THE ONE

Chapter Twelve: Confessions

"Tugenda wa?" (Where are we going?), Regina demanded.

Axel had had his mother cancel her morning shift ~cooking tea & brunch for early commuters, a thing she considered a loss of valuable time & money.

"Ogenda laba" (You're going to see), Axel smiled at her.

Now that his sister was gone, he felt they both needed a fresh start. They took a taxi from Lukuli to Salaama, Axel leading her to a gated bungalow rental complex with a dozen units, six on either side. He got keys from the security guard & opened one..

"Wali watya?" (How is it?)
"Si wabi, mama tailo!" (Not bad, oh a tiled floor!), she observed.
"Kilungi" (Good)
"Olwaki?" (Why)
"Nanti ogenda tandika bera wano" (Because you're going to start living here)
"Wanji?? Banange mutabani" (Pardon?? Oh my son), she vainly tried to lift him off the floor.

The gypsum ceiling & ceramic tiled floor were far bigger an upgrade from the leaky roof & crevices in their rental. She tried all the switches in the living room & the taps in the kitchen side set up, making her way to the bedroom.

"Nne kinabilo nne toyi byamunda??" (Even the bathroom & toilet are inside??)
"Eee" (Yeah), Axel assured.
"Naye wano ssi wa sente nyingi?" (But isn't rent expensive here?)
"Wa asaatu" (Its three hundred thousand a month)
"Eh! ezo tunazisobola??" (Will we manage that??), she aired.
"Gwe tofayo, nze nkola. Nagasse ku zafika ku mabugo nne nsasula myezi esatu" (Don't worry, I work. I added on what was left from the burial & paid three months advance)
"Naye atte onosula wa? kuba ndaba kisenge kimu." (But where will you sleep? I'm only seeing one bedroom)
"Ngenda jila nsula nne kyali wange Saul gwenkola naye tugatte rent" (I'll be living with my buddy Saul we split rent)
"Kale. Naye ekiwubalo kyenafuna wano. Silina gwemanyi" (Ok but the boredom I'll face here. I know no one here)
"Oja manyila" (You'll get accustomed)
"Nne okola? Nveno buli kanaku ngende nkole?" (Even working. I trek from here to work daily?)
"Ekyo kyembade nzizako. Jangu.." (That's were I was going come..), he led her to the market centre, a couple hundred yards from the rental.

Among the food stalls was a free wooden stand, a large green umbrella atop it.

"Err mukulu" (Oh sir), a middle aged male vendor acknowledged Axel.
"Yye sebbo, maama??" (Yes sir, mom?), he ushered her. "Ono yye maama" (This is mom).
"Nkulamusiza maama" (Greetings ma'am), the vendor greeted.
"Nange nkulamusiza" (Greetings to you too)
"Maama wano wogenda otandika okolela" (Mom, this is were you're going to start working from now on).
"Eh mutabani, nga neyanziza" (Oh son, I'm very grateful)
"Sinyo maama. Kati tudeyo wetegeke. Nina ogenda ku mulimu (Not really mom. Now we should go back & prep. I need to head to work)

Day or night, it was impossible to move without being seen. Axel hired an isuzu truck to help transport his mother's belongings. He had it parked on a nearby shack but Joey & Ben soon caught on. Lately, he'd been avoiding them..

"Blad kapyaki nga obuze.." (Brother, what's new? you lost), Joey opened.
"Man mbade busy mu.." (Man I've been a bit busy) he was taping boxes with scotch tape.
"Musenguka?" (You're relocating?) Ben eyed the truck.
"Eee mukadde namufunide awapya" (Yes I got mom a new place).
"Ewa?" (Where?) Ben asked.
"Mu Nsambya" (In Nsambya), Axel lied.
"Eh kyakabi" (Oh that's good), Ben added.
"Naye tulude onywamu. Tunywemu ddi?" (It's been a while since we've had a drink. When can we?), Joey edged in.
"Haa simanyi emilimu gikyankute" (I don't know. Still caught up with work)
"Nne ku gym totulaga ngayo.." (You haven't even shown us the gym), Ben added.
"Nja balaga temukitya" (I'll show you don't fear)", he lied again.

He could never take them there, lest they'd cross paths with Joseph. He received a message from Max asking were he was to which he replied he was coming.