“Mum says that there’s this brotherhood a friend knows. They pay people to bring them virgins for a night. It’s some five-year ritual or something.”
Oh, my God, what was my mother thinking? How could she sell her daughter to strange men?
Eli began crying again. “I don’t want to go, Lee.” Her hand squeezed my wrist, her nails digging into the flesh until I winced. “Please, you have to do something.”
Slipping an arm around her waist, I hugged her to my side. “I could go in your place, but you know she hates me, Eli. She’ll never send me.”
Resting her head on my shoulder, her slim body jerking with sobs. “I can’t go,” she repeated over and over.
“Did mother tell you the name of the brotherhood or where it is? Anything that will help us—”
“To do what?” She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes large saucers of fear.
“We could call Aunt Trina,” I suggested. “She’ll know what to do—”
Eli spun away from me, shaking her head as she began pacing the small space we stood in. “We can’t. Mum will go ballistic if she finds out. Aunt Trina might report her to the police. They’ll put us in an orphanage, separate us.” She was babbling now, wringing her hands. “What if this brotherhood are bad people? They might kidnap us—”
“Eli.” I shook her shoulders lightly, bringing her out of her panic attack. “Look at me.” She did as I asked, tears running down her cheeks. “Firstly, Aunt Trina is mother’s friend. She’ll be the best person to talk to mother and stop this nonsense if anyone can. Second, I’m your sister. I’ll die before I let anything happen to you, promise. Okay?” She nodded.
“Eliana, Levana, dinner is ready.” Mother’s voice came through the closed door.
Walking my sister inside, I opened the door and called out, “coming.” Then I turned to my sister. “Go wash your face.” I tipped my chin toward the bathroom as I switched off the music. Glancing at the mirror above the dresser, I shook my head. This was going to be one long night.
Five minutes later, Eliana and I sat opposite each other. My mother sat at the head of a table filled with grilled fish, baked potatoes, and country veg in a sauce. I hated fish, but my mother didn’t care what I liked. Long as Eliana ate something, mother cooked it.
“How was school today?” she asked, dishing a piece of fish onto my plate, followed by the sides.
Eli caught my scrunched nose with a soft smile and mouthed, “Sorry.”
Shrugging, I forked a piece of broccoli into my mouth enjoying the paprika-flavored cheese sauce. “School was good, our team won the debate and—”
“That’s good,” mother said, turning her attention to my sister. “What about you, Eli?”
Her disinterest didn’t faze me, over time I’d grown used to it. Only my sister felt bad whenever mother ignored me in favor of her younger daughter. Tonight, though I was about to steal the limelight and I mentally prepared myself for the onslaught of degradation that was sure to come, if I knew my mother well.
I waited for her to take a few bites of her meal then asked, “how can you prostitute your daughter to a group of men?”
Her eyes nearly bugging out of their sockets, mother choked on the food in her mouth. She spluttered between coughs trying to swallow before taking a drink of water. Clearing her throat, she dabbed at her watery eyes then looked at Eli. “You told her?” she asked, a severe frown denting her forehead.
“Yes, mum,” Eli replied, her tone apologetic.
Mother turned withering eyes on me. “If you must poke your nose in my business then I did it because we need the money.”
“What do you mean,” I blanched.
“Do you think I shake a tree every time I want money,” she barked. “Taking care of two girls and a home isn’t easy. I’m a beautician, not the Queen’s chambermaid.” The lines around her eyes deepened.
My mother was a gorgeous woman with shoulder-length black hair, a body designed for modeling despite having two children, and a face perfect for cosmetic ads. She carried herself with such class to others, one would think she came from money. Pity, she was such a cold bitch, angry at the world all the time, preventing her beauty from shining through. I’d often wondered what caused her to hate me so much, but she’d never shared a day of her past with me. Even when we lived back in the States with my father, he’d always encourage me to stay away from her to avoid conflict or maybe he just couldn’t stand her hurting me. She hated his closeness with me and would complain that he mollycoddled me too much leading to my less feminine curves.
“What about dad?” I asked.
“What about him?” she shouted. “He pays for nothing. He never wanted me or you, or your sister, so stop acting like he fucking cares.”
That hit me hard, my stomach flipped, and my eyes welled quickly. So far, I’d always managed to hold back breaking down in front of her, this time I let those pent-up tears fall. “You’re lying,” I bit out.
“Lying?” she screeched, her chair scraping against the linoleum flooring as she stood. “I make sure you have food on the table, all your needs for school and the clothes on your back are met and you call me a liar. Is this what I deserve for taking care of you.” Her look murderous, she grabbed the tank I was wearing and pulled until it ripped at the sleeve.
Gasping, I stood. “How do you call yourself a mother,” I retaliated. Opposite me, Eliana’s sobs were just as loud as mine. “Why do you hate me so much?” If it hadn’t been for my father’s mother, I wouldn’t have known what a mother’s touch felt like. She’d raised me alongside my father while my mother focused on other stuff until Eliana came along and then she played the dutiful mother. I’d never been envious though. Gran’s love was unconditional and never-ending.
