I insisted that I was not going anywhere with my mum. She later went alone . When she came back, my eyes couldn’t believe what I saw. My mum actually went on a shopping spree for me. She bought beautiful clothes and shoes for me.

“Mum you mean that all these are for me? Are they not much?” I asked in wonder.

“Nothing is too much for you; my baby. From now you will be wearing beautiful shoes and clothes,” mummy told me.

“Are you serious mum?” To say that I was happy was an understatement.

“I have never been as serious as I am now. More goodies are coming,” Mum promised.

My younger sisters were with us . A look at their face showed that they were not happy because my mum did not buy anything for them.

“But Mum, why did not you buy anything for Ujunwa and Chinelo. You can see that they are not happy,” I told her.

“It is one after another. I will buy for them next time,” mummy promised.

“But there are 6 clothes here, I can share with them,” I suggested.

“Thanks sister,” they chorused.

“What are you thanking her for? These clothes and shoes are for her . I have told you that I will get yours later. Remove your eyes from these ones . They are for your elder sister .”

She brought out some biscuits from her bag and handed over to them. Afterwards, she brought out 1 shawarma and said,
“My beautiful daughter, I bought this sharwama specially for you.”

She gave it to me, brought out the remaining one and start eating it .
I held the shawarma and kept staring at her.

“Mummy, what of ours?” Ujunwa and Chinelo asked.

She refused to talk to to them. After some minutes, she shouted,
“Why are you looking at me as if you have never seen someone eating shawarma. Now listen, if your throat fall inside this shawarma, I will eat it together with the shawarma.”

“But mummy this is not fair. What did we do to you?,” they asked in a tone that aroused my pity.

“Your number one offence is that you look like boys. You have all the opportunity to look like me so that you can be marketable but you decided to look like your father. Go and tell your father to buy shawarma for you. Secondly, she is your elder sister and should be treated as such.”

I was no longer comfortable with what my mum was doing but I didn’t have the gut to tell her.

” Mum, please I want to go to the room,” I told her.

“You are free to go any where my dear,” she told me.

As I got up , my younger sisters followed me to the room that I share with them.

“Take this ” I said handing over the shawarma to Ujunwa. ” Share it into 3 parts, keep one for Ejike, then the 2 of you can eat the remaining ones.

“What of yours? Are you not eating? ” Chinelo asked.

“What kind of stupid question is that? You want her to still eat Sharwama after she has gotten all the beautiful clothes,” Ujunwa reprimanded her.

“I looked at Ujunwa and shook my head. Someone that I just gifted something is questioning my right to the same thing.”

“Sister Ujunwa you behave exactly like mother,” Chinelo told her.

“Nelo if you insult me again, I will beat you,” Uju threatened.

“Both of you should keep quiet,” I commanded.

As I layed down, I kept on ruminating on the events of the day. Fear was gradually taking over me but there was actually nothing to be afraid of . Everything that had happened, normally should be seen as a loving mother trying to take care of a daughter she loves in a special way. It doesn’t call for agitation. But all the same, I was not happy.

I wished that Ejike was around. I would have discussed the issue with him. But he was outside, waiting for father to come home so that he could come inside. He knows what my mother will do to him if she catches him.

“Oh my poor loving brother. You are suffering because of me” I cried silently.

Another idea came, which is to discuss my fears with my father. I quickly discarded the idea and resorted to prayer.

In the morning, after my daddy had left for his business place , I came to the living room and met my mother crying. I was alarmed.

“Mummy, what is the issue?” I enquired with great concern.

She did not say anything to me. Yet she kept weeping.

“Please mummy stop crying . This sight is breaking my heart” I pleaded ceaselessly.

Ujunwa walked into the living room and enquired what was going on.

“Mum is crying, I have been pleading with her to stop, but she kept crying.”

“Leave her naa. Since you have pleaded and she does not want to pay heed. Please let’s go and fetch water. She will still be the one to shout if we did not fetch the water.”

“Who gave birth to this wicked child? Are you sure that it is me? Now listen Ujunwa , you must fill that drum alone. In the next 2 hours, if that drum is not yet yet filled, I will teach you a bitter lesson,” Mum threatened.

Ujunwa quickly took a gallon and ran out.

“Now mum, can you tell me what the issue is!” I asked again.

“Uloma my daughter. Thank you for asking. I appreciate God for giving me such a caring and understanding daughter like you. Actually things are not rosy for I and your daddy. Thank God that you have graduated from college of education and waiting to go for youth service. But your siblings are still in school. Paying school fees for the 3 of them is not easy.”

“You are right mummy.”

“Before you go for youth service, I will want you to learn how to sew clothes. We all know that jobs are hard to come by these days. If you have a hand work, you will be able to take care of yourself and even assist us.”

“That is a good idea mum. I love it” I gave her a hug and she smiled.

“Another thing is that I want you to go to my sister’s house. You will stay there while undergoing the training.”

“But Mum, there are lots of fashion houses around this place. Enrol me in any of them. I prefer to stay here,” I pleaded.

“No, my daugher, your sisters will be distracting you. If you are in my sister’s house, nobody will disturb you. Another thing is that she want to give you a sewing machine that they gave her when her daughter got married. ”

“Oh! she is already aware?” I asked.

“Yes. She was even the one that suggested that you should go for fashion and designing when I told her that I would have loved you to learn a handwork.”

“Mum, actually the idea of learning a handwork is a perfect one. Some of my course mates who knew how make hair and those that sew clothes were making money while in school”

“Have you seen it? Anyway, it is better later than never. ” Mummy said.

“That’s the truth mum,” I corroborated

Afterwards, my mum left for her business place.

I called Ejike and narrated the discussion I had with our mum to him.

“Sister, are you trying to tell me that mummy bought all those clothes, shoes and even sharwama just to convince yo to go and learn how to sew clothes?” Ejike asked.

I was just staring at him.

“I doesn’t make sense. Mum is yet to tell you the truth,” Ejike said firmly.

“So what do you think is the reason for the gifts?”

“Sister please don’t make me to spill my worse fears. But then, you are an adult. You know what is good for you. You are not a mugu, even though your mum thinks or feels that you are. My advise is that you should never lower your standard because of anyone. Don’t accept what you don’t want , even if your mother is the one offering it to you. ”

I nodded my head in agreement.

“She said you want to go and learn fashion and designing. No problem. If at the end of the day. It is not fashion and designing, you know what to do. At this point, don’t trust anyone. I repeat , don’t trust anyone,” Ejike warned.

“Ejike, you are putting fear in me,’ I cried out.

“No sister. There is nothing to be afraid of. You just need to be careful and cautious.”

“I understand , thanks.”

“I wish that Ejike is older than me. I wish that I have an elder brother,” I muttered.

In the evening, we were all in the living room eating fresh corn and pear and chatting freely.

“My dear, Uloma told me that she want to learn fashion and designing, ” Mum informed my father.

“Uloma, is it true” daddy asked .

“Yes sir,” I answered.

“Why can’t you wait till after your youth service. You’ve been in school all these while. I would have preferred that you relax a bit before going for the National Youth service,” Daddy told me.

“That was the same thing I told her but she convinced me that this the right time to do it. I think that we should allow her to go. She is so enthusiastic about it. She has even promised to sew a dress for me. Please let’s allow her,” Mummy quickly answered.

Ejike made some funny sound with his throat and mummy looked at him angrily. Of course he served a punishment for that the next day.

“Women and clothes no wonder you have agreed to allow her go for the training,” my father joked.”

Mummy busted out laughing.

“But have you gotten a place for the training?” My daddy asked.

“Yes, the place is near my sister’s house. I was thinking that she should have registered in any fashion house near this place. But she convinced me that the one near my sister’s house is the best. I called my sister on phone and she confirmed it too that those people are experts. There is nothing to worry about. She will just stay in my sister’s house.” Mummy answered, not minding that the question was not meant for her.

I opened my mouth in wonder.
Ejike wanted to say something but my mother quickly sent him out.

“Ejike go and get water for me to drink.”

My father was not comfortable that my mother was answering all the questions.

“Why are you not allowing her to talk. Are you the one going for the training? ” my father asked.

“I’m sorry, please forgive me. Uloma talk to your father. Everything I said, Is it not true?”

I gently nooded my head.

“But ..”Ejike attempted to talk while handing over the water to my mum.

“Go and get me corn! I sent you for corn and you brought water,” mummy shouted in anger, , in a bid to stop whatever he wanted to say.

Ejike exchanged glances with me, and left.

The Story continues…