The Re-search

Chapter 2

"Furaha!" I heard Nella's voice shout as Koffi and I finished setting up the chairs in the backyard for the traditional wedding which would be starting soon. "Look what you've done! What did I say about running around inside the house?! All that space in the backyard and you want to run around in here with a dog! Tiye, Get out!"

Koffi and I exchanged a worried look and I had just taken a step towards the house when Furaha ran outside with tears falling down her face, her little body colliding with mine as she buried her face into my stomach and cried in sobs that tightened my chest.

"Fufu, what happened? Why did Nella shout like that?" I asked as I rubbed her back.

My baby sister's face crumpled as she answered my question, her teary eyes activating the overprotective side of me. "I was j-just trying to take Bonbon out of the house, but he ran to the corner where the big glass for flowers sits. N-now Nella thinks I'm the one who broke it and she's angry."

"Alright. Pole sana, dada. Nella's just tired and stressed, she didn't mean to yell." I said, pulling her into a hug. "Tell you what, if you stay out here with Bonbon and make sure nothing else breaks, I'll get you your favourite chocolate on our way home."

"You promise?" she questioned with narrowed eyes and an extended pinky finger.

"I promise. But like I said, only if you make sure nothing else breaks." I said, wrapping my pinky finger around hers to seal the deal. "Look, I'll be back. I want to check on Nella, okay?"

Furaha nodded again. She was now much less emotional than she'd been when she ran out of the house.

"Ndugu, can you tell Nella I'm sorry?" she asked timidly.

I nodded with a smile. "I will, but you should also tell her yourself when you see her later, okay?"

"What if she doesn't want to talk to me?"

"Not a chance, dada." I laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "Nella loves you. She won't stay mad forever."

Once I was sure that my sister was feeling better, I made my way over to my wife, who was hunched over shards of broken glass, her shaky hands sweeping the glass into a dustpan.

"Hey," I said softly, squatting in front of her. "What just happened with Fufu? You've never spoken to her that way."

"None of this would have happened if you'd just listened to me and watched her like I asked." she said bitterly, her hardened eyes telling me that whatever was bothering her was much bigger than a little girl breaking a flower vase. "I'm in here making sure everything goes smoothly while you're out there laughing with Koffi and Akim instead of helping me out with this one small thing."

Trying to remedy the situation, I said, "Okay, you need to calm down. Why don't you step out and breathe? I'll clean up th--"

"Zisiye, Hasani!" Nella exclaimed, swiftly slapping my hand off a piece of glass. "I'm almost done anyway. Just go."