I swallowed the food in my mouth. " I will be honest with you. School is not fun at all especially now that we have a new student that is bent on ruining my happiness everyday."

"What? Is anyone bullyingy Baby at School?" Papa asked looking at Scarlet panickingly.

"Emerald? I've been here all the time but you never mentioned it." Mama was panicking too "Even you Scarlet,you don't see it important enough to tell me?"

"Mama, Papa,you guys should calm down. You know exactly how Emerald exergerates things."

"Oh, I exergerate now? I know you've been charmed by this Ontario guy but you should at least admit he is taking your twin sister's peace away from her."

Scarlet laughed "Emerald, Ontario is a province in Canada. Jake is from Oklahoma USA."

"Whatever." I muttered almost to myself.

"So,what exactly is this Ontario-Oklahoma guy doing to my daughter?"Mama asked.

"Mama, he has been pestering me,he doesn't allow me to rest,he is taking my peace away from me." I complained

"You've literally said the exact same thing in 3 different sentences. What exactly is he doing to you?" Papa asked turning on his protective mode.

" He forcefully started sharing my locker with me, he put almost everything he has in my locker. I don't even use my seat any longer, I share Scarlet's. He goes around telling people that I'm his best friend. Papa tell me, how can I be best friends with someone I don't even know? Considering all the girls in my class likes him,they go around saying some sick things about me. It's not like I care about all they say but you know I don't like being noticed. It's so frustrating Papa." My parents weren't looking like they found my complaint frustrating.

"Why does it look like this new guy knows you before now?" Papa asked.

"Yes, he knows her. Emerald even admitted she have seen him before but couldn't remember where nor when."

"Em,I think this new guy isn't a bad person, he's just a very social person and finds you fun to be with. I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm. And, let him keep his books in your locker until he gets his. Just tolerate him for a while." Papa advised.

Is that all Papa have to say? I looked at Mama waiting for her to take my side but she said a different thing.

"Emerald,what your father said now is what I've been telling you. You need to learn how to be nice, being nice won't cost you anything expensive. In this situation, the only thing it will cost you is patience and tolerance."

"But he's a guy Mama."

"So? Have I ever said you should be nice to a particular gender only?"

"No Ma"

She exhaled and in a low tone she said calmly " I wish you'll go back to your old self." " I really do."

I stood up immediately " thank you ma,thank you sir, I'm going to sleep now."

"Stop right there Emerald Akunna Kehinde Asinobi, who is going to clear the table for you?" Mama thundered. Mama isn't bipolar or anything like that but she can be peaceful and calm this second but thunderous the next.
I quietly went back to my seat,I wouldn't want to get in her bad side this night. I will have to wait for them to finish to clear the table.

Jake Evans you're so going to see red for this whole advice this night.

~***********~
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