Jumamosi jioni Musa alipofika kwa Halima, hakukuta chai mezani. Alikuta sanduku la chuma.
Lilikuwa sanduku lilelile la zamani ambalo dada yake alikuwa ametumia kwa miaka kuhifadhi receipts za cooperative, ada za shule na pesa ambazo hakutaka zichanganyike na matumizi ya kawaida. Rangi yake ya kijani ilikuwa imechubuka pembeni, na padlock ndogo ilining’inia bila kufungwa.
Halima akafungua kifuniko, akatoa bahasha mbili na daftari lake la hesabu.
“Musa, leo hatutazungumza kuhusu ardhi kwanza,” alisema. “Tutazungumza kuhusu hizi milioni tatu.”
Amina, binti yake wa miaka kumi na tisa, alikuwa amekaa upande mwingine wa meza na laptop yake. Alikuwa amepata nafasi ya kuanza diploma ya accounting katika college ya binafsi ya Kijani, na invoice ya ada ya muhula ilikuwa imechapishwa kwenye karatasi yenye mstari mwekundu wa deadline.
Musa akakaa.
“Najua pesa ni ya Amina.”
Halima akamwangalia. “Unajua kwa maneno. Nataka ujue kwa tarehe.”
Akaweka invoice mbele yake.
Ada ya kwanza ilipaswa kulipwa ndani ya siku kumi na tisa.
Musa akatoa simu na kufungua calculator. “Nilikupangia kurudisha milioni moja na nusu baada ya closing, kisha nyingine ndani ya mwezi.”
“Baada ya closing kutoka wapi?”
“Nikiingia plot, nitaacha kulipa kodi ya workshop mpya.”
“Workshop ambayo bado haijajengwa.”
“Nina stock ambayo naweza ku-turn.”
“Stock hiyo ndiyo biashara yako ya sasa.”
Musa akakosa jibu la haraka.
Halima akavuta daftari karibu. Kwenye ukurasa mmoja alikuwa ameandika:
MUSA — 3,000,000. SOURCE — AMINA EDUCATION SAVINGS. EXPECTED RETURN — BEFORE TERM FEE.
“Usiniombe niamini ardhi,” Halima alisema. “Nionyeshe namna utanirudishia pesa.”
Musa akapumua. “Survey imeleta problem, lakini si maana deal imekufa.”
Amina akauliza, “Problem gani?”
Halima akamwangalia Musa. “Mwambie. Ni pesa yake pia.”
Musa akaeleza kuhusu kamba ya njano, kiosk ya nyuma na Mariam. Hakupunguza. Hakusema mwanamke amevamia. Hakusema Rashid amedanganya kabisa. Alisema tu kwamba kuna matumizi na contribution ambayo hayakuwa yameelezwa vizuri kwenye agreement.
Amina akafunga laptop kidogo. “Na uliona jana kiosk ina mtu?”
“Niliiona.”
“Na bado ulilipa?”
Musa akatikisa kichwa. “Rashid alisema itaondolewa kabla closing.”
Halima akacheka bila furaha. “Hapo ndipo nilipokuuliza spouse consent.”
“Najua.”
“Usiseme najua kama invoice hii inaweza kukosa kulipwa.”
Musa akainua mkono. “Sijakataa kwamba niliharakisha.”
Halima alifunga sanduku la chuma kwa nguvu kidogo. “Basi tusitumie pride kulipa difference.”
Wakaanza reconstruct pesa zote. Musa alikuwa amelipa deposit milioni nane. Milioni tatu kutoka Halima. Milioni tano kutoka akiba yake na sehemu ya cash iliyotoka kwenye mauzo ya stock ya mwezi uliopita. Final payment ilikuwa kubwa zaidi na ingehitaji mkopo wa biashara pamoja na kuuza baadhi ya inventory ambayo ingehamishwa kwenye karakana mpya.
Halima akauliza, “Ukilipa balance Jumatatu, na baadaye Mariam akawa na claim halali, una cash ya lawyer, survey mpya, compensation na rent ya shop ya sasa?”
Musa akasema, “Sina mpango wa kwenda court.”
“Tatizo halikuulizi mpango wako.”
Amina akachukua pen na kuandika columns tatu kwenye karatasi:
IF CLOSE NOW. IF DELAY TWO WEEKS. IF DEAL FAILS.
Musa akamwangalia. “Wewe pia umeanza?”
“Nililelewa na Halima.”
Walijaza.
Close now: final payment kubwa, workshop construction, possible dispute, rent ya duka la sasa bado mpaka move.
Delay two weeks: rent increase inaanza, contractor costs zinaweza kupanda, Halima’s money remains locked.
Deal fails: deposit recovery dispute, rent ya sasa inaendelea, no workshop.
Hakuna column iliyokuwa nzuri.
Halima akasema, “Sasa unaona? Decision si ‘nunua au uogope’. Decision ni risk gani una proof ya kuibeba.”
Musa alikaa kimya kwa muda. Kisha akafungua sale agreement kwenye simu. Condition aliyoongeza jana ilikuwa clear: final payment after boundary survey confirmation. Survey haikuwa clear.
“Nitasimamisha balance,” alisema.
Halima hakutabasamu. “Kwa simu?”
“Kwa maandishi.”
Akaandika ujumbe kwa Rashid:
`Following today’s survey interruption and unresolved rear occupancy/contribution issue, final payment is frozen pending written disclosure of occupant basis, spouse/family claim, boundary confirmation and any prior transaction affecting the plot. Deposit remains under existing agreement terms. I am not cancelling the transaction at this stage.`
Akausoma kwa Halima.
“Ongeza kwamba usikubali new closing deadline mpaka hayo yajibiwe,” Halima alisema.
Musa akaongeza.
Amina akasema, “Na screenshot.”
Musa akamtazama.
“Evidence discipline,” Amina alisema, akitabasamu.
Musa akatuma. Message ikaonyesha delivered.
Dakika mbili baadaye Rashid akapiga simu.
“Musa, unafanya nini?”
“Ninafreeze final payment mpaka disclosure iwe clear.”
“Umenunua plot, si marriage counseling.”
“Nimenunua transaction. Kama family claim iko ndani ya transaction, ni sehemu ya kazi yangu.”
“Closing ni Jumatatu. Mimi nina commitments.”
“Agreement yangu inasema survey kwanza.”
“Survey imefanyika.”
“Imesimamishwa.”
“Kwa sababu Mariam amekata kamba? Hiyo ni drama ya nyumbani.”
“Basi niandikie hivyo na msingi wa kuiondoa.”
Rashid akakaa kimya upande wa pili.
“Musa, ukivunja deal, deposit inaweza kuingia kwenye forfeiture.”
“Basi tutaangalia clause. Sijavunja. Nimefuata survey condition.”
“Kesho nitakutumia note.”
“Written full disclosure.”
Rashid akakata simu.
Musa akaweka simu chini. Halima alikuwa amemtazama bila kupepesa.
“Umeogopa?” Musa akauliza.
“Nimeogopa tangu ulipotuma milioni nane.”
“Na sasa?”
“Sasa angalau unauliza.”
Amina akafungua calendar ya ukutani. “Mama, fee deadline ni lini exact?”
Halima akampa invoice.
Amina akahesabu siku. Musa naye akaangalia. Tarehe ilikuwa karibu sana na mwisho wa dirisha ambalo Rashid alikuwa anataka closing ikamilike, na karibu sana na siku landlord wa Musa angeanza kodi mpya.
Musa akasema, “Nikichelewesha wiki tatu, nitakulipa kwa stock sales.”
Halima akatikisa kichwa. “Usiahidi output ya biashara kama tayari plot inaweza kula cash hiyo.”
“Basi nitakupa repayment plan kesho.”
“Si kesho. Leo usiku. Hata kama ni estimate.”
Musa akachukua daftari lake na kuanza kuandika customer receivables, stock inayoweza kuuzwa bila kuharibu core business, na pesa ambayo angeweza kutenga kila wiki. Hakupenda jinsi namba zilivyokuwa ndogo. Lakini zilikuwa namba za kweli.
Amina alisimama, akachukua marker ya bluu na kuenda kwenye calendar. Halima akamwambia aandike fee deadline kwa duara. Musa aliangalia simu yake wakati huo huo; message mpya kutoka Rashid iliingia:
`We must close on the date agreed. Monday discussion, then closing. No further extension.`
Amina anaandika tarehe ya ada kwenye calendar, siku ileile ambayo Rashid anadai closing.
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