Is a break up calling?

“Would you like to know who everyone else is?” Chris asks me as I blink rapidly and look around. Suddenly I start to notice all these details I had earlier missed with in my judgemental haze: the flash of an expensive watch on one hand. Top-end sneakers on a pair of feet there. T-shirts and jeans that look plain, but on closer examination, reveal pedigree that does not need to shout to be expensive. And in between are the young men who still live here, who are presumably benefitting from the exposure and mentorships they get here.

I blush furiously and look down into my lap, mortified at the huge assumption I had made earlier. I can feel Chris’ gaze boring intensely into the side of my head, and I look up at him while trying to avoid his gaze.

“Besides Luke, there’s Githaiga over there, who is a hot-shot lawyer now, and there’s Ben-,” he points with his chin, “-who runs a construction company. They are big on tenders, those ones. Not all the boys are here tonight, but we try to make it for as many club nights as we can so that we can chart a way forward for the ones we have left behind.”

“Look, I am so sorry I misread you,” I say finally. “If you don’t ever want to see me again I will understand…” I trail off. I mean, even I wouldn’t want to stay with a partner as judgemental as I am.

“What?!” Chris laughs and I look up at him in surprise. “This is a minor issue. Relax, and let’s go home. This was meant to be a small detour for you to get to know me better.” And then he gathers his stock of twigs and stands up. “Wazito, let me take mama home. I’ll see you all next time,” he says as I stand up alongside him and wave timidly. Then he takes me by the hand and we walk back to his car which we find exactly where he left it, untouched by whichever miscreants I earlier thought lived here.

FUN MEETING YOUR RELATIVES

“So… um… I had fun meeting your relatives…” I say. “And your friends.”

Chris says nothing. He just drives in silences, chewing on a twig in his mouth as he navigates the potholes and puddles of water on the road with skill. Finally I roll my eyes in exasperation. “Look, are you going to chew that stuff all night?”

Chris turns to give me a cursory, then he turns back to the road. There’s a pregnant silence in the atmosphere between us. I sense he is losing his patience. Just when I am about to explode from being ignored, he replies, “Probably.” I continue to stare at him, waiting for more… I don’t know… words, I suppose… but there is nothing. Not even when we get to the parking lot of my apartment block and he steps out of the car, trots over to my side and opens my door. I step out thinking about how we will polish off the bottle of wine I purchased earlier, but when Chris clears his throat and announces, “Goodnight!” I stop in my tracks.

“You’re not coming up?!” I frown. He shakes his head, the twig in his mouth moving up and down as he masticates. “Why not? Are we fighting?!” I have to ask. I know I’ve said and done a lot of things I shouldn’t tonight, but why won’t he just talk to me and tell me what’s up?

Chris gives me another one of those intense looks of his. “Tonight has been eventful. I have a lot to think about,” he sighs and puts his hands in his pockets. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he says, turning on his heel and walking towards the driver’s side of his car. Then he opens the door, gets in and zooms off.

I am left encased in the plume of dust his car leaves. I stand there for many seconds, pondering all the things I have noted. I have noted, for example, that he did not escort me up to the door or my house, and neither did he wait to see if I got in safe. I have noted that he did not kiss me goodnight – not even a hug or a peck. Oh gosh. I am sure he’s broken up with me – and we’re not even a couple yet!