"Nissy? Who organized your engagement party?" Gloria, who had arrived at the party late, had so many things she was curious about that early morning.
Nissy groaned with annoyance, she still wanted to sleep more after the long night she had had but Glo, as they all called her though she hated it cause it sounded like a telecom company name, couldn't wait for the midday her sister was planning on getting out of bed. "Leave me alone, I still need my beauty sleep," she grumbled.
Glo, soft-spoken as she was, could be persistent to the point where her voice would become irritating to the other person's ears. "You said the same thing over two hours ago, sis. It's about time you give me details don't you think? Besides, I have to leave today and I know you have to leave today too. So come on, Nissy," Glo shook her sister as a last resort but Nissy just tucked into her blankets more.
"Hey, hey girls! Your heavy big sis is here," Grace said entering the bedroom without knocking to surprise her little sisters in Nissy and Ginny's bedroom.
"Hey, Sistaaa!" Glo exclaimed playfully as she rushed to greet their big sister.
"Hey, Sistaaa!" Grace shouted back as they embraced.
"It's been a long time, sis and I missed you at the party last night. By the time I arrived you and your husband had already left," Glo informed her as they sat on the bed.
Grace sighed with relief as she finally got off her aching feet, "I was tired. I get exhausted so easily these days. Like now, I just walked from the car to this bedroom without stopping for a minute along the way but I feel like I have been walking for hours. My feet hurt so much and Ginny is my go-to for a massage."
"What's your husband for then?" Nissy said joining the conversation from her sleeping position on the bed.
"He's really bad at it. His hands are...how do I put it? Too strong? No matter what, he never gets it right. It's either he's too soft or he's too hard," Gracie laughed as she explained but Nissy and Glo didn't believe that someone could try for eight months to give his wife a foot rub and never get it once!
Nissy and Glo looked at each other and said to their sister at the same time, "He doesn't want to give you a foot rub."
Gracie was flustered, it was true that her husband wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the foot rub or anything else that concerned her these days. But still, she defended him, "You two don't know how miserable he was each time he put in so much effort...it's really pitiful I have to beg him to stop," she said in a defensive tone.
Glo sighed, "I see we're right and it struck a nerve. Anyways, it was your choice to marry that nasty man, so enjoy," she finished with an 'I don't care' attitude.
Gracie, hurt by her sister's words, frowned as she confronted her, "You of all people, shouldn't lecture me on marriage choices, Mrs. Third Wife! My marriage is perfect, my husband is perfect and we are expecting a perfect baby! You are just jealous of me!"
Glo lifted a perfect eyebrow at her elder sister, "That was uncalled for. And I barely said anything and you are attacking me with such passion? I didn't even call your so-called 'perfect husband' a man whor*, a narcissist, an arrogant, egotistical jerk, a..."
"Shut up! Both of you! I swear you two are so alike it's irritating! You can't spend even five minutes together with thought fighting. If you are both here to ruin my mood when you are supposed to be happy for me, then leave!" Nissy was so tired of her elder sisters.
Fights were a common occurrence once they met. Gracie and Gloria, we're always in constant fights. When Gloria left for culinary school, peace reined in their house. But if someone messes with one sister, the others would come together like an army. Even Ginny would be there for moral support in the background because she couldn't find it. She never had to, she was never given a chance to anyway, her three big sisters were a force to be reckoned with if someone dared to harm their baby sister.
Gracie and Gloria watched Nissy with equal expressions like she had lost her mind and they are the only sane ones.
Nissy, recognizing that expression so well, groaned and stormed out of the room, leaving them to their fighting. As soon as she closed the door she heard them pick right up from where they left off. "Urghh! Those two should leave... Mom!" she called as she headed for the lounge to look for their mother to do something with those two.
Ginny had been busy with her mother in the kitchen all morning because they were expecting Jack and his family that afternoon. Mrs. Osunde wanted to feed them the correct Naija dishes.
Nissy got to the kitchen and complained, "Mrs. Osunde, your kids are at it again. I don't even understand how those two managed to get married. They can be such children, it's disturbing how much they fight. I had almost forgotten what they are like with each other. Why can't they be like my baby sister? So quiet and peaceful. No violence and so mature. I love you, sweetie," she said hugging Ginny from behind.
Mrs. Osunde shook her head with a permanent smile that she had adorned since yesterday and never removed, "You and Ginny never fight because you will win with a few words."
"We always agree on things and big sis always knows when I'm not okay with something even if I don't say it. She is the best, mom," Ginny informed her mother with a smile.
"So that is why you two are leaving for Lagos together again?" Mrs. O questioned.
Nissy went to seat on a chair they had put in the kitchen in case their mother wanted to seat during cooking. "Yes, I have to take her with me again. After all, we didn't even spend one whole day in Lagos because of the unexpected party."
"Ginny is not going anywhere with you, sis. She agreed to stay with me. I need her here," Gracie declared openly as they got to the kitchen.
Glo raised an eyebrow at her sister, "No, you two already had your turns. Now it's my turn to have little sis at my house."
Nissy looked back at their little sister, "Ginny? Is it true you already agreed to stay with her?" she knew Ginny, wouldn't have agreed to that. And Grace is inclined to push things on people, especially their little sister.
"I didn't promise her anything but she and brother-in-law said I should stay," Ginny informed them. She didn't want to stay behind, especially after last night.
"She never agreed that she would stay, besides, you have already had your turn. She had been with you all this time when we didn't know that dad will let her visit us. So step aside sis, " Glo said to Grace.
"She alre-,"
Just then, their father walked into the kitchen to inform them of the arrival of Jack's family, "It appears our visitors have arrived." Though Mr. O had made clear his disapproval of how they had done things backward with the engagement first and then the family meeting, he had no problem with it now that he met his inlaws last night. He could tell they were good people and his daughter was loved.
"What! Already! But I'm not dressed yet! My lover can not see me in this state!" Nissy ran out to get herself into decent clothes and make-up. Unlike the woman of the moment, everyone else had woke up early and got dressed.
"Ginny, prepare the refreshments. Girls, let's go greet our visitors," their mother instructed.
Ginny got busy preparing the refreshments. As soon as her she was sure everyone was in and seated, she brought the refreshments out to the lounge. She knew that Jack's family consisted of Jack and his mother so she brought only seven glasses for everyone except herself. She had to finish off where her mother had left off in the kitchen.
She greeted Jack and his mother, and passed them some drinks and her smile was perfect until Jack said,
"Ginny? Can you get one for Tim, he's outside on a phone call."
She froze at the mention of Tim. 'Not again!'