I Forgive You,Daniel

Chapter Twenty Five.

That night you said we had a surprise visit from someone important.So you took me to the balcony and closed my eyes with some blindfold in that our visitor who you thought would love me could be a surprise.

I sat in the balcony waiting for the visitor to arrive as the candles burned low.I could feel you next to me, lightly touching my cheek.A long time passed but your visitor never showed up.

Getting impatient,I heard some rustling noise and looked up.As if someone was riding something into the room.My hands got to my black blind fold and I was tempted to push it away.But I waited until you ordered me to remove it.

Even before I pulled it out Daniel,I felt some graveness in your voice.An icy tone in the order you had given and my bad feeling once  more presented itself inside me.My fingers touched the knot behind my head and slowly untied it.

Why was I having this feeling that something wrong was in the atmosphere?I pulled it away,my eyes still closed.I don't know why but I was scared of what was seated,standing or lying before me.

Slowly,I opened them and was met by a lady slump in a wheelchair,head tilted towards one side and drool dropping uncontrollably.Half the person's face was covered in a hood and the other half,from the nose down was hanging.

Not because the person was old but because of their position.The skin had hang because of the way it been forever tilted towards the ground.My eyes landed on a white T shirt,and a pair of blue ripped jeans.So it was a she.

I looked at you Daniel glaring at me.The smile you always had was nowhere to be seen.Your dimples were faded,your lips held in a thin line.Your shiny ,caramel skin was no longer as gleaming as it used to be or maybe I was just imagining that.

Your beautiful jaw was sharp and clenched,it could cut tension and glass.You were standing right behind that unmoving person,your hands on either her sides.I didn't understand why you were so angry but from the look of things,she was such an important person in your life.

Why then would you want me to meet her?The unmoving lady stuck in a wheelchair whimpered and you bent over and rubbed her shoulders sofly while murmuring some soft words to her.

"Baby?"

I was confused because I thought this was supposed to be a happy night of me meeting someone and probably dining together.Because then what was the use of this small table filled with the food you prepared yourself?

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."You pushed the wheelchair forward and placed her opposite me."Our visitor has arrived."

I looked in between you and her.A smile etched on my lips and I assumed probably she was a family member to you.She couldn't be a sister though because you told me earlier on that you had no brother or sister.

"Okay."I sat upright."Who is our guest baby?"

You flinched at the word baby and she too stirred a little.Her stagnant hand twitched a little bit and dropped on the chair,a whimper emanating.

"On 6th of September 2018,Ida here was knocked by a car---"

"Ida?"I gasped,my eyes bulging out in the process.I thought Ida had succumbed to her accident injuries."I thought she is dead."

"She is."Your voice was blank with no trace of any emotions."She can't move,she can't talk,she can't do anything Lilly."Your cold eyes connected with mine."All because of you Lilly."

"Me?"

"When I sprang out of my seat that evening and rushed outside the shop,you were there Lilly.All surprised and shaky,as Dalia and Joseph held you at either sides.You were staring at Ida,too shocked to even say a word."

No.

This couldn't be happening.

"It was you Lilly.Due to your stupidity,you crossed right before the speeding car."

As he explained,my mind travelled to that fateful evening when I had just reported to Kenyatta University.

"The driver was caught off guard and swerved to avoid hitting you.And went crashing into a lady who wasn't even close to the road."

It was Ida.

That evening replayed in my mind.I had just reported to campus and the first friend I had made was Dalia.Joseph had been my hommie and so those were the only people I currently knew in the city.

That evening we went to tour CBD for my friends thought it was the best thing to do.To help me get accustomed to how things were here.I was still a primitive naive girl and all these moving vehicles and crowds were so confusing,I ended up crossing right before a speeding car that evaded my body but crashed into some other lady.

Ida Yasmin.

I remember looking at her unmoving body,the pool of blood forming just beneath her head and the way her eyes looked lifeless.As much as Dalia and Joseph kept reassuring me and saying at least it didn't get me for that lady there could be me,I felt sick.I wanted to leave that very day and go back to my remote village where I had grown up all my life.

"I am sorry---"The tears burned down my cheeks,looking at Ida Yasmin.It seemed like she had survived but her body was as good as dead."I didn't mean to---I was---I was just new in the city and so I didn't know---hh---how to carry myself around."

"Don't worry,she forgave you."You smiled up at me and got out of the seat."I did too."Stretching your hand,you gave me a reassuring smile and gave me a go ahead nod.I swallowed hard and took it,my long red sleeveless dress and black stilletos following suit.

You took me to our favourite spot where we loved standing looking down at the road that extended towards the rest of the neighborhood.