After the emotional hug, we both sat on the mattress discussing and narrating our different ordeals in life. It was then I realized I had it easier than she does. She grew up with the emotional torment of losing her twin brother which sometimes makes her feel lonely and neglected. Many times she was been treated like an outcast with preference always given to her younger sisters over her, coupled with so many physical abuse she suffered from her step-father. I was surprised she still got a good heart towards the man despite all she’s gone through because of him. I wondered how our mother coped with such a man for the long years they’ve stayed together.

Me: How was your mother able to cope with him for this long?

Aramide: Stop saying your mother Will, she’s our mother.

Me: I’ll get used to it. How did she cope?

Aramide: He’s her husband; I don’t think she got many options

Me: There are always many options. Tell me about her.

Aramide: Well for starter, she’s your mother.

Me: I know, but I want to know her kind of person; is she cool or hot, and so on

Aramide: Why don’t you try to get to know her by yourself?

Me: I’ve never met her before and I’m really scared about that. I think having the idea of the kind of person she is will allow me to prepare my mind towards it.

Aramide: She’s a cool personality, although she’s now very religious and she has always been strict.

Me: Hmm, so far she’s cool I think I won’t have a problem.

Aramide: Of course you won’t have a problem, she’s your mother.

Me: Have you told her we’ve met?

No: I’ve only told Vera

Me: Who is Vera?

Aramide: My younger sister. She’s our Idowu and she’s the one I wanted you to meet today.

Me: She’s around?

Aramide: She’s on her way here

Me: Oh! I pray she meet us here

Aramide: Are you not going to stay longer?

Me: I’ll have to find another day we can both spend together. I want to get to know you well but I’ve promised to spend today with Funmi.

Aramide: Really, are you guys now dating?

Me: Something like that

Aramide: At last! I’m happy to hear that, I really like her.

Me: That’s obvious

Aramide: Very cool. When will you like to go to mum?

Me: I don’t know, maybe when I’m ready emotionally.

Aramide: You are ready Will. After your project defense let’s go to her.

Me: I’m not sure I want to go for now. Besides, I don’t think she wants to see me.

Aramide: Why will you say that?

Me: I can’t see the effort. She could have asked for my number from my mum to at least call me, but she did not.

Aramide: I could have asked for your number too the day I met your mum, but I didn’t because it will look somehow for somebody to just call you out of the blue telling you she’s your mother or your sister. Would you have taken such a person seriously?

Me: Of course I won’t

Aramide: That’s exactly what I thought. It’s better to come to you directly.

Me: But she didn’t come either.

Aramide: Will, you don’t understand. She knows you are the only male child she’s got, yet she didn’t come looking for you because she was ashamed to face you. She’s not even proud of herself calling you a son.

Me: Alright, I’ll go to her.

Aramide: I’m happy to hear that. We’ll go after your project defense.

We were still in discussion when somebody knocked at the door and entered without waiting for an answer. She has my height, my smile and looks exactly like I do, to the extent I could mistook her for a mirror. If she wasn’t a lady, she could impersonate me anywhere. I stood up staring at her while she was looking at me in awe. It took Aramide’s intervention to break the awkwardly amazing starring competition we both engaged in.

Aramide: Will, meet my sister, our Idowu, Vera. Vera, this is William, my twin brother and your long awaited elder brother.

Vera went down on her full knees the way a typical Yoruba lady would greet her parents or blood brothers she has seen a very long time ago. I pulled her up and gave her a hug.

Me: I’m confused, who’s my twin sister among you two?

Aramide: That’s the reason why I wanted you to meet.

Vera: No wonder mum calls me Kehinde sometimes. I’m happy to finally meet you sir, I’ve always pray and wish for an elder brother.

Me: I am privileged to meet the female version of me. How can we look so much alike when we do not share the same father?

Vera: Mum said, I took after her father.

Me: I’ll love to meet her father. That will be a good way to peep into my future look.

Aramide: He’s long gone. How is mum Vera?

Vera: We came together. She was the one that delayed me.

Aramide: She’s in this town?

Vera: Yes, she followed her church members down to visit their former pastor whose wife just gave birth.

Aramide: Oh, that man was posted here?

Vera: Yeah, today is his child naming ceremony. Mum said she might branch here if the program was concluded on time. It’s even good you are here my brother, you’ll be able to meet mum.

Hearing that, I started to feel unease. I don’t know why, but I was highly nervous about meeting my biological mother. The three of us left the room to join the others in the sitting room. We met them debating who my real twin sister is between Aramide and Vera. They were all laughing and making funny comments about the situations but I just sat there by Funmi’s side, thinking about the potential meeting with my mother.

Funmi: Baby, what’s wrong? (I shook my head to say nothing). Don’t give me that, you don’t look happy since you came out of the room.

Me: I might be meeting my mother today.

Funmi: That’s good news. Is that why you are sad?

Me: I’m skeptical about the whole thing. I’m having a feeling something will go wrong.

Funmi: Nothing will go wrong dear. She’s your mother and will always be happy to see you.

Me: I really hope so.

Let me intimate you with a little description of how we all looked that moment. Temmy was wearing a stripe shirt on a black trouser with his old school hair style a little lower than mine. Both Funmi and Sewa wore a pink top on trousers, both having a fixing hair style with dangling hear rings. Dan was on Cleverland basketball team jersey on a three-quarter trouser toned with white canvas.

The guys were still having fun, joking and sometimes mimicking funny characters in movies when we had a knock on the door and three elderly women entered. They were all dressed in the same Ankara style. It was one of the women that first salute us before we could greet them.

Woman1: Good afternoon here o. hope we meet you well? (We all stood up and responded to greet the three of them). Taiwo how are you? It’s been long I set my eye on you.

Aramide: I’m fine ma

Woman1: Is it that you don’t come home or you don’t come to church when you do?

Woman2: I saw her at home like two weeks ago but she did not show up in church.

Woman1: Really, Taiwo why didn’t you come to church while you were around?

Aramide: I didn’t stay that long ma. I left on that Sunday.

Woman1: You could have come to church still

Aramide: I went to early morning service so I’ll be able to travel on time.

Woman2: We don’t have early morning service in our church, maybe she attended another church.

Woman1: Is that true Taiwo? You left your church to attend another church?

Aramide: No, I did. . .

Woman3: Shut up there Taiwo! (Facing the other women) This is what I was telling you. My child has joined bad gang. She now attends disco party they call church. Look at the caliber of people she’s dining with (pointing to Funmi and Sewa), looking just like harlots. Look at their hair and they are even wearing trousers when you are not men. This is the reason why my daughter will not come to our church.

Woman2: That’s the trend in town, she wants to feel among.

Woman3: Imagine that! That’s a child that was brought up from a Christian home.

Woman1: Even the boys are not different from touts. The one with good hair style is wearing knickers while the other two carry heavy hair style like a mad man in the streets. Or don’t you children know it’s the mad men that have their hair uncut like this?

Woman3: You see my life. Now she’ll bring one of these thugs home and say she has seeing husband. You children better rethink your life and follow the right path.

Woman2: Accept Christ and serve God

Woman3: (Facing me) This one’s hair is even more than my own.

Woman2: Maybe he wants to weave it.

Woman1: Some of them do weave hair, so I’m not surprised.

Woman3: If you were to be my child, I would deal with you seriously or send you out of my house before you spoil my name if you won’t listen, because I’m sure your mother didn’t know this is how you are.

Aramide: Mum, he’s actually. . .

Woman3: Shut up and listen! Shameless girl, you even have gut to talk.

All these while, we all kept mute and looking as if we saw ghost. I was particularly waiting for them to finish their condemnation crusade before I’ll take my leave as the fear of meeting my mother has turned to anger in me. They continued to talk and would not stop to which I couldn’t bear again. I signal to Temmy and Dan while I held Funmi’s hand as we decided to leave before we make any disrespectful remark. It was Vera that took the scene upon herself to my amazement.

Vera: It’s okay mum. This is the reason why I’m planning of not coming back to your church the moment I gain admission. You preach gospel of condemnation, hatred and abuse instead of Gospel of love that Christ instituted. You instill fear and hatred in people instead of faith and hope. This wasn’t how Jesus preached to save many. Mummy I’ve told you, this your style doesn’t work any longer. Everybody is not your child. You can’t be talking to everybody like that. We are used to it but I don’t think brother Kehinde and his friends are.

Woman3: Who is Kehinde?

Vera: (Pointing to me) The same person you’ve been condemning all these while. If you had at least chill and look at his face properly you’ll know who he is.

Aramide: You know he was really scared about meeting you and you’ve just make everything so easy for him.

Woman1: (Looking at me) I’m just noticing this, he looks so much like Vera.