MY ILMORAN

SIX

Dennis could see her hesitate. He wondered if Cecily was hesitant to use the shuka because it belonged to him. Maybe she had something against him but if so, why would she risk her life going to a place they had met? She turned to him and asked if he had another one of the shukas. Wangari could feel the cold seep in her body deep into her bones. She asked Dennis how she could wrap the shukas around herself if she were to remove her trousers too since they were wet. "Could you turn around please?" Dennis finally understood why she was hesitant.

Dennis swiftly turned around and closed his eyes. Wangari covered herself with the shuka and turned around to find Dennis with his back to her. She walked around him and asked him to open his eyes and teach her how to wrap herself in the shukas. He refused at first but then, he remembered the reason why he had given his shukas to her. He slowly and hesitantly opened his eyes and tried his best to look anywhere but at her though one of his shukas was wrapped around her covering her up.

He helped her wrap his shukas around him and he left her to finish up as he rekindled the fire at the hearth. Wangari emerged wrapped in his shukas and Dennis was mesmerized. She had not really gotten how to do it like he had shown her but she was adorable all the same. Wangari felt self cautious as Dennis scanned her body without saying a word. "Sidai Oleng." He mumbled under his breath. He then looked away from her to avoid making her uncomfortable.

"How do I look? Did I get it right?" Wangari asked worried. "You look good. It doesn't matter if you did coz you look cute." Dennis answered. They had roast meat which Wangari discovered was preserved in honey. Dennis brought out a mat and some bedding and Wangari offered to make the bed. Dennis put all they had used for their meal aside. Soon, Wangari got into bed and waited for Dennis to show up but after a long while, it was apparent that he wouldn't show up. She left the bed and went in search of him.

Dennis had contemplated sleeping inside the hut but he found that he couldn't. His culture, the Maa culture dictated that the only female a man can share shelter with is his wife and young daughter in some cases. These cases were rare where a father was left with his young daughter as most men were polygamous and when one was away, the others took care of the children. Truly in his twenty years of life, Dennis had never come across a live situation of such a case.

He heard footsteps heading towards him and tensed a bit. He slowly turned his head and saw that it was Wangari. He got worried that something had happened to her and walked up to her. "What happened? Why are you out here?" He asked. "I was looking for you. Aren't you coming to sleep?" She asked.

"I can't sleep in the same bed as you. It would be disrespectful to you as a woman and to my culture." Dennis said. "Oh ok." Wangari said. "Take this and at least come inside. You don't have to sleep out here." She wrapped him in the blanket she had and took his hand. She walked to the hut with Dennis walking behind her. Dennis looked at Wangari, Cecily and felt a warmth in his chest.

Wangari took the mat under the mattress and laid it on the opposite side of hers. "Is that okay?" She asked after she had finished. "Yes, it's okay." Dennis wondered why she had not asked him to sleep next to her. He knew that he wouldn't be able to resist giving into her request but some part of him was also relieved that she respected his situation.

Dennis decided to get some herbs for Cecily's foot early the next morning and succumbed to the gentle ministration of sleep.

Wangari opened her eyes and realized that it was dawn. The sun was just rising in the eastern horizon. She felt refreshed and ready for this day and so she got out of bed and folded the bedding she had used and left them neatly on the mattress. Dennis woke up to a gentle splashing of water not very far from him. He was confused for a second before it all came back to him. He looked towards where water was splashing only to see Wangari cleaning the utensils they had used.

He got out of bed and walked up to her. "Kejaa enkakenya inno." Dennis mumbled. "What?" She asked with a puzzled smile. "Good morning." He said. "Yeah, good morning too. How did you sleep?" She asked him. "Very well, you?" He asked. "It was fine." Dennis put away the bedding they had used and gave Wangari her clothes to change into. He left to look for berries. On his way back with branches of wild fruits and a herb in his hands, he saw his younger brother and his mother from a distance. He panicked a little but decided that it was better than having his father there. He hurried back towards the hut.

Wangari had just finished changing into her clothes when there was a knock on the door. She wondered how fast Dennis had come back and limped to open the door without checking first. She was surprised to come face to face with Dennis's brother and a much older woman who looked similar the two guys. Or they looked similar to her. Wangari panicked for a moment but welcomed them anyway.

Turns out, his mother had come to see the girl who had made her son happier these past weeks. She was very happy to meet Wangari who seemed like a very good and beautiful girl. She advised Wangari against opening the door without checking first. When Dennis entered, the two were making tea for breakfast amidst tales and laughter.

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Song of the day: 2002 - Anne Marie

Who's your favorite music artist? Mine's Shawn Mendes but I listen to all types of music from artists all over.
What do you guys think of this chapter? Share your thoughts on Dennis and Wangari and also this chapter in the comments.

Sidai Oleng; Maasai words meaning beautiful

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