Two Brothers, One Heart

Chapter 25

I hope tomorrow makes up
for the pain you feel today
-faraway

Goggo majestically walked in, adorned in an Ankara suit and donning sunglasses. She took her time to take them off, revealing her full appearance. She was svelte, slightly wrinkled, and beautiful. Khalid took after her, with a domineering look and a workaholic attitude.

Islam began to reminisce about the past, recalling how Goggo disdained her when she first visited them, calling her a shame to the family and adamant about taking her back to her dad's house. Islam hated Goggo for that because she showed her love for Firdausi over her, unlike Khalid, who treated them equally.

Goggo walked up to Islam while the servants took her belongings upstairs. She looked at Islam sternly, then caressed her cheeks and said, "You're the carbon copy of your mom when she was younger. By the way, Salamualaikum."

"Wa alaikumussalam, Goggo," they replied simultaneously while curtseying.

"Firdausi, look at you, you're now pretty," she praised Firdausi, ignoring Islam, while walking upstairs. Islam went to the kitchen to bring the food to the dining room.

After a few minutes, Goggo descended the stairs and walked to Islam, who was waiting for her at the dining table. She said, "It seems like Khalid hasn't changed at all."

"I made garau-garau for you," said Islam delightfully. Goggo ignored her, sat down, picked up the crown-shaped napkin, unfolded it on her lap, and squinted at the food as if her eyes were microscopic, checking for germs.

Goggo began eating while the girls sat with her, glancing at each other and at her, searching for her expression about the food, but none. Just blank and mysterious.

"Who made it?" she asked while eating.

"I did," said Islam, suspensefully waiting for her criticism.

"It's good, at least you can cook now," she said with a blank expression, while Islam smiled happily.

"Where did you get the veggies?"

"At the grocery store, but they were packaged," she explained vividly.

"I never asked for that," she said blankly, then added, "You two will start growing vegetables in the garden, learn to be creative."

They angrily glanced at each other, then Firdausi sulkily said, "But I have to read my books and-"

"In fact, phone usage will be limited because the youths these days are lazy and busy with the internet or playing video games instead of working hard. My kids are hard-working, so my grandchildren should have that blood of hard work in them," she bragged, as if she has a dozen kids. After all, it was just Uncle Yusuf, their eldest brother who resided in Adamawa with his little family, Khalid, Big Mommy, his older sister who stayed in Kwantagora with her only daughter Ummita (whose real name is Amira), and Uncle Hassan, who lived in Kano with Goggo and his large family. He was the youngest but had the largest family, with five daughters and three sons.

After she finished eating, she went upstairs to her room for refreshment, laying on the bed and reading an old newspaper stored in a drawer, while Firdausi cuddled her.

"I brought dresses for you and your sister," she began, then opened a suitcase full of dresses and asked her to call Islam.

Islam came with a weary face, wearing her cozy silky trousers and a t-shirt. "Make me some herbal tea."

Islam smiled and left for the kitchen with a bit of annoyance. She wondered why the servants were there if she couldn't ask them to make the tea.

"Has she arrived?" asked Zaynab, who had just arrived with tons of shopping bags.