DAR, 2020
Another week passed. The new president was announced, Nicolas Alan. Many Tanzanian’s believed that president Nicolas would take the country to a better place. He was kind, powerful, influential, and he wasn’t someone else’s puppet. The start of something new brings the hope of something great, anything is possible.
Christos and Zander were caught at the border attempting to flee out of the country. Everything has to come to an end, sometimes.
Leo’s mother finished her treatments successfully in India and she returned to Tanzania. Leo was there at Mwalimu Nyerere international airport when his mother arrived. That day, they spent a lot of time together talking. It’s when Leo realized that, a mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take. It was a very special day for him.
About Rachel, he realized that it wasn’t a distraction to fill his emptiness. It was love. How did he know? You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. He fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self-respect. And it’s these things he’d believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be. He loved her and it was the beginning of everything. Rachel was always there when Leo was in tough times. Leo always sent her away but she kept coming back. He believed that she’s sent into his life to give him something to fight for, to show him where there was love in this world, to give him hope, and to bring him joy, all the proof in life he needed was in her. She was his soul mate and life mate. If she lived to be a hundred, he wanted to live to be a hundred minus one day so he never has to live without her.
President Fabian asked President Nicolas and they arranged a proper burial ceremony for Rayhan. He was a soldier and he died a soldier, he deserved a proper and reverent burial ceremony.
At the burial ceremony, everyone dressed in black suits except the soldiers, who were in their combats. They were at Kinondoni cemetery. Leo sat with his mother and Rachel. His mother liked Rachel a lot. Some representatives from TST also attended the ceremony. He saw Baraka. He tried to look but he never saw Isla.
President Fabian gave a long speech that touched a lot of men and women in the burial ceremony. It touched Leo too. He finished his speech by saying, “We sleep peaceably in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf. Rayhan was one of those men, may his soul rest in peace. If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live. Today, we’ll fire three rifle volleys, to show our respect to him. Our nation owes a debt to its fallen hero that we can never fully repay, but we can honor his sacrifice.”
The soldiers prepared themselves for the three rifle volleys as people passed to Rayhan’s grave to show their respect. Leo looked at the grave. It was well built with expensive marbles. On the cross, it was written, Rayhan Mkama, 1962-2020, a hero, fighter, and a patriot. Tears shone in his eyes.
“He was a good man.” Leo said, looking at many people who attended the ceremony.
“Good men must die but death can’t kill their names.” His mother said.
“I spent my whole life hating him.”
“Everyone makes mistakes, Leo. Everyone has regrets and guilt for things they should have done differently in their lives. Shit happens, and we do the best we can at the time. You can't blame yourself forever.”
“He died knowing that I hated him.”
“No, he died knowing that you love him. His final words were, tell Leo to become a better man.”
Leo smiled. He looked heavenward, his eyes flooded with tears. Rachel held his left hand and his mother held his right hand.
“A better man? I always cause trouble.” Leo said.
The first rifle volley was fired.
“You are a very good man.” Rachel said, patting Leo’s left hand.
“My son is super awesome and I am the lucky one because I get to be his mother.” His mother said, patting his right hand.
The second rifle volley was fired.
The three hugged. Leo knew he had a huge task ahead of him. Like Fabian told him, he had to find his purpose in life and like his father’s final words, he had to become a better person. All in all, he knew he’d completed the first step. He had a family now. You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family. He had a family, he was happy. Leo Rayhan was happy.
The third rifle volley was fired.