HumbledbYGrace: not today, your blackmailing me days are sooooo over.

common update now, will get u popcorn and Juice promise

Eneze1:

common update now, will get u popcorn and Juice promise

pop corn and juice? Noooo...I want soaked garri with ground nuts

Damex333: who is nobody?, i hope its not malaika.

oga damex if she goes( God4bid ) d tori don be na, I meant that nobody atleast in d story is dead!

Eneze1:

crush my foot , do I even know you?

hmmm. . .dis reply sounds 2 swit for sum1 u dnt knw o!, jus saying!

HumbledbYGrace: me? Poetz cafe?

ehn ehn na! Jan.21st or so!

ortopazz:

hmmm. . .dis reply sounds 2 swit for sum1 u dnt knw o!, jus saying!

aproko, wetin be ur own sef

HumbledbYGrace: pop corn and juice? Noooo...I want soaked garri with ground nuts

u will definitely get that, *where is that groundnut seller* trying to look for her, hold on dear

Eneze1:

aproko, wetin be ur own sef

so him name be Aproko? Thanks for telling me.

Eneze1:

aproko, wetin be ur own sef

ah ah e bad 2 check my bros shy 'chik' again, na wa o!

Aside(all this formings sef) hmmm na wa o!

HumbledbYGrace: so him name be Aproko? Thanks for telling me.

see d one wey u rush chuk eye for,! Abeg tidy tori for me, Enezi go unravel herself 4 hia na, no be Nl we de!

HumbledbYGrace:

ah ah y na

HumbledbYGrace:

ah ah y na

Bros Ortopazz, abi na, d gal dey crush big time, no be only here o.
@eneze, u go still fall, but dont worry, i will pull you up.
@all guys, lets push this thread 2 front page(d writer said she will update regularly if we do dat.) i alone can convince mynd, we all will. So wats says my fellow readers.?

Damex333: Bros Ortopazz, abi na, d gal dey crush big time, no be only here o.
@eneze, u go still fall, but dont worry, i will pull you up.
@all guys, lets push this thread 2 front page(d writer said she will update regularly if we do dat.) i alone can convince mynd, we all will. So wats says my fellow readers.?

u are on cheap weed

No doubt about the front page buh she's got to be regular for viewership, am on board ''ship frontpage''

ur headt d dia oga Damex!

Eneze1:

u are on cheap weed

ortopazz: No doubt about the front page buh she's got to be regular for viewership, am on board ''ship frontpage''

ur headt d dia oga Damex!

thanks

Malaika-strong but weak...
What's wrong with Femi sef?

@sis HBG, weldone, I've missed Malaika o

BukkyDan: Malaika-strong but weak...
What's wrong with Femi sef?

@sis HBG, weldone, I've missed Malaika o

I miss her too lol, thanks dear

“We are gathered here today, to bid farewell to our fallen brothers and a sister. ” Mr Evans said, dressed in a black suit and a white Shirt, shiny black shoes reflecting the cold winter sun.

“Malaika was a free spirited child, we were blessed to have her after we lost our first child.”

First child? Malaika almost got choked by her own words. Her parents had lost a baby and they never bothered to tell her? Malaika, dressed in her Sunday best; her long satin dress, peep toes wedges and her favorite black summer coat. She couldn't understand why her father was where he was, or why there were multitude of unfamiliar faces there.

On her right were three caskets, two of them longer than the other which sat between them. They were in a graveyard! Three small tents circled three freshly dug pits. Her mother, aunt, and people from home sat in rows in the first tent. Her mother had wound a shawl around her shoulders, using it to wipe away tears that couldn't stop running down her beautiful face.

The other tent was occupied by faces she had never seen before, except that of Ntando and Ife-Oluwa. Ife and a girl who looked exactly like her were holding hands, each drawn in her own thoughts. Ntando sat on the rag next to a lady whom Malaika thought was her mother.

In the last tent Dineo sat between a lady who was weeping bitterly and a young girl who looked fascinated by all that was happening around her. A group of soldiers occupied the back of the tent, in their green camouflage Uniform. Malaika didn't need any explanation; she was at her own funeral. The yard seemed to have a lot of new residents that day, there were masses of people of different races going about their burying their loved ones. Everybody was weeping for someone, but she couldn't cry, tears failed to come.

Her father's speech was very long and moving, that when he finished speaking, everyone was weeping silently. After her father's long speech few people said their last words and the coffins were lowered down the dark pits. Malaika felt so alone, cold and afraid, she couldn't understand why she was there and was invisible to people because she wailed like a dog seeing a monkey at midnight, but nobody seemed to have heard her. Her mother looked passed her, Ife didn't answer her question and Dineo walked right through her.

When it was Ife's turn to throw in the soil on Femi's coffin, she threw in a piece of paper which Malaika caught in mid air to read it. she opened it and read it slowly.

Femi...

I would have loved to meet you, but I never got a chance to. Malaika was head over heels in love with you the last time I saw her, you meant a lot to her and I could say I have met you in a way.

I don't know what let to the shooting, its still not clear who shot the other, maybe you or Mike, or Malaika but then again I knew that Mike was head over heels in love with Malaika, he told me the morning after her birthday and I have to admit I was a bit jealous but I never loved him.

I hope you three will rest in peace, no more fighting ok? Until we meet again, you sis...Ife.

Malaika threw the piece of paper down to where it belong in disgust. She needed to talk to Ife, tell her Mike did it, Mike shot the three of them, ask for forgiveness. As she walked toward Ife, Ife had turned to look at her, she smiled, pleased that at last Ife sees her. But her smile turned into a scowl as Ife waved her off, like she wanted to say something but had changed her mind. “Girl its me.” Said Malaika pulling Ife to her but her friend continued to walk on, like there was no force pulling her back to Malaika.

“Come Angie, we have to go now.” Malaika turned to see Mike, holding out his hand to her. His eyes full of love she had never seen before, he was smiling, pleading with her. “Come, the sun is setting and the princess has to be home before sundown.” She rolled her eyes at Mike, what was he saying? Princess? Sundown? Home? “Mike, what are you saying?”

“We need to go Angie, there is nothing left for us here.” He pulled her closer to her grave. “You have to get in there.” Mike said casually, like it was just a play. Malaika looked at him horrified. “But I am not dead!” She gasped.

“Well, well. Princess, you need to get going.” Femi drawled, pushing her into an open grave, she let out haul. Femi had emerged from nowhere and had said something to Mike and the walked away from the grave.

A handful of sand was poured on her head. “Hey!” Another handful followed. “Are you people death?” She shrilled wiping away the grains of sand on her face. She looked up and a spade filled with sand flew down to her blinding her.



“I am not dead! God please help me!” She knelt on the coffin wiping away the mud created by her tears and sand.[/i]

“Malaika! Malaika!” Someone was shaking her violently. “Malaika please wake up!” The person was pleading with her. She opened her eyes, she was in a bedroom, two double beds separated by a big wall wardrobe. Pink walls, pink curtains, pink wardrobe, and pink bed covers reminded her of the Barbie series books she read in Secondary School. She had been in that room before; in happier times, when she was a carefree 21 year old girl.

The girl who had waked her up was Dineo, was this the day of the abortion? “Oh, thank God your awake!” Dineo squeezed the life out of Malaika, who nodded, bewildered.

“Where am I?”

“My place why?”

“When did I come here? Where is Femi? Mike? What day is this?”

“Whoa! Slow down, would you like some water?”

“Do I look like I need water?” She ripped the cover angrily. She was in Pyjamas. When did she change her clothes? “Where is my phone?” She asked turning the room upside down. Dineo just shrugged confused, she only got orders from Mike last night not to disturb Malaika. Mike had been eccentric last night, which made Dineo not to bother him, he might have shut her trap with a whack on her face. He had been moping around since his friend Dan died on Monday. His friend died in line of duty, it was Mike's duty to make sure that everything goes smoothly, Dan's family had appointed him to run things as a tribute to his friend. Dineo had asked to go with her Uncle to the funeral but things had changed when he came home with Malaika the previous night. He had informed her she wasn't going, he would be too busy to babysit.

“Don't just stand there! Help me look for my phone!” Malaika barked. “Mike has it.” Dineo lied, she didn't know where it was, Mike had given her Malaika's overnight bag, in it were her toiletries, clean clothes and her credit card. Malaika stopped what she was doing, the events of Friday night flooded her mind, the dream, Mike and Femi. “What day is it?” She asked, a little bit calm. She realized that Dineo might still be in the dark about the shooting, she had to wait for Mike.

“Saturday, Saturday morning. Mike told me not to bother you.” The flood of questions confusing Dineo, she started biting her nails. “You were saying that you were not dead...is everything alright?” She looked at Malaika, anxious and perturbed.

Malaika realized that she had to act like nothing was wrong, be a big girl and shove her owns worries on the back seat for a while. “I did?” She recalled the taste of her own tears mixed with sand, they tasted like the sand and urine mud porridge they used to make when they were at Pre-School. The cold slap of the winter sunset air, the thought still made her shiver. She busied herself with the bed.

“Where is Mike?” She changed the topic, Dineo seemed relieved by the turned tables. “He went to Dan's funeral.” Dineo said, helping her to make the bed. Shocked, she clumped her mouth with her hand, eyes searching Dineo's face for a smile, an assurance that she was joking.

“You knew Dan?”

“Yes, he danced with me on my birthday. We had a little party here, he seemed cool.” She swallowed back her tears, she had to be strong, for Dineo's sake.

“Yea, he was.” Dineo put the pillows orderly and trudged to sit with Malaika. “Why are you here Malaika?” She asked avoiding her gaze. “Its not that I don't want you around, its just that...” Dineo stammered, biting her nails. “Its just what?” Malaika uttered with a hiss.
Dineo backed away from her, she looked like an angry snake about to spit venom. “Mike hasn't been himself lately, he had confiscated my phone so that I will not talk to you, he still has it. His baby mama left on Sunday because she couldn't stand him,” she looked questioningly at Malaika, who looked her straight in the eye, pouting, arms crossed on her chest.

“It would be better if you stop beating about the bush.”

“Fine, are you seeing Mike?” Dineo said agitated, Malaika couldn't help but laugh. Mike and her? Impossible. “Well?”

“I don't have time for this,” Malaika picked her toiletry back. “I need a shower.” She stormed out of the bedroom like students who had been bored stiff by a teacher who always do the same thing when he comes to class that his students would be bored and eager to leave.

Dineo rushed to the door with an intention of showing Malaika where the bathroom is.
“The bathroom is on your left.” Malaika whirled around and gave Dineo a cold hard look, “Jeez girl! Get off my case already.” She turned and trudged to the bathroom. “I know my way around this place.” The door had shut behind her, slammed like a two cars that were accelerating on high speed and crashed into each other.

Dineo's fierce hunger for the truth, which Malaika was avoiding, caused her to tremble as if she was in a fever, but fear still held her back, numbed her.

“Aint you bothered by the pestering knock?” Malaika queried agigated by Dineo's ignorance. Getting no answer she swayed to the tv and switched it off, the programme would have to wait. “I am quite sure there aint a deaf person in this house.” She said hiding the tv from Dineo's view.

“It aint Mike, so I will pass.” Dineo frowned, undecided whether to get up from her seat or just ignore Malaika.

“Should I check?” Malaika asked. Dineo waved her away with her hand.

“Knock yourself out,” she said, her voice losing its self-possessed note and became falteringly human. “I am sure its Dan, he used to knock like that, probably coming to say goodbye.” She broke off with a little shudder. Her last statement caught Malaika offguard, a lot had happed and getting superstitious was going to make matters worse.

“I hope its him, it wouldn't be a bad thing after all.” She said walking across the room to the front door, she had decided that curiosity's medicine was actually facing your demons.

She peeped through the keyhole to see who it was, there was nobody at the door, relieved she unlatched the door chain and opened it, just a creak. Balancing her left hand on the door frame she popped her head outside. A little beautiful girl was looking up at her curiously, like she had seen an extinct species for the first time.

“Hello.” The little girl greeted her with a huge grin on her face. She looked four or five, she was plump and chubby, had charcoal spirals on her head.

“Hi.” Malaika forced a smile, there was an awkward silence as she looked questionely at the little girl.

“This is for uncle Mike.” The little girl handed Malaika a note. Malaika read it still at the door ,her face moving from curiosity to confusion, through pain to outrage, squinting at the white paper. Many times she sighed and shook her head. Then she remembered that she was at the door, she folded the note and send it flying across the room to where Dineo whom after reading it too starred at the Malaika with dazed horror in her eyes.

Malaika spoke first. “I don't know what your mother was thinking but what I know is this,” She scooped the little girl into her arms, closing the door behind them. She dropped the child on the couch between her and Dineo and put her arm around the little girl's shoulder. “You need us more than ever.”

The note was addressed to Mike, asking him to hand over the child to Dan. The mother reasoned that the child was brought to Mike's flat because Dan's phone wasn't available and he had moved out from where he was staying when he met the her, and she didn't even know his last name. So Mike was the closest person she could think of.

The little girl had a jolly personality too smart for a girl her age. She spoke English, Tswana and a little bit of Afrikaans, making it easy to communicate with Malaika and Dineo. They talked until dinner time, still no sign of Mike. He had to come and solve the problems that were rising in his house, because from what the note had said, the mother wasn't coming back for the child. Dan had ran away from his responsibilities and had stopped supporting the child.

Malaika didn't sleep that night, even though the tension between her and Dineo had subsided, the trauma of friday night still played on her mind, and the dream.

“I have something for you baby.” Malaika told the little girl, as she helped her into her new pyjamas. The little girl said nothing, her mind seemed to be somewhere else, she had been cheerful the whole day. Malaika wondered where she had wronged the child, was she missing her mother maybe?

The day had been fun filled for all of them, first thing that morning Dineo ran to the stores to get Nia a toothbrush. Then they all went shopping spree for the little girl, Malaika used her monthly allowance to buy everything little girls need. Shopping had always been Malaika's hobby and doing it for someone else seemed fun, exploring and buying every little thing the little girl wanted put a smile on her face. They had bought a pink suitcase and stuffed everything in it when they were finally done shopping. Then they bought a family feast at chicken licken. The only thing that kept Dineo and Malaika worried was Mike's reaction. He had a temper and might hunt Nia's mother down, while Malaika had told Dineo she wanted the child to stay.

“Ga ke batle go boyela ko mama!” (I don't want to go back to my mother.) The child said as tears started to fall from her cheeks. Dineo who had been busy with her phone, told Malaika what the child said. The child was going through a lot, being abonded by her mother and not knowing that her father would never come back for frustrated Malaika too.

Malaika stroked Nnana's singles, it was so painful to see a little girl rejected and misunderstood the way the little was, girls needs their mothers to teach them how to take care of themselves. Every girl deserved a mother figure at home. All this made her think of the abortion, still it was the best thing though a sin, she had broken one or two of the commandments and couldn't turn the hands of time. One thing she knew was that she would never be able to love her child, it was going to be a living reminder of Femi. The person she had written off from her life.

She realized that she couldn't prevent the wounds the girl would experience in the world but maybe she could soften their impact with love and encouragement.

Gently she wiped away the little girl's tears and kissed her forehead. Then she perched her on her knees, held her hands and looked straight into her wide, sad eyes, eyeball-to-eyeball.

“Baby? do you know how wonderful you are?” Malaika asked, the little girl shook her head. “Darling, you are the most beautiful girl in the whole world, I love your pointy little nose.” Malaika smooched it quickly. “I love your dark chocolate round cheeks.” She pecked them and continued. “I love your long eye lashes and your adorable big eyes.” She bestowed kissed on the little girl's eyes. “I love you from the top of your head all the way down to your twinkly little toes.” Malaika kissed her again and pointed to the little girl's chest. “I love your heart, your kindness, your curious mind and your sweet little sharing spirit. Please can we call you Nia? That your name is hard to pronounce.” She asked cupping the little girl's face into her hands, then handed her a bunny. The little girl nodded and stopped crying, her gaze moved from the awe strucked Dineo to Malaika's smiling face. She hung on to every word Malaika had said and giggled through the kisses and eagerly followed from one affirmation to the next. Hungry from her very soul for those endearments, she opened, like a baby bird, to receive from motherly nature.

Nia, got up, bunny in one hand and gave Malaika a big hug, she said to Dineo; “tell her she is the nicest lady I have ever met.” In tswana, Dineo smiled, blinking away hot tears, she got up too and hugged Nia and Malaika tight. “Nia says I should tell you that, your the nicest lady she had ever met Malaika,” Dineo exclaimed. “And she is right, I love you.” Malaika smiled and said to herself I will always love you two, whenever I see a stuffed bunny, whenever I read about children paying the price for their wayward parents.

She had been so overwhelmed by the coming of the little girl, she had helped her heal a little. She however didn't realize the magnitude of the affair at that moment. But when she had switched off the lights, waiting enduringly for Mike she wondered if it was her who had taken care of two girls for almost two nights.

Smilling to herself, she cried, but that night the tears were of contentment, not of regrets or pity for herself. She understood what her father meant when he had said that, life without God in it was like was like searching for water in the desert. Whatever Mike had to say, she dicided that she was going to stand on her own two feet, just like her mother had taught her.

Ehn? Femi dead? Oh my! I pray its still a dream...

Sis HBG...good job...

It doesn't get any better than this

welldone!

@ Bukkydan and Princesa, thanks ladies.

I knew it will get better, pls HBG wat happened to Femi abeg pray tell, more oil to ur lamp

Eneze1: I knew it will get better, pls HBG wat happened to Femi abeg pray tell, more oil to ur lamp

thanks as for Femi, dunno

Humbledbygrace where are you? I hate what your doing please continue your story please

Chriki: Humbledbygrace where are you? I hate what your doing please continue your story please

eish madam I have a lot in my mind, will try though m not sure.

Malaika sat in the brightly lit room, the temperature was going down as the night fades away to make way for dawn. Her fingers were jack frosted by the mug she had in hand. The cold was what she needed to stay awake, even if it meant catching flu then so be it because she was sick and tired of Mike's mind games.

She had to be at her flat preparing for the second semester but thanks to Mike she was still stuck at his flat. The innocuous question that she had asked herself repeatedly why she was still there discombobulated her and forced her to re-examine what it is she was doing and why.

Dragging her feet to the kitchen to heat the cold coffee in the microwave, her stamach growled reminding her that she didn't eat dinner, she had hoped that Mike would arrive early and would drive her to her flat where she would salvage the fruit salad she had made Thursday evening.

She took four slices of Albany brown wheat bread and put it in the sourcer which she had already placed on the kitchen counter, took out two viannas and warmed them up in the microwave, took out the fat spread and chedder cheese from the fridge and prepared her sandwitch.

Salivating she took a bite before adding lettuce and uncooked sliced tomatoes. She was crazy about raw vegetables, especially lettuce and ripe tomatoes.

She was slicing the tomatoes, licking off its juice on her fingers when Mike burged in. She had been playing the emotional collection of Dineo's mixed rock, pop and Rnb music, on the Ipod that she didn't hear him unlocking the door.

The moment she was treading had finally arrived. The courage she had, had shrunked back and she started to panic. She wanted to run but she couldn't lift her feet, they felt as if they were cemented on the floor, itchy and cold. Her voice couldn't be of help either, she just stood where she was starring at Mike horrified.

As if reading her mind, Mike moved closer, trying to reasure her that it was okay, he wasn't armed.

“Its ok, I will not harm you.” He said moving closer to her, she pointed the knife she was holding at him.“If you come closer, I will stab you Mike.” Malaika mouthed the words trembling, she had so many questions to ask Mike but found it hard to ask him.

She remembered how Ife walked over the guy, how she would snap her fingers and pull her ear while talking to Mike over the phone. How she wished she had Ife's qualities; her bravery, the no nonsense yoruba girl and her fighting spirit.

The microwave had stopped, and the room was filled with silence like a graveyard. The Ipod's battery had died then, giving them some quite time.

“We need to talk.” Mike said, walking off to his room. “I need to shower, would you make me a cup too?” He didn't wait for her to reply but chipped in a "thank you."

This guy is so full of it! She hissed throwing the knife across the kitchen into the sink.

Mike had surely turned her into his personal slave, she wished she had an evil heart, creep into his bathroom, switch the lights off then stab him with the knife several times until she was sure he was dead.

The thought alone made her shiver, the guilt starting to pile up, she hadn't seen a dead person before and word had it people who died un natural cause always come back to haunt and toture their killers, sometimes driving them insane to an extend that they take their own lives.

“Coffee ready?” Mike sounded cheerful, like he had just washed away all the troubles he had when he first walked in. Malaika shook her head slightly, she had been busy plotting his death, coffee would have to wait.

Mike busied himself humming to a song Malaika had never heard before in her life. “Where is Femi, Mike?”

He looked at her, coffee mug in one hand and sugar pot in the other. “What do you mean?” He looked rather abashed by her question. Malaika looked at him questionely. He shrugged and carried on with his coffee making task.

“Mike!” She barked. He turned to look at her, annoyed. “I saw you shoot us, then the next thing I woke up in your house.” She paused, shaking uncontrollably. “What kind of a sick game are you trying to play? And where the hell is my phone?” Malaika realised she didn't have the guts to take Mike on, he had proven to her twice that he doesn't play ball with kids like her.

“Are you done?” He asked calmly, she starred on the Mount Kilimanjaro ceramic floor. It was so shiny she could actually see herself, the kitchen was spotless too. It fell under the category of those kitchens that you had to clean up immediately after using it because you would feel very guilty for leaving it dirty when you found it unstained.

“Your the most ungrateful human being I have ever met Malaika Evans.”

She looked at him shocked. “You can look at me any way you want but that's just the truth. I saved you from that punk you call a boyfriend twice, but this is the thanks I get?” He walked out of the kitchen mumbling to himself.

“I just want to know what happened.”

************

“What happened is that I fired into thin air, to scare the scoundrel off, and he did ran, cursing and calling you with filthy names under the sky. I had to protect you, you didn't want to come with me so I waited till you fell asleep. It was easy to persue you then.” He sipped his coffee. “Femi called your phone, I didn't pick, he left messages threatening to kill you. That's why I have decided to take your phone, you will be using another phone from now on.” He yawned, taking the remote and turned on the tv, waiting for her to say something.

“Why would you protect me Mike?” Malaika wasn't sure of her own voice, there she was thinking Mike had killed Femi, but all he did was to protect her.

Mike took her hands and kissed the back of her palms, brushed his finger across her flawless dark cheecks. “A man turns into a fool for love my dear.” He said softly, she immediately pulled her hands away abrudly. “Mike, we can't be, you don't love me.” She said blushing, way too obvious for Mike to notice.

He smiled at her. “Malaika, I loved you that rainy day you asked me if I was married. I never want to see you hurt and always tried to do right by you. Girl, no man would wake up at 4am for any girl! Not Unless he is inlove.”

She moved a bit from him nervously. “I am not ready for a relationship, I am not even sure I love you Mike.” He pulled her towards her ever so slowly.

“I didn't ask you to love me back, just said I love you.”

“Aint we supposed to date and stuff?”

“I am not ready to be with you either, there is a lot at stake but whenever we are ready we will seek and find each other.” He reassured her dismissing the topic.

Malaika seemed to be cautious, “And Ife?” She had to know everything.

Mike waved her off,“She knows, but it doesn't matter. Will cross the bridge when we reach it.” Malaika got the hind but pressed on.

“I hope she doesn't do katakata.” She said quitely, Mike shifted his attention on the Africa Morning news. She knew that he would kill if disturbed when watching the current affairs on SABC2.
But before it slipped her mind she told him about Nia.“Dan's daughter is here.”

“I know.” Came a curt reply from Mike.

Only if he knew he was making it impossible for her to talk to him with the "give me some space" attitide.
“What are you going to do about it?”

“Take care of her ofcouse, what else is there to do? She is my daughter after all.” Mike's attention was still on the telly. Malaika got up shocked. “Why was Dan supporting the child if she is yours?” She asked

“Malaika I am tired, could we please do this another time?” Mike said his attention still on the tv. Malaika was upset, how could he say that? When she had been playing mother Theresa to Dineo and his child? While she was supposed to be preparing for the next semester? How pathetic! She blocked his view from the television. “Let me get this straight, you slept with your best friend's girlfriend and got her pregnant then lie to him about the child's paternity?”

Mike got up to leave, but Malaika blocked his way again. “We were all drunk and Dan had to rush somewhere leaving his girlfriend in my care. One thing let to the other and that's it.” He pushed her out of his way, but she stood her ground. “So Mike too has skeletons in his closet?” She let out a mockery laugh. He sat down again,
Looking distressed.

“Ok, can we talk like adults now? We have been bickering at each other for far too long don't you think?”

Malaika nodded, he continued. “Telling Dan would have ruined our relationship but hiding it now is no use, Dan is nomore and that bitch is not fit to raise my daughter.”

“So you basically have two daughters from different mothers and a niece?”

“Yep.”

“The note said the mother brought the child here because she couldn't locate Dan and stuff.”

“That's a bluff, she was covering her tracks, she was a wreckless mother. She sacked Dan thousands claiming it was for the child while using it to maintain herself.”

“And you kept quite? For a friend while your own flesh and blood suffers?” Mike ignored the question, and started talking about Dineo and the abortion.

The topic still rubbed salt into raw wounds, Malaika decided to do the listening rather than talking. She listened to him going on and on about raising children and the reason behind Dineo's abortion, was that she couldn't take care of herself, having a child would have ruined her life.

Malaika felt at ease when Mike opened up, she was glad that he didn't see abortion as a tabboo like her folks.

“Nia is a good girl.”

Mike looked at her bewildered, like Malaika was speaking in tongues. “Nia?” He asked eyebrows raised. She giggled, then pouting she said;

“Yea, Nia means Purpose in Swahili, I named Dan's, well your daughter that.”

He shook his head yawning. “Nice. I need to rest, see you in the morning?” He got up to rinse his mug, Malaika came after him. “Leave it there, will rinse it with mine.” He thanked her and went upstairs.

Malaika had forgotten to ask him to leave her keys and what was to happen with Nia around. She hated entering people's bedrooms especially at night but had no choice. knocking softly, Mike told her to come in. She opened the door, tiptoed in and lean on door.

“Erm, Mike...my keys, phone? And..and what about Nia?”

He gave her the "I am trying to get some sleep here so make it snappy." look. Mike's moods changed like a pregnant women.

“Are you done?” He asked fumbling with Malaika's phone.

“I hate it when your like this!” Malaika shrieked, forgeting that Dineo and Nia were sleeping. Mike ignored her completely and turned off his bedside lamp to sleep. She turned on the light.

“What is your problem?” He hissed, getting up. “Do you want me to force you out of here?” Malaika sat on the edge of his bed while he stood next to her, face red with anger.

“Let's see you try.” She said softly. He sat next to her, arms crossed on his chest. “Okay miss, I am at your service.”

They both laughed at his statement.

“On a serious note,” Malaika turned and looked at him. “You need to look for a school for Nia and you will have to make time for her on weekends.”

“That's why your here Angie.” He said smiling at her. “Is your father a king?”

“My father a king? Why?”

“Because you carry yourself like a princess, you stumbled and fell but had courage to get up and get your life back on track again.”

“He used to call me that too, he is just a preacher.” She got up, “I guess I should be leaving then?” Mike shook his head. He pulled her down on the bed.

“Why did your father say your a princess?” He asked concerned, she zoomed his room for a moment before answering him. Mike's bedroom had no funny ordour Femi's room had. The ordour was from the dirty socks and smelling feet. Mike's bedroom smelled like mint, no socks peeping from the open wardrobe drawers, no clothes pilled on the wordrobe floor. Everything was arranged neatly.

“Well, he said behaving like a princess is hard work, its not about looking beautiful or wearing a crown, its what is inside that matters.” She looked up and their eyes met, their heads moved closer. She felt a knot forming in her tummy, she got up and went for the door. “See you later Mike.” She whispered. Mike only nodded.

She tiptoed down the stairs to the girls bedroom, holding her chest with her hand, her heart felt like it would pop out of her mouth anytime.


Loving Mike was going to be a challenge, he had mood swings and had a bad temper but life was all about risks wasn't it? Even the famous fairytale princesses took chances.

A long journey had just started, she had solved her problems. Sorted things with her mother which was troubling her. Closing her eyes, for a first time in six months she felt like she belonged, like she was home and her loving parents were around.

She snuggled tight next to Nia who was snoring peacefully, she changed her position and the snoring stopped. As she lay in bed that morning she came to understand why her father called her a princess; she loved helping others, serving others and held dear to what she was taught. A princess take orders from her people, a princess in a form of an angel. A true Masaai Princess.

•••••••

Wow!!! Interesting story. Well done HBG
The wait is always worth it. Please keep it coming. More ink to your pen.