Chidinma stood by the kitchen door, staring at an absent minded Obiageli whose face held so many emotions: ranging from confusion to hurt and other emotions Chidinma couldn't decipher.

She heaved a deep sigh, hoping it would help announce her presence but it seemed to aid Obiageli in her deep thought as she propped her left palm under her chin.

Chidinma frowned at that. She didn't like that her sister was going through all that she was going through; she herself was already getting confused. Never in her wildest dream had she thought Jideze would do what he did.

They had been a couple she had always envied; it got to a time she started picturing Jideze as hers - a thought she knew she had to get rid off lest she harbour a grudge for her sister.

It was now the saying: all that glitters aren't gold, sounded believable. Jideze was a perfect example. He had been one to glitter but it was clear now he was fake.

He was only a rubber posing as gold and Chidinma couldn't believe it was the same man she had pictured as her ideal person. Mere thought of it now made Chidinma angrier than she had been earlier on.

In spite of all these, she still couldn't conclude Jideze had left for good. A part of her felt like something was amiss but she just couldn't tell what. Jideze had shown to be genuine numerous times so it was all too strange to see him acting the way he was.

The heavy sigh let out by Obiageli brought Chidinma out of her reverie as she flinched a bit. It felt like that of a frustrated old woman who wanted nothing but death and the realisation that her sister had finally reached the edge of the cliff and could take drastic decisions at any slightest chance brought shivers down her spine.

"Eeehem." She cleared her throat to make known her presence and this time, it worked. Obiageli jumped up immediately; the stool she had been sitting on, toppled over and a deep frown etched on her face, making her look a bit scary. Chidinma couldn't help but take a step backward.

"What was the meaning of that?" Obiageli yelled at the top of her voice, air oozing from her nostril as she took her frustration on her sister.

"I'm sorry. I was only clearing my throat." Chidinma tried playing innocent but the look on Obiageli's face told her, she wasn't buying it.

"Indeed!" Obiageli spat as she bent low to pick the toppled over stool and settled on it, propping her right palm under her chin this time.

"Oby!" Chidinma dragged her name, stomping her feet a bit on the concrete ground. "You're over thinking. I've told you to be patient. He will come around soon." Chidinma tried to sound convincing, but her words felt like lies even to her own ears.

Obiageli must have felt the same for she got up from the stool so fast, she was already hovering around Chidinma in less than a second.

"What did you just say? Be patient? He will come around? Are you trying to tell me you're supporting that man?"

"I'm not. You know I'm always in support of you. What I am saying is you should give him more time. Let's wait a bit and try harder." She tried placing her palm on her sister's shoulder but Obiageli moved away from her quickly like her touch would sting her.

"Just listen to yourself, Dinma! Just listen! You're asking me to give him more time when it's been three weeks, three good weeks I saw Jideze. You can't tell me he didn't hear about my countless visits to his house. It is clear Jideze is avoiding me. Just yesterday, Amanda told me she saw him at the market square, helping Adaugo with her basket of vegetables. She said they were laughing and talking together. Imagine! Someone that I have been looking for is having a great time with another woman."

Chidinma rolled her eyes immediately she heard this. She clapped her palms and brought her head forward like she wanted to kiss her sister.

"And you listened to her? That gossip of a woman that does nothing but goes about spreading rumours?"

"Some of the things she says are true. Wasn't she the one that caught the thief that stole from Uze's farm? Please, I believe her. Why else would Jideze be acting the way he is if he doesn't have someone else?"

"I can't believe you are hanging out with that girl. Since when did you two get acquainted?" Chidinma folded her arms.

"She has always been my friend only that I don't like spending so much time with her. That is not even important. The important thing here is Jideze has another woman." A raw indescribable pain crossed Obiageli's face as she said this and she shook her head, settling on the stool once more.

Chidinma, seeing this, stooped beside her; her palms around her sister's shoulders, trying to comfort her. She noticed then that there might be some elements of truth in all that her sister had spoken. Why would a boyfriend distance himself from his partner for so many weeks?

Though it was incredible, it dawned on her that Jideze had finally left her sister. Seeing how Adaugo threw herself on Jideze each time she saw him even when he was still in a relationship, it was believable they could be together. That mere thought clung to Chidinma's heart like two fierce hands, gripping and squeezing it.

She wondered how her sister was feeling if she was feeling the way she was. They had been two lovey dovey and Chidinma knew just how much her sister was in love with that man. Anger from an unknown place rushed into her, filling her to the brim.

"I'll pluck that girl's eyes with my fingers if I ever see her with Jideze." She spat and Obiageli turned to look at her.

"It will be more beneficial if you plucked that of Jideze's too." She informed and strangely, they fell into fits of giggles. That mere action relieved them both a bit as they began to prepare the night's dish which they had abandoned to discuss.

Obiageli on the other hand couldn't help but blame her mother for her failed relationship. She wanted to communicate this idea with her sister but she knew just how Chidinma would react.

She wondered why Chidinma always took her mother's side even when it was crystal clear mama didn't like Jideze. Once, Jideze had come visiting - secretly as usual - and she had caught them together by the icheku tree in a secluded area.

It still baffled Obiageli why her mother had chosen to take that route of all places that day. It was very rare to see mama taking that route and it was for this reason they had made that tree their spot for they were sure no one would see them -- mama in particular.

Obiageli was sure her mother had never taken that route prior to that day, so why then did she that instance they were together? That was a question no one knew the answer to.

It was still fresh in Obiageli's mind how mama had reacted when she had seen them both. Obiageli had been shocked to the bones, she hadn't been able to move - Jideze was nonplussed too; the look on his face had been so funny then and Obiageli would have laughed had she not been in a tensed situation.

That day, mama had sent her back to the house and had stayed alone with Jideze. Obiageli could still remember how restless she had been that day, pacing around the room and wondering what exactly her mother was saying to Jideze but when Jideze had sent Chidinma to call her the next day, Obiageli knew all had went well for Jideze had looked fresher and happier.

Thinking of it now, Obiageli wondered if mama had said something she shouldn't say then? Sighing deeply, she dismissed her thoughts. She would not blame her mother for Jideze's unfaithfulness. Instead, she was going to move on and forget all about his existence; she was going to show him he would never affect her.

Turning to reveal this new resolution to her sister, she heard footsteps which belonged to no one else but mama. It was such a unique footstep Obiageli would always recognise, no matter the situation she was in.

Nkem, her younger brother and the baby of the house had once said their mother walked like an elephant in the midst of thorns. Though he hadn't lied - mama's gait was one she still couldn't comprehend - Obiageli couldn't help but smack him for saying such.

"Heeiii!" Mama gave a loud shriek, making them flinch. The knife Chidinma had been holding fell from her hand immediately she heard the shriek, while Obiageli fell to the floor - again.

"Mama!" Chidinma yelled dramatically as she picked her knife up; her hands flung in reckless abandon in the air.

"Mama." Obiageli was calmer. She dusted her buttocks before sitting back on the stools; her palms on her chest as she tried to calm her thudding heart.

"What have you two been doing? Since morning, you're just peeling the yam. Do you know what time it is? How many times will I tell you girls I don't want to eat dinner late?" Mama's eyes were wide in anger as she made so many gestures with her hand as she spoke - her body moving here and there.

"We will be done soon." Chidinma grumbled and mama rushed to her, giving her a hard slap on the back which caused Chidinma to shout a bit.

"Shut up! Yam is not on fire yet you say you will soon be done. You girls should better be fast and stop those mumu gists of yours. There's plenty of time for that." Mama wheezed, before leaving the kitchen in her elephant gait.

But what she did before she left the kitchen bothered Obiageli. Why had she stopped to stare at her before leaving? Why did her stare linger?

"Mama is something else." Chidinma broke her thought and Obiageli nodded in agreement. Before she could think, she blurted out:
"I'm accepting Emeka's proposal to be his girlfriend."

Chidinma's jaw dropped and the small piece of yam in her hand fell to the ground with a heavy thud, immediately she heard this.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me." Obiageli snapped, not willing to repeat herself.

"Why?"

"He has been asking me for a while now. It's time I considered him. Besides, he is good looking and quite rich." Obiageli muttered, trying to convince not only her sister but herself. It was high time she moved on.

"But - "

"But what?" She lashed out on her sister. "Do you expect me to turn to a nun because of someone that is having fun else where? Since it didn't work out with me and Jideze, I'll try someone else."

The note of finality in her tone made Chidinma nod and that brought an end to their talk as they concentrated on the dish they were preparing; each girl deep in her thought.
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