UNSPOKEN.
I taught her everything she knows. I led her by the hand and protected her from woes. She is my kid sister and her name is Ndidi. We are just two years apart so she was the thorn on my flesh and the smile on my lips. We were inseparable. Two of a kind.
I guided her through secondary school and protected her from bullies, I still was there for her through our University days . I was there to glue the broken pieces of her heart when jidenna torn the veil of her innocence. I was body shield, protecting her from pits else she breaks her spine.
The bond of sisterhood is the strongest bond of all. The love between sisters is the purest love of all. And that's why, all I felt was undiluted joy when Ndidi informed me that Donald had proposed.
I wanted my sister to have the best and Donald was the definition of true masculinity, he is a bundle of compassion, a gentleman of breeding and a successful entrepreneur.
Our mother was proud, "Ndidi, nwa m, you caught a big fish", mum would say, grinning from Chin to chin.
The introduction had barely occurred when my boat began to rock. I did not understand that I had disrupted an agelong tradition of sisterhood. I didn't know that I had broken the unspoken code of culture.
It was exactly two weeks to Ndidi's wedding, I had already outdone myself, helping run around for the logistics and preparation,Ndidi had asked me to be her chief bride's maid, when mum and her two friends, mummy uju and aunty Gertrude called me into mama's bedroom. I had sat in their midst, wondering what I had done to warrant this sermon and watchful stares.
It was mummy uju that broke the ice, the plump woman with hawk like eyes. "Adaora , I wekwara ifere? Do you not have shame?",
The question ran in rhetorics while I was sinking in confusion.
"Do you not have brains, aunty Gertrude asked.
" what have I done wrong, aunt, I asked,i was watching them intently, my mother was silent, her face downcast, as she raised it and stared at me squarely in the eyes
How old are you, Adaora? My mother asked.
"25,mum", i said reluctantly, for I knew that she knows the day she had borne me.
"How old is Ndidi? ",
" Ndidi is 23", i replied.
"Ndidi is 23,your younger sister and she is getting married and you are happily parading yourself as her chief bridesmaid", Aunty Gertrude said gauntly.
Oh I see, this is where this is going? I thought.
''Ibu nna GA alu eh, Adaora? You have been trained through school, one is to expect that you are of both sound intellect and good reasoning yet...
Children of these days lack ako na uche, no thinking faculty at all. Adaora, I got married at the age of 18, and before I was 23,i had already given birth to you and your sister. Kedu ife I na eche? What are you waiting for? ", mother said
My ears were throbbing, my eyes were hurting, their words were daggers piercing my soul.
Oh I am now a failure, a disappointment. I am shameless for celebrating with Ndidi. Life isn't a race, I thought, but the more I thought that the more the battle raged in my heart, Ndidi was doing better than me, things began to stare at my face, she has always been prettier than me, boys had always desired her more, as these unholy thoughts roams free in my mind, the seed they had sown began to bloom against the resistance of my will, against my purest intention, against the love I have for Ndidi.
My life is miserable, if truth be said, I thought. I am dating a guy who is still looking for job, four years after school, I am the one who usually gives him money and encourages him to stand firm. Isn't that what love is about, support, commitment loyalty?
Why then does mum give Ndidi's suitor the warmest treatment but gives a cold shoulder to my man. All the clues I had missed came staring at my face, like the missing point in a map connecting, like a puzzle revealing itself , I felt nauseating.
I hated aunty Gertrude, I hated mama uju, I hated mother. I felt dumb and clueless for not seeing all these pointers.
Am lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, fighting hard to hold the tears back, Ndidi bounces in, in her usual boisterous manner..
"Adaora ! ", she called" look, what my baby sent me",
Parading in my face a bunch of beautiful roses.
"Get out, I said, my voice cracking like a dry fig burning in harmattan. Ndidi was shocked.. "Ada what's wrong?",.
Her face concerned, her eyes shining in love.
This is my sister, I thought. But as I look at her my heart hardened. In her, I see an enemy. A vampire sucking my joy. The seed that mother had planted, had become a tree.
With love,
Chioma Ngaikedi

like seriously, you can't end there o

Divepen1:
like seriously, you can't end there o

LOL. Flash is better when you are left guessing