“Haaaa! “Are you serious?” Deji yelled at her crying companion.
“This is my story, dear friend...” Lara wiped a tear from her cheek.
“Oh Lara, you're such a softie...
You can't throw her away because she's been here for weeks?” Deji squealed with delight.
Lara began, "I believe she has come to remain..."
“You've come to remain for what?” Don't just provoke me, Lara! Deji chewed her finger, thinking, "I wonder why I wasn't in town all these time..."
Sophia entered the sitting room leisurely and cat strolled towards the refrigerator.
“Errm…Lara? ” Sophia said, taking yoghurt from a bottle.
“Ma? To Deji's amazement, Lara said as she rose to her feet.
“Isn't it past time you made some lunch?” “I'm hungry,” Sophia stated authoritatively.
“All right, mum, let me...” Lara began.
“Silence! ” Deji snipped her hair.
“Can you tell me who your'ma' is? This scumbag? “Who is this donkey-faced monster?” Deji reprimanded her.
“To whom are you alluding?” Sophia unintentionally dropped her bottle.
“You!” Deji responded by standing up.
“You are the donkey!” Oshi! Witch! I'm not sure what's wrong with this Igbo lady! Husband kidnapper!” With her hands, Deji added.
“Please, Deji, don't!” Lara made an attempt to stop her.
“Leave me alone, jor!” Is she jazzing you, Abi? Imagine an Igbo who eats vegetables and claims to be oyinbo“Olori buru ku!” exclaims Deji. As she spoke, Deji's body shook.
“You have no right to insult me!” Sophia locked her gaze on her.
“Insult ke!” I'm going to beat you, ni! Rubbish!” Deji slapped Sophia across the face.
Wham! Deji was slapped by Sophia.
“Deji…” Lara was taken aback.
“Haaaa! Yeeee! Is it true that you slapped me? You're from Igbo, right? I'm going to show you that I'm not Yoruba for nothing!” Deji yelled and snatched Sophia off her feet.
They got into a fight, with Deji sitting on top of Sophia, punching and slapping her.
“Please, Deji...” Lara was frightened out of her mind.
“Please, Deji to ri Olohun, stop!” She eventually managed to yank Deji away from Sophia.
“Give me a chance, jor!” “Let's show this Donkey!” Deji rushed at Sopia once more.
"No, no, no!" Don't do it, Deji!” Lara shoved her pal into a sofa, allowing Sophia to dash into the guest room.
“You have to leave right now!” Lara ushered an angry Deji out the door.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No…
I don't want Tony to come here and meet you...
Please, I'm capable of handling it...” She was pushed forward by Lara.
“Ehen the Tony sef!” exclaims the narrator. Let him come na, and I'll teach him a lesson!” Deji was ranting.
“Please, just go!” says the narrator. For the sake of my life!” Lara begged her to reconsider.
“Okay! Please contact me if anything goes wrong! “Did you hear that?” Deji gave the command.
“Yes, bye!” Lara hurriedly entered her room.
She took a seat at the foot of her bed. She was well aware that she was in hot water. Tony isn't going to spare her.
::::::*****:::::
Lara was far away in the region of thoughts and imaginations, supporting her throbbing head with her hands.
“Lara!”
Yikes! Tony has returned! When did he return? She must have given it a lot of consideration!
“Lara!” Tony yelled once more.
“Sir?” Her legs were wobbly and her heart was racing as she walked out of her room.
“Welcome!” Her knee was flexed.
“Can you tell me what you did to her?” Tony made a motion towards Sophia, who was crying uncontrollably.
Lara's heart skipped a few beats, and her eyes widened in dread.
“I...I...I....d...did...not...did...” she stammered.
Her mouth twisted as a loud slap impacted on her right cheek, causing her to see stars.
“You're proving to be quite obstinate!” This ignorant young lady!” Tony screamed as he yanked a cable from the television.
When Lara saw the wire he was carrying, she took a step back.
“Come back here!” says the narrator. Tony made a request.
Instead of obeying, she stood beside the wall, wide-eyed, staring at him.
“All well, then, I'll come to you!” Tony approached her, his pupils constricted and his eyes bloodshot.
As the cable landed on Lara's arm, she instinctively shut her eyes. She didn't wince or scream; she simply stood there, absorbing the pains. After Tony had left her alone, she walked gently inside her room. She doused her head with cold water because she feared it was on fire. She raised her eyes to her own image in the mirror.
Her right eye was puffy and crimson, and blood smeared the corner of her lips in tiny lines.
She cried uncontrollably, wishing her mother could be present to witness what she was going through.