KYLIE AND KIM

"Mom! Mom!" Ella calls loudly with a lot of smiles on her face as she enters the sitting room, but is forced to halt when she sees that her mother is having a meeting with two men slightly older than her mom.

"Where are your manners?!" Lola cautions.

"Is this your eldest daughter?" The first man asks.

"Yes." Lola answers with a smile.

"She is different from what I have heard, she looks more beautiful." The second complements.

"Thank you sir." Ella appreciates shyly.

"That will be all for today sirs. I will call you if I have anything else to say." Lola says.

"Alright ma." The men stands and walk out.

Lola directs her gaze to Ella in an offended manner. "Ella? How many times have I warned you to stop running around, you are a princess, you should behave like one."

"I am sorry mom, but the news is an exciting one, so I was so happy and wanted to share the news with you?"

"Did you get admitted to another international school to further your education? If that's the case don't bother to tell me because I won't allow you to go."

"Mom!" Ella calls loudly. "You are so unbelievable, you didn't even let me tell you what the good news is before concluding."

"What else could the good news be? You only consider studying a good thing."

"You are actually correct." Ella whispers and sits close to Lola.

"I knew it!" Lola exclaims and frowns. "Please be lady like, I have never seen you with any guy or even talk to anyone apart from Abdullah and you claim you guys are just friends."

"Mom." Ella calls and holds Lola's hands. "Do you ever think about your kids that died in a motor accident 7 years ago?"

Lola goes mute for a while and smiles bitterly. "Of course I do, but I don't want it to pull me down."

"I promise to take good care of you and do everything you want. Even if it means giving up my dreams. Please, do not of think of them and feel bad anymore. You have me, Shamim, Kylie and Kim. You've got four of us."

"Thank you." Lola hugs her tightly for a while and draws apart. "Does this mean you will go on dates with guys now?"

"No!" Ella disagrees loudly.

"No?" Lola scoffs. "Don't you plan on getting married?"

"I can't believe you are here discussing with your mom when you are aware I have been waiting for you." Shamim cuts in walking towards them.

"I swear I just got here." Ella tries to justify.

"Let me have it." He stretches his hand forward.

Ella dips her hand into the bag and hands him the keys. "Here you-"

Shamim cuts her off as he snatched the keys from her. "Let me have have it."

"Seriously?" Ella asks in surprise.

"I'm out." Shamim says and walks out.

"He is obsessed with that Cassandra witch." Lola comments. "But I don't like her." She humps.

"Then tell him." Ella smiles. "He already knows I don't like her but he tries to defend her saying she is already changing."

"Change? That witch?" Lola laughs. "Very impossible!"

"I said that too." Ella laughs. "When is dad coming back from work today?"

"I don't know." Lola frowns.

"Why are you frowning?" Ella asks.

"I am not frowning!" Lola yells and walks out.

"Okay." Ella whispers to herself trying to fathom what warranted her mom's attitude. "Maybe they had a fight this morning." She concludes.

**************

Later in the evening, Malik walks in looking very tired. "My dear daughter I bet you don't know how tired I am."

"Welcome home dad." Ella greets with a smile and moves closer to him. "Did you have a fight with your wife this morning?"

"Could you tell that easily?" Malik's asks and laughs.

"Yes, her mood changed immediately i mentioned you." Ella sighs. "Will you like to tell me what happened?"

"Stop being sneaky! It's a couple's thing. We will settle it within ourselves."

"Okay." Ella whispers reluctantly.

"Where are your siblings? And your mom?" Malik asks.

"Shamim went out on a date with Cassandra." Ella says and folds her arms.

"Again?!" Malik asks loudly. "He still doesn't get it that we don't like that girl?"

"He doesn't know, because you didn't tell him straight to his face! You and mom should just tell him the truth."

"I just don't want to make him feel bad, he seems to really like her:" Malik whispers.

"She is so uncultured, and very ratchet. Did you see the way she was chewing gum the last time she came?" Ella asks. "She even put her shoes on the table."

"Everyone saw that." Malik says and sits. "What about the girls?"

"They are with mom in the kitchen, they insisted on staying with her in the kitchen while she is cooking."

"That's good, I pray they learn it fast. Can't wait to start eating the food they make for me."

"Father!" A young girl of about 8 years call running in the sitting room.

"My baby Kylie!" Malik hugs her and pats her head. "How was school today?"

"It was fine, but I have a question."

"Really? What is that?" Ella asks.

"Why is my name different from all the names of my classmates. It sounds different from the Burundi names, what does it mean?"

"I guess your older sister is the one to answer that." Malik says pointing at Ella. "As she was the one that gave you and your younger sister the names we call you."

"Really?" Kylie looks at Ella. "Big sis, tell me what does it mean?"

"It has different meanings but in Irish language, it means beautiful and graceful." Ella says with a smile.

"Wow! My name is so beautiful, I like it." Kylie expresses with lots of excitement.

"I am glad you like it." Ella says with a smile too.

"What about Kim? What does it mean?" Kylie asks again.

"It means Gold my dear." Ella answers with smiles still on her face.