Tawheeda Incidental Wealth

CHAPTER 3

Tawheeda and Ashura had known each other for as long as they could remember. Their friendship was like the roots of an old bamboo tree—deep, interwoven, and strong, enduring every storm life threw at them. They lived just five blocks apart, in the small coastal city of Mombasa, where days were filled with the sound of water from the ocean breeze, rustling palms, and the gossip of neighbors.

Though Ashura was a year older, he was 18 years old, and they were inseparable. Their friendship had begun in elementary years, back when Tee wore her hair in two cornrows and Ashura still had her mischievous, gap-toothed grin. Over the years, they became more than friends—they became each other’s companions, study partners, and support systems.

Every afternoon after the close of school, Ashura would meet Tee at her house. Their textbooks would be spread across a mat in the garden, shaded by an apple tree. They made the perfect duo: Tee was meticulous with her notes, and Ashura had a gift for breaking down difficult lessons in simple ways. When one of them strives on a subject, the other will patiently help out. Together, they solved math equations, geography lessons, and science subjects, always pushing each other to be a better version of themselves.

But their friendship was way beyond academics. When Tee wasn’t studying or tending her little garden, Ashura was there, rolling up his sleeves to help her with farm chores, like cultivating the soil. Whether it was watering the corn plants or weeding around the pepper bushes, Ashura is never tired of getting his hands dirty. Tee, in turn, valued his quiet presence—he never made her feel left alone, even when the work was tough.

On weekends, they went to the stream to fetch water, balancing their clay pots on their heads as they walked side by side, laughing at simple jokes. They collected firewood together, Ashura always insisting on helping to carry the heavier bundle, so Tee wouldn’t strain or injure herself. Sundays were for church, where they sat side by side in the wooden pews, sharing hymn books and muttering during the service, earning delighted looks from the congregation.

Their bond was uncontestable, and everyone in the town knew it. “Those two,” the villagers often said with a smile, “they’re like two peas in a pod.”

Despite the ease that comes with their friendship, both Tee and Ashura were dreamers. They often talked about their plans for the future—dreams that are way beyond the perimeters of their little town.

“Someday,” Ashura would say, “we’ll leave this town and go to the city. We’ll get scholarships, study hard, and make something great out of ourselves.”

“And we’ll come back,” Tee would add, her eyes glittering. “We’ll help our families, build something bigger—maybe a school or a clinic for the people of this town.”

These dreams were their secret path to success. They knew the journey ahead wouldn’t be easy, but together, they felt on top of the world. They carried each other’s hopes like fragile seedlings, protecting them until they could blossom.

One warm evening, after finishing their homework, they sat together under the mango tree, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Tee put her head on Ashura’s shoulder, the familiar smell of the earth mingling with the salt air. “Do you ever get scared?” she asked mildly. “That things might not go the way we hoped for?”

Ashura thought for a moment, then blushed. “Sometimes. But even if things do change, Tee, we’ll figure it out. As long as we have each other, we’ll be OK”

And Tee believed him. She always did.

They both knew life wouldn’t be perfect. The challenges of the city might test their loyalty, and the future was full of unforeseen circumstances. But Tee and Ashura had built something unique—a friendship rooted in love, trust, and mutual support that can stand the test of time. And no matter where life took them, they knew that as long as they had each other, they could survive anything.

For now, they were content to live in the moment—two best friends sitting under a mango tree, hoping for a future that belonged to them.