The Antelope's Journey

13. Mbali, remember me.

Francina woke up from her bed after having heard her name being shouted a few times. She squinted her eyes from the glowing ray of sun peeking through the curtains. It was a very beautiful room she was in. It screamed ‘passion’. Almost everything was red; the walls were red, her bedside table was red, her wardrope was mostly… Almost everything. She had her own little spar at a corner of the room. She also had a little salon as well. Her walls were coated with frames of blood red roses, red apples, and a few half-naked sexy men. This room symbolised passion to her, which was something she never got to experience in her ordinary life.

Mbali just walked in, “Hey, sweety, breakfast time.”

“Oh, mom.” Francina moaned, “Let me sleep a few more hours—”

“Hours?!” Mbali laughed and started scooping Francina off the bed. “Young lady, you will wake up.” Mbali showed so much affection for the young adult as though she was a little child. In Mbali’s eyes, it was a mother’s truest love for her offspring. A love that never wanted to separate from her child. Ow, Mbali dreaded the day Francina went to college. If she could keep mothering her daughter for life, she would.

Down stairs at the dining table, was some man dishing out the omelettes on the three dishes. This man loved preparing breakfast for his family before he left for work. “My favourite future President,” he said.

“I won’t be a President.”

“My future doctor?”

“Not a doctor and please, cut it out, dad.”

……….

They sat down for their breakfast and I watched them, through the kitchen window. I saw Mbali very happy where she was. She had a husband and a daughter. I didn’t know what was going on but I must say, it did pain seeing that.

Mbali and I met in varsity years ago. We were studying the same course and graduated at the same time. We haven’t been able to find jobs. Our certificates had been piled up in our drawers and catching dust. Turns out no-one hires graphic designers anymore—there are already too many of them in the industry. To survive, we had been freelancing small gigs from time to time.

But being human did kick in once in a while… We started feeling empty and almost like our lives were stuck. Mbali came up with the idea that we should have a child. I considered the idea. I was ready to support and do anything for my Mbali. But then, caring for a child is very costly and we don’t have enough money. We barely survive on our own. So, we came here.

The man got up, his alarm had just rung—he had to get going if he wanted to get to work. Like always, he launched toward Mbali and gave a very passionate kiss. He then gave a kiss to Francina’s cheek. Off, he went. He was going to work. It turned out that he was a CEO of some big company. He was rich, ridiculously rich. He met up with Jim in his office. They were twin brothers. Very close, they appeared. They ran the company together like a joined force.

……….

Francina was visiting her friend. His name was Kali. He was of the same age as her. They had been friends for a long time, it seemed. Kali laid in bed, recovering from a heart-transplant operation. “Whoa, that’s a big scar.” Francina was very close to the boy, scrutinizing his chest area. “It does hurt, doesn’t it?”

“Soon, he’s gonna be up and running again,” Kamo was cleaning up the boy’s scar. That was his son. “I’m so glad the operation was a success.”

“Does that mean he won’t have problems with his heart again?”

“Only time can tell,” Kamo got up as soon as he was done bandaging him up. “I’ll go make you two some milkshakes.”

The two youngsters were left alone to bond and catch-up. Kali had his monkey in his bed. It was unfortunate that Monkey was asleep. Monkey slept on the pillow and curled up on Kali's shoulder to catch his heat. Francina was especially interested in all the details of Kali's hospital experience on the day of the operation.

“…and then, I remember waking up with my dad asleep by my side.”

“Kali, your dad has been supportive.”

“Ow, yes. Through every step. And he’s even lost some weight from not eating or sleeping. You know, he talks me to sleep every night and right when I wake up the next morning, he’s standing right here.”

……….

Betty was in her house. It was big and lonely. She was left to face her thoughts. She was still puzzling over what may have been going on. The last time she was conscious, they had just made a chant to the root tree—they asked for dominion over their reality and they got swept off after that. It was utterly absurd that she found herself caught up in an unrealistic life made up of lies and fantasies. Dwelling on her thoughts, pondering and trying to make sense out of her thoughts, she sat still on the carpet by the tea table.

So, exactly, what is going on? I just saw Mbali with a child and another man. Last thing I remember, we got sucked in by the baobab tree. We swirled in there for what seemed like an eternity and then, I woke up and found us all in this strange place.

Everyone seems happy except for me. Wait! I remember this lesson. ‘Take control’, they called it. This is a world of delusion. A fantasy world where all our deepest desires come true!

Betty realised something again…

Ow… No. Is a husband what Mbali actually wants? No! I cannot accept this. She loves me! …Or does she? This is not real. It is all not real. And so, I am going to change it—

Betty jumped up and headed out of her house. She found Mbali in the stores buying her daughter some more clothes. She saw Mbali holding up the blouse, looking at it in wonder if her daughter would love it. Mbali wore a peaceful smile on her face. It was serene like nothing Betty had seen before.

She looks so happy here. I’ve never seen her like this. And I didn’t know she really wanted a child this badly. What do I do now? Must I really take all of this away from her? No wait, Mbali is actually a rational person. She would expect me to wake her up. She’s a dreamer, but she also appreciates reality.

Okay, here I go… Oh… She might not recognize me. I must try not to scare her off.

“Mbali?”

“Hi, there!” She smiled, very cheerfully, “You know me? How is that? Wait, I can guess… From school, years back?”

Betty was shocked. She did not recognize her!

“We must talk.”

Mbali immediately got worried, she put down her baggage and gave an intense gaze at Betty, “Is anything the matter?”

“It’s me, Betty.”

“Okay, nice to meet you, Betty!” she had stretched out her hand. “We must’ve met in primary school? No?”

She had invited Betty to her home. They were in the kitchen. She was happy to announce that she’d be preparing supper for her daughter. She had Betty cutting the vegetables with her. “So, you say we’re friends from varsity?”

“Best friends,” she wanted to say girlfriend.

“Wow, that’s… Don’t be offended, but I just can’t remember you or any of your crazy exciting story. Tell me more, maybe I will eventually.”

“Okay, let’s rather do this…” Betty was thinking up a plan. “Where were you before all of this?”

“I was at the market, you met me there.”

“No, I mean… Do you remember your marriage? Your life before this family?”

Some more words were exchanged and, finally, Mbali was beginning to realize how she remembered nothing. Not able to accept any of what Betty brought about, she started chasing her out. This was too much for the happy Mbali. She felt that having that guest around was ruffling up her mind. That guest was forcing doors to locked memories. This was making Mbali unstable. Chasing that woman out of her house was her best option.