…Just under the Ebony magazine lay a full packet of letters from Shanice. Ndoli looked at one of them. She had written this particular one on the celebration of her twenty-fourth birthday. The upper part was missing but all the same Ndoli read it loud.

…I struggled to find fitting words for this occasion. It seems that there are no words good enough or capable of describing the way you make me feel with your love. What did you do to me?

Ndoli, in falling in love with you I have found something so special. I have woken to a sunrise more fulfilling and beautiful than any dream… you are the inspiration of my life. You have taught me of love unconditional, forgiveness, faith and trust.

I gave you my heart, you have given me life and desire brought forth poetry and art, you make me laugh and you make me cry. Most importantly you make me not want to try to be more than I am but all that I am.

Though sometimes it gets heavy, the perseverance and endurance of your love make me strong. I promise to walk beside you forever with all that I am, with my life and nothing less…I love you, SHANICE.

"What a hypocrite!” Ndoli screamed. It all started after Ndoli left his work place that fateful evening. He wanted to pass a quiet evening at the Crib in Nyarutarama until a buzz from Bunny changed all this.

Bunny insisted on meeting at Nyira Rock in the city centre reportedly to chat and "compare notes”. Ndoli saw no trouble in this since he did not have any major stuff to do at home.

He arrived at the bar only to discover that bunny was actually not alone; Sharrif his Pakistani friend, Cliff and his British girlfriend were all downing their second shots of whisky.

"Hi Ndoli, you look so cool in that blazer!” Gloria complemented. The smile on her face revealed a perfect set of even white teeth.

Ndoli felt flattered not by the complement but by the way Gloria shouted it out on top of her voice for the whole bar to hear. "Not at all,” he gently replied.

Shariff was unusually silent, when he tried to speak, words did not seem to come out clearly. His speech was slurred. The two shots of whisky had taken their toll on him.

The bar filled up fast. By 8.00pm, all were dancing to the tunes of "walk of life” by Dire Straits. Despite this entire merry making, something was amiss with Ndoli. (To be continued…)

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