Fierce

Episode 22

Ochi it turned out, was a short form of the name Ochanya which meant queen inIdoma. The past few days have been strange for Ehi. Ochi seem to have a good relationship with everyone but her. Anytime they were around each other they both just froze and nobody says anything until one of them goes away.

Ehi spoke to Mani about the strained relationship and was advised to have a one on one with her sister. She decided to give Mani’s advice a try and invited Ochi to attend a fashion show with her. The car ride to the show was as silent as a monastery. None of them spoke and Ehi didn’t want to force it so she remained quiet. Once they stepped out of the vehicle the paparazzi started taking pictures and asking numerous questions. No one knew Ochi so nobody really paid any attention to her. All the questions were directed at Ehi, who did her best to ignore them.

Ehi grabbed Ochi by the hand and forced her towards the red carpet. They both posed for pictures and even though you could see on the faces of the photographers that they would rather have a picture of Ehi alone, they had no choice but to take pictures of both of them.

After some minutes of posing for the cameras, a reporter for one of the top entertainment TV station walked up to them.

“You look gorgeous as always Ehi.” the reporter said, ignoring Ochi that was standing there.

“Thank you. You look good yourself.” Ehi replied.

“Thank you. So what are your expectations for tonight?” The reporter asked all the while blushing.

“Nothing but greatness. Clarisse has always been one of my favorite designers so I’m pretty sure she is going to blow everyone’s mind away with this collection. I’m here to support my friend and also because my baby sister Ochi wanted to see some of the celebrities that will come. She is acting all nice but will leave me the minute she sees one of these pop stars but hey what can I say right?” she answered, grabbing Ochi’s hand once again and led her into the hall, while the reporter looked at them with her mouth agape.

Once they were seated on their front row seats, she turned to Ochi “I’m sorry I announced you to the world like that but believe me when I say it’s better to announce you than for the media to find out about you themselves.”

“It’s okay I understand.” Ochi replied.
Before Ehi could say something more, a loud music just started playing and the show began.

As they watched the models walk down the runway, Ehi was stealing glances at her younger sister who was in awe. She wondered if she wanted to be a model like her. At 5’11 Ochi was more than perfect to become a super model. Though she will have to wait a year if she wanted to model professionally being that she was just fifteen. They had a slight resemblance which they got from their mother and while Ehi had wavy hair, Ochi had her Afro at full display.

After the show, they spent a little time chitchatting with some of Who’s friends in the industry. Ehi refused speaking to the press especially since the news had broke about her sister and everyone was trying to get a shot or an interview. They went home after having lunch with some friends.

Once they got home, Ochi quickly went upstairs and locked her door. So much for having a one on one time thought Ehi. She walked around the house trying to locate her twins. She found them at the back playing basketball with their dad and their siblings. Apparently Rebecca let him have the kids for a week.

She leaned against the wall and watched them. She stood there for some minutes before she had to shake herself up. It was wrong for her to get used to this she thought. The only relationship she had with Cicero was as a co parent and nothing more. It would be crazy to think any different. She moved from the wall and turned around and went back into the house. She pulled out a beer from the fridge before heading to the sitting room.
When she entered, she found Ochi sitting with her back towards her. She couldn’t see what she was doing so she tiptoed. When she got behind her, she was amazed to see her little sister sketching a dress.

“Oh my goodness this is beautiful.” she heard herself say.

Ochi who hadn’t been expecting her dropped her sketchbook.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to scare you. You are really talented. Can I see your work?” she asked but had already picked up the book before she got an answer.
She flipped through the pages and was amazed at how talented her little sister was. “This is wonderful. You should start a line or something.”

Ochi grabbed the book from her and stood up “It’s really nothing.” she said and started moving away stylishly.

“I’m not going to let you run away this time so just seat your butt0ckz down so that you and I are going to sit down and talk about those sketches of yours.” Ehi said laughing.

Ochi reluctantly sat down and handed the sketchbook back to Ehi.

“So when did it all begin?” Ehi asked pointing at the book.

Ochi took her time before responding “I think I was nine when I made my first sketch. It was horrible by the way…”

“What made you think it was horrible?” Ehi asked cutting her short.

“Mom said so.”

“I thought as much. Nothing made sense to her if it wasn’t money or drugs.” Ehi discovered bitterly.

“Well I stopped and focused on something that will bring in money like she instructed and that was doing menial jobs in the brothel and others around…” she stopped talking but continued when Ehi nodded at her to continue “You know I didn’t mind doing the chores. I got paid and I was saving up and it made me feel independent.” she bit her lower lip “People always talked about how I had a famous sister and the girls in my school used to wanna be friends with me because they wanted to see you whenever you came around but you never did. The only thing mum ever did was drink herself to stupor or get high on drugs. It got worse as she advanced in age because the men who visited the brothel preferred younger women. She poured all her frustrations on me whenever I was not fast enough to dodge her. My dad used to come around once in a while. He is black you know.” she chuckled. “Mum had this thing for white and Hispanic men, so for mum to be with a black man and have his kid was a miracle on its own. My dad was messed up. He had gotten a full ride to college to play football but got his scholarship withdrawn when a white woman said he raped her. It later turned out to be a lie that they had dated for a while and the woman wanted to get back at him for dumping her. By the time they truth was discovered, the damage was already done. He abused drugs worse than mum did. He insulted me and her and every woman he saw. He said we were worse than the serpent that deceived Adam in the garden. He and mum used to fight a lot. They break things and scream at the top of their voices and I usually hid under the bed. I used to wish that you will come and take me away with you but you never did. Every year I used to tell myself that this was the year you will come for me but it never happened. I wanted to be a model just like you, it’s funny right? I used all my money to buy magazines that had you on them because I wanted to show them to you whenever you came home. The girls in school got tired of all the excuses I used to make as to the reason why you didn’t come home for the holidays. They started insulting me in school and were calling me a fraud. Some girls in class even started a rumour that we weren’t real sisters that you only stayed in mum’s brothel because you used to be a LovePeddler. At that stage I started growing and they nicknamed me Pole in school. Life was terrible. I couldn’t stay at home cos my parents were always fighting or were too high to give a Shtt about me. I couldn’t go to school because I was being bullied and I couldn’t go to Nessa because she started working with some bad men. And she told me not to come around if not someone might hurt me when trying to get to her. At this period I hated you so much because I saw you on TV with your beautiful clothes and famous friends having the time of your life while I was stuck in hell. Somehow I channeled my hate into making sketches of clothes. I used to insult you in my head and say your clothes weren’t good and I could make better ones. And that’s how I just started again. I want to start my own clothing line but I can’t really afford what I have in mind. And when I decided to start small, my dad got shot and then next thing you know Nessa is dead and not long after that mom dies from an overdose. I wouldn’t have come to you but it was either you or social services.” Ochi was crying by the time she was done.

Ehi wrapped her arms around Ochi and brought her closer all the while crying with her “I’m so sorry, you had to go through all that on your own. I swear I had no idea you existed though now that I think of it some years back at the twins birthday Nessa made reference to you but she didn’t call your full name and I didn’t ask. While I may not have been there for you growing up. I promise to be here for u now. You are not alone, you don’t have to be scared anymore. I got you. Okay?” she asked and Ochi nodded and they hugged each other and cried more.

Mani walked in and started clapping “Y’all are here being all sisterly meanwhile social media is on fire.” she laughed and then continued “Girl why do you keep breaking the internet. Now I can’t log on and post some thirsty traps because everyone in my comment section trying to know more about your sister. They say we are friendship goals for keeping it sealed within us. Oh… before I forget Christian said both of you are going to pay for almost giving him a heart attack.” She walked over and hugged both sisters. “How about we really break the internet now and I post a picture of the three of us?”

“Sure.” Ochi replied.

Just as Mani was taking the picture Cicero and the kids walked in and photo bombed them. Mani uploaded the picture like that and if breaking the internet was what she had in mind well she did more than that because the picture was the number trending topic on all social media platforms.