The beautiful golden yellow rays of the morning sunlight pierced through the bedroom window and fell directly onto Tama’s eyes. She had been in a very deep sleep and knowing that it was Mambo, her husband who had drawn the curtains with an aim of waking her up, she, still feeling sleepish straightened up and stretched. Her husband jumped over onto the bed, and fell into her arms.
“Sleepyhead.” He called as he kissed her on the forehead, and another kiss onto her fleshy lips.
“Was still dreaming…about you, about us…” She replied softly. He smiled into her eyes, and she without haste returned the smile.
“Slept well?” she asked, her turn kissing him on the forehead.
“With you by my side, how would I fail to?” he asked as he pushed her back into sleeping position, got on top of her and started stroking her black curly natural hair. Tama was a half-cast who had been brought upon mother earth by a German father and Rabai mother. Unfortunately, she had never got the chance to meet her father but her mother had afforded to give her all that she had ever yearned for in a father.
As she grew up in the outskirts of Rabai, her beauty had always left many completely mesmerized. She had an American height that was accompanied with a slim but beautiful body and brown eyes. She lovingly pushed him aside and wearing her bedroom sandals dragged her tired feet into the bathroom to soak herself clean since she felt sweaty that morning. Her husband followed and met her, staring at herself in the mirror as she brushed.
“See that girl in the mirror?” he asked “She is my girl, my woman, my everything.” He moved his hands onto her tummy, which had been protruding for the past six months, growing big and bigger every other day… He pecked her on the cheek and left for the bedroom. Tama was done in a few minutes. Wearing her white bathroom robe, she joined her husband in the kitchen. He was preparing scrambled eggs and African tea for their breakfast. She smiled on, as she watched him busy trying out the perfect skill that he admitted he hated the most, and yet for her, just for her, he could do whatever it took to make her happy especially in her situation.
“Need help?” she finally asked.”
“I’m cool my love.”
“Next week is our second anniversary…”
“I know.” Mambo responded
“But you are going to be away love.”
“Not for long babe. I promised you and ill still make it back home in time before then.” He said right after, without any slight hesitation. The two had gotten married almost two years back, but they had been high school and campus lovers. They spent their first year and few months trying to search for a baby, but in vain until God answered their prayers, six months back. Only God knew how happy they were, and only God knows how excited and eager they are to receive the little bundle of joy.
Moreover, on this day, her husband was going to Dubai for a business trip that would last a week. Warmly groomed, Mambo had grown up in Kilifi with both his parents and he was the second born in a family of four. Being the only boy, he got the chance to receive all his father and mother’s love. His mom always referred to him as “Mom’s little boy” and finally, when he announced to them that he was going to get married, they were literally heartbroken-broken and his mother had requested him never to abandon them for a girl he had just met randomly…
With a promise, he had received their blessings and that’s how he went on to marry Tama. Tama had expected to be fully loved and accepted by Mambo’s family but her expectations had been brought to disappointment when her mother-in-law, in the presence of one of her sisters-in-law admitted how they disliked her.
“You can’t even give our son a child. You are just useless.” Her Mother in Law had said, words that had left Tama crying out to God in deep pain, so that He could run to her rescue and indeed, he had. She loved her husband, and never…never did she ever want to lose him.
“Are you sure you promise?” Tama asked, now realizing how much she was going to miss him when he was gone. She was not planning on staying all alone for that week. Mambo had promised to drop her off to her mother’s house before proceeding to the airport.
“Yes, love,” Mambo said, turning around and laying the scrambled eggs onto the plate. For some reason, Tama’s heart beat so fast and she almost lost herself as they had the breakfast. She didn’t know why. She wished she had the ability to stop him from going. Perhaps, that’s only when she would be calm….Mambo’s flight was scheduled for 5:00 P.M and he had to be there three hours earlier. Since Tama loved listening to audio stories, he decided to read for her a story and she had slept off for an hour after breakfast, in his arms.
The rest of the hours ran fast as if they were being chased by wind and at around noon, she packed a few staff and was driven home where they had lunch. Her mother was there, with her “male friend” whom Tama had grown up seeing…whether they had a secret relationship, she had sworn under her breath never to mind after all, the guy was not at all bad.
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At exactly 1:30, Mambo had left but before, she had held him tight, not wanting to let him go. “Please hun, stay.” She whispered in his ears. How she wished her voice was magical that he could change his plans immediately. She was worried about him…she tried to ask herself why but her instincts were too strong to even make her think.
“Please don’t go.” She pleaded
“You know I have to, love.” He responded and that’s when he realized a tear running down Tama’s right eye. He kissed her on the lips and hugged her again.
“I’ll be back soon.” He promised and immediately, he got into the car and drove off. For herself, and for the baby inside her, she realized she had to be strong. She caressed her tammy and promised the baby inside that daddy would be back soon and this took her through the rest of the hours. They remained strongly in touch from the time he got to the airport, bordered off until she slept off, in the wee hours of the night. A ringing phone jolted her out of her sleeping mood and she immediately picked up.
“Mrs, Mambo?” the voice on the other side called. It was a new voice. She had picked, thinking it was Mambo who had called with a new number.
‘It’s me.”
“Your husband has been involved in a plane crush and he is no more. I’m sorry ma’am.” The call ended and her hands began to shake. The phone in her hands fell and shattered into pieces on the ground, and the sound they left brought her mother rushing into her room…
“Tama?” she called and she lost strength in her arms and shutting her eyes, she passed out.
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