Nylah and her twin sister have been inseparable since birth. Always in partnering outfits, their mother often got their names confused, yet always managed to turn it into a joke that the girls found hilarious.
Growing up, Nylah often wanted a brother, sometimes adopting one of her friends younger brothers for play time, until they would scamper off to hide from Nylah and her current obsession, whether that was costumes, makeup or playing make-believe.
Whenever Nylah asked her mother about having more siblings, her mother used to joke that she was busy as a bee, since she held two jobs and still managed to care for Nylah and her sister. Occasionally, their grandmother would visit to help out when their mother went into one of her shouting fits, but she always apologised to Nylah and her sister afterwards and encouraged them to understand their emotions.
Nylah and her sister shared a room in their two bedroom apartment for years. As normal sisters do, they often fought over trivial things; wearing each other's clothes, using each other's make up, telling one another to find new friends since their group of friends were close with both of them. It wasn't until their 15th birthday that their mother finally moved them into their very own house, an inheritance purchase, her mother would tell her, though Nylah wasn't sure from where, since their grandmother was still alive.
At age 17, Nylah had been dating one of the boys from school, on and off. One night he took her on an enchanting date, told her that he was applying for the military and would be gone for most of the next several months for training. A few days later, Nylah was experiencing all the signs of pregnancy, and a quick test gave her the positive results. How was she going to tell her partner, who had just left for his training stint with the military?
Unsurprisingly, her sister and mother were ecstatic for her. Despite her being young, Nylah's mother believed she had prepared her daughters well enough to face Life's lemons and follow through with the consequences level-headed. Nylah waited until her partner came home from his training, and surprised him with her baby bump. His excitement was through the roof, as he kissed, laughed and danced around with Nylah and their baby belly.
Nylah's sister was beside Nylah almost 24/7, and often joked with their mother that now she would finally be able to tell them apart! She doted on her sister's belly, often singing to it when they watched TV together, or telling it stories about her and Nylah's childhood.
As a present for the twin's 18th birthday, Nylah's twin got her a bee-keeper station stocked with bees ready to go. Nylah burst out laughing as she saw this, falling into the nostalgia of what their mother used to say to them as children. For her twin, Nylah asked her to be the godmother of her baby and shared with them she was going to be having a bouncing baby boy. Nylah's twin burst into tears, which set of an emotional Nylah, and their mother had to leave the room to share the news with immediate family.
Now, two years on, Nylah lives at home caring for her baby boy, Grady. Her mother and sister pop by mostly unannounced to play with Grady and help Nylah around the house. Her husband (yes, they got married soon after Grady was born!) had moved up in the Military and was able to generously provide for his new family. Nylah was thrilled to share with him the latest news, she was pregnant again with baby number 2!
Of course her mother and sister already knew, as they recognized the same behavioral markers Nylah showed the first time round. They were keen to share in the surprise of telling Nylah's husband, setting up a surprise baby shower for the two of them!
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