Sharp Tongue

Episode 4

Sheila and her parents walked into the party
hall. They scanned the room and sighted
Martha at a table conversing with her
friends.

Her parents approached her while she
followed them in slow deliberate steps.

“Happy birthday big sis,” John gave her a
peck on the cheek. She chuckled and leaped to
her feet.

“Oh John… Thank you,” they hugged briefly.
“How does it feel to be forty?” He winked at
her.

“Well… I feel great.”

Eureka pulled her into a warm embrace, “So
happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

Sheila watched them at a fair distance. She
felt like walking away, she had not forgotten
being slapped by her aunt. The witch must pay!

Although God said one should forgive as He
has forgiven, she cannot let go of the fact that
her aunt had raised her hand against her.

Her parents had never hit her, no matter
how angry they were. May be she will just turn
around and walk away. She will probably
find somewhere to sit and wait till her parents
were ready to go home.

“Sheila…” Her mother’s call interrupted her
thoughts. She blinked and noticed that her
aunt and her parents were all looking at
her.

But it wasn’t just them, everyone at the
table were also watching her.

She noticed that her grandparents were at
the table, her aunt, Dorcas and her husband,
Imabong, with their children, Boma and
Edidiong, were seated together with a few
close friends and relatives.

What? Why were they staring at her? Did
they want her to wish her aunt a happy
birthday?

Lord God! This is pure torture. Why should
she?

Was it compulsory? But she knew that if
she didn’t, her parents would fry her alive.
She cleared her throat and looked up at her
aunt. The woman looked fabulous in her
short white and black body hugging sleeveless
dress.

She cleared her throat again, “Happy
birthday,” she met Martha’s expressionless gaze. ” I…

I… your dress is … nice.”
Martha turned away and pulled her brother
and Eureka closer to the table.
Sheila bit at her lower lip. Can you
imagine? The witch ignored her. Why in the world did her parents bring her here? She would have
been contented if they had allowed her to stay
back at home.

Her aunt reached out for the hand of a man
seated beside her grandparents. He was
clad in a white and black long sleeve shirt and
black [email protected] he stood, someone
gasped. He was not just tall, his broad
shoulders and muscled chest were quite
obvious.

“I will like you all to meet Daniel
Oluwadamilere.” He pulled her closer, “He is
the man I am getting married to at the end of
the year.”

Despite the loud music coming from the
speakers and the murmurings of the guests
seated at different tables, a still like calm
settled around Martha and her family.
Sheila took a good look at her aunt’s
fiance. He was easy on the eyes and he looked like he was in his early-forties. Her grand parents will be so happy for their first child. Finally, she would be getting married.

Charles grasped Daniel’s right hand,
“Welcome to the family son.”
“Thank you, sir.”

As if on cue, everyone at the table got up
and started congratulating Martha and Daniel.
Dorcas and Nnese were in tears, John
pulled Daniel close and introduced him to
everyone.

Boma and Edidiong hover around their aunt,
scheming how to get on the groom’s men
and bride’s maids list.

Sheila watched them all, a plan was
brewing in her mind. The intensity of its sure success warmth her from hair to toes. This seemed like the perfect time to make her aunt pay.

The witch is going to harvest what she had
sown.

Her lips widened in a mischievous smile.