WANGARI

Chapter Seven (Hope)

Owino looked at the child who was pale and looked fragile as Wangari held him.

he put the back of his hand on his forehead to test his temperature and it was through the roof.

" you said he has been coughing a lot ?"
he asked.

" yes."
Wangari said.

" what else ?? "
he asked.

" he has been having difficulty breathing."
Wangari said.

Owino ran out and left them for a couple of minutes.

Wangari could not help but hold her child and pray somehow with a miracle her child would get better.

Owino returned with some herbs and put them in hot water and gave it to Kahuria.

" what is it?"

she asked Owino.

" it a disease like common cold. only more severe to the lungs and if left untreated for too long , it may lead to death."
he said.

" death?"

Wangari said her eyes wide with worry.

" but in your sons case, we have treated it before its too late. Hopefully in two weeks time he will have recovered. Just give him these herbs everyday , three times."

Owino told her.

" Thegiiu"(thank you.)

she was so gratetful she did not think much but put her arms around him.

Owino was shocked and so was Wanjiru but she did not care , all she could see was a man who had possibly saved her child and she was grateful.

she went and curled up next to her child.

" ill show you out."

said Wanjiru.

she led him outside the hut.

" oh I forgot to say goodbye and tell her where to find the herbs."

He told her and went back to the hut.

He found her fast asleep next to Kahuria and left.

" did you find her?"

Wanjiru asked.

" she is asleep."
he said.

Wanjiru laughed.

" she deserves it. she has hardly slept since Kahuria got sick. she woke up early everyday and stayed the night praying and watching her child. but now thanks to you , she can finally sleep.

thank you so much."

she said.

" I only did what anyone would have done."

he said.

" I remember you, you know? the guy who offered us a hut. That mud does not cover you up completely."

she said.

Owino laughed.

" Wangari did this to me to prevent people from noticing my tribe."

he said.

" well , it was nice meeting you again. thank you for what you did back then as well, you are a good man ?"
she said not remembering his name.

" Owino."
he said.

" Owino. Thegiiu mono.( thank you very much.)"

she said.

" ill come back tomorrow."

he said and left.

*

Wangari slept like a baby for the first time in days. She looked at Kahuria in the morning and he looked better and even took to milk as well as he had before.

She helped Wanjiru with cooking seeing as she had helped her a lot when she was up and about.

later in the day , Owino came with some herbs.

" how is he?"
he asked.

" okay. better than before."
she said.

he put some herbs in water and gave Kahuria some.

she offered him some lunch of ugali and Sukuma wiki with some milk.

it was her way of saying thank you.

" how did you know about the disease?"

she asked him as she walked him out.

" My mother is a herbalist. she has taught me a lot about medicine and I saw many different diseases from the people who came to see her."

he said.

" well you should do something about it, maybe teach people about it, we could use someone like you here."

Wangari said.

" I will think about it. How is it that you live with your friend?"

he asked.

" well I have no home, it was washed away by the rain. That is how Kahuria got that strange disease."
she said.

" sorry to hear that."

he said.

" no worries , I plan on rebuilding once Kahuria is better."
she said.

" maybe I can help you with that."
he smiled .

" I don't know about that. I don't want to be a bother to you."

she said.

" it won't be. "

he said.

" well I'll think about it. Good bye."

she said.

" Good bye Wangari. I'll see you tomorrow."

thank you for reading .

also I am not luo and know next to nothing about the language except what I google. if you know what pneumonia is in luo. feel free to comment and tell me.