The next morning…
Humba hadn't slept the whole night and his friend and another young couple had accompanied him since yesterday. Today was Sunday. The only thing he silently asked God over and over was that he had to live longer than the doctor's predicted four years so that he'd be able take care of Alexis and Tinaye.
His best friend for years, Mr Muchena commonly known by his totem title, Jena, was the only one whom he had told about his condition. He was the only one who understood why he was not getting any sleep today. He knew his friend had a rare cancer that couldn't be treated and his only hope to help him out of it was Ray and Tarisai. The two had promised to do anything in their power to get the best doctors but now they had been taken away, which was stressing him even more.
The other couple with them, Katy and Kudzai Muza lived at Humba's house as his tenants and had lived there ever since they had just gotten married thirteen years ago. Their only son Tadiwa was fifteen years old. They had been like family with Humba and had been at the funeral to comfort Humba for as many days as they could since they both had to go to work and they worked at the same company.
Katy had been taking glances at the old man every now and then not knowing what to say until she said, "It's already morning, Humba. You haven't slept a wink." she pointed out looking very worried because although none of them had really slept well, at some point they had closed their eyes and slept a while. "Thinking of the loss won't help much. It was God's time that your children were taken."
The old man raised his eyes from the ground to look at Katy with misty eyes, "You will not understand, my child. How is it that the healthy and young ones are taken and us the old live? And since when do children die before…" their sick father. He wanted to say but the words stuck in throat and couldn't reach his tongue. Humba looked so depressed as he shook his head before he said, "What will I do for those children? They are very young and need their strong parents." He shook his head again, running his hand through his bold shaven head then released a troubled sigh, "I will only hurt them sooner or later. I can't give them what their parents gave them."
"You sure can give them the most important thing though, my friend." Jena tried to console his best friend, "For as long as you live they only need your love, Humba."
He nodded, "But that is not enough. They were both born and raised in luxury. They'll never understand my lifestyle without Ray and Tarisai's help." He said sadly, "My living children don't even bother about me. It was only Ray and his wife. I am a poor man who only knows how to farm nuts, maize and vegetables very well but they don't eat that. And besides that, those children will need parents more." The old man's eyes were teary as he spoke.
Kudzai sighed feeling sorry for the old man who had come to be almost like a father to him over the years they had known each other. "We will help you take care of the children, Humba." He said, "Tinaye and Alexis have visited at the house with their parents a lot of times and though they are a bit younger than our Tadiwa, they do get along with him just fine. They are very loving and lovable children. We can take care of them."
Katy nodded, "Yes, he is right. We are here for all of you."
"But…" the old man sighed helplessly.
"I was thinking, Humba. Tinaye can even share Tadiwa's room. Our son doesn't have any siblings and we've been worried about that for a while and you know we always wanted more children but we can't have any more." Kudzai said, "Tadiwa can be selfish sometimes. Those children can be a blessing in our lives."
Humba was silent for a while thinking of what they had just said. They were all just trying to be nice and he couldn't refuse their help or push them away because he needed them. He was going to die soon too and he needed reliable people to keep caring for Alexis and Tinaye and he didn't think anyone would be better than these three people he was with right now.
"Thank you." Those were the only words that could come out of his mouth right now. He didn't know what else he could say considering the huge favour they were doing him. Making him feel worthy even right now when all he was starting to feel was useless to the children that were to be in his care when he was just a poor old man.
Kudzai said, "You said you'd take the children home today, Humba. I borrowed my friend's car yesterday so we can take them in the car if they are ready to go."
"Oh sure, my child. I asked them to pack yesterday and I tried my best to explain. I'm not sure if they understood much though since I left out too much information." He slowly got up to his feet, "I'll go see if the maids helped them pack yet." He said then walked inside his arms crossed behind his back as if to support it.
The old man first looked into Alexis' room but found no one then he walked into Tinaye's which was right next door and found them both sitting on the bed staring at the bag that was in front of them.
He tried to figure out for himself what they were looking at that was so special on the bag but saw nothing until he gave up and asked, "What's going on?"
"It's my mom's bag. We wanted to open it by we can't." Said Tinaye thinking that this had to be the bag where his mother's diary was and where his parents' name was written. But he couldn't be sure of it so he was even afraid to open it.
Humba asked, "Why not?"
Sadly, Tinaye blew out some air through his mouth, "Mom is no more. We will keep her things the way they are not like Aly's aunts who turned her mom's things up side down and stole all her clothes and jewellery." It was definitely another reason. The way Thandi and Trish had been commenting had irritated them both.
"What they did is just custom." He told them not expecting them to understand and he quickly changed the subject to the reason why he had come. "Have you packed yet? We are about to leave."
"Yes, sekuru. Are we going to your house now?" to a certain level Alexis felt relieved that they were leaving. The attitude she was getting from her aunts and uncles was not something she was used to. She felt like they were taking over her house slowly and it made her feel uncomfortable.
"Yes we are leaving, my dear." Humba was at least pleased that Alexis seemed to want to go.
"Please let's leave, sekuru. We will come back home after my aunts and uncles leave right?" the anticipation in her eyes broke his heart.
"My child…"
"I know they don't like me because I am a girl. I've heard them say it even though they are in my house. Mom and daddy's house is my house but look what they are doing to it. I can't stand it so I will leave and return to my house as soon as they leave." The little girl spoke so innocently and the old man hoped her dream of coming back would come true since his house was too small.
He knew the girl was smart or maybe unlucky that she always heard what she wasn't supposed to most of the time though it was quite helpful combined with her sometimes mature thinking.
Every time Humba was reminded of his son Raymond when he looked at her.
The maids helped to put the children's bags inside the car and the three were quite surprised at how only two children had so many things. There were four full sized trunks, four guitars, a music keyboard, eight backpacks and a few other small things that the car was full when they finally drove away after saying their goodbyes to everyone who practically ignored them because they were too absorbed in planning for Ray and Tarisai's company's future.
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👋Hi, thanks for reading. Much love
Millie❤❤❤