my bittersweet lover

episode nine.

I was halfway done with my chores and dinner was almost ready. I was hoping I could finish up early enough to have time off for my school work and that of Jane. My stomach was grumbling. I was so famished. I had not had anything since morning and my strength was wearing off.

"You are almost done, then you can rest", encouraged myself.

As I prepared the dinner room for supper, I could not help but notice my aunt's stone face. She was obviously trying to look happy, like everything was fine, chipping into the sibling's conversations but unfortunately, her face looked otherwise. She was an open book, anyone could tell when she wasn't fine.

That was bad. I just had to be extra careful so I wouldn't be the one all the aggression would be poured out on. I tried as much to keep my focus on serving supper but I could not shake the bad feeling that sat on my chest. One thing about my instincts, they never lied and something really bad was going to happen.

"Dinner is served," I announced, only that none of them seemed to have heard or maybe they heard and were just ignoring me.

"Dinner is....."

"....we've heard. Now carry your pathetic self upstairs take all the dirty clothes in each of our bedrooms and clean them. Don't even think of using the washing machine, do it manually got it? Make them sparkling clean. Now go" said my aunt.

I couldn't believe it, more work? She expected me to do laundry now? My old wristwatch was not working but I was pretty sure it was late because I still had to study later on. I was sure I'd collapse in the next few minutes if I did not grab something to eat.

"Aunt..."

"Hold it, who's your aunt? it's Madam, anytime you want to address someone in this house, it's ma'am, miss or Mr. I've always told u, is your brain that slow? "

"Sorry, ma'am, can I at least eat something before then? "

" See the ungrateful child I brought into my house to help? I've given you a roof over your head, I allow you to go to school the whole day, and I clothe you. I'm telling you to do something for me you're talking about food. "

"But ma, I haven't eaten the whole day, I feel so weak."

" And how is that any of my business? I'm not the one that killed your parents, am I? You get to eat after doing all that I've told you to do,"

"Please auntie ...sorry ma'am, .."

"If you stand there one more second, don't blame me for what happens to you next"

A surge of sadness engulfed me as I walked upstairs to Stacy's room. I figured I'd start there first.

" Mom, Dad why did you leave me behind? Can you see what I'm going through? "

Surely today was not one of my best days. Not that the rest were better but they were not this bad.

Her room was always nightmare. It was as though little toddlers slept in there. It usually was messy. That night wasn't any different. Everything was, here there, and everywhere. The bed was unmade, the closet, hair brushes on the floor, towels, oh it was just a disaster.

The room was so disorganized and unwelcoming. How could a pretty, calm, collected girl be this careless? I wondered as I tidied it up, putting everything into place. I was not rich, attractive and all but at least I was not this careless.

"I pity your boyfriend to be young missy, I really do," I said to myself as the thought of his disappointed face played in my mind and a smile crossed my lips. When everything was right where it ought to be, I bundled the heap of dirty clothes and proceeded to Brayden's. His was better, at least he tried.

He might have been a rude, mean, proud, and spoilt ass but he sure was clean. I was closing my aunt's door, about to go clean them when I bumped into him as I was just about to to turn.

"Hey, watch it, nerd," he said as he headed for his room. Oh well, I did not have time for him right now.

My aunt was the only one in the living room, buried on her laptop, working. I did not want more insults so I just passed by quietly to the washing area, outside the house, just near the swimming pool. It was beautifully done and structured to match it.

I was half gone with the work. Cold air had been biting into my skin for about an hour then and I was so exhausted as well. Just as I was about to take a rest, smoky air filled my nostrils. Something was burning or was being burnt anyway, but what could it be?

Could my aunt be preparing something for herself in the kitchen? Maybe she had forgotten. I decided to go check while I stretched. Going through the longer route around the house was the best idea. Oh, there she was, at the center of the compound burning something that looked like a piece of clothing.

"Oh, you came just on time, mind lending me a hand? "she asked, with a smile on her face. She was being nice, something was amiss.

"Sure, what are burning at this time of the night? "

" Come closer and have a look," she said, gesturing me to go closer. I obliged. what I saw nearly made me fall. I needed time to process what I was seeing, I needed time to digest it first.

"Why do you seem shocked? I heard you are now gradually becoming a thief. I do not harbor stolen things in my house, so what did you expect? "

" Next time, when you steal something, don't keep it in my house, I may not be in a good mood. to forgive you. "

Oh my goodness, my new uniform? Of all others? How could she do something like this? And why?

"Oh, you're crying?" laughs"Cry, so you won't do such rubbish next time. In case your mother didn't teach you, I will. " She said and finally left, this time to sleep. There was nothing left short of ashes by the time I put the fire off.

I could not move. The energy left in me did not support any reaction towards her. I did not have words to respond to her either, so I just watched as she walked away, into the house. I could not help but cry. What would I tell Mrs Hannah now? What would I do? I did not have enough money to buy another set for myself and now I had to pay Mrs Hannah. I felt like my heart was breaking further into smaller pieces.

All because I had no one to speak for me. I felt like screaming, I wished the ground would just open up and swallow me whole. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. My body and emotions felt numb as I went back to do the remaining laundry.

By the time I was through, my head was spinning, my eyes were heavy, my Tommy sank, and my legs felt so weak; they could not hold my body's weight any longer. I felt worn out, exhausted, sick, and hurt too. The clock in the living room read one o'clock in the morning. I had no strength left in me to eat anything, no appetite whatsoever.

I tried to study a bit using my dying flashlight but all to no avail. sleep was the only comfort at that moment.