You will all remember what an amazing Christmas seasons I had.
Or rather, amazing days just before Christmas when a loaded Constable Ford and Pius were around.
Life was party after party, with grand plans to give Mwisho wa Lami a Christmas Party to remember.
But due to unforeseen circumstances, both Constable Ford and Pius had to disappear from the face of Mwisho wa Lami on December 24, the eve of Christmas, a day we were all to go to Kisumu to do Christmas shopping.
On that day, Fiolina and beautiful Rumona would have accompanied us to Kisumu.
Fiolina was very excited, as she had previously only passed through Kisumu on her way to Nairobi or from Nairobi, and it would be the first time in her life to step into Kisumu!
She looked forward to lunch at Acacia Premier and she literally slept in her shoes.
DEBT BURDEN
Well, she did not. But by 9pm, she had nicely prepared her clothes, and by 6am the next day, she was already dressed, ready to leave. So was beautiful Rumona.
Things took a different turn when Constable Ford and Pius disappeared at 7am after the police arrived.
Beautiful Rumona, Fiolina and I were left high and dry. Not only had we missed a golden opportunity to visit Kisumu, we had also been left with a huge burden, especially from the people who had supplied tents, chairs, music system, a cow, chicken among other things, and who had not been paid.
I am the one who had contacted most of these people, and they came to me seeking for payment.
I was clear that I had just been a middleman, with no money to pay. I asked them to take their things away, as many had not been used.
In the heat of the moment, I had a little quarrel with Fiolina. She was angry that Ford and Pius had given me a lot of money that I had not disclosed to her or even given her some. That was untrue.
LENA VISITS
As such, she left for her parents. She left less because of that but more because she had really wanted to leave that day.
She had wanted to leave and go to Kisumu, but ended up leaving to go to her parents.
I did not try to stop her. Also, I neither called her nor her people to ask that she comes back. I knew that sooner rather than later, like Miguna Miguna, she would want to come back home.
On the same day, my colleague Lena, her bad hair in tow, texted me to say that she would be visiting my family for Christmas.
She did not know that I had no family at the time. Fiolina was away with her parents, while Branton and Sospeter were visiting my sisters.
When I responded to her, telling her to come, but cautioning her that all my people were away, she replied with two words: “The better!”
Indeed, Lena visited me on Christmas day, her bad hair notwithstanding.
FIOLINA’S DEMANDS
I had bought food that needed minimal cooking — juice and biscuits, with Rice and Chapati coming from my parents’ place. We had a great time together.
I don’t know how information that Lena was visiting me reached Caro, Mwisho wa Lami’s Cabinet Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, but soon, Fiolina was aware that Lena had visited.
She started calling me incessantly, and when I did not pick, she texted nonstop. “What is Lena doing their?”, “I want to now why Lena is in my hourse”, “Tell Lena to live their ama atanijua,” “You think I am a full?” I did not respond to any.
What I gathered was that Fiolina wanted to come back home, but she wanted me to invite her back.
And to visit her parents accompanied by some elders for mediation. We are not doing such things in his new decade.
Fiolina had thought that I would struggle without her around. But with the kids away, this did not pose a challenge.
Especially when you consider that beautiful Rumona was around. I would make breakfast for one, daily, then be at my parents’ place for lunch, and at Rumona’s in the evening for supper.
SCHOOLS OPEN
That was until January 2, when Brandon and Sospeter returned. A day later, I took Sospeter to stay with his grandmother, and remained with Brandon.
We have lived together before, and as long as no one interferes with another’s businesses, we are ok.
I had thought of taking the boys to Rumona’s, but for obvious reasons, I did not.
Fiolina’s absence was felt on Monday when schools opened. If you remember, last term, together with her, we had opened FioDrelina CBC Pedagogical Academy, Mwisho wa Lami Campus, the best school in Mwisho wa Lami and its environs, with Fiolina as Managing Director and yours truly as the Executive Chairman.
Before school opened, Fiolina started sending me feelers that she was ready to return. I ignored.
Come last Monday, beautiful Rumona and I easily handled the children, together with a teacher we had hired last term.
There was a slight problem on Tuesday when I went to school, and more children came.
I talked to Sandra, Tito’s wife who had demanded Sh16,000 as salary last year to consider helping temporarily.
She was still jobless and desperate, and was now ready to take Sh5,000 as salary.
NO APOLOGY
She came in as Acting Headmistress, reporting to beautiful Rumona, who now became Acting Managing Director.
Lena also started passing by when free to offer support. News that the school was running smoothly — besides the fact that parents weren’t paying — reached Fiolina.
She texted me several times asking me the status of the school and I told her that all was well.
She clearly wanted to come but was still waiting for apology from me followed by mediation talks led by a task force of elders.
Dear Fiolina, if you are reading this, just come back home. I will not apologise or attempt to build any bridge.
As you can see, the school is running well even in your absence, and if you take long, even your home will soon be running smoothly. Come back, unconditionally!