Episode 2
835 Words
A Home Torn in Two
The house was no longer quiet.
It should have been filled with laughter—Raquel's gentle hums in the kitchen, Dave's steady footsteps after work, the little girl's giggles trailing behind her toys. But ever since Rita moved in, something had shifted. The air was heavy, like it knew a storm was always waiting just outside the door.
Rita carried herself like a queen—not of grace, but of entitlement. Her belly had begun to show. And with every inch her pregnancy grew, so did her demands.
That morning, the silence broke with a voice too loud to ignore.
“I said I want okro soup,” Rita snapped from the living room. “And Dave should buy it. I can’t be eating beans every day like a prisoner.”
Dave, seated across the table with Raquel and their daughter, glanced up slowly. His jaw clenched, and his grip tightened around the spoon in his hand.
Raquel looked down at her plate.
Their daughter, unaware of the tension, climbed up on her aunt’s lap with a toy in hand. “Aunty Rita, look, look! My dolly is dancing!”
Rita smiled, stroking the girl’s hair lovingly. “You’re such a sweet girl. Soon you’ll have a brother. Won’t that be lovely? A baby brother to play with. And maybe… he’ll live here too.”
Raquel’s head jerked up.
Dave’s spoon dropped with a clang.
“What did you just say?” Dave asked, rising from his seat.
Rita looked up slowly, feigning innocence. “She should know. She’ll be a big sister soon.”
“You don’t get to say that,” he snapped. “Not to her. Not like that.”
“Why not?” Rita stood too, clutching her belly. “Isn’t he your son too? Or are you ashamed of your own blood?”
Raquel reached out, gently pulling their daughter to her side. “Go inside and play, baby.”
The child obeyed, unaware of the storm outside her world of toys.
Dave’s voice was low but firm. “You can stay here until you deliver. But don’t confuse that with belonging.”
Rita’s face flushed. Her voice shook. “But I do belong here. I’m carrying your child. I’m not a stranger.”
“You’re my wife’s sister,” Dave shot back. “And you seduced me. Took advantage of a weak moment.”
Rita’s hands trembled. “I didn’t take advantage! You wanted it too! And now you’re ashamed to admit it. But you’ll see. When this baby is born—”
“I will never see you the way I see Raquel,” Dave snapped. “Never.”
---
Monologue — Rita (in her room):
He’s lying. He must be. How can he touch me, kiss me, and now pretend it meant nothing? It’s because of her. It’s always her. Perfect little Raquel—quiet, soft, saintly. But she’s not the only one who deserves love. I’ve been through enough. I deserve this. I deserve him. And if I don’t take it, she’ll always win.
---
Later that night, Dave sat with his friend Emmanuel in his car outside the house. The rain beat down gently on the windshield.
“You look like you’re ready to explode, man,” Emmanuel said, passing him a bottle of water.
Dave sighed, rubbing his eyes. “She told my daughter she was going to have a baby brother. Like they’re a family already.”
“She’s pregnant. Hormones. Emotions. Maybe she’s not thinking straight.”
“No,” Dave muttered, shaking his head. “It’s more than that. It’s obsession. She stares at me like I’m hers. Tries to enter our room when I’m alone. Tells Raquel she should share.”
Emmanuel’s brows furrowed. “And Raquel? She says nothing?”
“She’s trying to be strong. She says Rita is her sister. That she doesn’t want to break her. But I can see it… she’s crumbling.”
Dave leaned back in his seat, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t even feel safe anymore. I walk into my own house and feel like I’m being watched.”
“Man… this is deeper than drama. It’s not just guilt. She’s unstable.”
“I know.” Dave clenched his fists. “And if she tries anything again, I won’t be silent.”
---
Inside the house, Rita lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her friend had sent a voice note earlier.
“You’re doing everything right. Don’t let them silence you. If Raquel were the one pregnant, she’d demand everything from you. You deserve to be treated like a queen. This baby is your ticket. Don’t be quiet. Take what’s yours.”
Rita clutched her stomach protectively.
“They think I’m crazy,” she whispered. “They think I’ll just fade away. But I won’t. Not this time.”
Outside her room, Raquel stood in the hallway, quietly wiping a tear from her cheek.
- Writer
