YOUR SHAURI

TEACH ME, I SHALL LEARN.

Gweth was a few days from graduating from college. She had come a long way. She had worked super hard both at school and at her job. After graduating from the school campus, her job as a school librarian would come to an end as it was always a reserve for students until graduation. Good enough for her, she had sent an internship application to the She Rises Foundation and had an interview exactly two days after her graduation. The first reason why she wanted to join the foundation was because Apiyo worked there. Her online stalking skills had given her this information and she had been preparing herself to impress the panel during her interview. Working with her in the same environment would be a better start. The second reason why Gweth thought it would be great working with She Rises Foundation is because of it's historical records of giving the African woman a voice in a society where most men and some women believe that a man is superior to a woman. Gweth had a plan and she loved the direction her life was headed.

Six in the morning and Gweth receives a phone call. " Who is calling please,?" Gweth wondered who would call this early. " It is me", the caller said. "You blocked my other number after I did you dirt. " It was clear that the caller was non other than Hawe, her ex girlfriend. She had called to congratulate Gweth on her graduation. Anyone who has ever been in love and had their partner leave with drama only to come back later will understand this strategy applied by Hawe. Seems Hawe realised that she could no longer make herself a sacrifice to please the god called society. The society normally does not care, the society will never lack what to say, she later realised this and decided to save herself before it was too late. Thank you for calling, I think I will have to go. Choose on the way you would like your day to go. " Gweth gave her ex lover an attitude and for the first time felt so good to pull Apiyo's attitude. Really felt great. We all have that one person whom we loved but in the end left us singing to the rock of ages, begging ' him' to let us hide ourselves in 'him'. I would freely advice anyone who wishes to become a motivational speaker or philosopher on social media to date the wrong person. It will be philosophy after philosophy on your timeline, do not argue with proven facts.

The graduation square was packed with visitors who had come to celebrate their loved ones on their big day. Gweth's parents did not come without company. " We have come with a few of our relatives" her father said. " Actually, baba, a forty two seater bus fully packed does not qualify as few in English, also, I told you I do not want the whole village coming to my graduation." Gweth whispered to her father who was clearly overjoyed to even mind his daughter's words. His late daughter Sulwe also had 'a few' relatives joining her during her graduation. Since she was the firstborn in her family, her father had invited his entire village church, his seven brothers and their wives together with their children, his six sisters some of which tagged along their mothers and fathers-in-law. That is exactly how we are related in Africa, even your father-in-law's cousin is your relative, not just him, also anyone you are told is your relative by any of your aunties, sorry if you are getting confused, this is the typical African family tree. In the middle of the event, Gweth got a message from Hawe telling her that she was in the graduation square. Wanting to get away from her entire village, Gweth excused herself to go to the restroom.

" Tell me, what is it that you want from me, really? and please do not disrespect me by lying to me Hawe."

" I am so sorry and I was a fool to push you away. I knew if I told you I was coming you would have stopped me. I perfectly understand I did really wrong by you."

" Do you? do you really understand what you put me through? you made me think I was crazy, you were always embarrassed by me, you were so comfortable in your closet and assuming you are never going to come out of it, when is the oxygen in there running out?"

"You do not understand"

"Because we live in different continents, right?."

" I was not ready to walk my truth then. I had not matured enough. Trust me, I now know better."

"That was a wonderful speech, much as I would like to stay for more I am afraid I have to go."

Gweth left Hawe standing in the washroom in tears. Clearly Hawe had come not to just apologise but to also seek another chance. She realised how much self sabotage she had done trying to be seen as 'normal' by people who never treated her as great as Gweth did or even near. She had blundered but was determined to make right that which she made wrong. Gweth decided to see off half of her relatives after the end of her graduation ceremony. " This is half of them?" Gweth asked her father who had told her that the other half of her relatives was so sorry for not making it to her big day then went ahead to hand her his phone to speak with them one by one as they congratulated her and told her how happy they were since Gweth would be sending them a small something after being employed. The day had finally come to an end . Gweth promised her dad that she would visit him after her interview which would be in two days' time.

Gweth had travelled to Nairobi for her interview and lucky enough, she got the job. She was hoping to see Apiyo but that would not be since Apiyo had a field work on that day. She however congratulated Gweth on her new job and told her that she could not wait to work with her. Gweth was happy that the woman she fantasised on dating was actually happy to work with her. Gweth was to start her internship after a week. Later that day in her hotel room, she felt like she needed to relax and catch a break after a busy graduation week and a week of thorough interview preparation. In that moment, she thought of calling Hawe for a 'good' time. Then she did.

"Hello, it is me, where are you?"

"I am sorry, I am already in Nairobi, are you okay?"

"I am also in Nairobi, I am at the Blue Sea hotel. Can you make it here?"

"Sure. Let me Uber my way there."

Hawe made it to the hotel. "I just want to feel good, it has been a while." Gweth said as she moved closer to Hawe. Hawe could not resist her even if she wanted to. It had been a while since she felt this great too. She let herself be touched, be caressed and be kissed that evening. It felt good. Both of them got lost in that moment. Hawe could swear that s*x has never been that good. Morning came and Hawe woke up to a note on the bed. Gweth thanked her for last night and apparently had a bus to catch to her village. It would be a ten hour drive so she had to be early. Hawe knew clearly that she had been used. She did not mind at all. In fact if being used by Gweth would be this way, she would be one hundred percent in.

Gweth made it to her village when darkness was already settling in. She and her father were always close. She knew she could always tell him anything. Her mother on the other hand was the type that believed just because she carried you in her womb for nine months, she always had a say in your life. Gweth was not pleased that she had invited William to join them in the evening meal. "My sweet daughter, I know it has been a while since you came to the village, in fact you rarely come to the village since your father and I moved here after his retirement from the company he used to work for, no need to worry, William here will show you around ." Her mother said smiling and patting here back. Gweth did not say a word. She left strait to her room which reminded her so much of her late sister Sulwe. They were three children of Mr. and Mrs. Dika. Now it was just her and her brother who was the second born. The god thing is that he was also home for a short while. She had his voice asking his dad about her. As soon as her brother entered her room, he gave her a tight hug. As usual among siblings they started with their gossips.

"I heard mama saying that you will marry Mr. potbelly. Please do not tell me that you are really that stupid."

" She still thinks these are the days when a woman would be used as a replacement should her sister die when married. At times I even wonder why she has completely refused to grow with the changing times!"

" Exactly my point! I mean we have lived in town where we were exposed to different cultures and practices yet she is still hell bent on the archaic beliefs of people of their time! Dad is very well educated but can not still stop this foolishness!"

" He surprises me too brother."

"Also, before I forget, I have been waiting for an appropriate time to have this discussion with you but I have noticed that time keeps flying and soon, I might find myself a white woman to marry, get the citizenship of her country without talking to you little sister."

" What is it my mother's son?"

"Sulwe and I always noticed you were different little sister. I just want you to know that we know about your preference when it comes to love."

" You do?"

" Yes we do. We read your diary, about how you felt about that girl who used to have a café back in town where dad used to work. As your brother and to honour our late sister, please, walk your truth. It will be a tough one considering we are Africans and considering how bad our society views people like you. No matter what happens dear sister, just remember you will have yourself to blame in your last moments should you not put yourself first but instead please people who do not care about you."

Gweth and her brother Solin had the toughest discussion. Gweth broke into tears. She was so overwhelmed by emotions. Coming to know that her siblings supported her was a huge win for her. The evening would however be ruined by their mother who was listening from the other side of the door.

William had finished his meal and because everyone at the table was awfully quiet, he decided to excuse himself. " Gweth, why don't you see William out?" her mother asked. " Gweth is tired, she just arrived from Nairobi." Solin gave reply. After William realised that Gweth had not lifted her head from her plate and kept eating as if it was not her that her mother was talking to, so he decided to excuse himself. " So just because you sold your soul to the devil you think you can now go against me, your mother?" Mrs. Dika shouted at her daughter. Everyone did not know whatever she was talking about . " I heard you talking to your brother here who is also willingly taking you to hell with him! So you want to marry a fellow woman? huh? You have decided to make me a laughing stock?" Mrs. Dika kept yelling in disbelief.

" Mama, leave my sister alone! You have no business being embarrassed for her because this is her life. You also have no authority trying to replace her with Sulwe as if they both are commodities with no choices of their own! You forced Sulwe to marry Mr. pot belly, look where that landed her. You will not do that with Gweth." Solin was breathing fire. Mr. Dika was surprised by what was going on in his house. For a very long time his wife had 'sat ' on him and his children. Her voice was always final. The look on his face proved that he loved what was going on. this was a revolution. Yes, he was surprised that his daughter was a lesbian and was surprised at how her brother defended her but these two were nothing compared to how happy he was that the two stood up against their mother in one voice. " Baba, I am sorry you have to be embarrassed by me in this manner. I am also sorry that after the education you gave me and the teachings you taught me, I will not marry Pot belly. I am a lesbian and I do not wish to change. To you mama, I am not Sulwe whose life you wasted. You will not toss me around like a toy. We have grown up seeing you speak to dad however you please, tear us down with your words whenever we do not do whatever you want. I git news for you; not anymore. We are done and we will live our lives to honour Sulwe who did not have a chance to live like she would have wanted because of you." Mrs. Dika turned to her husband suggesting that he should say something. Her husband in turn bent over moving his head about as if he was looking for something that he just misplaced. "And what are you looking for instead of telling your children to stop disrespecting me?" his wife asked. " I am looking for any lie in what they said and guess what, I did not find any." That was the response Mr. Dika gave, indicating that he agreed with what his children said. It was a night filled with anger and blame and confusion for this family. The confusion only came on the side of the two old folks who did not know what to do with their daughter next after learning her new side. " Let us all go to bed. We shall start over tomorrow." Roared Mr. Dika whose believed that sleeping on anger and disappointment saves a lot as opposed to acting on both immediately.

Morning came and the entire family seemed to have waited for this moment. No one seemed hungry as they were full from last night's drama. Mr. Dika called the family to gather in the living room. For the first time, his children loved that he had decide to use his voice. " Daughter, I will talk to you. The rest will be quiet. What is going on? We can always find another suitor for you if you do not like William. I do not like him either. Please talk to your mother and I and we shall find another suitor for you." He told his daughter. " I do not want to marry a man baba, if I wanted one, there were plenty of them back in college."

" My child, this is wrong, I do not understand you at all" Mrs. Dika tried to be very polite and being very careful not to be sprayed with words like last night. " Even if I explain to you, you will not understand. Your generation is so much bent towards what the society thinks and fighting what you view as not normal and people like me are seen as not normal." Gweth said with tears rolling down her cheeks. " Teach me, I shall learn", her mother said in a loving voice leaving the three of them surprised. " You were all right about me last night. I have been toxic the past years. I have decided to ask for forgiveness from you, my husband for the tough years you had to put up with my arrogant self. I ask to be forgiven by you, my son. I know I have not been a good mother. To you my beautiful daughter, I hope this new day will bring us together as you teach me more about your unique self." Mrs. Dika's apology was accepted. The whole family encouraged Gweth to walk her journey and walk it fearlessly. Mr. Dika was however disappointed ib himself that he did not actually know his daughter well enough as he thought. He however promised himself that until this cruel society accepted her for who she truly is, he would protect her. That was his fulltime job as a father.

The family had just finished having breakfast when they had a knock at the door. It was William. Mrs. Dika opened the door. For the first time, he did not receive a warm greeting or an invite letting him in. Mrs. Dika told him that he was no longer welcome in her house. That Gweth is too learned to marry him and that the money he used to educate her late daughter would be returned to him. Mr., Dika asked him to give them two months to pay him in full. The family would then live to this promise. The four of them worked so hard to pay a debt that came with so much loss than profit. Gweth would later on revenge for her sister on William.

Time had come for Gweth to live the village for Nairobi. Her brother was also leaving to another city. This was the greatest time they had had as a family. It was worth it. Gweth was happy that this time round she was not just fighting the society on her own but she had a true support system behind her.