Esther alikuja Thika akiwa na fabric rolls na smile ya mtu aliyedhani ameleta opportunity.
“Wairimu amekua,” alisema. “Mikono yake ni fast.”
Wairimu alikuwa anafanya homework nyuma ya stall.
Nyambura akasema:
“Anakua kwa school.”
Esther alieleza biashara yake ya trousseau na wedding clothes imepata orders. Anahitaji mtu wa kusaidia beads, buttons na packing kwa miezi sita.
“Tutamlipa.”
“Kiasi?”
“Ni family. Atajifunza skill. Na school anaweza kurudi next year.”
Wairimu alishusha pencil.
Kwenye maisha ya kwanza, sentence hiyo ilikuwa mwanzo wa year iliyopotea. Esther aliahidi miezi sita. Wairimu alikaa miaka miwili, akafanya kazi bila salary, kisha akaolewa mapema baada kusema school imempita.
Nyambura alihisi room ya hospital ya 2007 ikirudi.
Akasema:
“Hataacha school.”
Esther akacheka.
“Si wewe peke yako unaamua. Daniel ni baba.”
Daniel alikuwa amekuja pamoja naye. Alikaa pembeni, akiepuka macho.
“Daniel?” Nyambura akauliza.
“Ni temporary. Esther atamsaidia na fees later.”
“Fees gani? Wairimu anafanya vizuri.”
“Form one itakuwa expensive. Skill pia ni elimu.”
“Skill baada school.”
Esther akasema girls wengi wanaacha na wanaishi.
Nyambura akamgeukia.
“Living si standard yangu.”
Mjadala ulienda family baraza Sunday. Mama Ruth alikuja Thika kwa mara ya kwanza, akiwa na relatives wawili.
Alisema:
“Wairimu ni mtoto wa Mwangi. Family inaamua.”
Nyambura alikuwa ameleta teacher Rose na school report.
Wairimu alikuwa top three kwa mathematics na science.
Rose alisema:
“Akikaa nje mwaka, chance ya kurudi inapungua. Na labour ya wedding shop si apprenticeship bila hours, curriculum na pay.”
Esther alikasirika.
“Teacher ananiita exploiter?”
Rose akasema:
“Ninauliza agreement.”
Mama Ruth akasema wanawake hawa wa town wameharibu Nyambura.
Nyambura akatoa notebook.
“Wairimu atasoma. Kama anataka kujifunza sewing, Saturday masaa mawili, pay KSh 3 kwa siku, no missed class, na kazi yake iwe yake.”
Esther akasema hiyo ni pesa nyingi kwa mtoto.
“Basi huhitaji skill yake.”
Daniel akasema:
“Nyambura, unaweza kuwa flexible.”
“Nimekuwa flexible. Watu walinitumia kama rope.”
Mama Ruth akasema family ilimlea Wairimu.
Nyambura akatoa school receipts. Daniel alikuwa ametuma sehemu baada kuondoka. Kabla, milk income na Nyambura’s market sales zililipa.
“Family contribution iandikwe. Haipi ownership ya future yake.”
Wairimu aliombwa aongee.
Nyambura hakutaka mtoto awe judge wa adults, lakini Rose alisema voice yake kuhusu school ni muhimu.
Wairimu akasema:
“Nataka kusoma. Naweza kusaidia Aunt Esther Saturday, lakini sitaki kuacha.”
Mama Ruth akasema mtoto anajibu elders kwa sababu mama amemfundisha.
Daniel alifungua mdomo, akafunga.
Nyambura akamwangalia.
“Baba yake atasema nini?”
Daniel alijua kila mtu anasubiri.
“Nataka asome,” alisema mwishowe. “Anaweza kusaidia weekends only akitaka.”
Mama Ruth akapiga fimbo chini.
“Umechagua wife.”
Daniel akasema:
“Nimechagua school ya mtoto.”
Hilo lilikuwa sentence ya kwanza ya public ambayo ilichagua kitu specific.
Nyambura hakumsamehe kila kitu.
Lakini aliandika kwenye minutes.
Baada baraza, Mama Ruth alikataa school fee ya family contribution.
Nyambura hakushangaa.
Chama cha Majina Manne kilianzisha education savings pot tofauti. Rule: funds haziwezi kuhamishwa kwa business emergency bila consent ya member na guardian.
Nyambura aliweka KSh 10 kila wiki kwa Wairimu na KSh 7 kwa Mumbi. Daniel alikubali KSh 15 kwa mwezi kupitia receipt.
Wairimu akasema:
“Ni kidogo.”
“Haba na haba.”
“Huijaza kibaba,” Wairimu akamalizia.
Lakini Nyambura akaongeza:
“Kibaba kiandikwe jina lako.”
Wairimu alisaidia Esther Saturday mara mbili kwa pay na hours. Aligundua anapenda numbers zaidi ya beadwork.
Esther alimwambia:
“Una attitude kama mama yako.”
Wairimu akajibu:
“Nina homework.”
Esther alitaka kumpiga, akajizuia kwa sababu agreement na witness.
Baadaye, Esther alimwambia Daniel kwamba Nyambura amefanya watoto wawe strangers kwa family.
Daniel akasema:
“Maybe family imezoea watoto wanaosema yes.”
Nyambura alisikia kutoka Wairimu, ambaye alisikia behind curtain.
Hakujenga hope kubwa.
Lakini line ilikuwa nyingine kwenye record ya Daniel kuanza kuona.
Wairimu hakutoka school.
Huo haukuwa ushindi wa camera.
Ilikuwa mwaka mmoja ambao haukupotea.
Education pot haikuwa solution ya pesa zote. Wairimu alihitaji uniform mpya, books na exam fee. Nyambura aliongeza mandazi order ya asubuhi, lakini hakumwambia mtoto ahisi guilty kwa cost yake.
Rose akamwambia:
“Watoto wakisikia kila fee kama sacrifice, wanaanza kujiona debt.”
Nyambura alikumbuka maisha ya kwanza.
Kila mara Mama Ruth alilipia kitu, alisema mbele ya Wairimu:
“Tumetumia milk ya family kwako.”
Binti akaanza kuomba kidogo.
Safari hii, Nyambura alimwonyesha budget bila speech ya guilt.
“Hii ndiyo income. Hii ndiyo fee. Tunapanga.”
Wairimu akauliza:
“Nikishinda bursary, pesa itaenda kwa Mumbi?”
“Sehemu inaweza, lakini bursary ni kwa education yako. Hatutaitumia kununua stock.”
Wairimu aliomba exam ya bursary na kufaulu interview ya kwanza.
Daniel alienda school meeting. Teacher alimuuliza kama ana-support secondary education.
Alisema ndiyo.
Nyambura akamwomba sign parent commitment form.
Daniel alisign bila kupinga paper safari hii.
Mama Ruth alipotuma ujumbe kwamba Wairimu atakuwa “msichana wa vitabu asiyejua nyumba”, Wairimu alilia usiku.
Nyambura hakumwambia ignore.
Alisema:
“Maneno ya mtu unayempenda yanaweza kuuma na bado yasiwe direction.”
Mumbi akauliza:
“Grandma hatupendi?”
Nyambura akasema:
“Anatupenda kwa namna yake. Lakini upendo wake hauamui school.”
Hilo lilikuwa jibu gumu kuliko kusema Mama Ruth ni mbaya.
Watoto walihitaji kujua mtu anaweza kukupenda na bado akuombe kitu kisicho haki.
Wairimu aliporudi na bursary form ya pili, sehemu moja iliuliza kazi ya mama.
Aliandika:
**Mpishi na mmiliki wa biashara.**
Kisha akafuta “mpishi” kwa hofu kwamba teacher atadharau.
Nyambura akaiona.
“Kwa nini umefuta?”
“Wengine wanaandika civil servant, manager.”
“Mpishi anayelipa watu na kusaini contracts ni kazi.”
Wairimu akaandika tena:
**Mjasiriamali wa chakula.**
Nyambura hakumwambia aongeze Mbarak au Mwangi. Jina la kazi yake lilitosha.
Bursary haikupatikana mwaka huo, lakini school ilimpa fee extension kwa sababu records zao zilikuwa complete. Wairimu alijifunza jambo lingine: kukataliwa hakumaanishi file yako haikuwa na thamani.
Aliendelea kusoma.