A bird pecking furiously on the window was what woke up Terian from her first-ever erotic dream, one that had featured her and Masikonde.  She was no longer

dreaming, but as she waited for her heart rate to normalise, she could still feel his long fingers rubbing her nakedness, and feel the heat from his lips.

“What am I turning into?” she said loudly, hiding from nothing by sliding under her pink bed sheets.

Her newly acquired close-knit circle kept telling her she had changed, but she did not need any of them to tell her. She loved the difference, but the same difference was keeping her away from Saitoti.

It had been three weeks since she last went to visit him, and not for lack of opportunity. She was afraid he would confront her about her new look, one that frumpy clothes could no longer hide.

The night before, after Lemaiyan and Kokoi had gone to bed, Terian had stayed up for hours, trying on new clothes, trying to see herself through Saitoti’s eyes. Saitoti’s reaction was not what bothered her; it was letting him know so blatantly that her life had changed as his was on standstill.

Even more than she felt guilty about Saitoti, she missed Masikonde. He had not spoken to her for days, and she could not bring herself to ask Moraa about him or call him. Moraa had not mentioned his name, not once.

When Moraa knocked on the front door, she was still in bed.

Moraa’s smile disappeared as soon as she saw Terian’s face. “Hey, are you okay?”

Terian choked and nodded, then walked back to the bedroom. “Oh, dear...” Moraa muttered, dropping her handbag by the door and following Terian.

“Hey, why are you crying?” she asked, sitting next to Terian and gently taking her hand. “Sshh...  it’s okay. Whatever it is, you can tell me.” And she gathered her in her arms, stroking her head repeatedly.

Terian eventually gently disengaged herself from Moraa. “I don’t know what got over me,” she said, accepting a handkerchief from Moraa and blowing her nose loudly.

“Happens to the best of us. Curse of being a woman.” Terian giggled. “You cry too, for no reason?”

She shrugged. “I wouldn’t really say for no reason. There is always a reason bad enough to make one cry. We can talk about what is bugging you later, mmh?”

“Where are we going?”

“Today, you and I are going to do girlie stuff.”

Terian posed by the door to adjust her clothes. With some reluctance, she turned the lock and let her head in first. Saitoti was lying on his back with his eyes closed.

Saitoti opened his eyes with a start, took a few seconds to focus, and then smiled. “Terian, you are here...”

By the time she reached him, she was weeping loudly. She fell on his chest, only stopping when Saitoti started crying loudly. “Sorry... Sorry. I just feel so bad because I have not come to see you for so long. I am sorry...” She ran her newly soft fingers across his face and noticed him eyes straining to focus on them. She pulled them away and folded her palms into fists.

“That is fine.” He paused, studying her for a moment. “How is Lemaiyan?”

“He is fine. He misses you so much.” That was her second lie. Lemaiyan no longer asked about his father. Saitoti’s name was now mentioned in whispers, and only very seldom.

“I miss him too.” He exhaled as he shut his eyes. “How are you? I hope you are still living with Kokoi.”

She could not look at him as she delivered the next lie. “Yes, I am.” She snorted.

“You look well and rested.” She thought about the massage and the sauna the previous day, and looked away.

“Sort of. But I am still cooking and delivering the food.” She looked away again.

“Your beard and hair are overgrown,” she suddenly said, ignoring his statement. “I brought a razor and some soap. I hope they do not mind if I give you a shave.” She managed a smile. He smiled back at her.

“They bring a barber once in a while, but I like it better when you do it.”

 “Good. Let me get some water to lather the soap.”

****

Moraa watched Terian approach the car with unsteady steps. A driver hooted because Terian failed to pay attention to her surroundings and nearly got bumped by a reversing vehicle. She jumped out of the way and did not even look at the offended driver. As she went nearer, Moraa saw the red, puffed eyes. She got out of the car and hugged her.

“That bad?” Moraa asked as she opened the door for Terian to get in. Terian nodded. “Moments like these are when a stiff one comes in handy.” Her attempt to joke only got a confused look from Moraa’s bloodshot eyes.

“A stiff what?”

“Argh...girl! What am I going to do with you?” She laughed. Terian smiled. “At least that got you smiling. A stiff one means an alcoholic drink, and the stronger it is, the better.”

“Ah ... I do not want to drink.”

“I will, on your behalf. Come on, we are going for a meal, then perhaps you can tell me all about it. You know this is our last day together this week.”

“But you will be coming to visit when you are free?” “Try and stop me.”

“Where are we going?”

“Nowhere while you are dressed like that!” Terian looked at herself and smiled. “As soon as we get there, you are going to get out of those hideous clothes.”

By the time they checked in at Ngirinyu Restaurant on Ngong Road, Terian had changed clothes.

 ****

Terian opened the door, a shy smile on her face. Behind her were Kokoi and Moraa. Lemaiyan was glued to the television, but made a half attempt to turn.

“You look lovely,” he whispered to Terian as he cupped her face with his palms. She giggled as she shook Orido’s hand.

“Hi Terian? Hello everybody?”

“Kokoi, aren’t you looking lovely in this outfit.” Kokoi widened her already wide smile as she looked at herself admiringly.

“Ashe, supa. The last time I was this smart was on my wedding day.” Then she burst out laughing, her majestic wrinkles showing their prominence.

Masikonde looked at Terian’s outfit, then at Moraa’s. He raised his eyebrow at Moraa who shrugged dismissively and winked. The two girls were in jeans, light jackets under their tops, and also wearing boots. Lemaiyan, now sitting on Masikonde’s lap but still looking at the television, was in jeans, a tee shirt and sports shoes.

“He keeps complaining of being too hot when he wears a sweater,” Terian explained when Masikonde asked why the little boy did not have something warm on

“Just make sure you carry something warm enough for him. It gets pretty cold at night where we are going.”

“Where are we going?” Moraa finally asked. “We are going to look for the big five.”

“We are going to the Maasai Mara?” Moraa screeched.

Terian and Kokoi looked on in confusion.

She took a deep breath and shifted again, but this time round she faced him. “Are we going to meet your family?”

“Yes we are, but only if you are okay with it.” “Why?”

“Why are we going to meet them? Well, because I am overdue in visiting my father, and I thought it would be a good trip for you all.”

“Who will you tell them I am?”

“My friend, of course. I am also taking Moraa and Orido, remember? It is also not the first time I will be taking friends home.” He was stretching the truth; this would be the first time he was taking a female visitor of special interest. “If you do not want to meet them, that is alright.”

“That will not make you angry?”

He smiled and touched her arm reassuringly. “No. Perhaps disappointed, but angry? No. We can spend the night in a hotel, then wake up early for a game drive.” She sighed and relaxed her shoulders. “So, shall we head out and you can think about it on the way?”

She smiled and nodded. “Lemaiyan will be so excited if we see a lion. He always wanted to see one.” Her tension had turned into excitement.

“I will make sure he sees more than a lion. I know where all the big five hide.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Okay then, let’s get back inside. You packed enough for an overnight stay, I hope?” She nodded, then she did something he never thought was possible -- she initiated a kiss, catching him off guard such that the quick kiss landed on the side of his mouth.

“That is no way to deliver a kiss. Come here, let me show you how it is done.”

Half an hour later, they were on their way.

When Masikonde bought the Range Rover Sport, he had it turned to a seven-seater. The enthusiastic salesman had said it was possible to do it, and because Masikonde had been feeling adventurous, he had had it done. Now he was glad he had. He sat at the front with Orido. Terian and Moraa had the second row while Kokoi and Lemaiyan had the third row. All their overnight bags fit at the remaining space.

Orido’s mood improved with every kilometre. He had assumed the role of snack distributor and entertainer, wowing Lemaiyan with all the things lions could do, half of them from watching cartoons.

“You have watched Lion King too many times!” Masikonde accused Orido, making note to self to buy the movie for Lemaiyan.

“What, you mean lions cannot sing and dance?” Orido asked with feigned shock.

“Dance to death, most likely your death.”

They stopped several times on the way. All of those times was because Kokoi complained that her bones were tired. “Sitting like this, doing nothing, is not good for old bones.”

“But Kokoi, you have been sitting a lot of late, watching television,” Terian accused amidst laughter. Kokoi was having none of that. They would stop for half an hour to eat, use the toilet, and stretch.

 ****

 The heat outside had become unbearable for everybody. Even Lemaiyan had bowed down to it and only stayed under the shades. They finished eating lunch and were resting in the visitors’ manyatta when Masikonde stretched his long body and announced that they had to leave.

“We all have jobs to report to tomorrow.”

“Ah...about that.” It was Kokoi. She shifted in her seat, quickly glancing at Yeyo and Olpaiyan before speaking. “Lemaiyan and I are staying behind.”

“What?” Several voices asked. “What are you talking about?” Masikonde pressed, looking at the three older people in turns.

“We want to stay around, just for a week.”

Masikonde turned to look at his father, then his mother.

They were both looking at him unblinkingly.

Terian shifted in her seat, blinking several times, then looking at Masikonde helplessly. Moraa reached for Terian’s hand and squeezed it. Orido was sitting back on the sofa, a toothpick in his mouth and watching things unfold with an amused look.

“But you do not even have enough clothes to last you a week!” Masikonde said.

“I will wear Yeyo’s, no problem.” “Lemaiyan?”

“Lemaiyan is an upcoming moran. He will survive with the two sets of clothes he has. It’s not like he is interested in clothes anyway.” Lemaiyan was once again in his underwear, a heap of his clothes beside the seat he was occupying.

“How will you get back to Nairobi? Surely not in papa’s ramshackle.”

“You will come back for them,” Olpaiyan said authoritatively.

Masikonde sighed in resignation and looked at Terian apologetically.

“Papa, can I talk to you, please?” Masikonde asked, already standing. Olpaiyan followed. “What’s happening?”

“I am sorry for making such a decision without you, but Yeyo and Kokoi have spoken a lot since yesterday. This morning I had a chance to get in on the conversation. There are a lot of things that need to be discussed, and they cannot be discussed in a day.”

“What things? They just met yesterday!” “Women are a strange lot.”

“If the discussions involve me, should they not happen in my presence?”

“Why do you imagine they involve you? You are a grownup, and you can handle your business.” Masikonde blinked at his father in confusion. “So, if they are not discussing me, us, what are they discussing?”

“Did I not tell you women are strange? I also do not think you should worry about the little boy. From what I understand, Kokoi takes care of him a lot, so he should be fine.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will. In a week, when you return. Come back with Terian. Lovely woman. Good choice.”

Even in the circumstances, Masikonde smiled smugly. “She has not agreed to anything. There are things to be discussed.”

Olpaiyan waved him away. “What things? You want her, get her. Like I said, come back with her next week.” Masikonde nodded. “Is Sinta well?”

He shrugged. “She is. She is away, coming back in a week and no, she does not know about Terian yet.”

“Tell her.” It was an order.

Masikonde nodded as he followed his father back to the

manyatta.

 ****

 “If the atmosphere in this car gets any thicker, I shall choke,” Orido declared, throwing up his hands dramatically. They had been driving for close to an hour in silence. “So, I suggest we have a pit stop, stretch our legs, perhaps scream off some tension.”

Masikonde pulled over by the roadside. Moraa and Orido walked a distance away, leaving Terian and Masikonde leaning on the car.

He pulled her towards him in a hug. “They will be fine,” he whispered. She nodded in her silence.

Five minutes later when Moraa and Orido returned, Masikonde and Terian were still engulfed in a hug. Back in the car, the tension was less with everyone talking in whispers.

“How are you feeling? About everything, I mean?” Moraa whispered to Terian.

“Confused. I don’t understand what just happened.”

“What did…” she pointed at Masikonde with her chin. “What did he say about it?”

Terian shrugged. “I think he is just as confused.”

With their fingers intertwined, they were silent for a while, each facing outside their respective window. Terian turned to Moraa, bent close and whispered. “How…how are things with…” she pointed at Orido with her chin. The two girls giggled.

Moraa shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, that was awesome but, what happens when we get back to the city? Men are so complicated!” she whispered and sighed, going back to looking through the window.

Masikonde and Orido had initially kept up a conversation, but eventually Masikonde increased the volume of the music, and they had fallen into a comfortable silence as the girls fell asleep. By the time they got to Kajiado, it was dark.

“I will miss you,” Moraa said to Terian as she zipped up her small suitcase. The two were in Terian’s bedroom as the men sat in the sitting room.

“I will miss you too. Thank you – for everything. I don’t think I would have survived all that without you.” She had tears in her eyes.

“It was fun. And we must do it again and again.” “I would love that.” They hugged.

“I think Masikonde wants to spend the night here. Are you okay with that?”

Terian took time to answer. Hands inside her front jeans pockets as she chewed on her lower lip. She walked across the room slowly, turning suddenly when she got to the end.

“Yes. I think I am,” she whispered.

Moraa smiled. “I thought so. Enjoy your night. I will certainly be enjoying mine.” She giggled.

“You are going to Orido’s house?”

“Let him try and stop me,” she said, and they laughed again.

Moraa had her car keys in hand when they returned to the sitting. “Here,” she said, handing the keys to Orido, who exchanged a look with Masikonde and nodded.

“Alright, good people. I hate to leave you, but tomorrow is a working day.”

“I will see you off. Oh, Moraa, I will be taking the day off tomorrow.” Masikonde followed them to the car, and only when they drove out of the gate did he remove his phone to dial Sinta’s number. It rang once, she picked.

“Hey sexy!”

“Hello darling. I thought you forgot about me. Or are mad at me.” Sinta slurred. He smiled. She could never handle alcohol very well and only a few glasses of wine got her slurring.

“Don’t be silly. I was just giving you time to get drunk.” He teased. She laughed.

“How considerate! I am glad to report I have achieved ultimate drunkenness after multiple glasses of wine.” She said with a giggle.

 *****

Masikonde maintained a constant speed of one hundred kilometres an hour when the roads allowed him, enjoying every moment of being alone with Terian, who slept on and off next to him.

He used her sleeping time to try and reconcile the person she used to be, and the person she had become, the person she was in between. One moment she was this naïve, dewy-eyed girl walking with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The next minute she was a perfect picture of sophistication. The Terian he now had, the one he was now addicted to, the one who had rendered the construction workers speechless, was only similar in name with the one he had first met.

He worried, just a little, if she could handle the new excitement, then with some shock and self-disapproval, felt his own insecurities fight to get to the surface. What if she stopped needing him, stopped looking at him as her saviour, realised there were many other saviours out there? What would happen when she became aware of the power she had over men? In the city, he knew women like that; women aware of the kind of effect their smiles and luscious bodies had on men, and they used them mercilessly.

He shook his head repeatedly.

He turned to her. She had reclined her seat a little. A pair of sunglasses rested on her forehead, eyes fluttering as she slept. A perfect picture of contentment and beauty. He took a sharp breath, feeling proud of himself as much as of her.

She woke up with a yawn somewhere between Suswa and Duka Moja.

“Hunger or fatigue?” he asked, finally allowing himself to rub her thigh up and down.

“Hunger, I think.”

“You want a real meal, or are you okay with the snacks we bought?”

“Snacks. They may have cooked for us already.”

Only when they were both sitting and sharing a bag of crisps, each with a soda, did Masikonde bring up the topic of college.

“Yes I am ready for Monday,” she answered, rubbing her hands with excitement.

“And you are sure you want to do catering?”

She was noisily chewing on the crisps as she looked his way behind the sunglasses. Moraa had asked her the same question, if she was sure, that she hoped she had not picked catering because it seemed like the easiest course.

“I am sure. I love cooking. And it will be awesome to learn how to bake cakes.”

He nodded. “That’s fine. Lema is also starting on Monday?”

She nodded. “The school bus will be dropping him home at four. I leave college at three, so the timing is fine.”

“And Kokoi will be there to receive him.”

“I hope she does not get too bored being on her own.” “Kokoi? With the beads and the television? I doubt it.”

They laughed.

Before returning to the car, Terian removed a shuka from her bag and wrapped it over her clothes. Next she wore emankik, jewellery for married women. Masikonde looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled and said, “Yes I am sure.”

****

When an unrecognised number flashed on Terian’s phone screen, Moraa was driving her to the hospital to see Saitoti.

“Hello?” she answered. Then went quiet as she listened, brow furrowing. Moraa looked at her in concern and pulled over. “Okay,” she said, disconnecting the line and dropping the phone on her lap, but it slid on the floor of the car. She did not bother to pick it.

“What is it?” “Saitoti.”

“What about him?” Moraa asked sharply.

“That was a nurse at the hospital. She told me that he is asking for me.” She took a shaky deep breath and rubbed her eyes. “Do you know it has been a month since I have been to see him?”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have been busy.” “Doing what? Having sex with another man?”

Moraa first chuckled, but eventually burst in laughter.

Terian glared and scoffed, then joined in the laughter.

“Sorry. But that was just too hilarious,” Moraa apologised, wiping tears from her eyes. “Perhaps you should have visited, but you didn’t. The question is, why is he asking for you?” Terian shrugged, chewing on her nail thoughtfully. “Perhaps he misses you. Or perhaps he is feeling better.”

“Masikonde would have told me. Orido tells him everything.”

“Mhhh... let’s stop speculating and just head there. Did you carry those hideous clothes of yours?” Terian giggled and nodded. “You will be fine, but I think you should be ready to explain why you look like you just swallowed glitters; no clothes could hide your glow.”

Terian knocked and opened the hospital room door just as Saitoti was opening his eyes. He squinted then blinked repeatedly.

“Terian...” He whispered. “Terian.” He adjusted his voice. “So good to see you. How are you?”

Taking the last steps to the bed, she smiled nervously. “How are you Saitoti?” she clasped his hand.

“I am fine” He was sniffing the air around her.

“You are so beautiful! You smell good too,” he whispered. She blushed under her chocolate skin and scratched her head. “I love it when you have shaved your hair.”

She smiled nervously as she ran a hand over her scalp. “I have really missed you.”

“You are looking well.”

He raised his eyebrow. “I am not well. No improvement, and I am piling on more medical conditions. The doctor is testing another new drug on me. I think I will eventually die of a kidney failure, not heart or back issues...”

“Stop!” she whispered loudly. This was, she realised, one of the other reasons she had been staying away. He effortlessly reminded her of reality of the situation. “Please stop,” she whimpered, kneeling down and placing her head on his chest.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. But you asked how I am. Anyway, let’s not start on a sour note. It’s been so long. How are you, how is Lema?”

“Lema is fine. I left him with Kokoi. They both send their regards. He has started school.” He had, but far, far away.

“I miss him so much. One of these days you must bring him to see me.”

She nodded. The problem with taking Lemaiyan would be he would blubber about his adventures at the Maasai Mara. “I will.” She stood up and pulled a snort, wiping her tears.

“I want to discuss something with you.” She sat on his bed, meeting his gaze for the first time. He had lost weight, a lot of weight. She could see the contours of his jawbones. His eyes were sunken. She looked at his lifeless hands – skin and bone. Most of all, there was no fight in him. Were they not feeding him?

“What about?” He was holding her gaze.

“About our families. I want to go and see them.”

And she saw that smile. That long-ago forgotten smile that had endeared her to him. Why she had chosen him over tens of other boys in the school. A smile so complete, bright white teeth whose colour had not faded with his disease, against a chocolate brown gum, so happy, it used to make her believe everything would be alright. It made her feel the same thing now. She smiled back. She could not have known it, but he was thinking along her lines, that he had not seen Terian’s smile so happily in a long time. That he could do anything, even die, to bring back that smile.

“That is the best news I have heard in years. I have been thinking a lot about them.”

“Kokoi has agreed to mediate.” “When do you intend to do that?” “Soonest possible.”

“Thank you. Thank you. It will be alright. You will see. This is like the last piece of the puzzle for me.” Terian shivered and quickly turned away.

The final instalment, Part 4, comes next week.

‍