"FOREVER AMEN - CHUI..."

DO NOT FORGET ABOUT ME

Brian had come home for the holidays. It was his last year as a first-year student. He was happy to be going to the next class. He had done well in school and was at the top of his class. Robert and Nilla were pleased and had taken him out for a treat the day before. He had come to love how close Nilla and Robert had become. It seemed like Nilla was not the only one whose spirit longed for a healthy male figure around.

Robert had hinted that his sister Lilibeth, her husband and two children would come visit Kenya. Lilibeth had battled cancer and had been declared cancer free. It would be their first time in Kenya. Nilla and Brian were excited at the thought of meeting them.

“ Chui, how many sisters and brothers do you have?” Brian asked.

“ I have a sister and a brother. We are three.” Robert answered.

“ I’m sure they must be warm and kind and with big hearts just like you,” Brian said. Robert was humbled by what he said. He just nodded his head as he brushed Brian’s short hair using his fingers.

They had had their breakfast when both Nilla and Robert hinted that they both were to go out. Nilla had planned to meet up with her boyfriend, Alpha, and Robert had his boy club to catch up with too. Fredrick had come to pick Robert up for their boys' time. They waved bye and off they went. Nilla was preparing to leave when Brian decided to have a talk with her.

“ Nini, I just didn’t think that you and Robert broke up.”

“ Broke up?”

“ Yeah, what happened? I know you two still love each other. Is it possible that you can make it work instead of seeing other people?”

“ Oooh son of mama, you got it wrong. I love him but not like that, he loves me, and he says it a hundred times a day, but he doesn’t see me as a woman. We have never loved each other like that.”

“ Really? Now I’m disappointed! I don’t want another woman to take him from us though.”

“ Yeah, there are days I fear he will fall in love and our family might change, but again, I cannot stop him from falling in love. He deserves everything good in this life. He is ours, and we will love him plus his wife. We want him happy.” Nilla said as Brian nodded his head. Alpha was at the door. Brian said hello and immediately went back inside as Nilla and Alpha left.

“ Wow, you are so adorable! I wish you wore tight clothes often to show off that beautiful figure.” Alpha told Nilla as they entered Mara Lodge where they would play games and spend the day together.

After a day full of activities, Alpha decided that he would drop Nilla off. Nilla had gone to pick up her purse, after which, she found Alpha waiting for her. She had come to like him. Instead of opening the car door, he still stood staring at her while smiling.

“ So, who is Chui, Miss Jibawi?” Alpha asked.

“ Where did you hear that name from?” Nilla asked, rather shocked.

“ Well, during the games, you called me Chui three times. He’s your ex?”

“ I’m so sorry Chui, I mean Alpha.”

“ Chui…again.. Looks like someone needs time to heal before entering another relationship. I don’t want to be a rebound dude, Nilla. I really want you. But not like this.”

“ He is not my boyfriend or ex. He’s family and mostly, with my little brother away, it’s always just me and him, really.”

“ sure? Then you must be really close to your brother. It happens a lot when you’re just around the same person for long compared to the much you’re around other people. I understand.” Alpha thought Chui was her elder brother. She was not in the mood to explain, so she just decided to go with the flow. He held her waist and gave her a light kiss on the lips.

“ I hope I did not ruin your day with my insecure self. I’m sorry.” Alpha said as he fasted his seat belt and started driving.

“ You don’t have to be sorry Alpha. I really enjoyed this day.” Nilla said. Alpha sang for her on their way back. Nilla smiled all through. He was amazing.

It was nine in the evening when Nilla reached home. Sunday evenings always had the roads in Nairobi with heavy traffic, since many people who had gone out of the city for the weekend were always coming back to get their week started. On reaching Nilla’s place, Alpha got out to get her the door. He kissed her on the cheeks.

“ I’m still waiting for when you will invite me inside your house, my love,” Alpha said.

“ Very soon, no need to rush, sawasawa?” Nilla said, as she bid him goodbye. All this time, Robert, who had returned from meeting his friends earlier than usual, and Brian were watching through the living room window.

“ Gross, both of you,” Nilla said as she opened the door.

“ Forget about what’s gross, tell us about your date, every bit of it.” Robert responded.

Brian had prepared ice cream for everyone as they sat up to listen to Nilla.

“ Nothing much really. We went to a place with so many games . We had horse racing, we danced in the mud, we played tug of war, we ran with our partners on our backs, but Alpha was too heavy for me…”

“ Who is Alpha?” Brian asked, as if he had not just met the man a few hours ago. He knew who he was, of course, but the question was to give a hint that he did not like Alpha.

“ Yeah Nini, who’s Alpha,” Robert responded as he laughed with Brian. Nilla knew they were being silly. She also decided to make Robert the topic of discussion, since they had decided to make fun of her date.

“ You have never been home this early before, what happened today?” Nilla turned to ask Robert who, for the first time in history, was home before three in the morning.

“ Today I just did not feel like staying out late. Some days, we accept the quiet and embrace it” Robert said, as the other two agreed with him. It was getting late and Nilla and Robert decided to have their rest. Brian always stayed up late watching. Robert followed Nilla to her room.

“ You are so happy, I really love this for you.” He said.

“ Yeah, I thought of giving it a try with him. He is not bad. He is a gentleman. Also, Chui, I’ve been meaning to ask, what is a rebound dude? Alpha told me he thinks I’m using him as a rebound dude. I don’t know what he meant, and I planned on asking you the meaning of that word.”

“ Why would he say that? Okay, a rebound dude is a guy you decide to date because you cannot have the guy you want at the moment. So, as you wait for the one you love, you push time with the rebound dude. You can also use a rebound dude as an escape from what you really need to face, or keep them around until you completely heal and decide you don’t want to be in a relationship at all. Back to my question, why would he think you’re using him as a rebound?”

“ Well, according to your explanation, I doubt if I'm using him as a rebound, since I’ve never really dated, neither am I heart broken .”

“ Then why would he think of himself as a rebound?”

“ I called him your name four times! What’s even worse, the fourth time was when he was complaining that I had called him Chui three times before! It was so embarrassing!!”

“ Ouch! Super embarrassing!”

“ I don’t know why you’re in my mouth way too much! But I think it’s because it’s been a while since you traveled, and we’re mostly just the two of us, and it’s just only normal that I call other people your name, right? Please give me hope.”

Robert felt a tingle of joy within. He liked the idea of Nilla calling out his name even when he was not around. He still could not explain what he was doing at home that early at the moment. He had left his friends and did not feel like staying out late. He knew he wanted to be home. Home was where Nilla was.

“ Shift to the left, I’m sleeping here tonight.” Robert was being needy, he was scared as well that his best friend liked another, and he wasn’t sure how long it would be until his coming around would be considered not healthy. He wanted to hold on to the moments when it was just the two of them, moments before they could start seeing less and less of each other.

“ I am going nowhere, Chui. I want you to know that. You will always come first in my heart.”

“ I will always come after Brian, then that Omega dude can follow.”

“ He is Alpha, jealousy doesn’t look good on you,”

“ I’m not jealous, he can’t compete, Nini, there’s nothing to be jealous of.”

“ If you aren’t, then why are you whispering? Can’t you talk normally, Chui?”

“ I want you to be happy, I do, but at the same time, I’m really praying your new-found happiness doesn’t lock me out. The past one year of my life has been great with you. I don’t want to go back to being just me and the boys and lonely most of the days, while imagining how you will be smiling and happy with another person. I know it’s selfish of me to ask you this, but, do you think you could balance, Nini?” Robert lay his head on Nilla’s lap as she played with his long hair. She liked playing with his hair whenever they were having moments where they would pour their hearts out. He was asking her if she could balance between her relationship and their friendship.

“ I would never forget you because of a mere relationship, Chui. In the beginning, when I started living like humans should, there was you. When I started to learn what life is, I had you, and now that life is getting better all through to the end, you will be the only constant thing amid change. You have loved me in a beautiful way, and I will love you in the best way I can. You got no need to be afraid of anything.”

“Now your kind words will make me cry. If he is a great man, you have my blessings. Your promise to never forget our friendship is what I’m holding on to, little one.” Robert said as the door flew open. It was Brian. Nilla was seated while Robert had his feet on the wall and his head on Nilla’s lap. Brian did not know what to do now that the door was already open, and his people were looking at him. “ I’m sorry for interrupting, I saw the lights still on and with Chui not in bed, I thought… I ... Goodnight guys, I love you both so much.” Brian, yet again found himself in a moment that he should not have. Nilla and Robert laughed.