A Twofold Tale
The Homecoming

Everything seems to have worked out for the better on both Al’ard and Al’bassita. Later in the autumn, like every year, Scheherazade and Fatima Zahra each go to visit their grandparents in the valley of Tizi-n’Talout in their respective worlds to hunt for special kind of mushroom. After years of experience and cooperation, they always do their hunt at exactly the same time, the morning of the day that lands exactly in between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. This time, Ali is with Scheherazade, and Aziz is with Fatima Zahra (instead of the opposite). The Bellali grandparents have already met the husbands on each world, but don’t notice the difference. This year the women don’t go into the forest alone, they take the men with them. They’ve all brought large bags with them for the harvest (they don’t ever want to run out of stock again, and they don’t need telepathy to know that). Scheherazade and Ali are the first to come upon the delicate purple carpet. She tells him, “Be careful, the fresh shrooms are very powerful. Just a tiny nibble will be enough to send a signal.” First they harvest all of the mushrooms that they replace, then, at the same time, they take a minuscule modicum.

Fatima Zahra and Aziz receive the signal before they’ve found the troop of purple people-interchangers. “Did you hear that Aziz? I’m so excited! All this time without taking to Scheherazade! We have to replace the mushroom patch! It can’t be too far, because it’s always in the same place.” They replace them fast enough and Fatima Zahra gives the same warning to Aziz that her sister gave to his brother. They both nibble to signal, and right after that the men are able to fly through the vortex and reenter their own bodies. This time they wave at each other as they cross each other I the tunnel. Both couples are overjoyed to be reunited with their loves at long last. They all sit down in the forest, the sisters chatting with each other and the brothers too. They have a lot to tell each other and it’s noon when they head back to the grandparents’ home.

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Once at home in their villa on Al’ard, Scheherazade and Aziz, together with Asra and Kabira, take a whole night to tell each other their sides of the story, until they all know everything that happened in both worlds.

Asra is a bit disappointed. “I was hoping to be able to speak to my double on Al’Bassita, but I guess that won’t be possible now.”

Aziz tries to lift her spirits, “Yes Asra, but your double died a hero. If she wouldn’t have saved me, my mind would have died with Ali’s body, and I would never have been able to come back. She gave everything she had, even her life. You have the same character, and you can be proud, I’m sure you’d have done exactly the same thing in her place.”

Scheherazade dares to ask Aziz and Asra the question that everyone has on their minds. “Now that you’ve been cleared of your crimes, are you going to get married? Of course, that is if you have the consent of the two other wives…”

Asra speaks up, “Perhaps we should keep fighting to have the article 480 repealed? Think about all of the people who risk prison just because they’re not married!”

Aziz really wouldn’t mind taking Asra as a third wife, four’s the limit, and he has enough financial stability to care for them all. He pops the question on the spur of the moment “Asra, the first question is… Will you marry me?”

Asra is a bit taken aback and doesn’t know quite what to say (Ali’s gone back home).

Scheherazade, even if she’s a bit jealous at times, is full of kindness and generosity, and immediately gives her approval, “If it’s my consent you want Asra, you have it.”

Kabira follows “It’s alright with me too. Come on Asra, we’ll miss you if you go!”

Asra hesitates a few minutes, looking deeply into Aziz’s eyes, and seeing his sincerity, accepts. “I will. On one condition. The wedding will be traditional Tamazight, in the desert under the stars with my tribe.”

Scheherazade and Kabira break out in a shrill cry of “Lililililililililililililililililililililili” ululating as per the custom. Aziz gives them all kisses, and they all hug each other. There’s going to be a second marriage in the same year! A wedding in a 5-billion-star hotel.

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Back at their humble apartment in the old walled city of Al’bassita, Fatima Zahra and Ali also tell each other about everything that’s happened since they lost their connection.

“You see, Fatima Zahra, Asra gave up everything for the cause, even her life. If she hadn’t sacrificed herself we would never have seen each other again. I would’ve been stuck on Al’ard if Aziz was dead here.”

“Thank God. She was a real hero. And to think that we took her to be the mole, and I’m the one that sent Aziz to see her to discover if she was. He must have had a real surprise when they met! By the way, you were cheating on me!” She smiles and winks.

“Yes, it’s true. She had a way of getting what she wanted, and I admit that I couldn’t resist her. Do you believe me when I say that I love you more than anyone?”

“Yes, Ali Baby. I know that’s the truth.”

“You know, when I found myself in Aziz’s body for the first time, it was the thought of never seeing you again that scared me the most. And Scheherazade could never take your place in my heart. Later, when I was being questioned by the lawyer after being arrested for article 480, she asked me if I loved Asra, and I answered, ‘I love her more than anyone else in this world.’ It was true, because I didn’t love Sheherazade, or Kabira, those are Aziz’s loves, and you were not in that world. You are everything for me, and now that Asra is gone, you can be sure that I’m yours alone.”

“You won’t go and replace Kabira here in this world then, will you?” another wink.

“One wife is enough for me.”

“Are you sure? Tell me, you don’t miss the life of luxury your brother lives? Wouldn’t you like to switch places with him?”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes for anything, neither for the luxury, nor for the celebrity. I would like to see the ban on my book lifted though. I wouldn’t mind being a famous author.”

“I have a better idea, why don’t you write a novel about our adventure in the parallel worlds? You know that even if Nizam Mahfoud is dead, the king would never want all the truth to be known. If you write a fiction novel you don’t have to worry about that, it’s not like your investigative journalism. You can even make it in a fictional country.”

“Great idea Fatima Zahra love, I’ll get on it right away!” Ali starts writing while everything is still fresh in his memory, checking back with his brother from time to time for details. In a month the story is finished.

Ali hopes you enjoyed it!