Identical twins with differences as big as heaven and earth

She had a sculpted figure which was twine-thin. Her waist was tapered and she had a burnished complexion. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on sweeping eyelashes. Her delicate ears framed a button nose. A set of dazzling, angel-white teeth gleamed and made the trick when she smiled. It was a pleasure to see her flowing, khol-black hair. She had saccharine blossom lips. She had a bubbly personality. Her name was Melissa Apiyo. Her beauty had been known country wide and like Binti Matlai Shemsi, she was a reserved young woman waiting on her prince. Her twin Belinda Adongo was quite the opposite of her sister. Despite them having a striking resemblance, she was the talkative one of the two. Describing Belinda's physical appearance would be a repeat. Now the two sisters could not see eye to eye. Belinda blamed Melissa for taking Ethan from her. Melissa on the other hand maintained her innocence saying that she had met a man and they'd fallen in love. "You see kid sister, you can not always win." Belinda replayed Melissa's words in her mind the tenth time that day. "Melissa you'll pay, you'll pay for taking Ethan from me. He's mine. He has to be mine. Ethan is mine. World come and hear this, Ethan is mine. Mine mine mine!" Belinda shouted. She was almost losing her mind. ONE Let's start right from the beginning. When Mr. and Mrs. Simon got blessed with the twins, the whole family went into jubilation. The couple had spend seven years without a child and when God finally blessed them with not just a child but children, they had all the right to celebrate. The children had come to wipe the tears of Wanjiru. The couple was happy. Many were the times that his relatives had warned him about his wife Wanjiru, they associated the poor woman with witchcraft. "You don't know how many innocent children she might have aborted before she married him" they will be heard saying, sometimes shamelessly in Wanjiru's presence. "She's just married to our brother because of his wealth. That's why she has refused getting him a child." Others would gossip. Wanjiru was a kikuyu while Simon was a Luo. They had gone through so many handles to see their marriage work. It was worse when seven years to their marriage Wanjiru could still not give Simon a child. Tongues had gone waging. Now Simon and Wanjiru had a reason to celebrate. A reason to thank God for wiping their tears. The children were dedicated to God, in Anglican Church Of Kenya, St. Stephen's was the home church of the couple. "I'm glad God has finally answered our prayers. I'm going to name her Melissa Apiyo for she's the first born of the two." the mother said handing the girl to the priest. "And I'll name the last one Belinda Adongo for sh came last." her husband Simon said smiling. Melissa and Belinda grew to be beautiful and bubbly children. Their parents loved them dearly. They were the family's jewel. Few of Simon's relatives had slowly started accepting Wanjiru for they had realized that they were never going to win when it came to his wife. Simon loved Wanjiru, that was what everyone was finding hard to come into terms with. His mother had gone to an extra mile of getting Simon a Luo wife but Simon had declined the lady. She had insisted on a male child but Simon was contented with his twins. "mom, these children are mine. It's not like Wanjiru was alone. For heaven's sake, we got the children together." he once addressed his adamant mother. "see how she has bewitched you. You need a male child." "I'm I still not the one to give out that Y chromosome mum?". "and what the hell is that?" "mom, I'm the only one who can determine the gender of the child Wanjiru will carry. Even if you get me ten wives and I keep on supplying them with X chromosome, this will be a girls home." "So now I took you to school so you can insult me with this big English of yours?" "what I'm trying to say is, I am the determining factor of what my wife gives me." Slowly, the mother in law started warming up to Wanjiru. She didn't want to lose her only son. During school, Apiyo was the bright one academically. Adongo was good in sports. She loved modeling. She had many times seen herself win the school crown as miss Sacred Heart academy. Her sister on the other side would go home with lots of presents for topping in school work. They were adorable children. At the age of sixteen however, things started to change. Apiyo loved spending her time in books and the parents would lovingly encourage Adongo to do the same. She hated it. She hated being controlled. She hated being compared with her boring sister. Why could their parents not just let her be? "Dear Adongo, we do this because we love you. We want only the best for you. Darling, your grades have drastically gone down. Do you know what might be the problem?" one day her mom walked to her as she did her squats in the backyard. "Mom, can't I have a me time for once? I said I don't have a problem." "Well, then I think you have an explanation why you scored a c- while your sister scored straight A's in almost all the subjects. "Because she's Melissa Apiyo and I am Belinda Adongo." she rudely replied. Melissa was just looking at them from a far. She hated how her sister talked to their mom but she never tried confronting her. Not even once. She hated her sister's short temper. "I'll make sure your dad gears this when he's back." the mother said angrily and left. Adongo continued with her squats and rope skipping. She wanted to maintain her shape. She was working hard to look different from her sister. "you haven't talked well to mother Belly," Melissa walked to her sister once the mother was out of sight. "do you think she'll tell father?" "She looked offended. You should ran and apologize." "But Lisa, it's not my fault that you carried all our brains!" Belinda joked. "And you took all the beauty. Come-on let's go. You need to talk to mum." Life at Simon's home was not all flowers sometimes the two girls would fight, fight over clothes, shoes, duties, they fought almost about everything. Well, they were still growing. It was during their eighteenth birthday that their father decided to gift them the best gift to adulthood and to growth. They were going to have the birthday of their choice. Before the party, Melissa had won a trip to Mombasa with her school team. That meant that she was to come on the day of the birthday. Leaving her sister behind, Melissa Apiyo and her team left to Mombasa. The journey was very eventful. They had completed their form four course and they felt like real adults,not to talk about Melissa who was about to turn eighteen. "Melissa, I hear your dad has organized a big party for you and your sister." Benta, her best friend, of course after her sister said happily "Yes. Dad said he will give us a party of our own choice. I let that to Belinda though. You know her." "But it's your party girl. What's the theme color?" "I left that to event organizers. I just want something simple." "so what did you wish for?" "mh.. I just want mom and dad to get me a portrait of myself." she said. The whole bus went into laughter. "not even a car Melissa, you know I wish I was born in a rich family like yours" "I'm okay with all that. I just want a portrait of myself." "oh, okay. As you say princess." In Mombasa, their teachers had booked them a nice hotel in Bamburi. That's where they were going to stay. On her first day in the hotel, Melissa fell in love with the art work that started from the decor to the drawings on the wall. There was a young man, maybe in his late twenties still drawing something. It attracted Melissa. He had drawn a crying woman. "Hello there," She greeted. "hello," he said but did not turn to look at Melissa until he was done. "that paint is beautiful. Can you tell me what inspires you? And is this talent or its something you have studied.?" "Hey, one question at a time. This is talent and the thoughts in my mind and the feelings of my heart inspire me." "wow. Amazing. So do you draw most of the time? I'd love to see some of your work and purchase some if possible." "miss, I wish I could grant you your wish but I have a very important appointment with a client. I'm supposed to travel to Nairobi tonight." "too bad." "it's not completely bad but here is my card, I'm Ethan, you can contact me anytime after today's meeting." "okay. That will be helpful. I'm Melissa Apiyo Simon. I hope to meet you again someday." she said disappointed. Melissa kept Ethan's card in her wallet just in time to see Benta smiling to her. "that was a catch wasn't it?" "Benta, you are a true definition of the word Silly." "then that makes us two. What were you and prince handsome talking about?" "art my friend. He has some good work there." "oh, I see. I hope you won't steal that from the hotel when we start going back." "why are you forgetting who I am? I am Melissa Apiyo Simon, I can easily..." "Buy everything I want at any price." in Belinda's voice Benta said. They both laughed. The two girls were great friends. After a week it was sad that their stay in Mombasa was coming to an end. They were now partying ways as teenagers. To go and face life out there. " I'm sad that we all have to part. Why is life so unfair!" "we still can keep in touch." "Girls you'll attend our party right?" "since the invite is coming from you, we shall grace your event dear schoolmate." With each going different ways Melissa remembered her principle's words. "these friends you have here in school will leave you after four years. It's up to you to make the best of your time. Avoid silly friendships that can mess your future. After school it will be you alone. Everyone will go a different direction." she was right. Everyone had left. She was alone, not even with her sister. Taking a cab to home Melissa passed by the supermarket and bought her sister and parents some presents. She was not a big spender. When she got home she found her sister sited alone at the balcony. She didn't look happy. "Belinda, what's up? You look sullen" "it's your crazy parents. They won't let me have a party of my choice. I had to wait for you to go for the gown fitting." "is that so?" "not just that. Mom has refused agreeing to the theme color of my choice." "so what has mother said? And look at you, why are you not even greeting me?" "Sorry sis. I'm just annoyed. How's coast?" "joto my friend. Come see what I brought you. And where's mama and papa?" "Papa left to see off a certain guy,I heard he's to be included in the event organizers since you made such a request." "Me?" "Did you not make this outrageous request of having your portrait for your birthday?" "oh yes I did. Is papa having a problem with it?" "no. But you should meet the guy already. He's super cute." "you are becoming stupid." "I know. Right!" Getting along was something that their parents always prayed for. They were so different. Identical twins are known to love each other completely, but these two, they were like Jesus and sin. Never mixing.