ESTRANGED

As told by Dori…..

“Does the defendant have anything to say?”

“I didn’t mean to shoot her, no, I think it was self-defense, no, she shot her herself, no she wanted to kill me, or did she? what exactly did I do?”

“Are you okay Dr Makuni. Dr Makuni, Court session adjourned. For now, he will proceed to be examined at the mental infirmary once again before we resume. All rise” …

Thirty years later

“As I lay on my bed every night, I keep asking myself, how did we get there, when did we become strangers? Or maybe we never knew each other at all …It’s hard to imagine that someone you thought you knew, would become a total stranger.”

“Did you have any fights? Like at any point in your lives did you envision yourself being confided in such a place?”

“By such a place my dear you mean a mental hospital. Why are you being modest? Don’t be afraid to put everything in the open. Don’t call this just a place, it’s a mental hospital, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is a mental hospital. Do I need to retake that question?”

“Please do, don’t you want that captured on record too?”

“Let me ask this again, did you ever envision yourself getting confined in a mental institution after all those years of being married to the love of your life?”

“Love of my life, interesting, but if I am being honest, there were days I thought we would grow old together, living in a condo by the beach, where we would wake up by each other’s side. We would catch the sunrise together, have breakfast, take long walks by the beach shores. In the evening, we would sit by the porch, sipping hot chocolate as we catch the sun setting, reminiscing the years of our youth and declaring our endless love for one another at seventy years. So, to respond to your question, no. Never did I imagine that I would be spending my sunset years confined in a mental hospital, especially without Anna, my lovely Anna.”

“Well, you are seventy today, on a lighter note. Happy seventieth birthday Doc, I should have wished you earlier. Have the kids ever visited?”

“No, none of them has been able to visit in the past thirty years, and I don’t blame them, what happened to them was quite heavy and confusing. They lost their parents at the same time. Literally. Their mother dying and me being in prison for close to thirty years is as close as being dead to them. Even the young one, I have never heard about her, I would love to meet her someday, maybe before I die, just to tell her my side of the story and hoping she can forgive me for what happened.”

“Thirty years is such a long time, I am so sorry about that. Do you think that maybe one day they will come around for you?”

“My dear, how old are you again?”

“I turned thirty last month.”

“You can imagine how long it has been ever since that day, it’s been your whole life ever since I saw my children. Every time I close my eyes to sleep, all I can hear is a loud bang, the loudest I have ever heard, and it keeps getting louder each time. I still can’t believe she died right before my eyes.”

“Did you immediately realise that you had shot her?”

“No not at all, in fact, at that time, I was only paying attention to the baby who was crying profusely on the bed with no idea of what had just happened. I placed the gun carefully on the table, picked her and hushed her.”

“Oh, my and all this while, your wife was just lying on the floor?”

“Yes, it was until the baby calmed down, that is when I processed what had happened. All I could see was a very big pool of blood before my eyes. There was blood everywhere, on my clothes, on the dressing mirror, on the bed, I even wiped some blood off the baby’s face before picking her up.”

“Was it scary?”

“I don’t know what being scary is because I was used to seeing lots of blood given my profession, but this one was different because, out of the many bloody scenes I ever witnessed, this one was blood that in a way I was responsible for and worse, blood that belonged to my wife. I had shot my wife, I thought. One bullet that killed her. She died, right in front of our four-month-old daughter! No one recovers from that, no one… my Isi!”

“Oh, that was tough, Nurse! Nurse! Nurse! Please come, he is convulsing. I think today we went further into the conversation. He was sharing and all over a sudden he began convulsing.

“Don’t worry he will be fine. He does that sometimes and even more often these days especially after that lawyer visited.”

“What lawyer?”

“I am not certain, its someone who’s never visited before, but from the talks they were having, they seemed to be in some very deep conversation. Well, I will see you next time I think, right?”

“Yes certainly, thank you, you have been helpful.”

“Doctor Makuni, Doctor Makuni, its nurse Anza, can you hear me?”

Dori

It was a beautiful bright sunny day just like any other, I was preparing for work, on normal occasions, I would be bursting the house with songs from the stereo, trying to make my mornings cheerful. I am not a morning person. Mostly I would be listening to the radio, the morning comical breakfast show. The show talked about marriages, couples and relationships in general. Sometimes it got messy where couples called in and all over a sudden, they would hit it off on radio especially when they failed to agree. Often, I would be laughing at those horrid relationship messes and sometimes cursing and swearing to myself that I will never get married if that was what marriage was all about. On many occasions, I thought of calling in just to give a side of my story, about what my thoughts on marriage were especially after my failed engagement. As I was dressing, my phone kept buzzing, and I kept ignoring because why would Kefa, my boss, be calling me so early. On realising that he couldn’t stop, I just picked up the phone.

“Dori are you still in the house, if yes, please turn on the TV you need to see something.”

“Kefa, if you are looking for someone to interview a story, why don’t you let me get to the office first?

“Oh Dori, you have no idea, just turn on the news and see what is happening then you can decide if you don’t want to interview that guy.”

When I switched on the tv I saw the biggest of headlines, actually it was the breaking news of the day entitled, Doctor Makuni’ s day break.

“What kind of nonsense is this Kefa? Are they releasing him? After all these years? Is he now finally sane? Come on, I am not buying this story one bit. Are we also broadcasting the same news too, is that true? Is he now finally coming out?”

“Yes, indeed we are, it’s actually a breaking news headline in the top five media houses. So, do you still want to come in or will you be going to St Thomas first? You need to finish your story. Remember he mustn’t know that you are his daughter, that daughter…”

“It wasn’t easy talking to him, for a minute I thought he even would recognise me, I never used my full names Dorita Mukasa Makuni, I just said I was Dori from King life Media, and we were doing a coverage story about his case. It was very sad and nerve wrecking watching him as he talked, and a part of me felt like he wasn’t remorseful or maybe time must have healed his wounds, if at all he had any. I couldn’t imagine that I was speaking to the man who robbed me of a mothers love.”

“He is still your father Dori, I think shuffling between prison and mental hospitals is enough for him to have paid for what he did to your mother and to you and your siblings, don’t you think?”

“I just need to know his side of the story before he comes out, and the earlier I do, the better for us. I need to know what exactly happened between them for me to be able to move on. Anyway, thanks for giving me the heads up and thank you even more for letting me in on this story too.”

“Anything for you Dori, besides, I only want you to get the closure you deserve so that you can put everything behind you. I want you to be happy.” Have you spoken to your siblings yet? Do they know you are still pursuing this story?”

“Thanks, Kefa. No, I haven’t spoken to them in months, I think we grew apart the moment I mentioned to them that I want to meet our father and interview him. I just told them I wanted to meet him, especially for me who had never seen him unlike them who had. I told them it’s easier for me to go under cover since he has no clue of who I was. I mean the guy couldn’t even tell my name Dori was a short form of Dorita his own mother’s name. They will probably thank me for this because even for them, none of them knows what happened between them. Anyway, see you later Kefa, I think I will just head straight to St Thomas before coming in.”

“All the best Dori and be careful, remember what we said, when we first began this, no emo…”

“No emotions, got it, ciao.”

St. Thomas Nursing

“Good morning, I am here to see a patient under Nurse Anza. I was here a couple of weeks ago when I was doing an interview before the patient got into a fit and convulsed.

“Oh, are you talking about Doctor Makuni?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Nurse Anza is not in today, but I will be glad to take you to him. Just have a seat here as I have him prepared. As per the schedule, he is being attended to by the doctor in another fifteen minutes he will be free.”

“Thankyou.”

“Right this way. Good morning, Daktari, you have a visitor here from King life media. You remember her from last time?”

“Hello, my dear, sorry about the other day, I am told I fainted. Last thing I remember we were talking and the next thing, all I could see were many tiny stars and everything suddenly turned black.”

“It’s okay, I am glad you are well, nurse Anza told me that it had been happening for some time. How are you today? Do we have a chance of getting on with the interview? I saw it on the news today, that your daybreak is in a couple of weeks. How do you feel about going to the outside world?”

“My dear, I can’t hide the fact that I am anxious about it, I am not sure of what I will find when I leave this place. I have been confined in miniature walls for such a long time. If it wasn’t the prison walls, it was the hospital walls. That’s how my life has been for the last thirty years.”

“I can imagine the anxiety; do you have an idea of where you will be staying? Will you be going to your manor? Or what has been planned for you?”

“I am not sure if that estate still belongs to me now, besides, what if my children are there or their families? I could be the last person they are looking forward to seeing. I know word has gotten out about my release, but that shouldn’t worry you, I will not lack somewhere to go to. So, tell me, what do you want to know?”

“Everything!”

“Everything might be too much for you to handle but I will try to simplify. Are you married by any chance?”

“No Doctor Makuni, I am yet to be married, I was once engaged through but that’s a story for another day, maybe I will share if we have time, for now, King life Media would like to know what happened between yourself and Anna. Why did you end up taking the life of your beloved wife?”

Anderson Makuni

It was a trivial morning at Kembu hospital, where patients and other casualties were being attended to by the nurses and medics on duty. Some doctors had already reported, and they had begun doing their morning rounds checking on their patients, including young Doctor Anderson Makuni. He had just completed his internship three months prior to him joining Kembu Hospital. This was the first hospital he got posted to following the successful completion of his internship. This was where he began his career as an Obgyn. Kembu hospital was in the town centre of Kembu town, which meant that every person who lived within the town centre accessed the hospital very easily. This casually meant that there were many patients no matter the time of day including the night shift.

The team of doctors and medics in Kembu hospital worked like a family. They all ensured that every member of staff was happy and taken care of. They all knew that their profession called for a lot of sacrifice and hence the more they learnt to take care of one another. They were always willing to step in for each other in case one had personal issues or emergencies to attend to. In some cases, they would attend to each other’s patients as and when called upon. Kembu town was fairly a small town, almost everyone knew one another including the people who frequented the hospital. If there were people who visited the hospital and were unknown, they were mostly outsiders because, Kembu town was a town that received many visitors because of the beautiful sceneries it had. It was considered as one of the best holiday destinations. Just like any other town that served as a holiday destination, there were bound to be many tourists or none locals who eventually ended up visiting Kembu hospital too.

The triviality of that day lasted for the better part of the morning before everything turned topsy turvy for Kembu town and more so for Kembu hospital. Shortly before mid-day, word broke out that there had been an accident that had happened off Kembu town. The bus that was carrying some tourists and locals to view some scenic sites off Kembu town had rammed into a stationary trailer and overturned causing many fatalities. The bus was ferrying some of the tourists who had visited Kembu town for their destined tour sessions planned by the different resorts they were staying in. During his interview after recuperation, the driver of the ill-fated bus mentioned that he veered off the road and hit another oncoming vehicle as he avoided hitting a zebra that was wondering off the road. The oncoming vehicle happened to be a trailer which majorly contributed to the fatalities of that accident.

The many that got injured were rushed to the hospital, from those who had suffered minor concussions to those who had extreme injuries including two who had succumbed to their injuries. Within a short while the hospital was busy, where some medics who were away that day for had to be recalled taking care of the influx of patients. Dr Makuni was the doctor on duty on that fateful day and he took charge of the situation very well. Being a doctor on duty meant that you were both hands on and off depending on how busy the hospital was. Your key duty involved allocating surgeries to people who required urgent surgeries to be performed on them, allocating the very injured patients to doctors who were available. He was also responsible for giving administrative advice on matters that required guidance from the hospital chairman like admissions, discharge, and insurance needs. Anyone who was looking for their patient that day or needed any information regarding the status of the casualties as result of that accident had to go through him too as the doctor on duty. Occasionally he would go back to the wards to check in on his patients as he attended to any cases that could have arisen. Being a doctor on duty meant that your day was busy as you were solely in charge of every activity that happened within the hospital.

By evening, some normalcy and calmness had resumed at the hospital where the situation had somehow been contained. Dr Makuni could finally breathe. He went to the café, to have a cup of coffee, and that’s when he realized he had not eaten anything the whole day. He had been in between treatments, ward visits, handling discharges and also taking care of the many calls that came in, calls from family members of the injured who needed to speak to someone in charge that could give them the surety of how their relatives were fairing on. As soon as he sat down, he remembered one call, from a lady by the name Anna, whom he had placed on hold a couple of hours ago, with the intention of calling back once he finds out about the whereabouts of the casualty she had enquired about. He had promised to call her back as soon as he found out the condition of the patient she was enquiring about. At that moment he remembered he hadn’t called her back and he went back into the office to call her.

“Hello good evening, this is Dr Anderson from Kembu hospital, may I speak to Anna?

“Good Lord, Dr, I have been holding patiently on the line for the last three hours and I was afraid of calling back. Did you find out about the whereabouts of Mrs Lusa?”

“I am terribly sorry about that, and apologies for keeping you waiting Anna for this long. I have had the most difficult day of my career. May I ask, how you and Mrs Lusa are related?”

“Mrs Lusa, Is my mother.”

“Great to know, because she had been unconscious for some time, when she finally woke up, all she wanted to do was to speak to Isianga. She never mentioned who Isianga was, but she kept repeating that name, Isianga. Do you have any idea who Isianga is?”

“Yes, I do, I am Isianga, my name is Anna Isianga. However, it’s been ages ever since she referred to me by that name. Meaning she must have gone through some hell of a fright. Isianga in my language means, my youngest one. I am her youngest and only surviving child. My siblings died in a fire and from what I was told, she kept calling out the name Isianga, when our house burnt. People never knew what she meant, but I had just been born, and I was lying on the other side of the house where the fire was yet to spread to. Luckily my cries were heard soon enough, and miraculously I was rescued. Oh, so sorry to bother you with that long sad story Doctor.”

“No, not at all, somehow your voice and your story calmed me down in a way, I now understand why she thought of you when she regained consciousness. You must be very dear to her. She’s responding well to treatment; she had a minor concussion and small tear on her forehead. She was among the lucky ones who walked out of that accident unscathed, within a day or two after we are done with our observations, she should be fine and ready to go. What is she doing in Kembu town by the way, all by herself? She mentions you live in Jinja town?”

“She came for a retreat with her church members, she wanted me to accompany her, but I was busy with work and had to travel to N’Djamena for a story.”

“A story?”

“Oh yes, I am a journalist, and I do cover up stories for politicians and other influential people, so I am usually on travels most of the time.”

“A journalist, I haven’t interacted with one before, I have always been in the company of medics and fellow doctors.”

“Now you know one.”

“For sure, I will let you go back to work, allow me to look after mama Isianga.”

“Thank you Doctor. I will be coming to Kembu town on the first flight from N’Djamena. It was a pleasure talking to you, I am rest assured that my mother is in safe hands with you Anderson, goodbye.”

Dr. Makuni, Dori.

“So, she was a journalist?”

“Yes, she was, when we first met, she was one before joining politics.”

“So, you mean, just that one phone call was enough to convince you that she was finally the one? Doc you moved too fast ha-ha?”

“Oh yes, it was my first time speaking to her and it felt like we had known each other for ages. There was a certain calmness in her voice which got me so intrigued, because I was expecting her to panic when she made enquiries about the accident and even asking about the condition of her mother, but she was so calm. That was fascinating, and I realized I just needed to see her and want to know her even more. I knew this was someone who we’d definitely click so easily, and to my surprise, the feeling was mutual, talk about the stars aligning.”

“So how soon did it take before the two of you met and even asked her out?”

“Oh, not very soon, Anna was a hard to get that one, it took months for us to meet and agree that we wanted to see each other, however we spent a lot of time talking on phone. Her job was very demanding, she was flying in and out of the country, sometimes she would agree to come over but later another interview story came up that she couldn’t pass and had to cancel on me to go do her work. Is that how you journalists still operate today?”

“Well, yes, and now it’s even worse, because we have so many media houses, and each media house wants to get to the story first, meaning there is a lot of competition and a lot of sacrifices and commitment. Or maybe that’s why my engagement couldn’t hold? My fiancé then used to say that I gave my job so much priority than I did with our relationship. It was hard explaining to him how important my job was and eventually we just had to call it off.”

“From my own experience, I agree with him, because things were not so rosy when Isi and I started dating, eventually she had to call it quits before she later decided to pursue politics. Do you still plan on getting married though or is that chapter closed? You said you turned thirty recently, you are not getting any younger. My youngest daughter should have also turned thirty by now. That little angel. I hope she is alright wherever she is.”

Anna, Mrs Lusa

“Thank you for taking care of my mother. I will be staying in Kembu town for a few days before we head back to Jinja. She seems even better than you described over the phone last week.”

“Dr Anderson and his team have been taking good care of me I cannot complain. He is such a wonderful young man, very calm and collected and handsome too. Are you married by any chance, my daughter Isi here is just wasting her youthful years travelling looking for endless stories all over the world, and no husband or even potential to show for it aah Banange!!”

“You say the kindest words Mrs Lusa, I am sure Anna has her reasons.”

“Aaaaa, what reasons, she is just stubborn this little angel of mine, nobody seems to meet her criteria, her standards are way above the ceiling.”

“You two realize I am here, mama, why don’t you adapt him if you like him that much?”

“Oh, Isi my girl, just stop being stubborn, I am not getting any younger, I need grandchildren soon. What if I had not survived the accident, in my eulogy they would have written that she was only survived with one child, no grandchildren, at my age, this is not fair.”

“Listen to your mother Anna,”

“In God’s time, don’t listen to my mum, she will go on and on about this.”

Anderson & Anna

Four years into the marriage, Anna and Anderson began their life of many years to come. The two had been nicknamed the A.A and that is what friends and family often referred them. Their life and love spurred from an accident that happened a few years ago where Anderson and his fellow doctors took care of Mrs Lusa, that led him into meeting Anna Isianga, Mrs Lusa’s daughter. It was love at first sight or at first call, as they would often tease. That phone call that Dr. Anderson made to Anna, seemed to be what led the hearts of the two to each other. Anna had moved to Kembu following her resignation as a journalist citing that she needed to focus on her young family as the two had now began trying to start a family of their own.

There were numerous frantic comments said on the side and at times in passing that the two had stayed long enough to not have had kids yet. People even made comments to the doctor wondering why an OBGYN like himself was not taking charge of the situation by making any effort to look for a solution to their predicament, as they thought. This was made in reference to Anna’s younger cousin who had gotten married a year after Anna had gotten married and she already had two kids.

“I think it’s time to consider my suggestion if we need to get them off our backs.”

“Anderson!”

“Look Isi, I know it hasn’t been any easy on either of us. My own mother suggested I marry a second wife if things are not looking bright on our side. So that I don’t put her to shame. Can you imagine that? I cannot do that. And that is why I am thinking we should go ahead with my plan, there’s no other way.”

“I don’t know Anderson, what if we get caught? This could ruin you and your reputation. Your whole career in fact would end.”

“I know and that is why I am suggesting this, I am willing to give us what we want at any cost, even if it means losing my career, besides, don’t you want to be a parent? A mother? To have a child for yourself. Nothing could go wrong; you just have to trust me on this.”

“But there are better ways of doing this.”

“Believe me, I have explored everything, and my plan seems to be the only thing that could save our faces. Ms Aganja is good.”

“If you say so baby, if you say so.”

Dori today

“You have reached Dori’s voice message, I am off air, handling an urgent matter, I will get back to you, cheers…”

“Hey Dori, where the hell are you? Are you still at St Thomas? Your phone keeps going on voicemail, is everything okay I have been calling you for the past two hours? What happened? I am beginning to get worried please call me back, Kefa.” ……

Anna thirty years ago

Before everyone knew it, within a couple of months Anna, began showing signs of pregnancy, or as what her kin would say, ‘she caught belle’. She became pregnant as per their eyes. Rumours about her being unable to conceive suddenly subsided and the same rumours of impotency which had been directed towards Dr. Anderson faded too. Within a couple of months, there was a baby in their home. Anna’s mother was now the happiest having her wishes of becoming a grandmother fulfilled. She was the happiest grandmother in town of a bouncy baby boy, Anderson, and Anna’s first child. Two months after she ‘had’ the baby Anna came back to town. She had gone back to Jinja to deliver then came back to Kembu. Everyone in their family was happy, their joy and wishes were fulfilled.

Life resumed to normalcy and the two parents began their parenting journey enjoying every moment of it. After a while, Anna resumed work, but this time she minimised frequent travels and chose to stay close to home to take care of her family. Within a couple of months, she accepted her new role as a political analyst. This went on for a couple of years before she got pregnant again and delivered her second child.

Dr Makuni, Dori

“So after how long did she deliver her second child?”

“I believe four years later, that’s the gap between Emari and Aster. When she came back from Jinja, everyone was happy that the family was growing. Including her mum, Mrs Lusa, who was very sick then.”

“Why Jinja? Why did she prefer going to Jinja, wasn’t she confident of the level of treatment in Kembu? Why did she prefer to have her deliveries done all the way in Jinja? Besides, weren’t you her personal Obgyn, wouldn’t she have been confident to have you close?”

” Mmmh, I believe, her mother’s influence played a role. She believed she would get very good care there, and she also needed to be close to her mother, you know you women during those times, you become very difficult. And can only listen to what your mothers tell you.”

“So, all her children she, gave birth to them in Jinja?”

“Yes, apart from the youngest one Dorita, who she gave birth to in some town in Ugunja where she had gone for work, but the baby came earlier than expected. By the way, your name Dorita, is a very familiar name, my mother was also called Dorita. What a coincidence.”

“Hello nurse have you come for your patient, today’s conversation was better, maybe we could reschedule this to another day.”

St Thomas a day later

“Is this Dorita?”

“Yes, this is she? Who is on the line please?”

” This is nurse Anza from St Thomas, you were here yesterday for Dr. Makuni, could you please come to the hospital?”

“Is everything okay with Dr Makuni?”

“Just come straight away I will explain when you get here.”

“Sure, I am on my way there.”

“I got here as soon as I can, what is the matter? You sounded a bit stressed on the phone.”

“Come this way, look, we found him like this, and there was a note beside his bed.”

“Oh my God! He took his own life. But why? He was to be released. What happened?”

“Too many questions, few answers, we are as shocked as you are, we saw this note, of course we read it and didn’t want to let the police find it, that’s why you were the first person we called it seemed important to you, maybe this will help you get the answers you have been looking for. Now hurry out, we just called them a few minutes ago they should be here shortly. All the best.”

Dear Dorita,

 Or should I call you Dori. After our meeting yesterday, I realised you were not a stranger and I believe you knew too who you were speaking to. Our meeting was no coincidence. I suddenly felt some sense of familiarity. A familiarity of someone close, someone who I should know. I gathered two and two and realised that you were my daughter. Or not, given what you might have heard about me or Anna. My wife and I could not get pregnant. Our families pressured us too much to sire children. We tried everything, we took medication, including visiting different herbalists. Funny enough, despite me being an obgyn, I couldn’t even solve my own wife’s infertility. The other kids are not my blood, but you Dori are. And it has been my wish to meet you and tell you the truth. I named you after my mother Dorita. When I remembered your name, I realised it was you. Dorita was a name only unique to my family. It was a short form of Donald and Rita, my grandparents’ names. Well, your mother Anna may not be your real mother, but I had to look for ways to get a child and we got you. We both decided on it. I may not give the full story here, but I wish that you visit a hospital in Jinja, Egenza nursing home, look for a nurse by the name Matilda Aganja, she has all your answers. I am at peace knowing that my secret is safe with you. May you find your answers. I can now join Anna. When you talk to your siblings, tell them we are sorry. I did not kill Anna, she took her own life. I took the blame; it was the right thing to do. Just find Matilda.

Makuni A.

“Thank Goodness Dori, I have been looking for you. Your lines have been off the whole weekend, I came to your place you were not there? What happened? Did you get everything you needed from Dr Makuni?

“Hey Kefa, sorry about that, I just needed to cool off a bit, what I found out from my last interview was shocking.”

Anna & Anderson thirty years ago

“Honey, the nurse from Jinja called again and she is still pursuing her threats. What do we do? I am feeling guilty about this. Four children later, how do you even sleep? I am beginning to feel guilty about this and what we have done. I am ready to pay for my sins.”

“What, Anna! Are you crazy? Remember you took an oath, you can’t do that, you swore, on your own life and the life of the children we stole. No one must know that these kids are not ours, no one must know, do you hear me? No word will get out about what we have been doing, even if I must kill you, I will. We both took an oath. What do you think people will say when they find out? That the famous doctor, was a child trafficker? Or the state house spokeswoman was a child trafficker? How will that look for you? Are you even thinking?”

“Then I don’t think I can continue to live anymore; I can’t be alive to get exposed. The nurse said she will expose us if we don’t give her what she wants, I can’t be alive to see that happen. I will end my life.”

“Are you even listening to yourself? We have a four-month-old baby. Who will take care of her?”

“Well, aren’t you the father?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Anna put that thing down. What are you doing with that gun? Put it down. Annah! Annah!”

Bang!

Dori Today

“Hey Kefa, I need us to go to Jinja really quick, Are you up for the trip?”

“Wait, we can’t just leave.”

“If you will not accompany me then I will take myself there.”

“What’s going on Dori, you look very different and puzzled, did anything happen at the hospital. Wait a minute, I am getting a text from King life’s insider, what is this. Just getting some confirmation that Dr Anderson Makuni died, do you have a copy of this? Dori, I am talking to you, I will not leave here until you tell me what happened.”

“Kefa, this is not the time, I need us to get to Jinja asap, I will explain on the way.”

At Egenza nursing home.

“Hello good morning, my name is Dorita Mukasa, and my friend here is Kefa Shoma, we are looking for one nurse, Matilda Aganja. Does she still work here?”

“Well Nurse Aganja retired five years ago, is it something we could assist?”

“No, not really, it’s just that we were referred to her specifically, do you have anywhere with information of how to get her like contacts on her records or something?”

“We can give you her last contact information maybe you can try and reach her.”

“Thank you we would appreciate.”

Matilda.

“Hallo, is this Matilda Aganja, the nurse who worked at Egenza Nursing Home five years ago?”

“Yes, this is Matilda, who is this?”

“My name is Dorita, and I came all the way from Kembu it’s about Dr Anderson Makuni and Anna Isianga.”

“Gasp!”

“Hallo! Hallo! Hallo! are you still there? Matilda? can you hear me?”

“So sorry I can’t talk on the phone, meet me at this location tomorrow I will speak to you there in person.”

*****

“This is strange when I told her of who I am she sounded a bit shocked. Anyway, we shall find out tomorrow what happened, in the meantime we can check in a hotel.”

“You know Dori, we are already in Jinja, on this escapade but you are yet to tell me what exactly is going on?”

“So, when I went to visit Dr Makuni last in the hospital, we had a good chat, and he gave me his story and where my siblings and I were born. Something didn’t sound right. He could remember my siblings’ names, Emari and Aster, and for sure that confirmed to me that he is indeed my father. Before I left, he also mentioned that he needed to see his youngest daughter Dorita, then he suddenly asked me that my name sounded familiar and that he recalled his last-born daughter as being called Dorita. Yesterday morning, one of the nurses at St. Thomas, called me urgently back to the hospital, they found him dead, and there was this note on the side.”

“Oh my God, what note, what does it say?”

“Here just read it for yourself, that’s why we had to come to jinja, urgently and I couldn’t come alone.”

“This is deep Dori, this lady Aganja whatever she is, seems to be knowing more.”

“Here she comes, oh my world, Dori, do you notice any familiarity between you and this lady? Why does she almost look like an older version of you?”

“My child, I finally get to see you?”

“Ah lady what do you mean my child, why are you embracing me? We just met.”

“Oh, my child, my child, I thought I would die before I get to see you. Oh, thank heavens, thank goodness, my prayer has been answered.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“Let me tell you what happened. I met Anderson and Anna at the fertility clinic. Very many years ago, even before you were born. They came seeking for medication about their infertility problem. But from the look of things, it seemed that the lady couldn’t bear any children. I was a young nurse then and I offered to help.”

“What do you mean offered to help? How did you help them?”

“Well, I was working as a midwife, and I had access to a lot of information”

“What kind of information?”

“I had access to different kinds of records, antenatal records, clinical records, abortion and adoption records. Anything that came to the maternity ward, I had access to. I offered to help them get children from young mothers who were ready to put up their kids for adoption or at times we just had to take the kids and tell their parents they are dead. I was doing that for many parents, and I offered to help in exchange for a few things, money was one of them, a better life. They seemed well off.”

“Oh my God! I hope you are not implying what I am thinking.”

“Yes, my child, your first two siblings were from young girls who were ready to put up their babies for adoption. The twins, we got them from a young girl who was not ready to take care of her kids, but we just had to convince her they died.”

“Oh My God! I can’t believe what I am hearing. So, what about me? Who are my parents? Do you know my parents?”

“I am your biological mother, and Anderson is your real father. I gave birth to you and then they took you away.”

“Whaat!”

“Yes, my child, Anderson got worried at some point he did his own private tests and found out that he could still be able to sire. He asked if I could be a surrogate. We all agreed, and they were to pay me for it. But both Anna and Anderson went quiet after. They stopped picking my calls and I had no choice, I started making threats to expose them. I was ready to lose everything for as long as they paid me my dues or return you to me. I am so sorry that you had to find out about all these things this way. But I am glad I got to see you. I have never heard from them again. I heard Anna died and that word on the ground was that Anderson took her life. You must have finally met Anderson for you to trace me. How is he?”

“That is quite some story. Anderson, unfortunately passed on a few days ago. He had been confined in a mental hospital for years. He took his own life, from the police reports we received so far.

“Poor man, very sad indeed, may his soul rest in peace.”

“Kefa, how do I begin to tell my siblings that they are a bunch of stolen kids from somewhere in Jinja or God knows where. What about their real parents, where do we even find them? This is bigger than I thought. Mama!

The end.