YOUR SHAURI

THE REUNION

MANY years had passed and time seemed to have literally flown. Apiyo was in college and had found this guy she was crazy over. They had dated for four months now and Apiyo was so glad she had found someone with whom they got ahead so well. Though she fantasized having a tall, dark and handsome boy friend, the only thing she got from that combination was handsome. Her boyfriend Zeddy was short and light skin. What mattered was happiness anyway.

Gweth also had  someone in her college. Her name was Hawe. Hawe was a sports person and always dressed like a man. She wore men's socks, cologne and even carried men’s  wallets. She was a little scared of being judged for being a lesbian. Most of the times she would be seen hanging out with men in an attempt to make people believe that she Is straight. Gweth on the other hand, was still that sweet person she was back when Apiyo was the only one for her eyes. She was proud to introduce her girlfriend to her friends. She always gave love her all.

It was two weeks after  Hawe was from visiting Gweth, a visit that ended in premium tears. It was now Gweth’s turn to pay her girlfriend a visit in an attempt to ask for her forgiveness since the two were having a real hard time in their love.She packed her bags and and went on a ten hour road trip just to  win back the woman she loved.For all the three days she went to see Hawe,her girlfriend kept behaving as if she was just an ordinary friend around. Hawe might be right,being a lesbian in an African society and coming out as one needs courage.She was an adult and free to do as she wished but she realized she could not live with the societal harsh judgement of same s*x love. Hawe’s only scape goat was pretending not to love Gweth during the day and show her what good intimacy is during the night behind closed doors.Nothing confuses anyone like being  in love alone. Gweth was honestly confused.How could Hawe tell her that she loved her and yet she was more than willing to drag her back to the closet with her?Does she know the kind of demons she had to fight just for her to come out to those close to her as a lesbian?

As always,Hawe had come from spending time with  her next door male friend when she went back to the house where she was sure she cold now come from her closet and  show her secret girlfriend some love.She went and started kissing Gweth when Gweth disengaged from her.

‘No Hawe,not today. I am used to you denying that I am your girlfriend in public only for you to reclaim me after the rest of the world has gone to sleep…I am tired,really,I am’

‘We both know that’s not true.If that were the case,you wouldn’t have been here for all these days sharing a bed with me.You know I love you.’

‘No.I love you,you don’t love me Hawe. The same treatment I give you is not the same treatment you give me. I literally beg for your love.I am always alone during the day ever since I came to visit you. You keep telling your friends that  I am just a friend! How is that supposed to make me feel?huh? tell me!’

‘Maybe we should take things a bit slow. Maybe you are too much for me…Maybe I still fear societal judgement and I still am coming to a slow acceptance of myself.It is easier when people think I am just a tomboy. I am sorry, I cannot give you what you want.’

‘I think this is the end of the road for us.Bye’

I normally hear that in every relationship,there is always a ‘reacher’ and a ‘settler’. The reacher is always the one who normally seems to care and put in so much work in the union while the settler is the one who normally seems  to handle the relationship as if they have an extra partner justi n case things went sour. Unfortunte for Gweth,she was the reacher. Some weeks back, Gweth had taken Hawe out for a dinner date when some random guys came over to their table. Hawe seemed to be giving them the time they needed .She did not even sense that her partner was uncomfortable.When Gweth asked what all that was about,Hawe  turned the blame on her and she was the one who ended up apologizing.Another day,when they were at the supermarket,the guy at the counter kept asking what Hawe’s name was,where she lived and what she did for a living.To Gweth’s surprised,she answered all those questions truly.

‘I am going to ask you a question and I need you to answer me honestly.Are you into girls,or boys or both?’

‘I am dating you,that should give you what you're looking for.’

‘But your behavior around men especially when I am with you is what I would call disrespectful’

‘So you think I am cheating on you with a man?’

That evening did not also go well. Hawe had to leave Gweth’s campus hostel and head over to hers.Being the reacher that she was,Gweth decided to follow Hawe to her College where she had to apologise yet again for a wrong that was done against her.Well,it didn’t last long until they went separate ways again.

After reaching her hostel and tired from the long road trip,Gweth covered her face in her sheets and cried herself to sleep.She just wanted this woman she loved so much to stop the emotional manipulation,to stop dragging her back to the closet and for her just to love her back like she did.It took Gweth two years to open up her heart to love again after  the woman she loved left her  only to get married to a man her parents had brought her.This tore Gweth's heart apart but she of all people understood better that coming from Africa meant more years to freedom when it came to her type of love.

That following morning,Gweth was scrolling down her f*******: timeline when she saw her long lost friend  had posted a new picture. Apiyo had grown to be more beautiful. Since she joined college,somehow they lost contact and now Apiyo was to graduate from college the following week. Gweth thought of sending a message on messenger which,to her joy,Apiyo texted back immediately.

‘Been a minute Queen Bee,where have you been?’Gweth texted.

‘Been up and down Baby girl,especially up.’

‘Never changed even a minute.You still that funny little cutie with brains.’

‘Did you just call me a little cutie?Look who just grew a pair!’

‘Do girls also grow a pair?

‘Yes,ours are highly placed Baby girl.’

The two chatted for long. This time,Gweth was bolder and could even directly call Apiyo cute names without being afraid.She kind of loved that she had taken time and mastered herself.She already found something to distract her from her heartache and it was working,. That night she took time and went  through Apiyo's i********: photos.She kept wondering why she never thought of looking for her for the past two years .Of course she had found two women who reciprocated the kind of love she gave even if all of them were now history.