“Come in Khaleed and Kameelah, it’s time for lunch,” their mom called out to them. The children were playing statue. They would twirl each other around, then they'd stopped twirling and freeze in place. Speaking the same words at the same time, Khaleed and Kameelah said. “I bet I can beat you.” Kameelah, at that instant, turned and ran toward the house, leaving Khaleed behind. “Go wash your hands and do not leave water splashed everywhere. Clean up after yourselves,” their mom said.
“Yes, Mommy,” they both responded. Khaleed, and Kameelah answered together often. It may have been because they are paternal twins. Besides this similarity, they also loved competing with one another. Well, maybe not so much loved. Sometimes, Khaleed, would become jealous of Kameelah. He believed their parents showed his sister favor over himself, she being a girl. Every time Khaleed had a chance, he would challenge Kameela, wanting to beat her and come in first.
Mom said. “Sit down and say your prayer.” Mom left the room and came back with a small envelope addressed to Kameelah. When you’re done eating, you can open this… not before.”
Kameelah looked up smiling and said OK, thank you, mom. “I wonder what it is?”
“Khaleed said hurry and eat, so we can find out.” The two of them sat in silence, eating as fast as they could. Khaleed’s eyes focused on the envelop. “You finished yet,” he says excitedly.
Kameelah said, “no, I just have a little more and, I’ll be done.” Khaleed gets up from his seat, and carried the dirty dishes to the sink, comes back, and stands next to Kameelah looking down at the letter. “Come on, hurry.”
“Ok, I’m done,” says, Kameelah.
Khaleed, says, “give me your dishes, I’ll put them in the sink.”
Kameelah says, “thank you, Khaleed,” and by the time Khaleed returns, Kameelah has opened the envelope and she is smiling, and says happily. “Peaches, invited me to her birthday party, this coming Saturday.” The anticipation and excitement Khaleed was feeling has turned to disappointment, and caused him to ask, “she didn’t invite me?”
Kameelah, picks up the envelope and hands it to Khaleed, and says, “I guess not.”
With his lips pursed, he blurts out. “That’s not fair. Mommy, she did not invite me. She knows, I am Kameelah’s brother.”
Well, honey, maybe it is for girls only.”
No, her brother, Timothy will be there, and I’m sure other boys will be there too.” Kameelah, please call Peaches, and ask her are boys invited to her party? Kameelah looks at her brother, her brows pointing down, then looks at her mom.
“Sweetheart, you can ask. Maybe she forgot to add Khaleed by mistake.”
With a sign song in her voice, Kameelah says, “alright.” Mommy, her number is on the invitation.” Her mom calls and speaks to Peach’s mother. “Hello Mrs. Pratt, this is Kameelah’s mother. We received the invitation to Peach’s birthday party. Thank you, for inviting her. She is really looking forward to coming. I was just wondering, will there be boys there too?
“Yes, yes, Peach’s, has more boys in the family than girls. Is that a problem?”
“NO, not at all. Kameelah would like for her brother Khaleed to come, but his name wasn’t on the invitation.”
“Of course he can come. It was a mistake leaving his name off. He plays with Timothy, all the time. Please forgive our oversight and let Khaleed know he is more than welcome to come.”
“Great, he will be happy to hear it, then we’ll see you next Saturday.” Khaleed and Kameelah, began doing the running man dance, waving their hands in the air, and shouting Alright, Alright, Alright, Alright, then in unison they both said, “thank you mommy.”
The week went by pretty fast, and soon it was Saturday. Kameelah wore a green, and yellow lace blouse, a white pair of jeans and green high top tennis shoes. Her hair was placed in a braided ponytail with crystal beads on the ends. Khaleed, wore a black and white jean suit and black tennis shoes. His hair was fanned out, into a huge well sculpted Afro. Their mom and dad dropped them off in front of the house where the party was being held.
A jumping castle was the landmark of the party. Children were inside, laughing and sliding down into the multi-colored balls, and more kids were outside playing, and bubbles could be seen floating in the air. It was indeed a cheerful scene.
With the excitement, Kameelah and Khaleed had forgotten Peach’s gift. “Hey guys.” their mom called out. “You forgot the present." Khaleed ran back and took the gift from his mom.
“Have a good time and behave yourself.” Their mom said.
“Ok, we will.” They waved bye to their parents, and they waved back, then drove away. Standing in the doorway was Peach’s mom, ready to welcome them. “Hi, thanks for coming, Peaches is in the back.” Khaleed handed the gift to Kameelah. Timothy, called Khaleed, and they went outside to join in the fun.
Kameelah found Peaches, and said, “happy birthday, thank you for inviting me,” here,” handing her the gift. Peaches smiles, brings it to her ear, shakes it and says, thank you, Kameelah. Peaches sets the gift down amongst the other gifts. She grabs Kameelah’s hand and says, “come on let’s go outside.”
After about forty-five minutes of the children playing, they were called inside. A Happy Birthday banner graced the wall. Yellow, white, and pink decorative streamers flowed from the ceiling, balloons adhered to the walls, and some were left to float freely on the floor. On the table, everyone had their name tag where they were to sit. The paper party plates and cups had “My little pony theme, with white plastic utensils.
The children found their name tags and sat in their assigned seat. Peaches sat at the head of the table. Her dad and grandmother sat on the side, to watch and enjoy the celebration. Peach’s auntie and mom brought out the nuts and cookies, while Peach’s, older cousin walked around the table filling the cups with pink lemonade.
Mrs. Pratt came from the kitchen with a worried look on her face. She walked over to her husband and whispered in his ear. Now he had a worried look on his face. He stood up, and they went back into the kitchen. Mrs. Pratt said, “I can’t find the cake. What could have happened to it?”
"Honey, you’re sure you picked the cake up from the bakery?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I had everything ready. I unboxed it and sat the cake on the bureau. This is crazy.”
Well, let’s just look, it has to be here.” They looked in the refrigerator, inside the bureau, in the pantry… nothing. He then went to the back dining room, only used for formal dinner parties. He thought he heard voices and followed them.
The whispering got louder. When he reached the formal eating table, he looked down and saw chocolate on the white floor-length linen tablecloth. He bent down, pulled it up and there were Timothy and Khaleed, chocolate all over their face, mouth and even on their clothes. “Did you really think, the two of you were going to eat the entire cake?”
© Clover Journesy, 8/31/2021
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