Leila alidhani kurudi nyumbani kungeondoa hisia ya kuwa mgeni.
Badala yake, kila room ilikuwa na sauti ya binti huyo.
Bi. Saada alipouliza apende chai gani, aliongeza:
“binti huyo alikuwa anapenda tangawizi nyingi.”
Driver alipompeleka town alisema:
“Hii route ndiyo nilikuwa nampeleka binti huyo university.”
Mariam alipompa mkufu wa lulu alisema:
“Nilimnunulia—” kisha akajizuia.
“Nilinunua wakati mtoto wangu ana miaka kumi na nane.”
mhusika huyo alikuwa mtoto wake.
Lakini sentence haikujua.
mama yake ndiye aliyekuwa mtu pekee aliyemwambia usijisikie guilty.
“Wao watazoea,” alisema.
“Mgeni njoo, mwenyeji apone.”
“Mimi ndiye mgeni?”
“Ulikuwa umeondolewa.
Sasa umerudi.”
mhusika huyo alitaka kuamini.
Alikuwa amekulia Voi na mama aliyemlea, Halima Hassan, katika nyumba ya vyumba viwili karibu na railway.
Halima aliuza chips, samosa na chai. Alimpenda mhusika huyo, lakini deni na kazi vilikuwa kila siku.
Leila alisoma kwa bursary, akajifunza kuhesabu kila shilingi.
Nyali ilikuwa na pool ambayo hakuna aliyekuwa anaogelea, fridge mbili na watu waliouliza kama anataka driver.
Alitaka yote.
Alijichukia kidogo kwa kutaka.
mama yake alimpeleka shopping, akamwambia achague laptop, phone na clothes.
“binti huyo alipata kila kitu,” alisema.
“Usiogope kuchukua kilicho chako.”
mhusika huyo akauliza, “Alijua si mtoto wao?”
“Huwezi kujua watu wanajua nini.
Labda aliona tofauti.”
“Alikuwa baby.”
“Alipokuwa mkubwa angeweza kuuliza.”
mhusika huyo alijua argument haina mantiki. mhusika huyo ilimpa sehemu ya kuweka hasira ya miaka ambayo hakupata school trips, passport au family name.
Sherehe ya trust ilikuwa event yake ya kwanza public.
Dress nyeupe ilitolewa kwenye archive.
Mariam alisema binti huyo aliibuni.
mama yake akasema, “Sasa inapata maana yake.”
mhusika huyo alivaa.
Ilikaa perfect baada alterations kidogo.
Jukwaani, MC alisema:
“Leila Mbarak anafungua ukurasa mpya wa uwazi na huduma.”
Girls wawili waliletwa kwa picha. mhusika huyo aliulizwa azungumze.
Alisema alielewa maana ya kutokuwa na nafasi, kwa sababu alikulia mbali na family yake.
Aliwaahidi wasichana hakuna mmoja atakayeachwa.
Watu walipiga makofi.
Baadaye, mmoja wa girls alimwuliza:
“binti huyo yuko wapi?”
mama yake akasema haraka, “Former officer yuko chini ya audit.”
Girl akasema, “Yeye alitulipia exam.”
mhusika huyo alihisi joto usoni.
“Trust ililipa,” mama yake akarekebisha.
Girl akatikisa kichwa.
“Alituma kutoka jina lake.”
mama yake akamwambia teacher amchukue.
mhusika huyo alirudi home akiwa amechoka.
Kwenye room, alifungua drawers ambazo binti huyo aliacha.
Moja ilikuwa na sketches. Kila design ilikuwa na date, client na maker.
Dress aliyovaa ilikuwa labeled:
**Mariam — 2024 — Never delivered; client feared colour made her too visible.**
Leila aligusa line.
Dress haikutengenezwa kwa returned daughter.
Ilikuwa ya mama ambaye hakuvaa.
Siku iliyofuata, mama yake alimpa laptop ya trust.
“Tunataka utoe statement kwa donors.
Old email ya binti huyo bado ina credibility.”
“Kwa nini tusitumie email yangu?”
“Donors wanajua hers.”
“Lakini account imefungwa.”
“IT imetoa temporary access.”
mama yake akampa password.
mhusika huyo aliingia.
Inbox ilikuwa na emails mia nyingi: school rent, clinic medicines, menstrual-health supplies, rescue stock, donor reports. binti huyo alikuwa anajibu mpaka usiku.
mama yake akampa draft.
**Dear partners, I acknowledge irregular transfers made during my tenure and support the new leadership review.**
mhusika huyo akasoma.
“Hii inaonekana binti huyo ameandika.”
“Ndiyo.
Tuma kutoka account yake.
Legal team itasema ni administrative notice.”
“Hajasign.”
“Company owns email.”
“mhusika huyo sentence inasema I acknowledge.”
mama yake akakaza uso.
“mhusika huyo, unataka trust iendelee au scandal iue?
Watu kama binti huyo wanajua kutumia sympathy.
Lazima story iwe controlled.”
“Ni kweli ameiba?”
“Million 3.8 imepita account yake.”
“Kwenda wapi?”
“Audit inafanya.”
“Basi kwa nini tuseme acknowledge?”
mama yake akasema, “Usianze kulinda msichana aliyekaa nafasi yako.”
Leila alihisi shame.
Akabonyeza save, si send.
“Natakiwa kusoma files kwanza.”
mama yake akatabasamu bila joto.
“Damu ni nzito kuliko maji.
Usisahau ni upande gani.”
Baada mama yake kuondoka, mhusika huyo alifungua sent items.
Email moja kutoka binti huyo kwa mzee Said, miaka miwili iliyopita:
**Dad, donor funds cannot cover group tax problem.**
**I am bridging supplier payment personally for fourteen days only.**
**Please sign board acknowledgment.**
Reply ya mzee Said:
**Do what is necessary.**
**We will regularise after port deal closes.**
**Proud of you.**
mhusika huyo akasoma tena.
Million 3.8?
Attachment ilikuwa transfer schedule.
Total: KSh 3,782,400.
mhusika huyo akatoa screenshot kwa phone yake.
Kisha akasikia mlango.
Idris alikuwa amesimama.
“Unafanya nini?”
“Najaribu kuelewa audit.”
“mama yake atahandle.”
“Email inaonyesha Dad ali-authorise.”
Idris akamnyang’anya laptop kidogo, akasoma.
Uso wake ukabadilika, lakini akarudisha.
“Hiyo inaweza kuwa partial.”
“Basi kwa nini public statement imesema irregular?”
“Kwa sababu process haikufuata.”
“Lakini si theft.”
“Leila, hii family iko kwenye crisis. Usifanye conclusions.”
“Na binti huyo alifanywa conclusion jana.”
Idris alimtazama kwa muda.
“Unataka kurudi Voi?”
Swali lilikuwa tulivu.
Lilitisha zaidi kuliko kelele.
mhusika huyo akasema, “Hapana.”
“Basi usiruhusu mama yake akufanye front ya kitu hujaelewa.
Na usichukue files.”
Alitoka.
mhusika huyo alitazama password kwenye karatasi.
Old email.
Old dress.
Old room.
mhusika huyo kitu alichopewa kilikuwa na jina la binti huyo chini ya rangi mpya.
Kwa mara ya kwanza, mhusika huyo aliuliza:
Je, alirudi nyumbani?
Au aliwekwa ndani ya maisha ya mwingine ili family isilazimike kukiri ilimfanyia nini?
Leila alimpigia Halima Hassan, mama aliyemlea Voi.
“Sasa unalala kwenye nyumba kubwa?” Halima akauliza.
“Ndiyo.”
“Wanakutendea vizuri?”
mhusika huyo alitazama dress ya binti huyo kwenye kiti.
“Wanajaribu.”
Halima akanyamaza.
“Usiache wakufanye usione mtu mwingine kwa sababu wanataka kukuona wewe.”
“Unamaanisha binti huyo?”
“Na wewe pia.
Watu matajiri wakigombana juu ya damu, mtoto aliyeko katikati anageuka cheti.”
mhusika huyo akasema, “Mimi si mtoto.”
“Basi usitende kama karatasi haiwezi kukutumia.”
Baada call, mhusika huyo aliingia kitchen.
Bi. Saada alikuwa akifunga food parcels.
“Za nani?” Leila akauliza.
“Girls hostel Kilifi. binti huyo alikuwa anatuma kila mwezi.”
“Trust haifanyi?”
Bi.
Saada akasema kwa tahadhari, “Wakati mwingine trust.
Wakati mwingine yeye.”
mhusika huyo akasaidia kufunga. Kwenye box moja kulikuwa na sanitary pads, soap na unga.
Invoice ya supplier ilikuwa kwa jina la binti huyo Coast Works, biashara mpya ambayo mhusika huyo hakuwa ameisikia.
“Ali-order baada kuondoka?”
“Ndiyo.”
Bi. Saada akamwangalia.
“Binti, nyumba inaweza kuwa na room nyingi lakini ikakosa sehemu ya kusema ukweli.
Usiwe room nyingine iliyofungwa.”
mhusika huyo hakujibu.
Usiku, alibadilisha password ya old email ili mama yake asiingie bila yeye.
Kisha aka-copy email ya mzee Said kwenye encrypted folder yake binafsi.
Hakuwa tayari kumpa binti huyo.
mhusika huyo kwa mara ya kwanza, hakuwa tayari kumpa mama yake kila kitu pia.