The Open Road

Chapter 7

Bob

Epilepsy...epilepsy...epilepsy... Wait epilepsy? Susan was already half sauntering half sprinting towards Darren and Kim. The only thing I could do was tip my cap down and try to follow her unnoticed while praying that no one will think I was a stalker or a thief or even both. Sue spoke from the corner of her mouth, telling me in between her ragged breaths that Kim, her daughter, was diagnosed with the disease when she was just three years old. It was genetic. I tried registering this all in my brain as I ransacked for a history in epilepsy in our family or Sue's. I came up with none. Could it be that the kid wasn't mine? I had been gone for five years, maybe Sue had gotten tired of waiting. I had been so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize I had said this out loud, Sue made a full turn, her face etched with an ugly scowl.

"If you think for a second that I am promiscuous then you do not know me at all."

As quickly as she had turned to look at me, she swirled right back. I was curious by nature and my mind couldn't settle. When facts did not align or when something seemed off, I investigated. It was how I was wired. If Sue did not cheat, and neither of us have any medical history of epilepsy… Genes had to include a set of kinship right? If she was mine, she wouldn't have epilepsy.

Darren's bright blue sedan came into my line my vision. I slowed down my pace, careful not to draw attention to myself. Sue noticed my change in movement but there was nothing she could do. Darren had already spotted her so she couldn't double back. She couldn’t twirl around and embrace me, or shoot a gorgeous smile my way. That is when it occurred to me, just like me, Sue had endured prison time for five years. I watched helplessly as she halted briefly, huffed her shoulders and stomped away did appearing through the crowd. This was my fault. Her new, painful, oppressed life was my fault. If I had never been incarcerated, if I had been able to clear my name then she would have been happily married to me. There was no way Sue had cheated on me, especially with Darren. This only meant one thing,

Kimberly wasn't her daughter.

I felt a buzz in my pocket and almost jumped up in shock; I hadn't heard or used a mobile phone for years. I fished inside my pockets exasperatedly until I came face to face with what people referred to as a kabambe. It was a small flip phone with buttons. I hadn’t seen these types of phones on years. Wait I how did I even have this? I hadn't been to my dealer yet, which meant one thing, Sue.

God I loved that woman.

A lot people argue that a woman cannot have it all. Mine did, beauty and brains. I had been wracking my brain trying to think of a way I could get in touch with her and Wafula, my dealer as well. This Nokia 110 model had Sue's number in it. I decided to refrain from calling her given the state she was in and well, who she was currently with. I couldn't help but gnaw at the fact that she was lying about Kim being her daughter. Well she never said she was in the first place not verbally at least. But she cared for the girl, a lot. It was evident. What had I missed? I had to find out what was going on in Sue's life immediately. I suddenly remembered how she felt in my arms; warm, cozy, perfect. She felt familiar, she felt safe. Embracing her was like, home.

Everyone I knew had turned their backs on me the moment I got arrested. I went from Robert the youngest millionaire in the country to Robert the murderer faster than a whiplash.

I had made a few friends in prison who in turn had connected me with outside help. Jeremy Changa had been my cellmate in Nakuru prisons. He had this wide connection in the pit and had helped me orchestrate my escape. But of course, everything had a price. I had memorized four phone numbers that were supposed to be vital for survival's sake. Those phone numbers were my ticket home.

To Sue and now, Kim.

Then I could punch my brother in the gut for ever laying his hands on what was mine. After a lot of misdials and clumsy typing, I finally fed my dealer’s phone number.

"Hello Wafula?"

"Who the hell is this?”

Typical Kenyans. No courtesy, no genial nature. If you are a stranger you are not welcome to courtesy.

"It’s that guy Changa talked to you about. Where do we meet?"

There was a deathly moment of silence, poignant to be precise. I held the tiny phone tightly, I was afraid it would slip through my hands.

"Meet me in Naivasha, 7:00 pm. Don't even think of being late."

“Are you insane? That is another a county! I have no money, no connections and hello, I’m a wanted man! How am I supposed to-"

The other line went dead before I could finish my laments. Just great! Stranded in Nakuru specifically Kanu street with no money and a meet or get caught by police kind of deal. I needed some sort of transport if I was to make it to Naivasha in time. Besides I couldn't walk that distance. It was almost 3pm that meant two hours of finding someone who could drive me there, someone who wouldn't or rather couldn’t rat me out. My list was quite thin since my face was all over social media platforms. I was positive that it would only take twenty four hours before a reward was slapped on my back. Then I wouldn't have any friends at all, everyone knew money can turn people against you. Everyone had a price.

Now where in the name was I going to get a ride? As if on cue, my phone blared with a husky ringtone, I almost laughed at what I had been reduced to.

"Hello?"

"Hi Bob. Meet me at Eros Hotel along the road your in."

The voice was familiar yet I couldn't quite place my finger on it.

"Who is it?"

" Bastard forgot my name…It’s Marie, now hurry up."

Uh-oh.