Two Brothers, One Heart

Chapter 38

Picking myself up;
has been the heaviest weight
I have lifted.
-heba nazar

Islam felt the weight of the world under the blue-green water as she sank deeper and deeper. She screamed, but it was futile against the relentless tide and current. She began flailing her legs and hands, desperately trying to reach the surface, but the force was overwhelming. It pressed against her chest, making it hard to breathe as everything grew darker and more mysterious in the now black water.

"Subhanallah!" she exclaimed after waking up from the nightmare, startled by the call to prayer and the crowing of the cock. Drowning had never been a part of her dreams before, and it left her feeling uneasy. However, she reassured herself that bad dreams were merely the tricks of the devil, as her mom would always say.

Quickly turning on the lamp, she prepared herself for the Subh prayer, a few important raka'ahs. She prayed for her family, for herself to find strength to overcome her challenges, and to reunite with her dad.

Just as she was brushing her teeth, her Nokia C3 suddenly started ringing, its annoying and deafening tone filling the room. She quickly answered the call, curious to know why Michelle was calling so early.

"Hey Islam," Michelle said, her voice filled with panic.

"Hey, what's up?" Islam replied, eager to find out the reason for the early morning call.

"Are you okay?" Michelle asked, genuine concern evident in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Islam questioned, feeling a bit worried.

"I had a dream about you falling from a skyscraper, it was terrible I swear," Michelle announced.

"Don't worry, Mich. It was just a dream. I'm perfectly fine. Take care," Islam assured her before ending the call. She couldn't help but ponder over the dream as she grabbed her breakfast - French bread with sardine and leftover akara from the Buka. She called this combination an "akara burger" as she happily munched away.

As she recited the Qur'an, she found solace and confidence in its words before getting ready for the meeting. Mr. Saleh had arranged a well-furnished car to drive her to Lagos Island.

She picked up her plain off-white tote bag, which she had bought at the okrika for a very cheap price. To add a touch of creativity, she began designing it with her watercolors that she also used for her students at school.

Inspired by Firdausi's masterpieces, she tried to bring a pattern of flowers to life on the bag, making it look less plain. Although it wasn't as perfect as Firdausi's work, she was proud of her efforts.

Ava arrived as the sun was rising, dressed in black and white, appearing like a professional white-collar worker.

"How are you doing?" Ava asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm doing great, as you can see. I'm getting ready for the date," Islam joyfully announced, while dressing in her long pistachio-green gown with a white floral pattern. She completed her look with a matching beige cotton jacket.

"You look amazing," Ava remarked, lightly hugging her to avoid spoiling her impeccable dress. She then held her hands and spun her around.

"I need to look stunning and independent so that Dad knows how well I've been," Islam said, wearing her scarf and picking up her tote bag. She shrugged at Ava, who was gazing at her, and asked, "How do I look?"

"Perfect!" Ava praised with exaggeration, grinning at Islam.

"Next time, bring Kola with you because I miss him,"she added before a loud honk interrupted them. Ava rushed to the vulnerable, crickety-crack window and spotted a white Lexus parking in front of the neighborhood, standing out from the rest of the houses and beat-up cars. She shrieked in excitement.