Two Brothers, One Heart

chapter 37

As Islam walked into the classroom, she couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia. The walls were adorned with colorful butterfly designs, and the room was filled with little chairs where the vibrant kids sat, chattering and giggling. It was like stepping back into her own kindergarten days.

She found her seat behind the mahogany desk and began arranging the books. Working as a kindergarten teacher in Bright Beginnings Elementary School in Oshodi was not what she had initially planned, but it turned out to be a renowned and lively school with excellent learning facilities.

What caught her attention the most was the school uniform. The pupils wore khaki pinafores with crisp blouses and burgundy bowties for the girls, while the boys sported knee-length trousers. The uniforms looked impeccable, adding to the charm of the school.

As Islam went through the kids' scribbles in their Alphabet Exercises, she adjusted her glasses with black plastic frames that had a cat-eye shape. She had recently gotten new glasses because her eye problem was getting worse. The handwriting of the kids was difficult to read, but she still found it amazing.

Feeling a bit frustrated, she huffed and took a moment to rest on her seat. Then, reluctantly, she called out, "Opal Ambrose."

To her surprise, there was no answer. She raised her head and looked around, but couldn't find the girl. Opal had been absent for almost a week. She was one of Islam's pupils, a pretty and dark girl who embodied the definition of black beauty.

Unlike the other vibrant and jovial pupils, Opal was hard to read and seemed distant. She was intelligent but always kept to herself, an introvert. Islam noticed that when she asked questions or shared intriguing comics with the class, everyone burst into laughter except for Opal. She seemed to do her own thing without much focus.

This reminded Islam of her own experiences when she was six and her parents separated. School became a burden for her, and she would sometimes feign ailments to stay at home because her teacher was strict and harsh. She promised herself that she would never treat her students with harshness, but with love and care.

She stood up by the large mahogany shelf, filled with textbooks, notebooks, stationery, toys, and Legos. She loved watching the kids build houses with the Legos, as it enhances their critical thinking and imagination skills.

She quickly grabbed the flat blue register to record their names and noticed that Opal had been missing for two weeks and her guardian's number was unreachable. She marked their names with a tick before teaching them coloring.

She enjoyed seeing the pigments flow outside the lines as they colored the apple. She didn't want to punish them because she wanted them to learn well.

Shortly after, the bell rang and parents came to pick up their kids. She admired how the children held their parents' hands and waved at her before leaving, and she smiled.

She then organized the stacks of books on the shelf, made sure everything was locked, and left the classroom to go home before visiting Opal Ambrose.

As she walked down the brick stairs, the scorching sun burned her skin, making her feel exposed. Then Dave pulled up on his bike, glancing at her through his helmet and saying, "Afternoon." She smiled and hopped on, grateful for his help in finding her dad and taking care of everything with Ava by her side.

As they rode, she enjoyed the cool breeze against her skin, taking in the familiar sights of the bustling street. After a month of searching, the hawkers and okadas had become a part of her daily life. They eventually arrived at her small, yet cozy, two-story house with various tenants. She got off the bike, removed her helmet, and said, "Thanks."