In jaw-dropping shock, I watched the car take the girl of my life. My heart was totally convinced she would be mine.

All I was left with was the card she had given me. After such a disappointing scenario, I packed my bags and moved back to my dad’s house. I jumped on the immediate taxi (twegerane) which was left with a single passenger place.

There was music playing in the taxi and people debated about something which I didn’t pay attention to. I was lost in my thoughts; memories of Diana were swimming in my mind. I remembered her paralyzing beauty, perfect smile and body shape and honestly the misery left me hanging like a forlorn.

Nevertheless, I still had full-gear hope that I would meet her once again. I passed the stage I usually get out from because of I was still daydreaming about Diana. 

By the time I reached home, Dad was waiting for me in the sitting room. Mum had called him and informed him about my arrival. He was surprised to see that my attitude had changed; I was totally new that my dad had to remove the spectacles to observe my every move.

In a sarcastic voice he asked, "Son, what happened to you? Sit down and tell me.”  We both laughed and I behaved coyly. I told him I had resolved everything in my life, I had quit drugs, alcohol, being disobedient—that was all in the past.

It was my mum who helped me realize how important it was to apologize to Dad for my short comings. I had never seen tears in my Dad’s eyes but for the first time I saw them drop. Silence broke in the sitting room but just as he was about to say something—a phone rang! My peers had known that I was in the hood.

"Yo! Sup? Man, we heard that you got your a back mehn…we got a birthday party in three days at Shanice’s crib (callers’ girlfriend), better be there homeboy!”

I told him I would try and be there. He was one of the guys we used to do crazy things with before I resolved to change my lifestyle.

He thought I was the same kind of guy that I was before going to visit my mum in Kenya (where I made strict positive decisions about my life). This was an opportunity to tell them about my change. As I was answering the phone, dad had departed to check on grandma who seemed to be in a terrible health situation.

After three days, I dressed up in my Sunday’s best and walked to the stage where I could get a bus to the birthday party. As I was waiting for a bus, a black Grand-Vitara passed by, just a few meters a head. It stopped and reversed.

My heart and mind couldn’t connect when I realized that it was Diana in the car.
She said, "Jump in!”

I entered the ride in the behind seat where she was seated and we hugged like we hadn’t seen each other for years.
I wish you could understand how that feels. Everyone in the ride was in total shock how a girl from Australia would know someone in Rwanda, her uncle (retired soldier) and her other aunt were so classy that I looked like a peasant begging for a penny. They were escorting Diana to a shopping mall. Although she changed her schedule and we went to Bourbon Coffee for refreshments. Her uncle and aunt were not impressed.

Sitting close to me, she said, "I am sorry, I detoured your schedule but as I said to you before, I like you. I must be falling…”

I then jumped in and completed the phrase, "I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOU!” We stared at each other for two minutes and then hugged. She was this kind of girl, who loves you for who you are. She was so real and instant.

We exchanged life backgrounds and lots of sweet words (I had never experienced such feelings before), I held her hands, stared for quite a few seconds…moved in closing my eyes for the historical kiss and ring! A phone interrupted us! Whoosh! It was her uncle and the aunt calling and honestly, they didn’t like me. I had to be careful the next time.

Diana wrote on an orange note, "Thanks for making me feel loved even though my family seems not to like you.”
Finale to be continued next week

Ends