(Chapter 26)

             [Itrisha's pov]

  His voice was strong but he looked weak, bags were under his eyes and his normally brown complexion was pale, he looked thin and his shoulders slightly slouched.

  Trying to calm my racing heart I looked at him, I've never seen him looked so vulnerable before. "Are the children asleep already?" he asked hoarsily and I nodded yes in response.

  "You need to get some rest too," he smiled weakly. He went into the tent and I sat back down unto the chair, thinking.

  When I finally went inside, Kemeil was fast asleep beside the children. I lie down beside Kristen in thought, someone sat on the verandah outside and I went to sleep soon after.

  I woke with Kristen trying to get off the bed without waking me, she gave me a sorry to wake you up look and went off to the bathroom. Kemeil appears to be sleeping still, as I looked over on them.

  I got up and changed quietly, then went to the kitchen, taking out some liver, I put it to defrost, after taking care of my morning hygiene, I went to the small garden at the front.

  After cutting up the lovely bundle of callaloo, I seasoned the liver, Kristen was outside sweeping up the leaves around the tent.

  I boiled some whole wheat dumplings, yam and bananas, then cooked the liver and steamed the callaloo. To go with all that, I made a nice pot of cocoa tea and breakfast was ready.

  The children were overly excited to see Kemeil, Kristen went for some of his clothes that were kept stored in one of the big trucks.

  After he bathed and changed, he went with Nicolette to where they were having a meeting in the big tent.

  I spread our beds and wash the dishes, Kristen came in with supplies from the store room. "Mr. Keane said these are to make juice for his grandbabies." She said, putting a bag of fruits on the counter.

  Looking in the bag I saw black plum, dessert dates, a big pineapple and two juicy mangoes.

  "Ok," I replied, "Itrisha they will start working on the tribes houses today, do you think we should go hang around to see if we learn anything from the tribe?" she asked whispering.

  "I would love to, but I bet I'm not allowed to go over thier." I said hissing my teeth. "I really want to go and pry," Kristen whispered miserably and I laughed softly at her.

  If Kristen went to pry, within an hour she could write a book about them. She is very good at spying, no wonder they made her stay with me.

  "Itrisha! you are on the news channels." Said Mishand marching into the tent, she turned on the tv and me and Kristen looked at each other then went to see.

  Sure enough that was one of my photos, but a long time one. Could it be Annette I thought angrily, she had been obsessed with that photo after she found it on my facebook page.

  The twins had deleted my Facebook page and I had a new one, though I hadn't posted any photos of me or my children.

  It was said that I had been kidnapped over four years ago. My aunt which I had lived with years ago, was being interviewed. "She left here when she was fifteen, I was very surprised to learn that she was in foreign.

  She was very loved, we searched all over for her until we gave up heartbroken." My aunt told the news personnel, she looked very old and stressed.

  The news as usual wasn't accurate, since I left when I was fifteen, how come I've only been kidnapped over four years?

  "She is a very ungrateful woman," I was shocked, well we were all shocked, Annette was in Jamaica. "We used to live together and she just up and left after stealing her man's drug money." She reported.

  "Do you know her whereabouts?" the reporter asked. "No, she could have gone to another country, they may have all left the Kenya by now.

  Chief Anlong from Spain is the man responsible for the killing of the spaniards of the wine and champagne company years back. It is the reason they are in hiding, they are being hunted down by chief Anlong and a rapist name Rye and his whole generation."

  The news reporter continued to question her, but the audio went and they went on to a different report.

  I cooked fulfilling meals for us and made supplemented drinks for Kemeil, has he progressively regained his strength.

  He exercised and went jogging with a few others in and around the camp. The two coastguards came out of thier tents in the late evenings and at nights.

  They were friendly and inquisitive, they ate a lot and did weird things, which made us laugh sometimes.

  Nicolette and Diana disappeared from the camp, I haven't seen them since I was on the news.

Chief Anlong was tearing through the slums of Kenya looking for us, the twins had directed some tracking chip thier. I have a strong feeling he will start looking here soon.

  Jamie came for dinner that evening, he too has improved from his injuries. The bullets had some form of drug on them, that they were shot with.

  The doctors still hadn't gotten everything figured out yet, they couldn't get around to the labs as much as they would have liked to.

  Schools wouldn't be reopened because of the growing pandemic, online learning took back the front seat, but all the children including mines weren't allowed to participate.

  A huge tent was set up again for school, I got Lori ready in the mornings and Kristen walked her the short distance to school, carrying the twins who enjoyed the outdoors.

  They were walking good now, but we still use thier strollers to carry them, I made the beds and washed the dishes. Then I made fruit juices and a small portion of macaroni and cheese with sausages for my babies.

  Kristen came back and we fed then bathed them, I spread out a thick bed roll on the floor, so they could play with thier toys until they wanted to sleep.

  On the news the next evening I wondered how many people felt hurt or even cried, because I cried a little and we were all here.

  The news reported that a ship filled with fleeing spaniards that left two days ago appeared to have sunken without a trace.

  A not so clear picture of Kemeil was shown boarding a ship, I would really love to see how and what the twin technicians did to make the video looked so real.

  I've got to give it to them that video was done real quick and at the right time, it's bound to throw chief Anlong and everyone else off our trail.

  Coastguards have been searching the area, but have so far found nothing. Kristen had tears by the end of the news.

  The news appears to have rocked the world, there were many eyewitnesses reporting that they had saw the ship leaved the wharfs. They also reported seeing a lot of spaniards going onboard.

Just how much were they being paid I wondered, as one one of the security that worked on the wharfs elaborated on how he asked one of the beautiful spanish girl for her number.

  I had to laugh at the end of his statement, his face was morphed into crying and me and Kristen nearly died from laughing.

  Later that night after I got the children to bed, I went to the bathroom not knowing Kristen was inside.

  I pushed open the unlocked door and was met with a frightened Kristen tying wraps around her extremely large belly.

  I backed out apologizing, she came out soon after looking guilty. I went and had my bath, I'm sure not even the very inquisitive Ms Eloise knows Kristen is pregnant.

  She always had the children and thier blankets and other stuffs she carried with her all the time. They created the perfect disguise for her growing belly.

  "How far along are you?" I asked laying down beside the children. "Seven months," she replied, "stop tying it down you may hurt the child." I told her, she nodded and I went to sleep.

  I took Lori to school the next morning, pushing the twins in thier stroller. While pushing them the long way around the camp for a morning stroll, I thought of whom was responsible for Kristen's pregnancy.

  When I got back to my tent, our living quarters of the tent was straightened, boiled diced irish potatoes and carrots with butter was already made.

  We began feeding the children. "He's dead and he didn't knew that I was pregnant, it only happened twice and we hadn't planned it." Kristen spoke softly.

  I knew she probably had a lot of bottled up emotions, I mean the only person I could think of as a dead baby daddy was Petran. "Ok," I said quietly knowing how she must feel, I felt emotional also.

  We made a list and gave it to Chioma that weekend to shop for maturnity items and baby things, I persuaded her to make an appointment with the doctor and she went privately.

  Wooden houses were being constructed at a location Kemeil deemed as more safer, the area was fenced around even better after the houses were built.

  Dangerous thieves that plagued the north road, sometimes ran into the bushes close to here, causing armed police officers to chase them at times.

  We were far into the forested parts of Marsabit county, but still not taking any chances. Sleven went with his uncle and got bathroom fixtures.

  He and his cousins went and bought all the building materials, Mr. Keane came with new matresses and other things.

  I over heard Kemeil and Everol speaking in Spanish that huge rolls of mesh and barbed wire were in a container that would be arriving the next day.

  My hopes of leaving the bushes were dashed again, wondering how and when he went about ordering those things, my head begin to hurt.

  Two small bedrooms, a small kitchen, a tiny bathroom and a tiny porch was our finished house. I went in with the children and started to fix up thier room first, while Kemeil set up the solar converter in our home.

  Propane was being stored in one of the containers in a large quantity but Kemeil only brought a medium tank and stored in under the kitchen counter.

  Everything was made from wood even our beds, the only made furnitures were two small chest of drawers he carried inside at the last minute.

  They could only hold a small amount of clothing. "Just pack out what you will be needing daily and the rest can be kept in the bags under the beds." Kemeil said.

  He was use to this kind of conservative living, I was too, just not in bushes away from society. The kitchen would have to serve as an eating area also.

  There wasn't any space for Kristen so I asked. "What about Kristen?" "She'll be staying with her family from now on." he said sternly.

  His voice was serious telling me not to ask him any more questions, but I wasn't afraid of him neither his serious voice.

So I looked at him and asked. "Why?" he looked at me and said. "You already know and I'm hungry."

  He helped me to organize the kitchen in the best way possible, I continued to put things neatly upon the wooden hand made shelves, while I prepared dinner.

  We ate dinner together and then I allowed the children to play a while before getting them ready for bed. Kemeil went somewhere and Lori went to read a story book on the porch, but ran back inside.

  Mosquitoes were extremely biting this evening and I had to use more repellents than always, we would have to mesh the windows and doors very soon.

  I rocked and sang lullabies to put my babies to sleep, Lori-anna came in and gave me a small folded piece of paper.

  She whispered, "Kristen said she'll come and see you tomorrow when daddy has left." "Ok," I said to Lori and opened the paper to read.

  The doctor told Ms Eloise that I am pregnant, Mr. Kambo knows also.

  I lit the paper on a burning mosquito repellent and watch it burn to ashes on the floor.

  Yes we knew that the doctor reported everything to those in charge, but Kristen told me, she had ask him to keep it confidential.

  Kemeil came to bed that night wanting sex, he probably would have forced himself on me, if it wasn't for the lie I told him.

  The thought of him leaving us tomorrow, kept me awake through the night. I wondered on many things as I lay thier, I whispered a silent prayer and hoped the creator will answer.

  I woke up to an empty space beside me on the bed, after checking around the house and finding a few of his belongings gone, I had a good cry then went to bathed.

  After making the children's breakfast, I spread a thick blanket on my bedroom floor, so the children could play on.

  Then I packed out Kemeil things and place them on the porch. A youngster passed by and I sent for Everol, I was informed he wasn't here, so I sent for Okang.

  When he arrived I told him to take Kemeil's things and place them back into storage, he looked at me wide eyed, he got two youngsters and took them away.

  "Knock, knock may I come in?" Kristen called from outside. "Yes you may." I answered and she came in.

  "Hi Itrisha" she greeted on coming inside, the twins ran to her. "Oh yes, I am missed hahaha." Kristen said laughing. "How are you Kristen?" I asked smiling.

  "Living in board houses, back with my family, I'm ok," she said calmly. We talked as I cooked and we ate together, like we have been doing months before.

  When it was getting dark Kristen went home, I felt strangely alone after she left.

  A week after the twins turn two years old, I did not keep a party like Ms Eloise wanted. They came by with presents for them and spent a little time on the porch with them.

  Some of the young ladies came for me to comb thier hairs for school, even though they were not going out, just online now since the twin techs set up whatever it is they set up.

  Has I took Lori-anna to the school tent, for her guided online learning that morning. Two spaniards spoke to each other about a meeting taking place in the meeting tent.

  There were three large tent set up and spaced at the front entrance to our camp, one which was used as a doctor's office, one used for the children's school and the other that they held important meetings in.

  After I leave Lori at school I hurried back home, bathe and fed the twins then went close to the back of the meeting tent.

  I held them by thier hands each and walked with them quietly across and across, as quiet as possible as if I was just walking them about.

  There was an excited meeting taking
place inside the tent, they chatted away in spanish that Kemeil and the others have been successful in bursting one of chief Anlong's huge operations.

  They have made away with the money, guns and ammunitions, but had led undercover agents to the drugs and the trafficked peoples.

  Leaving two of chief Anlong's major partners in shit, chief Anlong believes he was set up by them. Kemeil and the others are on thier way home and will be coming with containers with goods that were being cleared on the wharf.

  They were scheduled to be back later in the week. "What are you doing thier?" one of the guards passing said loudly to me. I jumped startled.

   Placing a confused look on my face I opened my eyes wide at him. "What do you mean by that?" I asked him sarcastically, the excited chattering coming from inside the tent had stopped.

  Ms Eloise wheeled around to where I stood with the children, he told her in spanish that I was walking thier with the children.

  She told him it was ok I didn't understand spanish, he smiled at me and wave, I looked at him as if he was high on meth.

  "He misunderstood you that's all." Ms EloIse said. "Where are you and the little ones going?" she asked, a few others came to where we were talking.

  "We aren't going anywhere, they were a bit fussy and I walked them to here and that guard is asking me what I'm doing here," I said miserably.

  "Ah nevermind him, how are you?" she asked changing the topic, "I'm fine, I'll be heading back home now," I told her.

  Chrushnar lifted up Lamond and spun him around he giggled, he loved when they did that to him but Lameilia didn't she would cry.

  I turned walking away with Lamelia, while Ms. Eloise and the others looked after us. Crushnar placed Lamond on his shoulders and came behind us.

  Stopping by the front door, I opened it and stretched for Lamond, Crushnar handed him over. "Hey are you alright?" he asked.

  "Sure, why?" I answered and asked, "Just wanting to know that my sister in law is doing ok," he replied smirking.

  "I'm not your sister in law Mariah is," I told him with a very serious smile. "Itrisha, Kemeil is not with Mariah, if that's what's bothering you, he's not." He said looking worriedly at me.

  "Tsk," I hissed my teeth. "Do I look bothered to you? tsk, please have a good day." I told him and went inside.

  I gave the twins thier sprout cups with juice and they drank then went to sleep, I went to close the front door and saw Okang sitting off to the side of the house on a tree stump.

  He waved at me and I waved back then close the door, I must be under watch again. In the afternoon when Lori came home, he was still thier talking to someone on his phone.

  The youngsters carried my water with one of the atv bikes, they filled the two drums Kemeil had connected to the bathroom and the one for the kitchen, which operated with a small pump we turned on, whenever we need water in the kitchen or bathroom.

  It seems he always have everything at hand, it worked out great, he was very smart with a lot of things and he tried to make my life comfortable living with them.

  But where exactly is my life heading? I asked myself, thier were nothing showing me a fairytale ending.

  The rains came and I caught the flu, it made me really uncomfortable. Kemeil came one evening and I refused to let him in, he went away and came back with the doctor.

  "I just have the flu, you can just give me a few panadols and I'll be good." I told the doctor and stood determined in the doorway.

  He left after Kemeil told him he'd come for the pills in a few minutes. He pushed me inside as I tried to lock him out again, he took up the twins and greet Lori.

  He gave me all types of angry stares, as he went back and forth from the children's room to the kitchen. I sat on my bed and watched him through my doorless bedroom.

  I couldn't smell what he was preparing as my nostrils were stuffed up and I had to be breathing through my mouth.

  Mishand came with the pills, that fucking doctor can really talk, I thought angrily. Mishand brought a small bowl of chicken soup from the kitchen and handed to me, while the children ate what looked like macaroni and cheese with sausage or was it chicken.

  I felt too sick to investigate right now, I drank the soup only because I was really hungry, then took three panadols, I lied down and must have fallen asleep.

  Someone was wiping my face and I jumped up with a start, my eyes focus on Margaret in the dimly lit room. "Hi," she said, "you are roasting." I felt weak and my joints hurt when I tried to move.

  "It must be that idiot that brought back corona and gave me." I murmured hissing my teeth, I heard Ms Eloise snarky laughter from somewhere in the house.

  That woman just had to be here, why did they take so much set on me, my tired brain wondered. My head hurt and I lie thier and went back to sleep.

  The sound of a hammer knocking woke me the next morning, I turned to see Kristen sitting in a chair in my room, I smiled and she placed her finger to her mouth for me to be quiet.

To be continued...

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