Juice it with Flora

CHAPTER 1   I never imagined I'd be seated here, anxiously awaiting news that will undeniably crush my heart. Mike was unable to accompany me. He had other commitments. He knew how important this meeting was to me...to us; he thoughtfully sent me a lovely text message assuring me that everything would be fine and wouldn't mind whatever the outcome may be. We are in this together. Isn't that part of the oat we took on our wedding day, standing in front of the altar; in the presence of God and man.    Margaret offered to follow me, hoping that her presence would provide me with emotional assistance. Margaret was like the sister I prayed to have at five years old. I would spend the whole morning devotion asking for a little sister to play with because Nneka would not allow me to carry her own sister. I remember running to mom in tears one hot afternoon Nneka told me to go and play with my own sister. Mom laughed at how silly we were. The only solution she said was...

PART THREE   Chrissy took my hand in hers and said something strange to me. What she proposed was unthinkable. Mother's gaze was fixed on me the entire time, and I could feel it digging holes behind me. Chrissy's hurried murmurs were difficult for me to decipher. “I think you should look into Elijah and.... your father.” Before she was hurried away from me, cuffed, and transferred to the inner cell, I barely had time to ask her why it was so crucial to include father on the list of individuals of interest in this case. Mother's frigid hands rested on my exposed shoulder, where my sleeveless top ended. Even if she wanted to, Amara would never wear anything sleeveless. The large stretch mark on both sides of her hands that ran from her armpit to her forearm was enough to make her aware of them. It was always a source of anxiety for her. She had tried every promised product on the market, but none of them had worked for her. One in particular had thickened them. She gave...