"Get this washed too, and make sure it's clean," Tim said to Becca, his younger sister dropping his plate in the sink for Becca to wash.
"Tim, I'm done washing, as you can see; get it washed by yourself. You can't be bossing me around; I'm not your mate; don't forget that," Becca snapped back at Tim.
"What if I don't? What will you do?" Tim asked, pausing for a few seconds to see if Becca would make any attempt to hit him.
Becca ignored him and went out of the kitchen. Becca is twenty years of age, while Tim is seventeen. Becca was adopted when Mr. and Mrs. Clinton got married and had a delay in childbirth before Mrs. Clinton finally added Tim.
But due to the overpampered love Mrs. Clinton had for her son Tim, she told him Becca was adopted and not his biological sister. Ever since Tim knew this, he had begun to misbehave toward Becca, disrespecting her at every chance he got, while Mrs. Clinton overlooks all Tim's mistakes except for Mr. Clinton, who always calls Tim to order whenever he does wrong.
"How dare you walk out on me? Who gave you such right to walk out while I'm still speaking to you?" Tim continued to nag.
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton had gone to their place of work as Mr. Clinton wasn't living with them due to work; he did visit for a few days in a month while Tim and Becca were at home.
"Have you been taking drugs?Are you high on something because you've been misbehaving a lot these days? I will have to talk to mom to have you checked," Becca replied angrily and went straight to her room and banged the door behind her.
Becca noticed some changes in Mrs. Clinton, but she thought it was so because Tim is the last child. Becca was adopted when she was a child, so she had no idea that she was an adopted daughter of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. Immediately Mrs. Clinton returned. Becca reported Tim to her, but she got an unfavorable reply.
"Mom, Tim had been misbehaving with me these days, and I don't like that. Kindly warn him to know his place and be respectful because I am not his mate; it's high time he understands that," Becca reported.
"You should know your place in this house and stop bothering my baby unnecessarily. He wouldn't disrespect you if you hadn't passed your boundary," Mrs. Clinton snapped and walked out on Becca, who was in shock on hearing what her mother said.
"Is this not my mom? Why is she talking to me like that? Why is she siding with Tim despite his unruly behavior towards me?" Becca asked herself as she stood fixed to a point, thinking of her mother's words.
"I hope you feel better now. What did she do to me after you reported? You are just B; grow up," Tim said as he came out of his room laughing hysterically and went back to his room.
"What's going on? Why am I suddenly feeling like a stranger in this house?" Becca thought within herself.
The taunts continued from Tim, and their mother, Becca, called Mr. Clinton to narrate her ordeal, and he promised her to be home soon. While Becca was enduring all the hard times, she always tried her best to talk to their mother about her pain, but she never gave her listening ears.
On one Friday afternoon, Becca was cooking in the kitchen but went out to the bathroom to ease herself, then suddenly Tim came in and put down the pot of rice that Becca was cooking from the cooker to cook noodles.
"Tim, what's the meaning of this nonsense? Do you want the rice to be soggy?" Becca shouted.
"Do you have to behave like this? Don't you ever know the right thing to do? Can't you wait for the rice to be cooked to perfection before cooking your noodles?" Becca further said angrily.
"When my noodles are ready, you can continue with your rice; don't stress me," Tim said rudely and went out of the kitchen after putting noodles on the cooker.
Immediately he left. Becca put down the pot of his noodles and replaced it with the pot of rice. Then, after a few minutes, Tim entered the kitchen only to find the pot of rice on the cooker.
"What right do you have to put down my pot of noodles? Who gave you that right?" Tim snapped.
"The same right you have to put down the pot of rice which I was initially cooking," Becca replied.
"The last time I checked, this is my father's house, and I am the only biological child here, so I have every right than an adopted child. So don't think you can boss me around; you are only an adopted child," Tim said angrily and dashed out of the kitchen.
Mrs. Clinton, who had been indoors, heard Tim's voice and rushed out. The word spoken by Tim rendered Becca speechless as she was hearing that she is an adopted child for the first time ever since she grew to know Mr. and Mrs. Clinton as her parents.
"What's going on here? Why the noise?" Mrs. Clinton asked.
"Mom, Tim called me an adopted child; he told me I don't have any rights in this house. How can he say that to me?", Becca said as she began to weep bitterly.
"Tim why would you say that to her, it isn't right for her to find out this way", Mrs Clinton said.
Becca was shocked, she couldn't believe her ears. "So it's true mom, Tim was right. I am an adopted child, is that the reason behind all these ill gotten from you and Tim", Becca said and wept bitterly.
As the argument persist, Mr Clinton arrived and met the three arguing then Becca narrated all that had been happening to him and he was surprised to see his wife behind all the ruckus.
"I'm so disappointed in you, how can you tell Tim that her sister was adopted and create enemity between my children. I left them in your care to look after them not to separate them and remember Becca is the first child of this family", Mr Clinton angrily replied.
"And as for your Mr man, pointing at Tim, Becca here is your sister and the first child of this family. She possesses the same right as you in this family and this nonsense has to stop. You will accord her the respect she deserves as your sister if not, you won't find this house conducive too", Mr Clinton further said.
"What's the meaning of all these? Listen my dear, you are the first child of this family and you will remain so , don't get yourself worked up with those words. You are my daughter and you will remain so", Mr Clinton assured Becca.
"It's fine dad, thank you", Becca hugged him and went to her room.
Mr Clinton chastises his wife for causing such confusion between the children. Few weeks later, Becca resumed back to school because she had been on holiday and she told her father she wouldn't be going home for holiday instead she would prefer to be visiting her father instead. Mr Clinton agreed with her, hoping to solve the confusion at home before the matter gets deteriorated than it presently is.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.