Two Brothers, One Heart

Chapter 36

Oshodi, Lagos.

She walked through the lush green grass in the heart of nowhere, the sun shining brightly. It felt mysterious and peaceful, with the trees swaying gently in the breeze.

Her long, sparkling white gown made her feel uncomfortable, like a bride. As she looked around, she noticed a tall man in a navy blue suit, his hands in his pockets.

She anxiously waited for him to turn around, her heart racing. The cool breeze brushed her cheeks, making them colder. When he finally faced her, she hoped to recognize him.

He was impeccably dressed, intriguing and exquisite. Before she knew it, the word "Baba" slipped out of her mouth, unplanned.

She ran towards him, trying to get a better view of his face, but it remained vague. She hoped that her search was finally over, and that she had found triumph.

She embraced him tightly, and he responded by taking her hands and affectionately kissing her knuckles. She smiled through her tears.

"Where have you been, Baba? I've missed you," she choked out.

"Look at you, now a respectful woman. You were once the little one who always wanted to ride horses with me. How you've grown," he said with genuine regret, though she couldn't see his face clearly.

"I've been searching for you, Baba. I miss you," she sobbed, and he gently cupped her cheeks, caressing them.

"Never change, my dear, and never give up. Allah is with you," he said. Then, a dazzling ray of sunlight blinded her, and everything vanished into thin air as she called out, "Baba!"

*

She woke up from her nap, the bright sunshine blinding her as she squinted through the shabby window. She had been exhausted from everything she had been through.

Getting up from the sofa, she saw Kola playing with his toys on the worn-out rug. Ava had gone to work, leaving them alone to take care of each other.

"Let's play," Kola offered, pushing his toy car on the floor with joy.

She stood up, realizing that she had lost weight as she felt as light as paper in the oversized gown she was wearing, borrowed from Ava.

Kola held her hands and jumped around, clearly overjoyed to see her. She remembered how he called her a mermaid when she woke up that morning. His beautiful face was the first thing she saw as she realized he had been watching her all along.

Her stomach growled as they played, so she walked into the small kitchen with shabby cabinets and limited food supplies. She found a bowl of garri left by Ava, with peanuts and sugar in it.

Adding water to the garri, she tried to cope with the tough life she was facing. The rude neighbors, noisy surroundings, and the irritating house were all getting to her.

Feeling overwhelmed, she plopped back on the sofa and started sobbing. But Kola, unaware of the reality, offered her his toy car to make her feel better. She smiled and kissed his forehead, noticing his resemblance to Ava.

Ava was her saving grace, a friend in need as life felt like a rollercoaster.

"Let's go play outside," Kola suggested, full of energy, pulling her hands towards the door.

Outside the house, the neighborhood buzzed with activity. The houses were poorly built, and people were bustling around, chatting away. It felt like an ancient place.

Her attention was caught by a round, short woman wearing a wrapper draped around her chest, making her blouse seem pointless. She was frying akara, and customers were flocking to buy it.