FreeFreeDescription
Hamburg, Germany. 10:30 AM
Dr. Fatima Omar Yonas adjusted her posture in the chair facing her. She adjusted her eyeglasses and opened her mouth, which always felt heavy whenever she had to speak about her sister. She felt a deep sense of shame and self-pity because her sister was the perpetual source of her heartache and anxiety.
No matter how hard she tried to look away and suppress her feelings, the resentment always returned fresh. She lived in constant dread of what she might lose to her sister in the future; this was the root of her anxiety and fear because she did not know what she herself might become as a result.
As she always did during her visits to Dr. Fatima Yonas, she began today by saying:
"My name is AYSHAT HAMEEDA NUHU MANDE, and my twin sister is KHADIJA MUFEEDA NUHU MANDE. Our mother gave birth to us twenty years ago, with only a five-minute interval between our births. I was the first to enter the world. I was the one who deserved the majority of the love and affection from our parents and relatives first, because I was the first to bring light to the eyes of parents who had waited so long for the day they could embrace their own children. They had aged considerably without any offspring.
After my arrival, my parents experienced unparalleled joy. However, the LOVE and AFFECTION I received from them lasted for a mere five minutes, because my sister's arrival changed everything for me, up until this very moment.
She became the apple of their eyes. She became the joy of their home and their hearts. But Allah, who possesses ultimate power over her, brought her into this world carrying a disease known as a WEAK HEART or CARDIOMYOPATHY.
This illness she carries further diminished the intensity of affection directed toward me by our parents, our relatives, the doctors, and indeed, the entire world.
Because of her weak heart, no one wanted her to be upset, no one scolded her, and no one saw any fault in her. Everyone adored her; everyone loved her. Spoiling her soon became excessive from every angle. Crucially, our paternal grandmother immediately decided that my sister should be named after her, wishing for Mufeeda to inherit her legacy. Without delay, she was given our grandmother’s and mother's name, KHADIJA MUFEEDA, while I was named after our maternal grandmother, AYSHAT HAMEEDA.
She claimed our parents' love, she claimed our grandparents' and relatives' love, and she even claimed our mother's name and life. For after her birth, our mother never recovered her health. She passed away when we were just one year old, leaving us with immense longing and the sting of orphanhood.
Mufeeda underwent heart surgery, which was successful. However, the doctors confirmed that she would likely need another surgery in the future, and they admitted she might not survive it. This fact only ignited a new, intensely powerful wave of affection for her in everyone’s heart.
We grew up pampered and cared for by our father and grandmother. As old age caught up with our grandmother, she moved to Lagos to live with her eldest daughter (our father's elder sister). Our father then took us and relocated to this country to live.
The love and affection our father shows Mufeeda is unique and incomparable to anything else. Ummy, our father's elder sister, and Hajja (grandmother) cannot compare their love for anyone else to Mufeeda. Even though Allah blessed Ummy with only two sons, she does not show them the amount of love she bestows upon Mufeeda.
Allah has blessed Mufeeda with a privileged life that I cannot claim to have experienced. In every aspect, Allah gave her everything anyone could ever desire: wealth, fortune, privilege, beauty, an attractive physique, popularity, charisma, education, and sophistication. Yet, only one thing was withheld from her: health.
Her health is fragile. No matter how much she tries to enjoy life, her health always disrupts her plans. She is someone who profoundly loves to enjoy life with sophisticated and fun-loving friends.
Since our primary school days, everyone wanted to be friends with Mufeeda. Everyone loved Mufeeda, and even now as young women, life remains exactly the same.
I have become like an old woman or a mother due to the constant supervision and jealousy regarding my sister that has consumed my soul since childhood. Right now, my heart is filled with both jealousy and love for my sister. However, what I do not know is this: between love for her and jealousy toward her, which one weighs heavier in my soul?
Which one will conquer the other in my heart? Right now, I am beginning to fear how she has stripped me of everything in life. What will she take from me next in the future? Will I be able to endure and let my love for her conquer my jealousy and resentment, or will my jealousy conquer my love?"
With a long sigh, Dr. Fatima stopped her by handing her some medication along with a glass cup of water, saying:
"It's time for a break, Hameeda. Go and rest; we will continue next time. Don't forget, whenever you feel your heart burning regarding this matter, you can come to me. I'm always here for you and always ready to listen to you, okay?"
Hameeda nodded and let out a sigh, taking slow sips of the water before placing the glass down. Looking at Dr. Fatima, she softly murmured:
"Thank you, Ms. Yonas."
Dr. Fatima smiled, patted her hand, and said:
"When I return home, I'll stop by. Don't let Satan come between you and the love you have for your sister. You should be the one who loves and pities her more than anyone else in the world, because you are her twin."
Hameeda nodded, stood up, and added, "Thank you." She picked up her handbag and phone from the table and walked out the door.
Dr. Fatima sighed out of pity for Hameeda. The jealousy toward her sister had severely gripped her heart, to the point where she sometimes felt intense hatred for her. Recognizing this, Dr. Fatima had started managing Mufeeda’s situation by encouraging Hameeda to vent her anxieties daily. This helped immensely; Hameeda felt relief afterward, took her medication, and upon arriving home, the medicine would put her to sleep, allowing her to wake up feeling light-hearted.
Dr. Fatima Omar Yonas was their neighbor and a consultant in psychology and human behavior. She belonged to the class of doctors who, when a person does not understand what is troubling them, can diagnose the issue simply through how the patient answers questions.
Originally from Ethiopia, she was a widow; her husband had passed away long ago, leaving her with just two children, a boy and a girl: Ameed and Meena.
Ameed was a young man who had recently qualified as a medical doctor less than a year prior. He was stylish, handsome, privileged, wealthy, and shared a love for a luxurious, sophisticated lifestyle. Because of this, there was no one in the world he loved more than Mufeeda, whom her friends and most people called FIFI MANDE.
Ameed was deeply in love with Fifi. She, on the other hand, viewed him merely as a friend and a brother. Because Dr. Fatima was like a mother to them, the care and love Dr. Fatima showed Fifi made Fifi view her as a real mother. Fifi would act completely pampered around her, especially when her heart condition flared up. At those times, everyone would become distressed, even their relatives back in Nigeria. Dr. Fatima would stand firmly by her side at the hospital just like a biological mother.
Meena also had no better friend than Fifi, which was why they were almost always together, especially when visiting recreational spots, as Hameeda never joined them.
Aside from her father, there was no one Fifi loved more in her life than her sister Hameeda, whom she looked up to as both a mother and a sister.
The love she felt for Hameeda was the kind that only Allah could remove from her heart, especially because she knew she might not live a long life due to her illness. She enjoyed her life and leisure activities simply because she believed she wouldn't be around for long; thus, she held no grudges and bore no malice toward anyone, knowing that one day she would be gone.
She was someone who desperately loved life. She often said that if Allah granted her a long life to the point of marriage, absolutely nothing would stop her from marrying a man like Ameed. To her, any man who wasn't sophisticated, didn't understand the Western lifestyle, didn't play video games, and hadn't built muscles and abs was out of the question. Her husband had to be just like her, and preferably no more than three to four years older than her—at most five—so that a young man like her could understand her love for enjoying life, allowing them to live exactly as they pleased before she passed away and left him.
Slowly, Fifi opened her eyes after a long sleep. She jumped up quickly, exclaiming:
"Oh, shit! I'm so late. I have a practical at 10:00, and it's already 9:40!"
She quickly got off the bed, adjusting her sleeping cap which had slipped off, and rushed to the bathroom. Saying her prayers before entering, she muttered:
"Maheeda is going to kill me with her nagging over this lateness."
She quickly finished and dressed in a maroon Turkish gown that came with a matching hijab cap and shawl. She rolled the shawl, sprayed her Possess perfume, grabbed a maroon Chanel handbag and Clark loafers, and rushed out. She loudly called for Nurat, their maid, to bring her a bottle of guava shake.
As soon as Nurat brought it, Fifi grabbed it quickly. Just as she opened it to drink, someone grabbed the bottle. Turning around quickly, she saw it was Hameeda. Fifi frowned playfully and said:
"Hameeda, please leave me alone, I swear I'm so late..."
Their father then walked out while on a phone call. His eyes landed on the bottle of guava shake, which was steaming with coldness. He cut the call, walked over to them, looked at the icy bottle, took it from her, and looked at Hameeda, saying:
"Hameeda, you're just watching and you're going to let her drink something this cold? Have you forgotten who she is?"
Hameeda looked at him, then turned her gaze to Fifi, saying:
"Daddy, I was about to stop her when you walked in."
Looking at Fifi and then back at Hameeda, he said:
"Be careful, Hameeda. None of us wants even the slightest illness to affect Mufeeda, okay?"
He handed the bottle to Hameeda. Looking at Fifi, who put on a pitiful face, Fifi said:
"Daddy, I'm late. I can't even stay for breakfast."
He pointed to the dining table, saying:
"Even if it's exams, my dear, I will never let you leave without eating anything as long as I am around."
As they sat at the table, Hameeda, who had taken the drink to the fridge, came over and sat down as well. Only then did they greet their father. He responded warmly, saying:
"Ummy called me. Hajja has started her drama again, insisting that you must be brought before her. She wants to see you married before she dies."
Fifi laughed, looked at Hameeda, and said:
"Hamee, did you hear that? Hajja wants to see me married. Tell her my preferences when you speak on the phone, because if I call her or Ummy now, Daddy, they will start crying about wanting to see me. Daddy, I'm not getting married in Nigeria. I don't think I'll find my choice there."
He smiled and said:
"My dear, visit Nigeria first. You'll find that all your choices are there, not just one. And if you are talking about lifestyle, just go. When you get there, you'll tell me stories, because KHALID is also going to be around."
Looking at Hameeda, Fifi laughed and said:
"Hameeda, get ready. I can't go without you. I think it's time we go and live with Ammy's family, right?"
Hameeda stuffed a potato chip into her mouth, not even tasting it. She raised her head and forced a smile because of how their father was conversing with Fifi with absolute affection, only throwing occasional comments her way.
Summoning courage, she asked:
"Daddy, is Ammy's son, that Khalid, among them?"
He looked at her affectionately and said:
"Hameeda, do you mean you don't know any of your Ammy's children? I thought you asked about them when you spoke on the phone with her."
"Well, Daddy, it's because we don't really know them."
"Her eldest son was born before I married your mother: MUHD SAHEEB MAKARFI. He is not in Nigeria right now; he lives in South Africa. Then there is KHALID MAKARFI. They are her only children. Truly, you need to know your relatives, which is why you must return to live with Ummy, for many reasons like this one."
#mamuh
Part 2
Fifi continued eating her food, listening to their conversation without uttering a word. She ate quickly, keeping an eye on the time. Setting her fork down, she hurriedly pulled her bag toward herself, stood up, and said, "Daddy, please can I go now?"
His eyes widened. In a pampered tone, she pleaded, "Please."
He leaned forward, looking at her thoughtfully before saying, "Emmm, not until you give me a hug." With a slight laugh, she walked over and hugged him tightly.
Smiling warmly and showing his deep affection, he said, "Take care, okay?"
She replied, "Okay, bye... Dad, I love you." He didn't say it back textually, but a gaze filled with intense, undeniable love followed her out.
After taking a step or two, Fifi turned around as if suddenly remembering something and called out, "Hamee?"
Hameeda raised her head, offering a soft, bittersweet smile that masked the deep pain aching in the depths of her heart. "I'm off to school... bye," Fifi said. Hameeda nodded without saying a word, her smile widening slightly.
Before Hameeda could even look back at the dining table, she noticed that her father was already standing up to leave the area. Surprised, she asked, "Daddy, are you full already?"
He replied, "Yes, dear. I only sat down so that Mufeeda could eat her food. You go ahead; I'm going to my room."
Forcing another smile, she said, "Okay." As he walked past her and headed upstairs, she sat frozen, watching his retreating figure.
If there was anything that truly hurt her, it was this recurring situation. Nobody had time for her. She couldn’t even remember the last time her father sat down at the dining table specifically to keep her company. "Oh Allah, it's always about Fifi. As for me, no one cares..." Closing her eyes tightly, she let out a heavy sigh, stood up, and retreated to her room.
A classic Bentley dropped Fifi off right at the entrance of her school. Paying no attention to anyone around her, she headed up to the fifth floor where their practical session was being held.
She was already thirty minutes late. However, because she was entirely used to creating dramatic entrances, she quietly slid the classroom door open, crept in stealthily, and whispered, "Hey guys!"
Almost the entire class turned around to look at her. Seeing this, she playfully hid her face and covered her mouth ridiculously.
Her friend, Maheeda, glared at her, gesturing fiercely for her to be quiet. Fifi made a silly face, looking toward the lecturer and the other students who were all staring at her. She muttered a quick "Sorry" and quickly slipped into an empty spot to stand.
The lab coordinator let out a heavy sigh and announced, "And that was Mufeeda Mande. Now let's get back to business."
Hearing this, Fifi burst into a fit of giggles. The classroom's attention shifted right back to her. Before the lecturer could even reprimand her, she stood up straight and held her ears like a remorseful orphan, saying, "Sorry, sir."
Loss for words, the instructor shook his head, wondering why Fifi refused to bring any seriousness into her life. He gave her a warning glare and said, "Sit down." The moment she sat, she burst into laughter again, causing the entire class to dissolve into laughter with her.
She apologized yet again, and this time, the practical exam was somehow completed peacefully.
Khadijat Mufeeda Nuhu Mande was the most brilliant student in their set, despite the fact that she never took life too seriously. She simply lived her life on her own terms, never stressing over anything.
She never compromised on anything that brought her joy and entertainment. Her great sense of humor and excellent social skills made almost every student in the school know who she was. "Fifi Mande" was the nickname everyone had called her since their freshman year. The name had spread far and wide; if you didn't know her for one thing, you knew her for another, because wherever there was fun and a good time, she was always at the forefront.
Fifi ran to catch up with Maheeda, who was walking away angrily, muttering complaints under her breath.
"Mahee... Maheeda, please stop now!"
Maheeda turned around furiously and snapped, "For God's sake, lady, give me a break! How many times did I call your phone?"
Fifi replied, "Eight times."
Maheeda put on an angry face. "And?"
Fifi stepped closer, pinched Maheeda's cheeks, and smiled. "And Daddy caused the whole thing, I swear... Do you know what, Mahee?"
Maheeda, who dearly loved gossip, asked eagerly, "What?"
Fifi made a playful, teasing face and shrugged. "Nothing." Then, walking past her with a dramatic flair, she added, "If you want to hear it, follow me." Maheeda hissed loudly but began following her anyway.
They headed to a sophisticated student coffee stall, where Fifi immediately ordered two cups of the most richly blended, delicious, and expensive tea available. As they drank and chatted, not even ten minutes passed without a student interrupting them to say hello.
Since Mufeeda was practically everyone's favorite at school, wherever she sat, people always looked for an excuse to talk to her in one way or another.
Taking a deep breath, Fifi turned to her friend. "Girl, how many days do we have left to finish this program anyway?"
Mahee rolled her eyes and sipped her tea nonchalantly. "One month, I guess. By the way, what were you going to tell me? You know I'm dying to hear it, stop teasing me."
Fifi laughed. "Calm down, I already know your problem, Queen of Gossip." Fifi leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, "Maheeda, get ready. This time, I want us to do something that no one has ever done on their graduation day."
Maheeda asked, "Like what?"
"I mean a party. I want to host a massive get-together for me and all my friends. But before that, I want us to go on a vacation. I want the remainder of my college days to be completely unforgettable."
Mahee questioned, "Uh-huh? What about our studies?"
Fifi brushed it off. "Oh, forget about that, we'll catch up. Mahee, I'm serious. I want to go wild."
Maheeda countered, "You are always wild," leaning back against her chair.
Fifi took a deep breath. "This time, I mean the wildest."
Mahee sighed. "Hmm, so what exactly are you planning for us?" Fifi remained quiet until she finished every last drop of her tea, then replied, "A lot. Starting from today."
Maheeda looked at her carefully. "And what about Hameeda?"
Fifi sighed. "Honestly, I swear I don't know if she will agree, but I'll bring it up to see."
"I hope she does," Mahee replied. With that, they finished their chat and parted ways toward their respective homes.
Before the week ran out, Fifi, Maheeda, Meena (Dr. Fatima Yonas's daughter, whom Fifi treated like a sister), and the rest of their friend group gathered to plan out various ways to thoroughly enjoy their remaining days.
Ameed, being a doctor, rarely had free time for himself. However, because he was deeply in love with Fifi, he went out of his way to promise her his presence throughout this period.
Fifi was fully aware that they would soon leave Germany for Nigeria, possibly permanently, but she kept this tucked away in her heart without revealing it to her friends. Aside from her twin Hameeda and their father, only Dr. Fatima and her children, Ameed and Meena, knew about the upcoming move. Fifi went along with it only because she had no other choice. In her heart, she felt that leaving Germany might mean her final journey—who knew if she was destined to die in Nigeria?
From that moment on, she made an effort to ensure everyone around her experienced maximum happiness, creating memories she knew they would never forget.
For their first outing, a group of five girls—Fifi, Maheeda, Meena, and two other stunning girls named Yasmin and Arsala—prepared to head out. It was a strict "all-girls out" event, so no guys were invited. Each drove a different high-end sports car.
They arrived at a massive luxury resort. Yasmin was the daughter of a Turkish tycoon, while Arsala was of Brazilian descent. Judging by their attire, it was obvious they took immense pride in their beauty, physique, high fashion, and above all, their vast wealth. They wore distressed jeans, bright-colored tops, oversized designer sunglasses, and carried expensive Bvlgari handbags, holding high-end smartphones. Still, they had taken care to wrap their heads carefully—some using mufflers, others small veils, and some wearing hoodies—making it clear to anyone who ran into them that they were Muslims.
Every single one of them was dressed to the nines except for Hameeda, who wore a plain Egyptian jallabiya and a pure red veil rolled simply, looking as if she had just stepped out of a mosque.
Back at the house, when Hameeda had originally emerged dressed in a stylish outfit similar to Fifi's group, their father had strictly ordered her to go back and change. She didn't argue and obeyed his command. Yet, she watched Mufeeda step out dressed elegantly, and their father hadn't muttered a single word about her outfit. Of course, Hameeda knew it was simply because he didn't want to upset Fifi.
Consequently, Hameeda stood out as the odd one among them, looking so out of place that one would think she was much older than the rest of the group. She remained quiet, appearing detached. In reality, a fire had begun to burn within her heart—one she feared she might not be able to control or extinguish in the future.
While the other girls chatted animatedly, showcasing their deep bond, joy, and unity, Hameeda’s mind was flooded with dark thoughts. She watched as everyone's attention centered entirely on Mufeeda, completely erasing her own presence from the gathering. Whenever the group laughed at a joke, Hameeda could only muster a forced smile.
One profound question tortured Hameeda from deep within her soul, though she hid it from everyone because she didn't even know how to begin addressing it:
Did Daddy and the others truly not care about her happiness, or was she simply not considered a living, breathing daughter to them like her twin sister, Fifi? Amidst these heavy thoughts...
Story Description & Overview
1. Character Profiles
- Ayshat Hameeda Nuhu Mande (Hamee): The elder twin by five minutes. She is bitter, introverted, and deeply conflicted. She feels completely overshadowed, neglected, and emotionally abandoned by her father and family in favor of her sick sister. She represses a growing jealousy that threatens to turn into hatred.
- Khadijat Mufeeda Nuhu Mande (Fifi): The younger twin. She suffers from a severe heart condition (cardiomyopathy). Knowing her lifespan might be short, she is vibrant, deeply affectionate, loves luxury, lives life to the absolute fullest, and is universally adored. She loves her twin sister Hameeda deeply and views her as a mother figure.
- The Father (Daddy): A wealthy man who relocated his family to Germany. He is fiercely overprotective of Mufeeda to the point of completely ignoring Hameeda's emotional needs and enforcing strict double standards between the twins.
- Dr. Fatima Omar Yonas: A compassionate neighbor and psychological consultant from Ethiopia. She serves as a therapist/confidante to Hameeda and a mother figure to Fifi.
- Ameed: Dr. Fatima's handsome, wealthy son who is a newly qualified doctor. He is deeply in love with Fifi.
- Meena: Dr. Fatima's daughter and Fifi's close friend.
- Maheeda: Fifi's close, gossip-loving college friend.
2. Original Story Summary
The story introduces a poignant, emotionally charged Hausa contemporary drama revolving around the psychological rivalry, love, and silent jealousy between 20-year-old identical twin sisters living in Hamburg, Germany.
The narrative opens with Hameeda attending a therapy session with her psychologist neighbor, Dr. Fatima, where she confesses her deep-seated resentment toward her twin sister, Mufeeda (Fifi). Although Hameeda was born five minutes earlier and expected to be the center of her parents' joy after years of infertility, Fifi’s birth completely eclipsed her. Fifi was born with a life-threatening heart condition (cardiomyopathy), causing their entire family, extended relatives, and the community to pamper her excessively to avoid triggering a fatal heart attack. Their mother died when they were a year old, and their father shifted all his affection and indulgence to Fifi.
While Fifi grows up to be a charismatic, brilliant, popular, and fashion-forward young woman who handles her impending mortality by living "wildly" and joyfully, Hameeda grows up isolated, ignored, and strictly controlled. A stark example occurs when their father forces Hameeda to change out of stylish clothing into a plain, conservative jallabiya for a day out, while allowing Fifi to dress luxuriously without a word of criticism.
As Fifi plans an extravagant, unforgettable graduation season with her wealthy friends (Maheeda, Meena, Yasmin, Arsala) and contemplates a future marriage to Ameed, she hides a bittersweet secret: the family is soon relocating permanently to Nigeria to live with their extended family (Ummy and Hajja), where a cousin named Khalid awaits. Fifi harbors a dark premonition that she will die in Nigeria.
The excerpt concludes at a luxury resort where Hameeda sits as a complete outcast among Fifi's glamorous friends, silently drowning in agonizing thoughts, questioning if her father even loves her or views her as a real daughter.
