Thread by @paushinski

The Real F**boys of Nairobi.
#IKnowAGuy
Ssn V: Ep 4.
December 14, 2014.
Mambashani, Pwani.

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Stephanie calls home to check on Kaylan, her 2 years old boy.

It is 6:00pm. The phone rings until disconnects. She gives it a few minutes, in case the call will be returned.
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#TRFNrb

Nothing.

She tries a couple more times.

Still.

Nothing.

She chills kidogo, looking extremely calm on the outside.

An hour later, she calls again. Ala? It takes a while to connect. And then now, the nanny's phone rings funny. Like… she is out of the country.

Ai... Strange.

She tries more times nonstop. She's frantic and wants to tell nanny off.

Finally, ringing stops. Just hollow silence.

She calls a neighbor, asks her to go & angalia kwani what’s up.

Neighbor says ‘Ai. Si nilidhani mumesafiri nyote? Ukweli sijaona Margie na Kaylan for a while.’

Steph screams.

Neighbor goes to the house.

Knocks. No answer.

She chungulias inside. For the culture. Giza tu ndio imebangaiza.

She walks to the gate. ‘Nikuulize soja. Huyu msichana wa Number 24 umemuona?’

Soja: Margie? Nikidhani walisafiri wote.

Neighbor curses the devil.

She calls and tells Steph, it’s true. Margie was last seen on the morning they left.

Steph’s knees give in. When she comes to, she calls the neighbor again.

Kai. It isn’t a dream. She heard right. She takes in deep breathes, exhaling sloooowly, kwa kipole sana.

She calibrates.

What is going on? She spoke to Margie at least 3 times everyday for the past two weeks. Sometimes more. She sent him photos of Kaylan daily. They last spoke at 2:00pm, a few hours ago. Ati they were at the supermarket.

Ama kwani this neighbor is speakingi her very rowni thingsi?

She calls her mum.

She tells her, ‘Heh, mum. Ebi changamka. Ni kubaya. Please go check on Kaylan for me. Nimepigia Margie mara mob hashiki simu na majirani hawamuoni.’

Mum Patrick-Njirus from Umoja 1, with YV, Steph’s small sister, to Lenana Road.

Also trying to reach Margie.

She goes in. And then she sits down first. To absorb the emptiness. Everything looks intact inside the house. Except no nanny. And no Kaylan.

YV calls Stephie, while mom goes to fight the watchies. She wants to know how househelps can leave with a baby without permission.

YV struggles to console Stephie, who has engaged the vocal ordinance pitch of bereaved Luhya women in reckless abandon. Huku pia, hotel security respond to calls from nearby rooms that something is wrong.

Mike explains the stueshen, huku urging her to stay calm. They sympathize.

Steph and Mike now have to end a love and passion filled engagement celebration weekend.

All flights are full save for only one seat available in the morning. Mike get’s an evening out seat. The night is long with calls from and with cops and estate security company… everyone.

YV picks Steph when she lands on a 1 hour delayed flight.

Friends, relatives wamefika. Kila mtu na theory yake. Message is out. Kaylan’s picture is all over social media.

But…

But hawana picha ya nanny. As in no one has Margie’s photo. Nobody can trace her origins.

Kamenuka.

HERE"S A TIP.

Please take photos of your nanny, watchies, gardners etc. Find out wanatoka wapi, mpaka homestead ocha. Her relatives and all.

Photocopy, scan IDs, call their peoples.

DO IT.

If you take care of things, early, at least you are safe. And like I say, #SafeIsSmart.

Enter the cops.

‘This is classic kidnapping. But 2 weeks is too long, as in how couldn’t she tell Margie wasn’t home.’

Gova wakasema kesi ni ngumu, but ‘tutajituma.’

Mboch nikutafutwa. The cops round up housies and watchies in the court. Everyone just knows Margie as Margie.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Simu pia inajaribu kutrakiwa deadly.

Mike checks into the house late at night. Ati he had to pitia to see and brief his mum about the happenings.

He is very concerned, and is rude to everyone. He wants the cops to find his son, and to do it now.
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THE BEGINNING.

Mike had known Steph for a long time at her office, way before Kaylan was born. Steph was the branch manager at that bank on Mama Ngina Street.

Mike naye ni kama all Mikes. Watu wa bizines. Tender this and contract that. He always needed an overdraft approved.

Na hizo approvals zilikuwa ni Steph.

Steph though, tuseme tu wako na kakitu.

Steph’s then boyfriend, Frank, had just disowned her and the pregnancy. He even organized an abortion but Steph stood her ground. Mans aka step.

Mike akaingia sector as the knight in shining armour.

From day one. Aliweka bidii, and even when she said she needed to raise her child and figure life out, hakuwa na pressure.

Watu wanashangaa huyu jamaa ni nani, juu boys ako kila mahali. Mara clinic, mara hosi when Kaylan is sick. Kazi ni kuleta toy cars nini nini.

Steph insists 'We are just friends.'

When Kaylan turned 1, Mike aka throw the biggest most enjoyable party for adults ever. Roho ya Steph ikayeyuka, akajua ashapata ka mtu.

Matha akashow Steph ‘Maisha haina haraka. Uliumia juzi tu. Please take it slow.’

Wasichana hawasikiangi.

Mike akamuok.

Akaambia Steph, he wants to settle down with her. Amechoka kungoja. He is only dating for marriage, na Steph amuambie kama angoje, ama aende zake. He is willing to wait for 10 years, he just want to hear Steph to tell him to wait.

Hapooooo kaschande kakaingia box.

She tells Mike, ‘I like you, too, but niko na mtoto wa wenyewe hapa. And if you really want me, you have to want the both of us.’

Mike akasema, alishawachagua wote kitambo. Kwani haoni?

Haya. Ikawa ni for better or worse.

Kuonesha wako serious, Mike akaweka Steph kwa biz zote.

Msichana ni signatory. But signatory kwa account haina any ni zero.

He's still doing his biasharas same way, he still needs overdrafts. And Steph is approving the overdrafts.

Mapenzi ikanoa nanga. Dates ni weekends out, late nights.

Soon, Mike akaanza zile tabia za ma-Mike.

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Kidogo, Frank, baba Kaylan akarudi kwa foro.

Ati ‘Ooh, I was wrong, I was trying to deal, I have reformed. Nimeokoka. I have done that men’s program. I need my son back in my life. I am willing and ready to provide. Give me a second chance’

Steph tells him to aji-shugulize.

Frank is who?

Mara ako kwa mlango ya Steph, kidogo ako Nairobi Chapel on Sunday, kidogo yuko banking hall. Steph akamwambia next time, atamwitia polisi.

Frank akatuma bonge la delegation ina vishaha, led by his folk. Wamejubeba na Unga, Sukari, Mechele, huko Umo kwa Mama Steph.

Wakasema ‘You know young people nowadays, and how they are. We are here to appeal, to try and solve the differences. It is very critical, kijana amekubali makosa. But even now, if we can have these children back together in marriage, Kaylan will be brought up na both parents.’

Mama Steph akawashow hii kitu ni easy, tell Steph to tell us there is someone who wants to visit, and the agenda is.

Hii ingine yote, ni hearsay na gossip. Na kwa hayo machache, wakunywe chai warudi Muranga kabla giza iingie.

Frank akajam, akasema he is suing for full custody.

Mama Steph: Jibambe nani.

Kesi ikaanza.
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Kidogo Mike naye starts defaulting on loans. Like he has lots of cash, hundreds of thousands in the house, but not putting it in the bank.

Heh! She confronts her guy.

‘Oya buda, form ya hizi maganji ni gani? Si uziweke kwa benk?’

Mjamaa: Hizi ni just in case ka deal kaingie. But I’m expecting a payment this week. Tutalipa everything at once.

Juu ya threats za Baba Kaylan kumtembelea, Steph moves to Lenana Road.

When he moves in, Steph akaanza kuona Mike amebadilika. Ni kama hakuwa anataka kuona Kaylan.

He wouldn’t hold him or play with him. It was either Steph or Linda, the housie.

Kidogo if they were going somewhere and Kaylan anakuja, Mike is not going. Kaylan naye also starts fearing and refusing Mike.

Msichana anajiuliza maswali mob sana. Ama kuna kitu amefanya na hajui?

When, if Steph says anything about Kaylan, the response was always cold. Ooh, Kaylan asipewe chakula he should man up, mara mwache alie, wacha kumbeba beba. And then, exactly when Kaylan would be cranky or needy, is when Mike would be cranky, moody and needy.

Anataka atenshan.

Two months in nyumba haikaliki, watu hawaongeleshani ama wakiongelesha ni, ‘You don’t respect me. You have an attitude. Unabembeleza huyu mtoi sana, he'll become a sissy, you will turn him gay…’

As a compromise, Mike akaambia Steph apeleke Kaylan aishi Umo na shosh for a while.

Ati so that they can work on this. And to drive his point home, he introduces their moms, wajuane. Steph akaona the seriousness of this relationship. She goes to her mum, but her mum says, Mama Mike ana issue hawezi place.

Anyway, akauliza kama anaeza kaa na Kaylan for a while.

Mama Steph naye ni kreki.

Akaambia Steph, if you really won’t work through things with your child next to you, in the picture, hakuna kitu you are working on.

‘Steph, wewe ni mama kama mimi. Na ata kama ningekuwa na uwezo na opportunity, singekupeana. Chagua mtoto wako first.'

And no I am not busy, but I will not be worrying about a child. Wewe ndio mama yake. Na usisahau Baba mtoto anamtaka…’ Alafu she nails it. ‘Steph, aki jichunge na Mike.’

Steph comes & tells Mike, ‘Mathe says we give her time to think about it.’

Mike akakasirika akaenda drinks.

Steph akakulwa na stress juu anashanga form ya mguys ni gani? Akapiga mahesabu, then she hints this wont work. But ni kama Mike hashikanishi. She tells herself that the thing is over, she's accepted the kwensekwenses.

Akaambia Mike ‘We need to talk.’

Heh. Mike akajua kameliet.

Hiyo siku yaku-talk, Mike akasema waende dinner.

Wakifika venue, medium to well done steak na mvinyo vile Steph anapenda. As she is preparing, live band kwa meza, mara maua, kidogo mans magoti kwa floor.

Steph mahesabu zikachanganyika kwa the mind. But she really likes the guy.

Boys aka apologize for the past few weeks akisema this is what was stressing him, he even wanted Kaylan to go to the grandma, ndio apige proposal matata. And that he is committed, and he wants this for life.

Steph akayeyuka, akasema resounding yes. She postpones the agenda.

Mike akasema, in fact, we have won a good contract, that will set us up a good one, and I want you to take leave so that we can go celebrate vizuri. Mdem akasema sawa, but leave will take a while to process.

Ngori ika-cool, watu wakarudiana.

Steph aka-organize leave, 15 days.

Juu ya hiyo story, Steph akasaidia Mike ku-renegotiate loans, na akamsaidia ku-offset zingine.

Steph then tells her close circles that she is engaged and her friends throw her a party.

Kidogo after engagement, Mike tells Steph, Linda alimuongelesha vibaya and was being rude.

Linda naye says Mike treats Kaylan vibaya sana. And that Mike pinned her to the wall, telling her this is his house, and that if she doesn’t like it, malngo iko wazi. Akaambia Steph, ‘Mama K, wacha niende.’

Steph akajipata between a rock and a hard place. Linda aakatembezwa.

Mike akasema ata ameshaongea na his mum, atafute dame mpoa.

Enter Margie.

Akaingia works na vishasha. Very good at her work.

Man, Steph only had to worry about her work, and her man. Everything else ilikuwa shwari. Akaona sawa.

Kidogo leave ikafika, watu wakaenda coast.

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Cops tell everyone, they are suspects, and the only way out is if they lead them to Margie. And if anything happens to Kaylan, wajue wako kwa mix.

The cops take two housies, and day security guards into custody. Steph says that Baba Kaylan also threatened her mum about Kaylan.

Baba Kaylan akaokotwa akarushwa inside.

Mama Mike na yeye amejikaza sana juu chini huyu Margie apatikane, and she is very cooperative with the cops. She says this chic alikuja siku moja, akamfulia manguo, na hivyo ndio wakajuana. That’s the only reason she ended up at Steph’s.

Suspects wakaachiliwa after kulala ndani 2 days.

Picha ya Kaylan ikawekwa kwa mtandao, TV nini. Prayer groups zikaundwa.

Friday, cops come. Ati Margie alikuwa Ruai, Umo na Lenana Rd whole of last week, but signal ya mwisho ya simu yake ilikuwa Isbania jana.' But wako radar.

One week. Ikapita.

Mama Mike akakujiwa na polisi. Ikasemekana she has probably she is the strongest link to Margie. Kama anaweza fikiria vizuri.

She goes full emotional. Hawezi iba mtoto wa mtoto wake.

Akatoa kilio, akashikilia bibilia, karibu ata ajivue uchi.

Lady cop tells ‘Steph, this mathe here, she brought a thief to your house. Whether she knew it or not, she brought a thief to your house. But me, I think she knew it. Mbembeleze akurudishe Kaylan, ama kama anaweza, akupatie leads tushike huyu Margie. She is the only person now.’

Lady cop also tells her, hapa kutaenda njia tatu tu. One, the kid may be found alive. Two, the kid may be found dead, and three, Kaylan may never be found at all. And I need you to prepare for the same.

Steph akajirusha kwa miguu za Mike’s mum akilia, asking her to name price.

Mike akabeba mizigo zake. Mbona Steph anasema his mom is involved?

2 days later, a cop calls her. He tells her, pole sana. But there’s an unidentified kid, kuja City Mortuary we find out if it is Kaylan.

She calls Mike, but Mike refuses, says he wants nothing to do with her.

She calls her mom and YV. Wakaingia, wakaangalia. It's not Kaylan.

But now it hits her, what being 'prepared' the copz meant.

Wakaeka ransom, wakapiga raundi, wakarusha posters all over, wakaenda kila hosi possible, kila mortuary, any place thinkable..

One month down. Nothing.

Two months. Nothing.

Three months.

Six months. Steph akarudi job, her mind is messed up.

Benki ika-organize therapist. She dives into work to avoid the darkness she in her.

Akaita lawyer, akajitoa kwa biz ya Mike, akalipa deni kiasi.

Secretly, Steph wishes she even aborted.

One year. She grows and becomes a director in the bank.

Two years. She's serving in the region.

Three years, Steph is still crying and praying. The hole in her heart is growing, but at least her shower times are shorter, she doesn't snap at people much, and she can sleep a bit.

One evening, Steph ana-meet one of her girlfriends.

When the 7 O’clock news comes on. Kuna mama fulani ati ameshikwa akijaribu kuiba mtoto pale maternity ya kanjo.

Picha kwenye screen.

WTF!

It is Margie.

Steph calls her mum, who is calling her screaming coz she saw it too.

Mbio, they call the investigating cops, and head to Pango.

They find the cops they called already there.

The cops chat with the other cops kidogo.

They tell them ati ‘this mathe was obviously an expert in stealing babies, huko pretending to help the new mother settle in.'

Ati she hanging at the hospital with buckets and staff, and was seated with some mathe and the mathe was like my daughter is here. Margie pia akasema sister yake amejifungua yuko hapo.

She says hi, holds baby and then goes away.

Next day akajileta tena, before visiting hours.

Akaletea huyo dame juice na fruits, she tells the chic she needs to rest, ata she can shower. Akamuoshea mtoto. Kidogo, this chic comes from the bathroom and the baby is not there. She looks around, nothing. And then she starts screaming. Saa hiyo Margie is approaching the gate.

Akashikwa.

Her claim then was she was just walking the baby.

Cops say some people in the hospital may be in on it.

Meanwhile there is ana' mathe at the station saying this is her sister, ‘Nimeongea na mkubwa. Nataka aachiliwe sasa hivi, or I will make sure you are transfered.’

The cops say, ‘It’s true. In fact, she is going to be released. They are waiting for the confirmation call from their boss.’

These cops who came early tell Steph, 'Sawa, ata akiachiliwa, sisi tunamdandia hapo nje.'

Margie is brought out. She sees Mama Kaylan, and she freezes.

Mama Kaylan jumps the table and is punching Margie's face like there is no tomorrow.

Her mom joins in, ‘Wapi Kaylan, wapi Kaylan?’

Before this lady and the cops can arrest the situation, Margie is unconscious her face bleeding.

Kidogo, Mama Mike checks into the Police Station.

She doesn’t notice akina Steph first.

This lady runs to her screaming, 'Watamuua.'

And then she sees Steph and her mom, and she almost gets a heart attack. She switches and says she also saw the news.

The lady cop asks, how she saw the news, and didn’t even call Stephie?

Wakafungwa separately.

The investigating cops call their boss and tell him that this is the chick for that case they have been working. He asks him to tell the OCS not to let her go, as she is a wanted person.

Mama Mike is arrested together with this lady. Akaletwa uptown.

When they get to the station, they ask her to give them the password to her phones. She hesitates a bit but the lady cop shows her a few things. She gives in.

They go into her contacts records, messages and chats.

In the morning, Steph and her mum are back at the station.

Mama Mike can’t walk and the other lady has a broken tooth. Apparently they fell in the cells.

Lady cop tells Steph, they are doing investigations, but kuna leads. Waende warudi jioni after mdosi wa detectives amefika. Meanwhile, Mike has been arrested.

Sema vita.

The cops come back to Steph and tell her, kuna watu kama 20 wameshikwa kwa hiyo net, na kuna wengi wanatafutwa. All the while Margie alikuwa kwako, alikuwa anatafutwa juu ya kesi tu kama hii.

They tell her, ‘we have some images in the archives of all the phones from these guys.'

They wanted her to take a look at. Waone kama Kaylan yuko hapo.’

She scrolls some tens of images in the archives. Kaylan is not there.

One of the cops comes and tells Steph chini ya maji 'Majamaa wanadai kakitu, tusukume hii kazi tuimalize. 250K ikiwezekana.’

She plays ball.

Steph goes and gets the cash for them.

24 hours later, she is called back to the station.

A couple has also been arrested. They bring out a boy.

Kaylan.

He cant walk right because he has a broken leg. He also looks sick and malnutrition.

He can’t seem to remember his mum.

When he is taken he screams and screams for his mum and dad.

Couple says Kaylan’s mum, Margie, gave him up ati she couldn’t take care of him, and they paid her some cash for him coz they are barren.

Mama Mike introduced Margie to them.

Sadly, Margie died during interrogation.

Frank has full custody of Kaylan, because of Mama Kaylan’s negligence in leaving a baby with a stranger, but she gets occasional visits as they are working out a new custody arrangement.

THE END.
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That's the end of #IKnowAGuy Season IV.

Remember, STAY SAFE.

#SafeIsSmart