Made - Episode 12

 

After a sumptuous meal i decided to take a walk round the village. Dad was taking his usual afternoon nap. Mum had gone to an afternoon church meeting and Alicia was busy on my phone. 

I closed the gate behind me and slowly breathed in the cool air that was setting a mood for memories to flood in my mind. At this point i stood, Caleb had gave me my first ever kiss on my lips and had done well to give me a goodbye kiss upon my neck . With one hand i touched my neck area then leaned against the gate. I closed my watery eyes then swallowed hard delicately going over those fleeting moments that had slipped through my fingers so fast. I shifted my memories to much happier times. Those days i had waited for my brother Lloyd to come home from school. Unlike me he would always make an early call before making the actual home coming giving me time to prepare my welcoming home drama . I would stay rooted in this place waiting to be the first one to give him a hug. Mum knew better to exempt me from house chores on such a day because nothing whatsoever would unglue me from this very spot. Now he was away in Germany continuing his studies. To say i missed him was an understatement. 

I opened my eyes and sauntered on to explore the village. So much had change

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. John's small store had now transformed into a mini supermarket. Salons, cyber cafe's, grocery store, restuarants and even a carwash had mushroomed at different points of the village market. It must be easy living here now. As i continued i met so many people i knew others were farmiliar faces i had grown up around. A little chat here and greetings there did the trick. 

After a while i found myself on a lonely secluded path leading to Caleb's place. The path had few people on it and soon enough i was the only person on that path. Drawing near i could see the place was deserted. My heart gradually swelled with a potent mixture of nostalgia and pain. Mum had told me Caleb's grandma had moved to Canada to be with his kids.  Caleb together with his wife and two boys had moved to the city in search of a better life.  The kindergarten school they had been running was now long closed.  I could see on what had once been a playground, swings hanging idly in an inviting way. The gate was locked but the fence placed around the compound was doing a bad job at offering security.  It was more of a boundary definer.  There were many side routes around the place. I sneeked in through one of the side routes. I went up to the swing and sat on it then made as if to stand while still seated. With a force through my legs i thrust myself freely into the air. My face was feeling good against the wind. My braided hair was flowing freely against the wind making a whiishy wooshy sound. More memories flooded my mind. 

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Caleb was six years older than me.  I met him in during the holidays of my year two in high school. I had attended a church event and he was there. He wasn't the most attractive guy in the room but for some unknown reason i kept glancing towards his direction. Funnily enough while i was sneaking peeks at him he was also sneaking peeks at me. Once in a while our gaze would meet and he would smile while i quickly looked away. The event ended and he walked up to me. He asked  to know my name after fully introducing himself. We talked a little mostly about me, what i liked, where i went to school and other stuff concerning me. I was a nervous wreck blushing the whole time. My stomach was buzzing with butterflies making it almost impossible to stand still. A boyfriend was not what i was looking for in a church event. Besides i felt he was too old for me. He ended the conversation by taking my hand kissing it then in a weeful way said  'I'll see you around my lady.' He was the kind of guy to leave impression marks on you heart.  My heart beat was now off charts beating at a hundred beats per minute.  Mom would go into a coma if she heard i was talking to a guy let alone that he kissed my hand.  She was very protective. 

I went back to school without seeing him and it was entirely my making.  I would see him hang around our place hoping to see me which never happened because i did well to dodge him. He would give my younger sister letters which i joyfully read and tuck away in my love box retrieving them anytime for a re-read but never getting the courage to reply any. It was not because i didnt like him only that i was scared to venture into relationships. Mum had made it clear that relationships were a no go zone for me. I was amazed how i managed to dodge him for a whole year. 

On one of my school breaks while in my third year in high school, i went to see my best friend Lorraine. On my way back Lorraine escorted me half way back then i was to make the rest of the way home by myself. 

He was sitting on a branch that had fallen due to heavy rains his hand fiddling with grass he had probably pulled from the road side.  When he saw me aproaching his face lit up. I greeted him shyly then made as if to pass. I still liked to be in control despite what i was feeling inside. Wanting to say yes_ yess _yessss!!

"Wait.....wait Daniella. Why do you pass me like that? Am i a stranger to you?"

"No." I replied 

"Let me walk you home."

I nodded in agreement and we walked. He took my hand. I loved the warmth it brought and the sense of security around it. A blanket of silence felt in covering us like a cormy piece. After a while his deep voice lifted the silence. He wanted to know why i had ignored every attempt of him to communicate to me. I looked at him then looked away.  I did not have any response to give. The silence returned. It felt cormfortable.

"Daniella, i love you and i want you to be my girlfriend. "

My heart skipped. Doing double flips. I wanted this so bad and i didn't know how to go about it. Am only sixteen and am swimming out of my depth here brothers and sisters.

"Don't you like me ?" He asked searching my eyes. I looked away and started to walk. Caleb had no choice but to follow because our hands were interlocked. It was just a few minutes before we reached our gate.

"Don't you think you are bit too old for me." I asked turning to face him then circling my hands around his neck a move i never knew i was capable of. He inturn looked down at me then kissed me gently on my lips. 

"Bye Daniella. "

He left with my heart. I stood routed at that spot. The moment had felt so magical, so unreal yet it happened. The rememberence of it made hair stand at the back of my neck and goosebumps form on my skin. From that day on i made a point to respond to his letters. During holidays we spent all the time together. Seeing us walking around holding hands was a common site. Despite the rumours going around he never laid with me.

"We'll get there when we get there." He would always say.

Our love was blissful without an iota of doubt. My mum tried breaking the relationship based on the rumours that had been going around. She consequently grounded me so that i could not go see Caleb as i was accustomed every afternoon. I  felt sick with fever that day and stayed in bed refusing to speak to anyone. At around 4.00 pm Caleb showed up at our place in search for me. He introduced himself to my dad explaining who he was down his family tree. As you might imagine my father was taken aback. Sneaky Alicia was not left behind she ran to our room with the news. It was a relief to my fever. I ran to the front  pouch and hugged Caleb while crying. Dad had no choice but to unground me.

After my final exams i was at home full time waiting for my results. Every one in the village knew Caleb and Daniella would end up marrying each other.  How wrong we were! I had gone to visit Lorraine and as we would always do she escorted me halfway and i had to make the rest of the way.  It was getting dark and as i continued on my oath home i heard female voices ahead of me. I made haste to reach where they were so i could have company home. As i drew closer, their conversation became more clear.

"She is pregnant one voice said."

"Poor thing, she is in school only to come back to a man who has already started a family."

"I pity her, Daniella."

My heart must have stopped for a second. So it was true. All the rumours about Caleb being seen with Faith was all true. And she is pregnant! I felt anger rising in me, mixed with jealousy and the realisation of how screwed over i was. It felt like i was swallowing bitter pills of what i did not deserve. I ran past them. I did not care if they noticed who i was. I bashed in our house then locked myself in. Alicia had to sleep with my parents that night.

A week later i was walking down the same path with Caleb. I almost felt like the first time. The love was still their but the betrayal loomed over us like a dark cloud. I rememberd the day he had waited for hours in order to way lay me. What had happened to that guy? 

"Is it true?"

He silently nodded

I felt nauseated by the picture of what had happened. My stomach wrenched. 

"Am so sorry Daniella. I love you but i am between two mountains and i don't know which one to climb."

Tears were trickling down my face. Would you believe this guy. He says he loves me.

"You are a monster." I screamed at him.

"Daniella wait."

I ran with him hot on my heels. He finally caught up with me at the gate.

"I am sorry Daniella." His body pressed on mine from behind. I could feel his breath on my neck. He kissed my neck then said. "I love you."

One of the painful things that has ever happened to me was his goodbye. Faith gave birth to his twins.

Read " Imagine Mountains " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. It was true sometimes it last in love but sometimes it hurts instead. I walked down those paths with painful memories. Life had cheated me out of love. I had to hear people wondering what had happened between us. When i got my admission letter to the University it was a welcomed adventure. 

I slowed down the swing then came to a halt. I wiped my tears off my face. I breathed in fresh air and told myself it was time to move on. Then made my way home.

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Dear readers i hope you enjoyed this episode as much as i did while writing it. I am sorry i have gone under lately but now am back and now you will be getting new episodes more frequently. Thanks for reading. Lotsa love.