You met the cocktail of characters that is my family. Mix it with Al's family, and we have a bubbly - a frizzy drink that will explode when slightly shaken....simply because all things remaining equal human beings are opportunists in business and in relationships. If you do not take up an opportunity presented before you someone else will. Just be sure to pick the opportunities that are inline with your intentions and goals.
Leila and Zan are busy with the babies, giggling and laughing. Elan has been talking to Al while looking outside the window. She disconnects the phone, continues enjoying the beautiful view and breeze. Zan notices she is done. Excuses himself and walks over to Elan. He puts a hand on her shoulder.
'You alright?' he asks.
Elan, 'Yes, I - '
Zan, 'You happy?'
Elan smiles though she is still feeling tired. 'Yes, I am. This is what I came to Nigeria hoping for - business, love, family - I got it all! '
Zan, 'Love? Did you really find love with him - they should have been mine you know.' He nodes at the babies and comes too close for Elan’s comfort, she flinches.
Elan whispers irritated, 'No! Not now please!'
Leila noticing her brother's inappropriate behaviour comes to her friend's aid by calling him. 'Zan do you want to hold a baby?'
Zan determined to take advantage of the situation, playfully hugs Elan, 'Naaahh I would rather hold the mom ...'
Leila, 'A little too late bro!' They all laugh though Elan is obviously irritated.
'Elan, we need to start prepping you to leave. Let me go talk to the nurse, the doctor should be here when we are ready.'
Elan, increasingly uncomfortable, wriggles out of Zan’s arms then holds her tummy in pain, 'Aww!'
Leila, looks up concerned, ' What! ... The stitches?'
Elan, still holding her tummy 'Yes'. The pain has just made her wake up completely to her environment. The pain killer had stopped her from feeling the intense pain but it's efficacy had now waned and she realised the pain got to every part of her body.
Zan, now more concerned about her comfort than acting lover-boy, helps her to the bed 'I am sorry, Hey let me help you.'
He carefully helps Elan to the bed as Leila leaves in search of the nurse.
Zan is happy to have time alone with Elan and assumes Al’s earlier position but Elan is even more uncomfortable. She requests him to prep the pillows and carefully sits back the farthest she can away from him.
Unperturbed, Zan sighs, looks thoughtfully at Elan and takes her hands.
'I am glad you are happy. But with those stitches, I do not think you should be leaving the hospital so soon, not today at least. Let’s have you properly examined - stay for another day or two'
Unperturbed, Zan sighs, looks thoughtfully at Elan and takes her hands.
'I am glad you are happy. But with those stitches, I do not think you should be leaving the hospital so soon, not today at least. Let’s have you properly examined - stay for another day or two'
His mind wanders off to a time when she would snuggle close at every opportunity. This was not the first time his carelessness had led to her pain. A pain he continually wonders whether she has truly forgiven him for and healed from. She'd lost her baby, their baby because of the stress he caused her, been forced to leave her country because of him and his youthful carelessness and now was with a man she didn't love - or did she love Al? Was there any chance that a love like theirs would be completely lost and buried? No - ahah, that could not be! Somewhere there he was convinced she still had feelings for him.
He still loved her, felt like sh-t for throwing her under the bus when tax authorities were on her case and he was found holding a party at her house; there was weed and hard drugs. She was not around that night, had travelled out of town and he had taken the opportunity to invite his expatriate friends from six different countries. The policeman in charge of the case at Kilimani was a relative to the KRA guy in charge of her case. They saw an opportunity to make a retirement package in one night and they came hard on her because the house was in her name and they couldn't touch most of the expats as they had international immunity. They promised to trump up all manner of charges against her if she did not pay them and change her case from a simple tax issue to a drug issue and she would lose everything.
They wanted a million dollars. Not a figure to be sneezed at though he could pay it without a dent in his wallet. But why spend that kind of money when he could solve his little weed issue without sorting out the KRA matter? And so that is what he did. But Elan on the other hand could not stay. The KRA guy and his police relative would not let go and given it was in her house that the crime was committed in threatened to not only have her house taken over but her business as well and have her in prison for tax evasion and dealing drugs. Sadly, the government official who was to help her sort her books became her enemy.
Luckily on the day they were to come for her, a call from one of the ladies in the KRA team tipped her off. They had worked together in their earlier years for the same company. Elan had given her her first job. She had always been grateful to Elan for giving her that opportunity and even providing her with transport money from her own pocket during that first month of work. Margaret - that was her name, told her she had less than 24 hours before her arrest and her best option was to leave town. She would work on her case while away as long as she left the necessary documents with her. And that was what Elan did.
Elan packed a bag, carried her passports, left her office keys and car for Margaret at the airport and left the country. She had not been back in 10 years though she was found to be innocent and her tax issue sorted. Margaret continued to manage her affairs in Kenya and given her good connections and excellent lawyers and ability to deal with corrupt officials and politicians, she ensured her businesses started blooming in Kenya and East Africa. Something that would not have happened if Elan had stayed on in Kenya. Everything worked out for the best.
Zan lived on in the country for the next seven years not knowing or caring about what had happened to her. Occasionally he thought about her and the beautiful life they had had together - especially when one of his numerous girls gave him wahala. He assumed she was in Zanzibar where he knew she had friends and family, or may be in Arusha where she was born. He really never made the effort to search for her. She was a strong woman, she would survive.
Nairobi was just great for him, a melting pot of all cultures and being a UN head quarter he got the kind of business he wanted and made contacts high up the ladder that he would have found hard to if he were in Switzerland or US. And, then there were were the distractions that kept him busy on lonely evenings; Kenyans, Ugandans, Fellow Nigerians, Ethiopians, Rwandese, Comoros, Shelly shelly, Somalis and Eritreans. There was never a dull moment unless he was forced to have the numerous dinners with the Oibos who he worked with.
And then, six years later, Chief calls him. His cousin is getting married but his Uncle, Chief Ugochukwu does not approve. She is older but nothing can convince his son to let go of the lady. Some how Chief can relate, she is not only poised like his wife Shamim, but is also an astute business woman. Characteristics he too admired in any woman including his own wife. His elder son Sam, was supporting the brother that meant his wife was on his case.
The family finally came to an agreement that his son could marry the lady and not lose his inheritance based on a prenup he would provide. He wanted Zan to come home to Nigeria and draft the prenup being the family lawyer. Ecstatic that finally his cousin had met the love of his life and was getting married he took the next flight Nigeria and on to Port Harcourt where the family had built its empire and family home.
From that morning his relationship with Al his cousin became strained. The love of his life was the woman Al was marrying. Al knew it and had kept Elan away from him. Anytime he visited Nigeria he would take Elan out of town. Everyone, the two brothers and his own sister had known this all along only he and Elan were not aware. Their reason for being silent was that he had hurt Elan enough.
Sadly for him, Elan only knew he was related to Al that morning. She was confused and brought it up immediately with her fiancé. All he said was 'I know and it doesn't bother me'. She tried to talk to her brother in law but he equally didn't seem perturbed by the situation. She confronted Leila but again her friend was not going to encourage her worry about an issue that for her was irrelevant. And so on a warm Saturday afternoon they got married in the Spice Island, at the beach in Zanzibar, amongst their friends and family.
His thoughts are interrupted by Elan. 'No way, Al would go nuts.'
His thoughts are interrupted by Elan. 'No way, Al would go nuts.'
'mmh?'
'Al will not want me in hospital that long.' explains Elan.
Zan, 'Why? cause I can get to you. Come on now, my parents, Leila and I are the only people you have close to a family here in Lagos, actually in this part of Africa. If I may add, maybe in your life right now'
Elan, 'not quite Zan, Al’s family is family now'
Zan looks doubtfully at her, 'Really?'
She nodes and lies back, closing her eyes. He tenderly touches her face, runs his fingers down the side of her arm. She pushes his hand away and points for him to bring the babies cot closer.
Elan, 'not quite Zan, Al’s family is family now'
Zan looks doubtfully at her, 'Really?'
She nodes and lies back, closing her eyes. He tenderly touches her face, runs his fingers down the side of her arm. She pushes his hand away and points for him to bring the babies cot closer.
