I remember that day like today. Her mother was screaming at her; a sight I've learnt to ignore whenever I visited. That day wasn't any different.
"I don't know the type of daughter you are. Don't you see your mates? Look at this whole house? You can't cook, you can't do anything..."
I sat in the sitting room while waiting for the woman to collect her documents. Her daughter, my friend, was upstairs in her room and ignored her mother.
The woman came out from the store room and we exchanged pleasantries.
"Precious welcome. Please start talking to this your friend. What type of daughter is this? She's just lazy and does nothing."
I was nodding.
After some minutes, my friend came downstairs, threw a piece of paper at me and whispered something into her mum's left ear.
"Thanks for the awful compliments Mum, I didn't fall from the skies. You trained me."
Her mother was speechless.
After I delivered the documents to her, I checked the paper my friend threw at me.
"Echezona Chisom Precious of the catfish brand, I am at my bestie's. Stop by.”
Her bestie's house was about two streets away from their house so I just walked. When I got there, she was laughing and sharing pizza with 3 other female friends.
I greeted them and excused her from the gathering..
"Ooo Presh, shebi you don't want me to enjoy this pizza abi? You'll buy another one o."
"No wahala. I'll add ice cream on top."
She laughed.
"But seriously babe, why does your mum always sound like this? You have a job and you're not doing bad for yourself. Why does she always berate you?"
She sighed.
"My dear it's a long story. Somehow my mother is not my biggest fan. She always has a way of making me feel inferior and insecure. She's always harsh with words and never compliments me."
The things complained about by her mother were always taken care of. And my friend tries her best to be that perfect daughter.
”See Precious, when I was much younger, my mother's words cut through my heart all the time. She would use strong words to insult my physical features and everything as if I fell from the skies. But I'm stronger now and her words can't hurt me again. I am my own biggest fan."
I kept on nodding as she shared with me and shed some tears.
I felt her pains.
Always be soft with words because it can't break our bones, unless we allow them.
We shall be alright.