JAMES' POV
I had been on call the whole day travelling all over the place treating so many cows I lost count. It was good for business but at the same time I was exhausted. I hadn't even made it to the sanctuary. They would have called me incase of an emergency and I trusted Jack and Jasper to hold down the fort just fine without me. They were responsible enough even though they brewed a lot of mischief when they were together.
I was feeling disappointed that I didn't get to see Lulu, that's if she had kept her word and gone to see Tuba. I hadn't been able to get her out of my mind all day. I was ashamed to admit that I had googled her when I woke up. Her name had sounded familiar and Google had reminded me why. She was the sister to Marini Kiarie, business tycoon, humanitarian and one of the most powerful and influential women in the country.
I can't believe I had encountered a Kiarie sister and made a fool out of myself. The media portrayed Lulu as a wildcard who liked to live life on the edge but that's not the person I had met at the sanctuary. That Lulu had been kind, caring and attentive. The media was clearly wrong on most things about her except for when they talked about her beauty. They had understated it because Lulu was gorgeous beyond measure.
I stopped myself from downloading pictures of her from the Internet. I had already invaded her privacy enough. I didn't want to dig a deeper hole for myself.
I had really wanted to see her again, but I'd gotten my first call on the way to the sanctuary and I had to turn around and go to work. I had intended to wait for her all day in case she stopped by but my plans had been thwarted by my job. I'd either missed my chance to see her or the heavens would have mercy on me and I would see her some other time. I really hoped it was the latter.
My phone rang just as I was going to my last appointment of the day. I picked it up after checking to see it was Jack calling. I was met with arguing on the other side of the call, nothing unusual when the two boys were together.
"Let me tell him."Jack insisted.
"Why should you get to tell him?" Jasper countered.
"Because I'm the eldest."Jack argued.
"Boohoo by two months."
"It's still counts."
"No it doesn't. Let go of the phone Otis."
"You're Otis, not me."
I rolled my eyes listening to their bickering as I grabbed my tools from the back of my truck. They reminded me of Mark and I when we were younger except louder and more energetic.
I knew what they were about to tell me wasn't about a new arrival at the sanctuary otherwise they would have used the radio. The radio was for emergencies only to avoid confusion and unnecessary panic.
"If one of you doesn't tell me what's going on I'll hang up."I announced firmly and that got them to shut up before they blurted it out at the same time.
"Lulu was here."
That statement had me halting in my tracks.
Hope sparked within me when I thought of seeing her again"Is she still there?"
"No she just left."Jack replied.
Well there agoes my second chance at making a better impression. I was never going to see her again. Dang it, I was so close. I huffed disappointed knowing I'd blown it.
"Why didn't you tell us how nice she was?"Jasper asked.
"And pretty."Jack added and they started listing all her good qualities as if I didn't already know.
"Generous."
"Funny."
"Thoughtful."
"Did we already say beautiful?"
"Yeah we did."
"Boys I met her. She's perfect I know. It's great that you guys got to meet her too."
"Yeah and she gave us each a thousand before she left."Jack exclaimed excitedly and my eyebrows shot up in shock.
She was definitely generous giving them such a huge amount of money without knowing them.
"She was looking for you but after waiting for four hours and you didn't show, she left."Jack added making me feel like a jerk.
That was a long time to keep a lady waiting. Even if the boys would have called me I wouldn't have made it since I had been helping a calving cow and it had been a long excruciating process. I just had to accept that I'd missed my chance and move on with my life.
"I'll see you later guys."I grunted and hang up before they could share anymore exciting stories about their day with Lulu.
It's not that I didn't want to talk about her, it's just that I felt jealous. That should have been me with her but instead I had been elbow deep in a cows gut. I didn't curse my job but at the moment I was not very happy with how the day had worked out.
I walked into the next compound for my next appointment and it was another birth. It's like they had all agreed calve on the same day. The one day I had hoped to be free.
Maybe it was the universe giving me a sign that we were not meant to be. I needed to give up on my notion of me and Lulu advancing from strangers to friends and maybe something more later on. So much for hoping, I would never forget her though. My one encounter with a Kiarie sister. Definitely one for the books.
By the time I got back to my place I was practically dragging my feet covered all over with blood, cow dung and other substances that just made me look like a disgusting pig. I loved my job but sometimes it demanded too much out of me.
I took a much needed shower scrubbing off the days dirt. I had to wash my dreads too which were a pain to dry off but they were dirty too and I didn't want them smelling. My phone rang as I walked to my wardrobe to get dressed. I was going to ignore it but it was my mom and I was a mama's boy.
"Mama good evening."I greeted politely.
"Good evening my son. Are you home from work yet?"She asked me.
"Yes I just got out of the shower."I answered honestly.
"That's good. I need you to come by the compound."She requested.
"Now?"I huffed feeling tired and not having the energy to deal with my huge family at the moment.
"Yes now, your father has a guest and it would be nice if she got to meet everyone."My mom replied and I pinched the brow of my nose in frustration.
Not one of those white tourists again. Don't get me wrong, I had nothing against tourists,they were good for the economy except for the fact that they treated us like monkeys in a zoo, only good for photos. They'd come by, see our terrible conditions, take a few photos,make a few fake promises and we'd never see them again. My dad was a kind man and always hosted them event after being disappointed so many times. He always hoped that one of them would be better. Some were better and did give us money but it was usually too little to do anything worthwhile.
"Do I have to?"I whined.
"Yes this one is important. Dress nicely."She instructed strictly and I knew I didn't have an option but to go.
"Okay mama, see you soon."I replied giving in.
She hang up and I banged my head against my closet door. I just wanted to eat and sleep, or just sleep, I was too tired to cook. Now I had to go fake a few smiles and play house with my family. I got dressed in blue faded jeans, brown boots, a white t-shirt and a white flannel over it. I put on a few beaded bracelets, and one necklace to please my mom
I grabbed my shuka, keys, phone and exited the house.
When I got behind the wheel of my car I tried starting it but it wouldn't budge. Guess it was tired too after such a long day.
"Me too old friend, me too."I sympathized slapping it's hood.
My parents lived a five minute drive away but it was a thirty minute walk.
"Guess I better start walking."I grunted feeling like the day had been cursed to punish me specifically.
Question is what was I being punished for?
I used the walk to make plans for the next day in my head as well as think of ways to make more money for the sanctuary. I would have sold a few heads of cattle but they were being bought at such a throwaway price I would only he hurting myself. I'd wait until the pieces went up a little to make a little extra cash.
When I got to the compound it was already dark and everyone was buzzing with their different evening duties. There was no electricity so light was provided by a few fires light around and a few strategically placed lamps. I greeted everyone politely as I found my way to my father's manyatta. We had a huge family deserving of a huge compound thus it's big size.
Both my parents had been educated by the British during the colonial times and had made sure that my siblings and I were well educated too. I had a substantial age difference of thirty years with our first born seeing as he was fifty seven years old. My parents had gotten married young and I had been their miracle child, born when my mother was fifty years old. She had asked my dad for a child saying she wanted someone to keep her company at old age. It was funny seeing as she already had grandchildren then. I even had a nephew who was three years older than me. It was a weird family but it was my family and I loved all of them.
Usually I'd have been attacked by all my nieces, nephews , and even grandkids the minute I walked through the gate but they were nowhere to be found. Yeah I was a grandfather at twenty seven, welcome to Kenya.
When I got to my father's hut I understood why I was walking without tiny people glued to my hip. All the kids were sitting in a circle on the ground looking at a specific someone who I thought I'd never see again.
As soon as I heard her voice, all exhaustion left my body leaving me feel like I had been rejuvenated. Lulu was telling a story to the kids using exaggerated sounds and they all listened entranced, no one making a fuss. She was using Swahili which was very thoughtful since not all kids were old enough to know English.
I stood at a distance not wanting to interrupt, admiring her. She was so good with them. When a little one walked to her lifting her hands up to be picked up, instead of pushing her away because she was dirty, Lulu picked her up, placed her on her lap and continued with the story. Could she get any more perfect?
Her face was illuminated by the light of the fire burning a few meters from them making her skin look like it was glowing. I was happy to see her but I couldn't help but question what she was doing there altogether. Maybe she was another tourist or she was handling business for her sister. Whatever it was I had my second chance to see her again and I was not going to let go without at least getting to know her better.
Ten minutes later with me watching like a creep my elder sister Namelok came to collect the kids for their supper. They all whined not wanting to leave but Lulu promised them to come back if they obeyed, that got them going. Namelok grabbed the little one from Lulu'd arms and I took that as my chance to go say hello.
Before I could get to her I was stopped by Nalutuesha, Nalu for short who was one of the girls my mom was trying to set me up with. I had turned her down so many times but she just didn't get the hint. It's like everytime she saw me, she expected me to have a ring with me to propose. There was nothing physically wrong with Nalu, she was pretty, had a well shaped body, properly educated since she was a nurse at the local clinic but she just didn't do anything for me.I wanted to at least be attracted to my future wife but I only saw Nalu as a sister and nothing more. I'd also heard a few unflattering rumors about her from a few village folk that put her in a bad light.
She placed her hands on my chest and batted her eyelashes at me. She had no concept of personal space or boundaries and its one of the reasons that put me off her.
"Lankenua, are you ever going to admit that you come to see me or are you going to play the card you always do?"She asked smiling coyly.
"I came to see my mom."
"Yes that card. When are you going to admit that you're into me? Let's end this cat and mouse chase we do and tie the knot already."She insisted and I rolled my eyes at her.
I was getting tired of playing the cat and mouse game with her as she put it. I just don't know what language to use to get her off my back for good. Why was I even wasting time with her when I could be talking to Lulu. Speaking of, I glanced to the spot she had been occupying but found it empty. I began to panic that she had left until I caught her silhouette by the fire with her back turned to us. I needed to get to her but first I had to deal with Nalutuesha.
"I already told you Nalu, it will never happen. I don't like you even the slightest bit like that. I'll never marry you so get that notion out of your head and stop chasing me around. It's very unattractive."I told her firmly and stepped back causing her hands to fall off my chest.
She looked at me wide eyed, considering other times I'd turned her down politely but this time I hadn't been as kind. It was clear kind wasn't working on her so I had to change tactics. I sidestepped her and approached Lulu.
"You will be mine Lankenua, just you wait."I heard Nalu yell behind me but I didn't turn back too focused on the beauty in front of me.
I had no idea what I was going to say to her first but anything was better than me gawking silently at her like I had next time.
I stopped next to her by the fire and waited for her to notice my presence so I didn't startle her. She turned to me with a small smile that looked forced but I brushed it off. I smiled back thinking of something to say but she took that burden off me by speaking first.
"Hello James, nice to see you again. I didn't know you knew the village elder."She greeted politely.
I like the way my name sounded on her lips. It made me want to listen to her say it forever.
"Good evening Lulu, pleasure is all mine and yes I known the elder, he's my dad."I explained and her eyes widened in shock.
"But you're so young and he's the age of my grandfather, no offense."She rushed out quickly and I chuckled.
I realized that Lulu had no filter and spoke what was on her mind. I admired her ability to voice out her thoughts without being afraid of stepping on a few toes. She was kind about it though and it was never her intention to be rude.
"None taken and I'm the last born in a family of six. My eldest brother is fifty seven and I was born when my mom was fifty. Im her miracle baby as she likes to put it."
"Well that explains it. That must be a huge family then. You must have cousins your age."She observed.
"Yeah, I'm even a grandpa."I laughed and she smiled exposing her pearly whites.
Did she have any flaws at all? Beautiful smile, perfect teeth, the cutest button nose and amazing bow shaped lips.
"Wow and I'm not even an aunt."She pointed out.
"You will be one day."
"Hopefully."She smiled tightly and rubbed her hands over her arms meaning she was feeling cold.
I untied the knot on my shuka and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled at me kindly and I smiled back.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"So Lulu what brings you to this side of the Savannah?"I asked her hoping to initiate conversation.
"Your father didn't tell you?"She asked me.
"Unfortunately no. I don't live here and my dad and I only meet on occasion." I explained and she hummed in response before replying to my original question.
"Well my sister sent me on a mission to help your community. Ndoto is her current humanitarian project so I'm going to be here for the next one year trying to turn this place around. That means renovate the schools, more wells, providing a reliable energy source and setting up a few green houses." She explained and if I'd been in awe of her before, I was worshipping at here feet after she told me all that.
Lulu was an angel sent by the heavens to save us and I was lucky enough to be in her presence. Looks like Ndoto had found its savior and she we a 5'6 queen with the heart of gold, a killer smile and at the rate we were on, my heart.
🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀
I know I'm introducing a lot of characters but please bear with me. As for miss desperate up top, I was going to call her Nala but then I realized that Nala in the Lion King was super nice and I don't to associate her beautiful name with such a personality.
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Love@Lyssah.