MBEYA, 2016
Leo finished his chores early and rushed to the New forest to see Macy. He knocked on the door several times but no one opened. It was outlandish. He pushed the door, it wasn’t locked. He vigilantly walked inside, his heartbeat rate increasing. He saw Macy sitting on the stairs, hugging her feet and her chin on the knees. At least he was reassured after seeing her.
“You okay?” Leo said
“Leo…” Macy muttered
“Why crying?”
Macy hugged Leo
“It’s alright. Tell me”
“It’s my mother”
“What’s with her?”
“She’s been transferred”
“To..?”
“Mwanza”
“That’s good news”
“We’re leaving”
“What?”
“That means I’ll never be able to see you again”
Leo drooped, the smile on his face disappeared, “You won’t come back to Mbeya”
“Our home is in Mwanza. We came to Mbeya because dad was transferred here. Now mom has been transferred back”
“When are you living?”
“October”
“So we have eight months?”
“Leo… I don’t want to leave you”
“Neither do I”
The two hugged each other.
They decided to spend the remaining eight months together. They spent their first month clinging to each other, more than before. They spent most of the time walking, talking, and tell each other the stories about the memories they had in their lives.
Later in the third month, they agreed to spend less time together. They were preparing for the day they would part forever. Leo agreed to see Macy only twice a week. The five days of every week were miserable to Leo. And for the two days they met, they clung together even more desperately. But they were practicing for the future which was about to come.
“After five months, the five days of the week will be forever," Macy said
Leo gasped, “I will live a forlorn life without you”
“So will I”
Leo breathed heavily
"Maybe one day you will come to visit me at Mwanza"
"To find you with a happy Sukuma husband and a couple of kids..?"
“Don’t say that” Macy cried, “you are the first to me and maybe you’ll be the last”
“I wonder how life will be after you leave”
“Just promise me you’ll be happy”
“Happy?” Leo chuckled, “You are the only happiness I have”
"Leo, I don't want to leave you but there is no way" Macy sighed, "and I won't want to think you're sad when I'm gone"
“I can’t forget you”
“We have five months only. Let’s not spend them in this sad way”
“Sure!” Leo said with a smile but inside his heart, the wound which was about to heal and the hope about life that began growing were vanishing little by little.
The months were running very fast and later the two agreed to meet only once per week, on Mondays.