OPPOSITE REFLECTION

Jane comes home

My mum, Martha hated favoritism, she felt it would tear a family apart, even the most minor circumstances she knew it would divide a family very fast. When we were small she made sure that none of us felt favoured more, no one was her favorite.

She is now lying on the bed, she is old, she is eagerly waiting for her daughter Jane Njeri. I am thirty three years, unmarried, devoted and hardworking. Am folding some laundry, am a perfectionist so any mistake i make i repeat.

My mum is anxious am sure, i know she needs some breakfast but i must first finish what i am doing, we are not talking. I know she thinks i will be late to go pick my sister at the airport. She is not calm, i can see from the corners of my eyes the anxiety.

I start ironing my blouse and a black tall skirt.

"You could have worn a trouser instead", she tells me. I give her a murderous look, i know you expect us to have that wonderful mother daughter bond but despite her best intentions she has hurt my feelings, not once but a million times.

" Stacey dear,i am sorry i never meant to hurt you", she tells me softly, she still loves me.

"It's okay, mum"

I smile at her lovingly and she lifts her head to look at me better. It was a smile to launch a thousand missiles. I am a beauty i know but i have lived hiding it. My sister too is beautiful, veeery beautiful, we are fraternal twins. I went to KITI, Kenya Industrial Training Institute, my sister made mum so proud and she managed to go to Jackson State university in USA.

I remained in Kenya with my mum and currently i am a librarian at Batikha Girls High School, located in the outskirts of Nairobi. I know my sister's coming will bring some rift between us. Njeri will make me feel like uneducated girl that i am, she will prove that she is a critical thinker and am not.

That will obviously suck.

However, she is my sister. After am done i rush to the bathroom and take a bath. I don't want to annoy the old woman, she has waited for her daughter for a decade. Am also curious, would wish to see how she will look like, after living in the US for that long.

I look at myself in the mirror a million times, i do this everyday, life of a perfectionist. I tie my hair in a high ponytail.

I serve my mum tea by the bedside, i can sense she wants to talk but holds back. This has been our life together, reserved feelings. I look at her before i leave.

"I won't be late", i tell her and she sighs in relief

My relationship with my mum deteriorated after she refused i be married by Dave. The only man i ever loved mainly because he came from a very humble background. I remember him everyday and regret the fact that i left him to please my mum.

After the incidence, i have tried with all my might to get myself man, a man who really loves me like Dave did but no one has similar qualities and making matters worse, he moved on with his life to God knows where.

I have blamed my mum as many times as i can remember. There is minimal traffic so i drive with ease. This is my mum's car, i don't earn much to live a posh life, that's why am still staying in my mum's house as far as i detest plus she needs to be taken care off. We are yet to know the where abouts of our father.

There she is; in a pink micro skirt, she loved pink and i thought she would outgrow it with time. Her eyes are black and brilliant, her cheeks as rosy as they always were but more rosy and her dimples enchanting.

I give her a retrospective smile when she locates me. She walks right to where i am and we hug fondly.

It's been ten years.

"You look smart", i remark and she lets out a laugh, as blithe and irresistible as it used to be with added sweetness and maturity.

Jane used to be everyone's apple of eye, despite being shorter than me, she has the most enchanting lips and when they curled and pouted, she attracted all walks of life while i remained unrecognized. I envied her, she always tasted of happiness so rare and exquisite and a times i felt like the angels in heaven envied her. Am going to have another hard time hiding in the shadow of my sister.

"Where is the car?", she asks pulling herself from my embrace at the same time snapping me from the memories.

"Over there", i respond pulling her suitcase

"How is mum?", i thought she would not ask

"Fine, age has caught up with her", i respond opening the boot, i still feel indifferent no strong ties with my sister

"You look dull", she asks as she looks at me deep in the eyes

"Am happy you are back, we have to get going before mummy wallows in intense sorrow thinking i kidn*pped her precious daughter"

She chuckles as i get in.

I admire every bit of her, she has grown to be a lovely beautiful lady that she is. Am not jealous but i envy her. I wish i was in her shoes right now.

The engine comes to life and i drive at moderate speed in the busy Thika Super highway.

"This place has really changed", she tells me looking outside the window.

"We are talking of ten years Jane, we expected you to be back after four years", i tell her

"There was nothing to come back for", she responds casually

"Then why have you come back?", i ask c*****g my brows as i take one long look at her face.

"To see the old woman, she has pestered me for years to come back"

I feel a horrible ache growing in my heart. She has never changed, so she never missed me.

"You never responded to my emails", i tell her

"Was kinda busy, sorry sister. You know in the US i was busy, classes, work and all that. I know you might not understand since you have never been abroad", she tells me bluntly

I swallow dryly. The more I think about the rough time i will go through with my sister around. I had a strong conviction that she would come back a changed person.

I alight and open the gate, Jane is admiring herself on the mirror.

I drive in.

The next few minutes are characterized by celebrations as my mum gives Jane all the attention she deserves. Am sited at the patio table as i watch them, hugging and crying each others arms.

Am wondering why i never cried on her shoulders, why is our relationship strained and why is mum showing favoritism now?

I walk noisily to kitchen and bring tea for them. I had prepared everything, am doing this because i hate being instructed on what to do and what not.

After i serve them i go straight to my bedroom. They need time alone and i will surely do so, give them ample time. I sprawl on bed facing the ceiling and close my eyes.

Jane is home!