It was Alice,she was going for shopping.I explained to her my ordeal of which she seemed to sympathized with me." What are you going to now Grace",Alice asked after keenly listening to me."Nothing, am going back to village ",I lied to her.What I didn't tell Alice was how I had used the camera she had bargained for me.
Suddenly a car pulled by,it was karanja's ,he rolled diwn the car window as he signalled me to get in."Bye Alice I will call you later I got your number",I told Alice as i got in the car.I put my bag on the backseat as I tightened my safety belt." Sorry for bothering you ",I told karanja as I shifted weight on the seat." Everything for you my daughter ",He answered me with a smile in his face." And who said am your daughter ",I asked him with a burning look." I also didn't knew until I took you home last time",karanja told me as he concentrated on the steering to overtake a matatu.
"Forgive me Grace,I did what I did out of ignorance and young age,not that I hated your mum,infact I regret it even today", karanja told like if reading my next question.
Anyway that was not important to me,the issue was that now am illiterate young woman determined to prosper in life regardless of how I was conceived.
"Its okey dad,you don't have to explain everything to me,I have nothing against you", I told karanja who his face brightened by the mention of the name dad'.
" Thanks my daughter for understanding me,I also look forward to reconcile with your mum",Karanja told me with a faint smile on his face,he knew it was hard reconciling with mum.
"So what happened and why were you fired", karanja asked me looking very curious." Just some little misunderstanding with my boss, nothing much",I answered him without much details. "You want to go back to the village?" He asked me."Village?,no not me!"I confidently told him."what are your plans now",He asked me as he reversed to park his car,we were already in town."To rent a house and may be start a small business, I believe in making it in life",I told karanja who looked me like if doubting my idea.
"Come ,let me buy my daughter some coffee", Karanja told me jokingly as we got out of the car.We crossed some streets which I was not very familiar with though Karanja seemed to know each and every corner of Nairobi town.
He took me in a medium hotel where he ordered to cups of coffee for us." Hey Mr karanja how are you doing, long time", a tall slim middle aged man greeted karanja with a big smile on his smile."Hey Mr Munene,long time",Karanja responded to greetings with much respect as he stood to shake hands with him.From their gestures and talks I could tell they were longtime friends.Karanja asked Mr munene to join us which he gladly accepted. The waitress served us with the coffee including Mr munene."Don't tell me this is your daughter, you look so much alike,look at that nose",Mr.Munene said jokingly pointing at my nose, they both laughed out loudly."Yes this is my first born daughter, I have decided to treat her today",Karanja answered Munene smiling at me.I smile back and nodded in acceptance.
"Grace ,Mr Munene here was my classmate in highschool,he is now a famous business man in town ",Karanja introduced Munene to me in a rather cunning voice which made us to laugh.
They talked many so many things,including business, politics among other things until our cups run dry.
" Hey karanja I have to go ,I got a meeting to catch in a hour's time,
I will see you around",Munene said as he stood leave.
"I would suggest that you go back to school and do your O level examination Grace", Karanja told me after Munene left." You are still young to do business.Go back to school, I will pay for you everything until you are done",Karanja told me raising his eyebrows as if to assure me."Thanks dad ,but at my age I can't go to a high school, unless I enroll to an adult institution I be learning part time until I finish my O level",I told dad who eventually bought my idea.."so you want to learn and
work at the same time",Karanja asked me looking straight in my eyes."Yes,its exactly what I want to do",I answered him.
"Hope you don't mind living with me for a while until we know the way forward", karanja finally told me as we stood to leave the hotel.Now that was better than going back to the village though I knew if my mum hears that am living with Karanja,she would board the next matatu to Nairobi.
Karanja used to stay in umoja,in a one bedroom house.His wife used to live back in the village with their children. I was surprised by how neat he had arranged his house,it was sparkling clean and tidy and everything seemed to assume its place.
" Feel comfortable Grace, this is your dad's house",karanja told me as soon we entered his house.He had a nice living room with a sofa set, a beautiful small coffee table and beautiful wardrobe standing tall against the wall..where he had placed a 32inch TV screen.The floor was complimented with a beautiful carpet."This is my bedroom, but its yours from now,that is the washroom, and right there is the kitchen ",karanja showed me around." But dad I don't need a bedroom ,I can comfortably sleep on the sofa as you continue sleeping in your bedroom",I told him winking at him."I rarely use this house,most of the time am doing my taxi business even at late night, so you will be using it more than me that's why am giving you my bedroom",Karanja convinced me.I agreed."Now you can get busy in the kitchen and make something for yourself to eat ,am going back to work,see you later",Karanja told me and left.I served myself a glass of water as i relaxed my ass on the sofa to reflect on the happenings of the day and the way forward.
