Episode 1B
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Steve leaves on Tuesday morning. Shiro tries to call him, the phone rings the first time. The second time it’s off. She texts, ‘I’ll go to Garden Estate with Nimmo. Ivy will come and stay with us as we wait for mum.’
#TRFNrb
This story may trigger traumatic memories for some. Disclaimer: The names here and locations are purely coincidental, and no ill is intended whatsoever.
If you have not yet caught Episode 1A, here it is.
Shiro: Ala? Aje?
Steve: Ati nilikuwa 120. Ni uwongo.
Shiro: Steve. Mbio ilikuwa ya nini?
Steve: Wanataka 25 thao ama nilale ndani, na gari ivurutwe.
Shiro akaisha nguvu.
He says, ‘Thanks, wacha nitafute ya juu.’ He send a picture, akiwa kando ya barabara, a lot of cars are parked off that road.
Garden Estate, after dinner. Nimmo, and nanny wamelala. Shiro na Ivy wanatafuta Steve, at least update. Pauline, her mum’s cousin & caretaker of the home comes to Shiro politely.
‘Gari ya mum itarudishwa leo?
Shiro: Steve amesafiri nayo.
Pauline: Gai, Shiro?
Shiro follows downstairs to the kitchen. She knows it’s about the car, and she doesn't want to hear about it.
Amejipanga na majibu. ‘Auntie, kuna shida ?’
She continues...
Shiro shuts down, and then erupts in fury.
Ivy: Ala? What’s going on?
Shiro: Can you imagine what Tata Pauline has said to me? to my face? Ati she doesn’t trust Steve. And she doesn’t like that I gave him mathe’s car to use?
Shiro: That’s what you said. That is exactly what you said.
Ivy: Ok. Everyone calm down.
Pauline: I have taken care of you in this home since you were a very small baby. And I have never once gotten into trouble. This car will bring us both trouble.
Auntie Pauline is crushed by the weight of those words.
Ivy akawatuliza by kuwabembeleza. Nare ikatulia, and then Shiro storms out of the kitchen.
Ivy: Please Tata, wacha iishe.
First time she’s drinking and smoking since she learnt she was pregnant with Nimmo.
Ivy akamkujia.
She blows a smoke. Ivy akapima mood, and then she speaks. Besides, she’s the only one who could easily tame Shiro. There’s always that cousin mnaheshimiana. Ata kuwe kumewaka aje.
Ivy: You do know Auntie is right.
Shiro: I’ve tried so hard. So so hard. Ama nimerogwa. Nothing I do ever works, nothing works for me. Ama ningetoa hiyo mimba? What sin have I not repented for? Nani nilikosea niombe msamaha. Why me, Ivy? Why me?
Next day. Wednesday. Silence all day. Phone just either rings or it’s off. Her mind starts calibrating. She's more relaxed, her body not as stiff anymore.
Day three. Aiii. Shiro is worried, but not as anxious now. Akajiambia, Si ni leo. Let me give it till 7:00pm.
About 6:00pm Steve texts. He says he is on the way home, ako View Point karibu Uplands, but he isn’t sure ngata itamfikisha. Asaidiwe.
Shiro says the car was full tank. It is always full tank.
Mans insists the car was not full tank, but besides, wamezurura mikutano na investors na kuongea na farmers.
She says hana pesa, but begs to Ivy, who sends him 2K.
Everything is fine except, he is dirty, stinking and he is wearing an old T-Shirt he had. She knows this T-Shirt. She is also sure that when he moved in with her, she never once saw it.
Hii tisho imetoka wapi?
When Steve is leaving, she tells him to wait for dinner. He says he is full. He bought nyama at Kikopey.
She's boiling.
Friday morning, he comes for her. Shiro has taken the car to be washed because that car was heh. The car is even sanitized. She comes back, and they go to their house. The house is clean, nini nini. Steve’s stuff already unpacked, which never happens.
Kwa laundry basket, t-shirt is there as part of the dirty clothes. She puts the clothes to her nose and smells them. She almost dies. The clothes smell like they were triple distilled.
Shiro: Surely, you can’t put your clothes properly in the basket?
Steve: Ai. Si I did?
Silence.
Shiro: Si you wacha I carry these clothes, they will be washed and dried, you will come for them.
Shiro: Babe?
Babe: Yes babe?
Female Babe: You bought new clothes? A new T-Shirt.
Steve: Ai… which one?
Shiro: The maroon one.
Steve: [Thinks] I saw it kwa exhibition nikabuy.
Shiro: Exhibition in Narok?
Steve: No. Ni shops zinafanana na exhibitions za tao.
Shiro: STEPHEN SIMIYU!
Steve: Ala?
Shiro: Why the hell would you lie to me? Where were you? And where is this T-Shirt from? This is an old T-Shirt you had?
She rushias him. 'Smell that T-Shirt. What smell is that? Does a new t-shirt smell like that?
Shiro: It's not new.
Steve: It's new.
Shiro: You are lying. Why are you lying?
Steve: It looks like an old T-Shirt. But it is new. And besides, maroon is my favorite color.
Shiro: The actual… your favorite color is blue.
Steve is explaining that he's tired. That’s why he kept silent, he needed a break. Shiro is like, 'you cant be a liar and foolish at the same time. Pick a real struggle, juu hizi games siwezi anymore Steve.'
Steve swings his hand for a slap. She pulls back. He misses. She goes & locks herself in the bedroom. Mans leaves the house.
Kukatulia Sato.
Steve visits to say hi to Shiro’s mum.
‘Imagine I was expecting some cash but haijaingia. I wanted to send my mum cash to come to Nairobi for the event.’
Shiro is breathing heavy. She says hana pesa.
Steve comes ati to pick her, akalale kwa Steve, but Shiro’s mum insists atalala Garden Estate.
Friday, Steve is a no-show but he is on phone. Early Saturday, phone is off. The air is thick. Late jioni, when the baby is being thrown around, Steve toklezeas.
Before he leaves, his mum tells him, she only has tomorrow, anataka waonge. Because Tuesday she has to be back at work pale kwa Kaundi Kafmend, and her bus is already booked for Monday.
Jioni she goes to the house. Akapata Steve amejikunja analia kulia. He goes on about how he has been a terrible guy, he doesn’t deserve Shiro, he just wants to leave earth so that she gets some peace.
Morning, akaenda ngware Garden Estate na gari ya Shiro, wakapeleka mama yake pale Easy Coach. He talks to his mum in Luhyanese all through.
On the way back to Garden Estate Shiro tells Steve.
‘Steve, I nikuambie kitu?'
Steve: Yes. Sema Shi.
Story ikaishia hapo. He drives her all the way to Garden Estate and then he plays a bit with Nimmo then he starts to leave.
Shiro follows him. ‘Boss, uliskia vile nilikushow? I am pregnant. Hauna kitu ya kusema?
Man anajipa shugli.
Shiro: Wow… just wow.
As he drives off, Shiro tells him she needs her car, she has some errands to do. He says atamletea. She says, no need. Ataendea mwenyewe. She goes and takes the car, they don’t speak until Saturday.
While her mum is picking out some things in the super, she sits in the car anapanga vile ata-bring up story.
Shiro is like which Robert?
Chic: Robert, the owner of this car.
Shiro: Ai… sijui Robert, but this is my mum’s car.
Thin chic curses.
Shiro: Excuse you?
Chic: We bought this car with Robert last week for our 3rd anniversary, in Nanyuki. And he took it to put a tracker.
Shiro steps out to explain to her that there’s a mistake.
Shiro’s mum calls some gava pal who sends a cop. The cops move them to Kiambu. They say there maybe a clone of the plates. Huyu msichana aite Robert wamalize.
Miss Thin tries to call Robert, but can’t reach him. Alafu she unleashes photos.
It’s a car sales’ yard.
Cops ask her to see the photos and numbers of Robert, because now they need to get to the bottom of this. Ni bibi ya Mkubwa.
The photo of Robert.
It is Steven Robert Simiyu.
They are even expecting a baby. She shows mobile money transactions, conversations… Same day she sent him cash, is the same day Miss Thin sent him lots of cash… her half for the car.
Shiro's mum is extremely livid. Her pressure is going up up.
And that maroon T-Shirt, she remembers the scent.
From the same house.
Mum is ranting but her she is mazematiking.
Who apparently is not Steve. Some random guy.
He is so pissed he says he is coming home. He will be in in a week. He calls help from HQ and some detectives are assigned the case. They are able to track the two guys who came to the house, and arrest them.
She goes to Shiro and tell her, ‘Me I have lived this life. Your mother took me from Langata Womens, juu ya mess kama hii. Because I got involved with such a guy. Trust me, Steve is not a good guy. Not for you.’
She goes to Kileleshwa with Nimmo, and the Nanny and Ivy, just for back up. They chat, she’s trying her best to keep calm. He drinks happily. Hajui tu. He sleeps really well.
Her side of the bed is cold. That room, and the house, has been cold for a while.
Akatoka bed mbio. He's still drunk. Can't even walk straight.
Steve: [Amepaniki] Nimmo ako? Kunavunjwa?
Steve: Shiro unafungulia nani?
Ok, girl.
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Next Week.
#IKnowAGuy Season 4. Ep 2.
The Developer's Daughter.
#TRFNrb