He was silently driving to the airport, he knew it would take hours before their plane would land, but his excitement for seeing Hassan wouldn't let him stay at home until it was the right time. He would rather lazy around the airport until their flight arrive. His grin could reach his ears. He wished he could call him to know how many hours or minutes left for them to arrive, but then he laughed at his own stupidity. This wasn't a car drive that he could call him whenever he wanted, no matter how he wanted to speak to him.

He had arrived at the airport a few minutes ago, going through some stuff as he spoke with a few of the faces he could put a name on. A call came through his phone, when he saw that it was Hassan's Nigerian number, he wondered how. Maybe their flight was delayed and he called to inform him? Because the last time they spoke was when he told him he was thirty minutes away from entering Abuja, and their flight would take off from there.

He picked the call with a grin, hoping that it wasn't the case. Maybe he had already roamed his line when he arrived, but he should've known that they've arrived since he had been at the airport for quite sometime now. "Hello, First H," he said, but the voice that answered him back wasn't that of his Twin, it was the voice of a stranger, and there were other voices around.

•

It had been over twenty four hours since when she last heard from Hassan, even though she knew he had promised her that he would call her the moment he got himself a new line, she was still feeling edgy. She sat upright from her bed and smiled when she heard the baby rumpled within her bump. A chuckled escaped her disturbed chest as she remembered how Hassan reacted the first time the baby moved, so ecstatic that she wondered how he would have reacted if the baby lived in his stomach.

She said her Maghreb prayer and walked to Hajia's chamber to have her dinner. Since they knew she was pregnant, Hajia stopped her from doing anything in the house, she had to fight so hard before they let her to continue cleaning their room. She met Sohila in the living room and she turned to smile at her, "Good evening, Aunty Nadia. As I've always said, this bump makes you look ten times beautiful than you were."

She chuckled and slowly moved to the dinning table, "And like I've always said, this isn't a compliment, Sohila. You've just been looking for ways to insult me and have finally found one. I can't wait to bring this child to this world to see what you'd say then."

Sohila laughed and walked to the dinning table as well, "You'd still be beautiful, nevertheless. First H hit the jackpot with you."

They grinned at each other and that prompted Nadia to ask the question, "Where's Hajia?" She's usually in the living room whenever Nadia came to have her dinner, sometimes she even ask Sohila to go and call her if she took sometime to come, but she was no where to be found today.

"Aunt Sadiya, her sister has been sick for two days and they took her to the hospital today. She isn't going to stay there for the night, but I'm sure she would come back around 9pm or even 10pm." Nadia only nodded and they began eating their dinner silently. She was still uncomfortable with the silence from Hassan, so much unlike him.

"Have you heard from First H, Sohila?" She couldn't help but ask, she knew she was the one they should ask whether she had heard from him, but no one was even talking about not hearing from him. Or maybe, she was just being impatient, was she? "Or maybe spoke with Second H about his arrival?"

With her mouthful with food, Sohila brought up her phone by her side, "No, I didn't, Hajia too. Because she would've said something about it. I've even forgotten that he had left for America, all my thoughts is he had gone back to Abuja for work, silly me." She chuckled and sipped her drink before she began to search for a number in her phone, "His number isn't going through." Nadia had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Of course she had tried his number, she wouldn't have asked her if it was going through.
"Maybe you should try calling Hussain?" She suggested.

"Yes, I'll do that now." She put the phone on speaker and it went directly to voicemail, "What's with the men, Aunty Nadia? His phone isn't going through as well."

She shrugged her shoulders, but there was this underlying tension beneath her heart. Maybe she was just being paranoid, nothing could have gone wrong. Of course, what was she thinking? Her hand fondled her stomach and she smiled, "I'm sure they got carried away with each other to remember about us, they'll call eventually."

"They haven't seen each other in like a year now, I could already imagine the big hug." They laughed at the same time and Sohila added, "I'll keep on trying Second H's number though." They silently ate their dinner, throwing words at each other here and there and Nadia retired for the bed early, feeling somewhat weighed down with a grief she had never felt before. What the hell was wrong?!

•

She woke up from a bad dream and was panting, her hand on her racing heart. She couldn't point a finger at which kind of dream that was, but she knew it scared her to her bones. She said a few prayers and took her bath to get rid of the sweat. She came out and quickly got ready, it was a few minutes to 9, the family must be waiting for her to have their breakfast. Or in better words, Hajia, Sohila mustn't be there.

She checked her phone for a sign of missed call from an international number or even a message but none came. Softly, she hissed, pushing away the thought that was gnawing at her heart, it was an unpleasant feeling. Alas, she met Hajia on the dining table with her food untouched as she spoke on her, cajoling her sister to eat something before the doctor injected her.

She smiled at how lovely Hajia sounded and sat down. "Good morning, Hajia. Sohila told me that Aunty Sadiya has been admitted in the hospital, how's she feeling?"

Hajia put the phone down and smiled, "She's feeling much better, just too stubborn that I wish I could lash out at her. Have you slept well? You look sick, Nadia."

Nadia dismissed the comment and they began eating in utter silence while Sohila joined them shortly after, still in her pajamas. They weren't done eating when they heard the gate being widely opened and they stared at each other, they weren't expecting anyone today. They all waited and when their new guest didn't even knock and walked into the living room, their hearts lost a bit and one could hear the breaths of relief they have released.

But wait, wasn't he supposed to be in America by now? With a cold feet, Nadia stood up and motionlessly stared at her husband, or maybe, her husband's twin. He looked haggard, not like himself. He was joyful when he left, he had kissed her warmly on the lips and told her how much he would miss her but his eyes spoke a different story, he was eager to see his twin. But the man that stared back at her looked heartbroken, hazard and a minute away from loosing his sanity.

No one could speak a word between them, just staring at him as he stared back at them with pain evident in his eyes that had turned bloodshot. It looked like he didn't have an ounce of sleep. She walked toward him, her heart pounding with each step she stood until she stood by him and slowly took his hands in hers. "Twin," she croaked, feeling the way her heart broke with each letter, she had never seen him this distraught. "Did something happen? Weren't you supposed to be with Second H by now?" Her voice was low and shaking.

First, he stared at her face then slowly to the baby bump that beautifully stared back at him. His throat ached, but still no tears made it to his cheeks. Her warm hands squeezed softly in his, and he felt the way his heart broke the thousandth time since he got that phone call. At this point, her tears had successfully rolled down her cheeks, "Twin, can you speak to me? Did something happen to Second H and you couldn't make it there? What's wrong? You're scaring the life out of me!" Her whole body was shaking now, but still, he was unable to utter a single word.

Hajia walked to them, one could see the sturdy woman she had become upon the years of being a single mom and a woman ready to face all that life had thrown at her. She was breaking within, already sensing the grievous information that had awaited them all, but she stood strong for her family. She touched Nadia's shoulder and when she turned to look at her with her crying face, Hajia shook her head at her.

"It's not Hassan, Nadia. This is Hussain." She abruptly dropped his hands as though she had touched a fire, shaking her head. She knew it was Hussain since Hajia said he was, but where was Hassan? Weren't they supposed to be together now? In America?

She turned to look at a crest fallen Hussain, "Where's Hassan? Where's my husband, Hussain? How can you be here when..." Her tears stopped her from continuing what she was trying to say. She was about to loose her balance when he firmly held her and helped her to a nearby sofa. No, she didn't want to hear his answer. Just one thing could mean this. How could Hussain be here looking all distraught, when Hassan had left for over forty eight hours now to go and meet him? Just how?! Unless something happened to her Twin!

Hajia took Hussain by her hand and she made him sat on a chair, with each movement of theirs, her heart broke and she kept reciting all the possible supplications her brain could think of. She held his hand and he looked up at her, his eyes turning even more red, "Where's your twin brother, Hussain?" That world crashed his heart into bits and pieces and he broke down completely. Sohila ran to him, she had never seen him cry, what was this?!

She was crying by the time she had placed her hand on his knees and he looked up at her with his whole body shaking with agony, "Second H, where's my First Baba?" Her lips trembled and she dreaded his answer, but she wanted to know. They both had to know.

Hussain pulled her to his body and hugged her, breaking into even more painful tears. He could remember what Hassan had said about her, what he should do to make her feel better. But how could he? When even he himself wanted all this to be a dream, a very horrible one! "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Your First Baba is no more, Sohila. My twin, my First H, oh ya Allah..." He heard the scream that escaped Nadia's lips, the breath of agony Hajia abruptly heaved and how Sohila had gasped and she slackened in his hold. What will he do? He broke into even more painful tears, how could he begin to make them understand? How was he to console them like Hassan made him promise to? Just how could he live without his First H? He thought they had lived together, hugged in the womb of Hajia? Why did he have to be the first person to let go of his hand? Just why?!

I'm crying😭💔 My heart was breaking with each word. Oh Ya Allah, I don't know how to write the next chapter 😭💔 I'm heartbroken.