Torns

Episode 23

“You know the rules,” Jibike glared at her.
“Whenever we have visitors, you are supposed to be in your room?” Ajibade stared at her like a pest. He wished he could spank her, but, she was no longer a child.

Funmike felt the wet stinging tears that blurred her vision. She drew in a shaky breath. She dreaded the tongue-lashing that would come next.

“That young man is going to marry your sister. How do you think he felt when he saw you?” he barked.
“Do you know how embarrassing it is to keep explaining to people why you don’t look like us?” Jibike yelled.
Folake eyed her elder sister.

Funmike took a step back, overwhelmed with distress. As usual, they thought of themselves. Do they even care how she felt? She would do anything and pay any price to look like them? Why couldn’t they love and accept her just the way she was? She was their daughter for Pete’s sake!

Dante’s image flashed through her mind’s eye. She sighed with relief. At least, how she looked didn’t bother him and he cared about her.