
12 Years later...
"Come on, Al... You can do it!"
"Faste Alfatih, You have to win!"
A middle-aged woman turned to the child who had been shouting encouraging children named Alfatih who was struggling to win a running race at his school. All the teachers, students and families of the students attended the annual event. Where every year will always be held various kinds of loba on the birthday of elementary school.
"Shhhh!" the woman gestured to the child beside her. But the boy was not silent he instead shouted even louder.
"Come on Al... Fasters... Fasters..."
"Shut up, Ezra!" the boy named Al instead shouted back while still trying to run as fast as possible.
"Ezra, you're interfering with his concentration"
"Oh come on, Mom. Ezra actually encouraged Al, he ran like a turtle who broke his leg" said Ezra to his mother who made the mother just shake her head.
The crowd cheers were getting louder as the final seconds of the race were about to finish and there were two children approaching the finish line, Alfatih and also a blond girl.
The atmosphere turned tense as a few more seconds they were about to reach the finish line. Ezra even held his breath seeing who would win.
"Huaa... Anastacia..." The crowd cheers complaining about the girl named Anastasia who first reached the finish line.
Anastasia cheered with excitement because now she won the race after the year before her defeat by Al.
Ezra sighed sluggishly as his hero lost.
After iu, Al with his happy face walked towards Ezra where there was already Maryam and Afsana.
Afsana was surprised because Al even smiled when he lost. Likewise with Maryam, until the girl named Anastasia came and she displayed her ridiculing smile.
"YOU LOSE!" he said while giving his upside-down thumb, not to Al but to Ezra. "Remember your promise, Mr. Degazi" asserted the girl then he left from there.
"What does that mean?" maryam asked because Anastasia instead mocked Ezra instead of Al while the one who participated in the race and the loser was Al.
"Ezra made Al the betting material of Mommy.His word is that if Al wins from Anastasia, then Anastasia must do whatever Ezra wants. Yes if Al loses then the opposite" said Al while trying to adjust his breath. Then Afsana wiped the sweat of her son with a small towel.
"What's that, Ezra?" maryam and Ezra asked just a whimper.
"That's not good, Ezra" Afsana said, "And you Al, you deliberately gave up?" asked his mother and Al nodded with a big smile that made Ezra look upset.
"What the hell, Al? Very similar tega itself" Ezra grumbled.
"It's not heart, but teach you a lesson" replied Al.
"That's not good, Ezra. Mommy doesn't want you to do that kind of betting or challenge again, okay?" pinta Maryam and Ezra nodded with her guilty face. Al looked happy.
Then they went home because the show was over.
"Mom, today Ezra's home eyed ya" pinta Ezra when both are already in the car. Afsana and Al are in their own car.
"Today you have Urdu lessons. Remember?" Ezra immediately let out a heavy sigh.
"Mom, I don't like Urdu language, it's so difficult" he whined.
"That's easy, honey. As long as you learn it with pleasure, cook lose to your sister. He can speak Urdu"
"Okey" whispered Ezra half-heartedly. Actually Maryam does not want to force Ezra to learn her eyang language, but Granny Amy still wants Amar's children to also master her husband's native language.
"Oh yeah, remember never again to bet anything with anyone at school" said Maryam because honestly, her first child was a little naughty.
"Ready, Captain" cried Ezra who made Maryam laugh.
Meanwhile, Al and Afsana are almost home. Al asks if his mother is disappointed because Al lost the race.
"However, it's good that you also lose so let's be a lesson for Ezra so you don't underestimate others. The bet also has a bail" said Afsana.
Arriving at home, Al was immediately greeted by two 7-year-old little girls. Ava and Eva, Al's twin sisters.
"Sir, which cup?"
"Which gift?"
Eva and Ava both ask because Al came home from the race but did not bring anything.
"The same reward is true, Dek. Now I have a gift for you.... Tara's..." Al gave each one a picture of themselves. Al deliberately asked Ezra to paint his sister so that they are not disappointed if Al lost the race and did not bring home the trophy, because usually they always ask for Al trophy if Al participate in any race.
Ezra loves to paint and tomorrow at school will be a painting competition.
Hem, like now it's Al's turn to prank Ezra.
"Beautiful, must be Sister Ezra." said Ava.
"It's so thick" cried Al.
"Al, you take a shower. After this your Arabic teacher will come" said Afsana.
"Yes, Ummi"
At home, Ezra was silent while watching his two younger brothers, 10-year-old Arkan and 8-year-old Syafiq. He was thinking what tomorrow will paint to win? Usually his younger brother will help find ideas but now they are busy watching cartoons.
"Sister..." Ezra turned and found a little girl with wide eyes and a big smile that made Ezra immediately get an idea.
"Perfect" said Ezra directly.
"What's perfect?" ask the little girl.
"You are the most special sister" said Ezra.
The girl was Akshara who had just turned 6 years old. One daughter Amar and Maryam. The girl was beautiful and had white skin, a tall body and she really looked like a Pakistani.
"I am not perfect, I can't read or write" the girl said without looking at Ezra.
Akshara Degazi, Amar's youngest daughter, is an autistic girl with dyslexia.
"But you always can do what we never can do" entertained Ezra.
Right, behind his limitations, Akshara has a strong memory. She can speak English, Arabic and Urdu only by being taught orally by Amar, Maryam and Granny Amy. Ezra even lost, until this moment Ezra only mastered English.
"Dinner is ready..." Nur told his four small employers. Then Syafiq and Arkan immediately ran to the dining table.
"Don't run.." perinatah Ezra and his two sisters immediately stopped running. While Ezra walked slowly with Akshara.
At the dinner table, Granny was waiting. Maryam and Amar joined them.
"How are you preparing for tomorrow's race, Ezra?" ask Amar.
"It's ready, Daddy. Ezra believes Ezra can win"
"Optimists are good, but don't be ambitious, okay?"
"Key, Dad"
"How are the schools of Syafiq and Arkan today?"
"Currently, Dad" Arkan replied.
"And you, Shafiq?"
"Fluent"
Among Maryam's three sons, Ezra was the most mischievous and active. And Arkan is a good boy and he can think more maturely than Ezra. While Shafiq is a quiet and shy child, and Shafiq is not very suitable with Akshara because if the two are left together, then there will be no activity whatsoever. There will only be silence because both are equally silent.
While Arkan will keep Akshara as his older brother and he's the serious type. While Ezra was closer because Ezra could play a brother and friend for Askhara.
The Degazi family ate quietly and occasionally in the cheeks of chatter between them. In between the busy Maryam and Amar, both of them still prioritize family. And at the end of the second week he always takes his children to the playground or the other.
So far, Maryam and Amar have played very well as parents. They do not distinguish one child from another. And if even they pay more attention to Akshara not because Akshara is the only daughter, but because Akshara does have special needs and his three older brothers are very understanding of it.
"Sister Al... Food is ready" Al who just opened his gadget in shock with his sister who suddenly opened the door while shouting.
"Ava, don't yell that way. I heard" said Al.
"Sound what is it? from earlier Eva had called her big brother but Al Engga nyut. So Eva told me to call" said her sister, Al seemed silent for a moment and then said...
"Oh, maybe it was brother in the bathroom" he exclaimed then he went to the dining table with his sister. There is already his grandparents and his sister's twin brother.
"Ummi, which Ava's brood?" asked Ava who made Al frowning confused then he turned to his sister who had called him, which he thought was Ava when in fact he was Eva. And Eva like her was deliberately pranking her.
They are identical twins, not only that, they also have the same haircut and always wear the same clothes. The sound of both is also the same if not listened carefully so that not this time either Al or the others sometimes can not distinguish Ava and Eva.
"Ummi, it's like Ava and Eva should be given a sign so we can distinguish them" Al grumbled because it's been a lot of his sister's brother was pranking her.
"Indeed, your sister's pranking you again?" faraz and Al asked quickly. Making Faraz and Afsana shake their heads.
"That can be like that, dear" Afsana reminded.
"Lying is okay, son. Must always be honest" Asthma chimed in.
Ava and Eva nodded.
"Sorry, sister" Eva told Al.
"Yes, but this is the last one"
"Yes" Ava and Eva answered simultaneously.
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Tbc...