Kamau went home to tell his family the good news. His family was very happy for him and started making plans to have a family celebration.
That night when he went to bed he started thinking about Nyokabi. He could not believe Nyobaki had kissed him. It was strange. Kamau had started having feelings for her when he became a teenager but he had never told her. One because he was shy and two because her dad had become an mp when they were in standard eight and the social divide between them had grown.
As he lay in bed he thought about going to university and how becoming an architect would make it possible to afford the lifestyle that Nyobaki had gotten used to. He fell asleep dreaming about him and Nyobaki getting married and having 3 children.
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Nyobaki wept as she lay in her bed. She could not believe that her dad could be so cruel and inconsiderate. She had all this plans in her head about going to university and convincing Kamau that they belonged together. During high school when the other girls had many boyfriends she had remained alone thinking only of Kamau.
She was not naïve. She knew that since her father became an mp and got rich they had a lot of money and that there were now class differences between her and Kamau. But that didn’t matter. What matters is how I feel about him.
Nyobaki fell asleep trying to think of a way to make sure that her dad did not send her to UK.
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The next morning was a very gloomy looking morning. The clouds were grey and dark and it looked like it would rain during the day.
Nyobaki woke up late because she had been tossing and turning because she couldn’t sleep well. She woke up tired. She went downstairs to have breakfast. Looking outside the main window she saw mama Nyambura standing outside.
Nyobaki frowned wondering what the old lady was doing there. Mama Nyambura was the village gossip and trouble maker. She seemed to like spreading trouble and gossiping about people. Nyobaki did not like her at all. “I guess the old witch wants to see my dad to ask him for money or something.”
She shrugged her sense of unease and went to the dinning room to eat breakfast. She sat nursing her tea and bread as she tried to think of what she could do to change her father’s mind.
She was just finishing her tea when she heard her dad bellowing “Nyobaki, Nyobaki!”
Nyobaki ran to her father’s office. “Yes, dad here I am”
Mr Mbae looked spitting mad. “Nyobaki is what I hear true. Where were you yesterday? What were you doing with Kamau?
Nyobaki was taken aback. “Dad I was just taking to Kamau in the shamba. We were discussing his results.”
Oh ok. So it’s not true what mama Nyambura is telling me. That you let that boy kiss you. That you let that filthy boy touch you.”
Nyobaki was left speechless for a minute. Looking at mama Nyambura she looked very satisfied. Her mischief was done and now she had gossip for the whole village. The MP’s daughter with the neighbour’s son. She wondered how much chumvi she could add to the story.
“Nyobaki answer me. Tell me you did not let that boy touch you. I am going to have that boy thrown in jail. How dare he touch you?”
Nyobaki tried to protest. “Dad it wasn’t like that. It was me ………”
That seemed to inflame her father further. “Oh it was you. Is that the girl you have become? Throwing yourself at any man. Is that what they teach you in school? What the hell were you thinking? I blame your mother. She is not watching over you. This boy will see who he is dealing with.”
Mr Mbae turned to mama Nyambura. “Please go. I will deal with this matter. I will give you some money later. Don’t tell anyone what happened. If I hear this story will know it is you who has spread the story and you will be sorry!”
Mama Nyambura left.
Mr Mbae told Nyobaki. “After all I have done for you, you still think like a villager. I am very disappointed in you. You will never see that boy again. Go back your things. I am taking you to Nairobi today. I will change the flight. You will leave for the UK today.”
Nyobaki was crying at this point. “Dad don’t…….’
“I don’t want to hear anything from you. Go get packed now. Let me deal with that villager. He will know who is playing with. I am going to have him arrested right now. No one touches my daughter. No one.’’ After saying that Mr Mbae stormed out.
Nyobaki was left in the office crying. Oh what a mess, she thought. She knew her dad was not joking when he said he would have Kamau arrested. What can I do?
She ran outside and went to the shamba behind the house. Kariuki a childhood friend of hers worked in the shamba for them. He had never finished high school and had gone to work for the Mbae family to feed his family.
“Kariuki, kariuki” she called. Kariuki came running.
“What is it Nyobaki?” he said.
Kariuki please do me a favour, run to Kamau’s house. Kamau should be in the shamba. Tell him he needs to go away. My father has gone to get the police to arrest him because he kissed me and mama Nyambura told dad. Here I have 200 shillings. Tell him to go hide in Nairobi because my father will hurt him.
to be continued.
raylitpoems 2010
