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Chapter 4

I wake up to the sounds of our cows mooing demanding to go grazing as they are hungry , birds chirping and dogs barking. A typical morning here. I reach under the pillow to get my phone and it's not there. Now completely awake and scared ,I throw the pillows on my bed hazardously on the ground to allow for easier scanning for my lost phone but still no phone can be seen .I get desperate and start checking in between the blankets because maybe I could have possibly moved it while I was asleep.

In the midst of my panic I forgot where I was. Living in town means you have to survive ,be on the look out for thieves and corn artists. Life in town is hard everyone wants to be able to survive and that means more thieves are looking for a way to make a quick shilling and your phone is one way. I forgot I was home, safe and surrounded by my people, my family and not by thieves. Once I allowed myself to calm down and permitted my brain to work, I knew exactly who has my phone.

"Amari, bring back my phone right now!" I shout.

" I don't have your phone" he says from his room.

" Come and lie to me on my face"

He comes to my room but remains at the entrance peeking inside.

" Where is my phone? and don't lie" I asked very irritated. I almost had a heart attack because of him.

" I don't have it"

" So your not hiding it behind your back?"

" Nop"

" Fine, turn around and let me see your hands"

He shows me one hand at a time trying to rove he doesn't have it but I knew better than to fall for his stupid tricks.

" I don't want to imagine where you've hidden it, so just give it back and I'll buy you a toy car" i negotiate.

" How big are we talking"

" Medium size"

" Nop I want a bigger one"

" Amari I don't negotiate with terrorists, you take the deal or leave it"

" Fine, take your stinking phone"

He reaches inside his back pocket and hands me the phone. I knew that small devil sneaked in here and stole my phone.

" If you do that again you will regret it"

" Sorry"

" All you had to do was borrow. Please don't steal it next time"

" But you always say no"

"No I don't" I deny it knowing fully well that it's true.

"you see, that is why I don't borrow"

" Okay, next time I promise I'll give it to you."

He goes back to his room probably to celebrate the small victory and I go to use the outside bathroom. Most houses here have two bathrooms, one in the house and one outside the house. We mostly use the bathroom inside the house at night or when your sick and can't make the trip to use the one outside. I quickly use the bathroom, wash my face and brush my teeth.

I proceed to the yard to join the others for breakfast. We have a large dining table on the right side of the house and it has a nice big umbrella to give us shade. It gets really hot so a nice cool place is always needed. I join my dad and sister who are already seated and I take a seat next my sister. My brother comes later and sits opposite my sister and I.

Mom arrives with a large hotpot and places it at the Centre of the table. She asks Amari for help to bring the rest of the food to the table. We have a wide selection of food. Placed before us are some bread, mandazi, cold milk, porridge, smokies, boiled eggs, cassava and some left over dinner. Everyone serves themselves what they want and we start eating.

My brother who is never keeps quiet ,starts telling us about an incident where they were chased by some dogs because they threw stones at them. Am sure he thought the story was funny and we would laugh but the story had a different effect . He goes ahead to say that one of his friends had to get rabies shots from a bite of one of those unknown dogs. He was too invested in the story that he didn't notice how my mums facial expression from happiness to angry. Maybe if he did he wouldn't have continued with incriminating story.

My brother has been warned countless times to stay away from his friends. They are not good boys and also not a good influence to someone who is growing up. They are always teaching him the wrong things and my mum looks fed up with him and his tactics.

" Si nilikukanya wewe?"(didn't I warned you)she starts yelling at him.

" Mum we were just joking around"

" What if you were bitten or worst of all hurt?"

" Boys will always be boys ,just let him be. He won't do it again ,right?" Dad says looking at Amari.

" Right, it won't happen again"

"I hope for both your sake it doesn't because I wont be so lenient next time"

After that incident we catch up, share some stories and laugh. Once we were done with breakfast, dad and Amari go to slaughter a goat while my sister goes to clean the house. Its a tradition in our family that whenever we are all together we slaughter a goat to celebrate. Am left with mum to pick the used dishes and take them to the kitchen.

" Mum, where do you want me?"

"You'll do the dishes ,I want us to talk"

I don't like the sound of that at all. She wants to interrogate me ,I just know it. We have two kitchens, one inside the main house where we use gas and electricity to cook and one outside the house where we use firewood to cook and also washing dishes. Mum takes a seat and starts preparing the ingredients we will use to cook Pilau (traditional Swahili dish). I on the other hand have start on the dishes.

" How are you coping?" She asks.

" Am okay" I just want this conversation to be over before it even starts.

" You know I have to worry about you, right?"

" I know mum and I appreciate it"

" Don't worry everything is going to be okay. As I always say,if you love someone you set them free and if they come back,it's meant to be"

" I did that and obviously he's not back ,so am guessing it not meant to be."

" I really liked that boy,he made you happy. Am just disappointed"

" You and me both mum"

" Have you tried getting back in the dating market?"

" No and it's not happening any time soon"

" Maybe you'll meet a nice Kenyan guy who will make you happy"

"Maybe"

" Zee ,I don't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life . Just think about it okay?"

" Okay mum, let's just change the subject. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

" Our neighbors kid got married. It was a huge event, we ate and danced. It was fun. He parents asked for 1 million shillings as dowry"

" Wow okay, that's a lot of money"

" Yea but the husband brought her back after a few months"

" What! Oh no !what happened?"

" He said she doesn't know how to cook properly. He wanted her mum to teach her again."

" That is so embarrassing . Why would he humiliate her like that?"

" It was so humiliating. People were saying that she can't even cook an egg, which was just exaggerated. They concluded that she can't keep a husband"

" That's so sad, how is she doing?"

" She's okay I guess, she went back to live with her husband. So am guessing she learned how to cook"

" You Africans and your rules"

We talk about everything and nothing at the same time ,after all my mom is my best friend. I always tell her everything. After am done with the dishes I help her prepare lunch.

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