Weekends were always hectic. There were things to be done and the kids were all over the place. Jackie, however, loved weekends most. It meant that she would get to be with the kids, work with them, find out what was going on with their lives, and maybe put a little play into the day. 

Alex was concerned about getting into the high school junior basketball team. For some reason, he believed that being a sports jock affirmed his manhood. He was terrified that if he didn’t get into the junior team, he’d never get into the senior team, therefore would never affirm his manhood. Jackie didn’t quite get the reasoning but Robbie had assured her that it was a quite reasonable line of thought for a fourteen-year-old boy on the verge of manhood.

Jessie was into sports, too. Rugby, soccer and anything else that confirmed that she were as tough as any boy. She was also noticing boys, but had found out that she liked being a sob sister rather than get her heart broken. According to Jessie, being a sob sister for both sides was helping her learn how to present herself as a girl and how to deal with the boys, so that when she was old enough to get involved she would not get into too much trouble. Jackie remembered being fourteen years old. But she had no idea if Jessie’s thinking was normal or right.

William was too busy with math and science projects to care about girls. But he had come across a spat of bullying recently. Jackie had even gone to see his school principal about that. Things seemed to have settled down, but Jackie was concerned that it wasn’t that the bullying had stopped, rather William was not complaining about it. Robbie insisted that at twelve years of age, William was smart enough to deal with small-time bullying. Only, Jackie was worried that it might be more than minor bullying.

Christine and Simon were the middle kids. Both of them kept themselves busy tidying up and fixing things. It was easy to forget them. They never had major issues between themselves or with the other kids. Both were good students, quiet and well behaved at home. Jackie constantly reminded herself to encourage and commend them specially.

The quietest of all kids was Danielle. However, her essence was everywhere in the home. Her artwork, from little paintings and collage to small seat and tablecloths with her embroidery, was all over the house. She was also the secret-keeper, knowing everything about everyone and not letting it out. Jackie worried that she knew much more than she needed to know at seven years of age.

As for Brandon, he was happy, carefree and too busy being a child to know that his family was in trouble. Jackie wondered if she had ever been that young in her life.

It was about four O’clock Saturday afternoon, when Robbie and Larry arrived at the farm. Everyone had just settled down after a day full of activity. Alex and William were in the front yard watching Simon fix the irrigation pump. The girls were in the house doing something. Danielle and Brandon were playing close to where Jackie sat under a guava tree.

As Robbie and Larry walked in, Jackie saw Danielle and Brandon bounce off after Robbie. Alex said something to William and Simon, and then skulked off into house.

She frowned and made a mental note to ask Alex why he hated Larry so much.

It was a long time before Robbie and Larry left, though. By then Alex had gone off to sleep.

The next day brought its round off activities. It was late in the evening before Jackie managed to get a moment alone with Alex.

“I don’t know.” was the response she got to her queries. Jackie’s brow furrowed with confusion, “You don’t know why you hate him?”

“Who said I hate him?” Alex sounded irritated.

“You leave when he arrives. You hardly say a civil word to him. What am l supposed to think?”

“What? Just because you like him, l have to like him too?”

“No, it’s just that I thought you understood that he is not like his father. He even offered me the money to buy our land back in case we don’t succeed in court.”

“Well, I’m not comfortable with him, Jackie. I think he is just like his father, only smoother.”

“You are wrong, Alex. Give him a chance. Get to know him, you’ll see.”

*****

Jackie watched Alex go to the boys’ room. He had a way of disagreeing without rippling the waters. Right now she knew that he definitely disagreed with her about Larry. He wouldn’t voice it again, at least not without some proof. Jackie smiled. She loved her little brother so much.

*****

Jackie met Robbie in the village late Monday. He walked her halfway home, and they discussed the kids as usual. When they stooped to part ways, Jackie let out a low laugh Robbie raised a brow.

 She shook her head, “It’s just that whenever we are together, we talk about the kids, money issues, blah blah blah.”

 ”That’s what friends do, Jackie. It doesn’t have to be all about fun things. Friends share life and love.” He raised his hand to caress her cheek with his thumb. “I like to believe that we are very best kind if friends.”

 ”For better or for worse?” she asked, looking into his eyes with a candor that revealed the answers to all the questions he had been asking himself these last few weeks.

 ”Till death do us part.” He assured her, answering her own unspoken questions.

 ”If-” she cut herself off, glancing away with a shyness that only came upon her when things were intense between them.

 ”If what, Jackie?” he prompted.

 She just sighed, “It doesn’t matter, Robbie.”

 He let her walk away, but in his heart he said, ‘But it does matter, Jackie. It matters a lot.’

 *****

 A few meters away from where Robbie and Jackie parted ways, he watched from the shadows.

 It was becoming more obvious that to deal with Jackie, he would have to deal with Robbie too.

 The ideal situation, of course, would be to kill both birds with one stone. He was however willing to do whatever it took to eliminate any kind of interference with his plans.

***** 

Larry met Robbie at the pub after work hours. It was becoming a weekday habit to the point that Robbie was worried he’d pick up a drinking habit. Larry was obviously an experienced drinker. He also could afford it. Robbie on the other hand had learnt to worry about finances since his father cut him off the family fortune and he started working for a living.

 Being with Jackie had also taught him a lot these last few years.

 ”So how are things between you and Jackie now? Better?” Larry asked at some point.

 Robbie smiled, remembering the near breakthrough he’d experienced with Jackie the previous evening, “She will come around.”

 ”I personally prefer to have things all out in the open. Its easier when you know where you stand.”

 ”Jackie got too much to deal with right now.”

 ”You don’t think now is the time she needs to know how you feel?”

 ”She knows.”

 Larry flung his hand in a gesture of giving up and took a swig of his beer mug.

 ”She was always complicated, you know. Never really could figure out what she was thinking.” Larry laughed, patting Robbie’s shoulder, “But it looks like you’re mastered the art of figuring Jackie out.”

 ”I won’t say l have, but I intend to master that art. I love her more than life.”

 ”Careful, friend. You might actually be called upon to live up to that statement or die for that matter. You never know with love.” Larry sounded like he knew a lot about that.

 Robbie decided that Larry was the one he needed to figure out, not Jackie. At least for now.

 ***** 

She didn’t tell Robbie that she was going to look for an old doctor friend of her late father’s. She just woke up one morning and traveled right across Nairobi, to a little on the outskirts of Nairobi.

 Dr. Satinder Shah had set up a surgery in Thika when his son took over the running of the busier, bigger and ultra modern clinic in Nairobi.

 When Christopher was just starting out as a GP, Dr. Shah had taken him under his wing, or so Chris had told his daughter. Jackie believed him, because of all the people who had helped during both her father’s and her mother’s last few days alive, and Dr. Shah had been most helpful.

 Dr. Shah had provided most of the drugs Christopher and Alice needed. Several times, he had even sent a carload of food from his Thika farm. Even after Alice died, Dr. Shah still sent surprise gifts every two months or so.

 Dr. Shah was surprised to see her. Pleased but surprised. Within a few minutes of her arriving in his surgery, they were laughing over memories from those early years of Jackie’s life.

“You still don’t want to be a doctor?” Dr Shah asked after recalling an incident when Jackie had been totally horrified by the sight of blood.

 ”My tummy still turns when I see blood.” She admitted, thinking that there were a lot of things that hadn’t changed.

 ”Still want to be a journalist?”

 ”Yes. When the kids grow a little older, I might go to college, study journalism.”

 ”I hope you do, Jackie. So, tell me, how can I help you?”

 Jackie told Dr Shah about the fraud case, the auction and finally her thoughts about the will.

 ”Dr. Shah, I just need your take on this. You knew my father. Do you think he might have left his wife and children without a will?”

 Dr. Shah was quiet for a long while. When he did respond, Jackie could tell he had several points of view on the matter.

 ”Your father chose not to legally marry your mum. I know your mum wanted them to legalize the union, but he refused.”

 ”He did?” Jackie had just assumed that the matter had been neglected. This confused her, “Why?”

 ” I don’t know, Jackie, but from that point of view, your father might have neglected writing a will. On the other hand, I know that your father did not refuse to legalize his marriage to your mother because he didn’t love her. He loved your mother. Deeply from the point of view, I think he would have taken care to see that your mother and the kids were well taken care of.”

 ” I would hope so. I mean, he made sure there was money for my college, and investments in my name. It only makes sense that my father cared enough to provide for his children.”

 ”Yes. It does. I have a very strong feeling that the answers you are looking for, Jackie, you will find them if you find out why your father refused to marry your mother legally.”

 ”How do I do that, Dr. Shah?” Jackie asked frowning in surprise at the direction Dr. Shah had taken.

 ”Come on, little girl. Maybe its time you started trying out the journalist’s garb.” the doctor encouraged.

***** 

When Jackie got home, she took out her parents’ old albums and records. She leafed through everything trying to put together little pieces of information.

 She put them all away when it was almost time for the kids to get home. Through the evening, she interacted with the kids, but her mind was on the question Dr. Shah had asked her to face.

 After the kids went to bed, Jackie remained in the living room as usual. She was sleeping less and less. The matter of the bank loan and the auction paled into significance against the backdrop of the issue of her father’s last testament.

 She was looking through the album when she recalled her father talking about a Simon Ngunjiri, one of his closest friends in medical school. Apparently, around the time of Jackie’s birth, Simon had been around. If Jackie remembered correctly, Simon had relocated to Canada about sixteen years ago.

 She wondered how difficult it could be to find someone who’d left the country ages ago and now lived so many miles away on the other side of the globe.

***** 

It wasn’t so hard after all, Jackie decided the next day. First she had traced Simon Ngunjiri’s old workplace. She’d found a talkative nurse who looked like she should have retired ages ago. The nurse knew Simon’s family right up to where they lived.

 Jackie had paid Simon’s sister a visit. She had explained to Esther Waiganjo, that her brother was Jackie’s father’s friend back in the early eighties. She had also convinced Esther that she was trying to write a biography of her father’s life, which was why she need Simon’s take on it.

 Jackie left Simon’s sister’s house with his postal address, email address and phone number. As she traveled back home, it occurred to her that perhaps writing that biography would not be such a bad idea after all.

 Larry was on the farm when Jackie got there. She found him standing by the cowshed looking pensive.

 ”Hey, are you ok?” She asked hugging him with affection, then reaching up to smooth his brow.

 ”I’m fine. I’m fine.” He tried to assure her. But over a cup of tea, Jackie pestered him until he sighed resignedly, “My father found out that I have been seeing you Jackie.”

 Jackie almost laughed, with a hint of bitterness ” You know, its interesting how I seem to get my friends’ fathers up to the arms.”

 ”He is not just your friend’s father, Jackie. He is your uncle.” Larry pointed out with sadness in his eyes.

 ”So what did he say?”

 ”Well, we had a row. He gave me an ultimatum. I gave him an ultimatum in return.”

 ”Say what?”

 ”He wants me to run in the 2007 elections. To take over his seat.”

 ”He wants to retire?”

 ”Well, with me on the seat, it doesn’t really qualify as retirement. It’s very important to him that I be groomed for the position. I won’t really fight him on that. I’ll give him what he wants, if he’ll give me what I want.”

 ”Which is?”

 ”Well, for starters, I talked to him about getting you a job at Simba Media Company.”

 ”Whoa!! I have a farm to run, kids to take care of, if you haven’t noticed. And besides, I will not put myself under your father ever again.”

 ”It won’t be like that again, Jackie. My father is staking a lot on my running for office in 2007. He won’t risk standing in the way of that.”

 Alex reacted strongly to the news. Robbie was present that evening when Jackie told the kids about Larry’s offer. When she turned to him for support, Robbie lowered his gaze.

 ”See? Even your boyfriend doesn’t trust him!” Alex declared with more emotion than Jackie had seen him express.

 Jackie looked from Alex to Robbie, noting Alex’s determined opposition and Robbie’s silent skeptism.

 She didn’t know what to do, other than step outside for a breathe of air. She was alone for a few minutes before Robbie joined her.

 ”When were you going to tell me, Robbie?” She demanded feeling a little irritated.

 ”Jackie, its just a feeling. I don’t think you should push him away. I just feel that you should tread carefully with him”

 ”I thought you liked him.”

 ”I do. He is a nice guy, but-”

 ”But his father is evil? Robbie, I thought we already knew that genetics don’t always pass bad traits.”

 ”Yes, we have. But caution doesn’t hurt,”

 Jackie ran into Angelie on her way to see Mr. Thuo early Friday. This time, Jackie found herself unable to get away from her cousin as soon as she wanted to. She found herself talked into a cup of tea at a mid-city café

 ”You were always very strong emotionally,” Angelie commented after asking her how she was coping.

 Jackie only smiled. She could remember totally petrified by the bigger louder Angelie.

 ”But you haven’t being sleeping well.” Angelie observed, drawing attention to the circles under her cousins eyes.

 Jackie was finding it hard to reconcile this Angelie with the one she had known earlier.

 She listened as Angelie advised her on sleep and eating habits. Apparently, Angelie was a registered nurse now. She so sounded older and wiser now. Jackie, however, was still as wary as she could ever have been.

 Angelie finally glanced at her watch and declared that she was due at her work position in twenty minutes. Jackie sighed inwardly with relief as Angelie paid the bill and rose to leave.

 Out on the street, Jackie glanced towards the building where Mr. Thuo’s office was, eager to part ways with her cousin. Angelie drew Jackie’s attention by taking her hand between both of hers. “Take care of yourself, Jackie. And if you ever needed anything, just call me.”

 She slipped a card into Jackie’s hand, then turned and walked away.

 Jackie stood for a while watching her cousin disappear into the crowd. She couldn’t tell whom to trust.

***** 

He watched them part. It would be a mistake if Jackie and Angelie got close. He doubted the possibility of Jackie trusting Angelie. That look on Jackie’s face after Angelie left gave him the assurance he needed.

 Poor Jackie. She had inherited trouble, mistrust, secrets and worst of all, an assortment of relatives who would gladly kill each other for the money.

 He wondered how she would react if she knew just how much she was entitled to. It didn’t matter though; he was determined never to let her find out.

 He had freaked out a little when she had gone off to see that old Asian doctor. Not that the old man knew anything. But he had worried that Dr. Shah would say something that would lead her to the truth.

 But he had decided that the confusion in her life was too much to allow her to focus so much on the past. So he had decided it was better to play on that confusion rather than take any drastic steps.

 He wondered how she was dealing with the whole situation. An imminent auction of land that she cared a great deal about. The children’s needs. Her intense albeit confusing relationships with Robbie. The very confusing relationships between her cousins Larry and Angelie.

 How would she deal with the definite loss of that piece of land? Of course, her cousin Larry had offered to help, but what if something was t o happen making Larry unable to provide the funds needed to redeem the land?

 He didn’t know if that would kill her spirit or fire her desire to find the truth. It made more sense to let things be until he was sure about Jackie.

© Juliet Maruru 2009 www.jmaruru.wordpress.com