I walked in, the gallon of water well balanced on my head. I headed straight for the kitchen and with a light thud, I brought the heavy burden down.
Then I looked around the deserted compound, wondering where everybody is. Aunty Stella must be inside. As for the rest, only God knows where they have wandered off to.
I stretched my poor bones that are already pleading for rest as I gently massaged my elbow.
"Hold on dearies, you still have more work to do," I coaxed.
With a shake of my head, I headed straight for the bench in front of me to sit down. I think I have about ten seconds before someone finds out I am back. I started the countdown from one to ten.
Immediately I counted the last number, I heard my aunt's voice calling me from inside. I giggled and rolled my eyes (I learnt that from Kanyiraetochukwu, the last baby of the family). Then I walked inside tiredly.
Judging from the sound of her voice, I figured she is at the sitting room. She is there alright, sitting on one of the sofas, making up. I closed the door with a light thud to indicate my presence.
"Go inside my room and get me my handbag," she said calmly, not bothering to look at me.
I gave no reply as I moved straight to her room. I am trying not to let my tired self get unnecessarily angry. I know the game only too well. Show these monsters any weakness and they just feed on it.
Although my aunt's family treat me like a slave and a stranger, I take extra care to make sure they don't know how l feel. I just act like nothing they do hurt me knowing fully well that this attitude irritates and makes them more determined to make me lose my cool.
I pushed open the bedroom door and looked around the perfectly tidy room. Even though I dislike my aunt (hate is too strong a word and she doesn't deserve any strong feelings from me), I always admire her neatness in contrast to my male cousins who are best described as city pigs.
I looked around for the hand bag and found it on the dresser. I picked it up and left the room.
I heard noises coming from the sitting room as I walked out of the bedroom. Seems like the cousins are back from wherever they went to.
I handed the bag over to my aunt and made to leave but she called me back.
"Somto..."
I turned and looked at her in askance, "Yes?"
"Sit down," she said calmly.
I sat on one of the available seats looking at all of them one after the other.
Chimaobi, the first son is sitting on a single seat, pressing his laptop, indifferent to what is happening. He is the oldest, sixteen years old and has just finished SS2.
The twins, who are my age mates; Sunday- the boy and Somto- my namesake, aka queen of the family, are both seated on the lounge chair while Kanyira, the princess of the group is sitting on the floor adorned with a beautiful rug, playing with her toys. She's seven years old.
I looked back at my aunt who is pressing her phone with rapid fingers, a slight frown on her face. When she kept the phone at a small side table, she looked up at me.
"I understand you cleaned my room yesterday?"
This is my aunt for you, always proper in speech and dressing. No wonder why she has a properly evil heart.
"Yes," I replied, staring back at her.
"My wedding ring was there before I left for work yesterday, and now it's missing. What happened to it?" she asked.
I've actually been expecting this question since last night when she returned from work. I am surprised it took her this long to ask about the ring.
Sommy, as the girl twin is called, and her friend, Rejoice had been inside aunty's room yesterday. Sommy had shown her the ring, promising that if Rejoice convinces a friend of hers to convince some boy in there school to date her, then, she would let her wear the ring to some party the Rejoice wanted to go to. Rejoice agreed.
What baffles me is that this boy in question, whom I know nothing of except that he is the most handsome boy in their school, has absolutely no intention of dating her yet she has the guts to trade her mom's ring for him.
What crushing will not do!
"Save my time and answer my question!" My aunt snapped, dragging me out of my thoughts.
Knowing fully well the consequences of saying the truth outrightly, I replied carefully, "I have no idea where it is but if you would like a list of people that came yesterday, I will be happy to supply that."
A flash of anger entered my aunt's eyes. I hurried on before she could speak.
"Nnedinso was here, Rejoice too and..."
"Who is Nnedinso?" Aunty asked with narrowed eyes. She insists on knowing all my cousin's friends especially those that visit our house.
Immediately I mentioned that name, Chima looked up sharply at me but I pretended I didn't notice.
Nnedinso is his secret on and off girlfriend whose existence, aunty knows nothing of. Well, they aren't really officially dating sha but aunty Stella doesn't have to know that.
I deliberately added her name knowing fully well that aunty hates anything unhealthy boy/girl relationship. If these guys will treat me like a slave all the time, then I would definitely put them in hot soup always.
After all, isn't all fair in love and war?
"Huh? Nnedi? You don't know who she is? Brother Chima," I never call him that, "does aunty not know who Nnedi is?" I asked with a holier than thou face.
If looks could kill, I bet Chima could have killed me with his eyes. I hid a little smile.
"Nnedinso is Chima's girlfriend," Kanyira chipped in.
Aunty narrowed her eyes, anger visibly written all over her face. I smiled inwardly at that small victory. Even though Kanyira is a little daredevil, I could have hugged her now.
"I see," with visible effort, aunty schooled her features.
I know my aunt very well. She would rather die than scold her kids in front of me but I know that at the slightest chance she gets, she will deal with Chima.
"Back to the ring..." my aunty started but was interrupted by Sommy.
"Mum, I think I know what happened to your ring " she said.
I waited to hear her cover story.
"Yesterday, precisely in the afternoon..."
Okay, whenever Sommy starts talking like her mom, it means she is about to put the blame me.
"...a merchant came here to ask of Somto..."
What did I say? God, I really can't believe this girl was once my best friend. I feel anger rising but I doused it with the thoughts of what will happen in a few minutes.
"...so l called her and I left the house. It is just now that I remember I saw something like a ring with her but, " bating her eyes innocently, she concluded, "we can't really accuse anyone of course."
"Merchant? I was in the house yesterday and l saw no one," Sunday said with a frown.
You would think he is an angel at first glance but l can't really tell who is more mischievous between him and Kanyira.
"Of course you were in the house, was it not your spirit I saw at Deby's place," Sommy snapped angrily.
Sunday squirmed under his mother's gaze. They had been warned to stay away from our neighbors, the Agbaranzes'. They live in the duplex after our house.
Sweet, seems like everyone will get into trouble today.
Immediately, the sound I was waiting for came. There was a knock on the door followed immediately by a push. Rejoice walked in, my aunty's ring on her finger.
I barely hid a large smile now especially as l saw the look of panic on Sommy's face. I had earlier gone to Rejoice's house on my way back from the town tap to tell her Sommy had called off the deal and wanted her ring back.
Rejoice angrily told me she would deliver the ring in person so as to "thank" Sommy for breaking their deal. I was initially worried that she would come when my aunt is not around. But fate seems to be on my side today.
"Speaking of which," I started, acting like I just recalled something, "I did see Rejoice enter your room with Sommy. I never thought, oh well, no need to accuse anyone."
I knew that one way or the other, I would be accused of taking the ring, and no one will believe me if I told them Sommy took it, so I decided to collect the ring myself.
It couldn't have played out more perfectly!
Rejoice obviously thought I was trying to accuse her of theft cause she immediately jumped into defend herself.
"I didn't take the ring, Sommy gave it to me. We had a deal and..." she suddenly trailed off, perhaps thinking it was not wise to bring up the deal.
Aunty could no longer take the humiliation. She collected the ring and sent Rejoice home with a warning not to come to her house again.
Sommy's face is white with fear. Chima is also scared though his face shows he is more angry with me than afraid of his mother. I have a feeling that he won't let me live this down.
Sunday sat gazing at his fingers while Kanyira just sat on the floor staring at us all.
My aunty sent me out to go and refill our gas at a filling station far from home. I know it's just an excuse to send me out so as to deal with her kids.
As I crossed the street, I laughed out loud, the laughter coming from within. More battles will still come but at least, I'vve won this round.