15– Good news

The next day, after the river I refused to go with Gamu to the well, I went straight to the hut. I didn't tell her about the Princess nor her servant or else she would have known that Yoké went to the next village. When she came back from the well that day she waited until we were alone and then started to complain about her back pain because of having to carry the buckets all alone. I didn't respond to anything she said. I just sat on the stool with my back against the wall and played with the carved hyena in my hand.

"Rena are you listening to me?" She asked me.

"I am."

"What did I say?"

"That you have a pain in your lower back."

She looked at me in disbelieve and then shook her head. "What's wrong? Tell me."

She came to sit on the stool opposite mine.

"What do you mean?" I asked shaking my head. "Nothing."

"No Rena, there is something wrong because that's not what I said. I stopped talking about my back a long time ago. I was telling you that Yoké was asking me about you."

"Okay." I said curtly.

"Did you have a fight again? I am not surprised since his mood is always changing towards you."

I sighed heavily, got up and went to stand at the entrance of the hut. She followed me.

"So you don't even want to know what he was asking me?"

I shook my head.

"I'll tell you anyway. He said to tell you that he was really looking forward to seeing you today. He told me he had a lot to say to you, but you hadn't even waited. I asked him what he meant but he said that you would understand."

Gamu shrugged. "If you don't understand I hope he doesn't blame me."

I didn't want her to keep talking about Yoké. I didn't want to hear anything about him.

"Gamu tell me something..."

"Yes?"

"Did you tell Abu about my real name?"

"Yes, that one is crazy about you. He saw me going to throw out the water I used to wash the vegetables and started to ask me where you were. So, I asked him whether you had to be with me everywhere. I don't even know how I ended up telling him about your name."

I nodded and didn't say anything.

"Anyway, why are you acting so strange today?"

"Did Uma come to the well today?" I asked in an attempt to lure her away from the Yoké topic.

My plan worked, she ended up going on and on about Uma.

***

The next day I did the same thing; went to the river to bath and went straight to the hut afterwards. Gamu was not happy about it and complained all day whenever she managed to get me alone. I felt bad for her, but I was not ready to see Yoké's face yet. I didn't want to ask him about everything the woman told me and him to confirm it.

Gamu told me that Yoké was asking why I was refusing to come to the well, but I managed to distract her by asking about Uma again. I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep distracting her from trying to find out the truth.

The next day we joined the circle in the evening, Gamu was sitting next to me. The oldest lady in the village was seated in the middle and telling us the story of the boy who cried wolf in the farm. The little children laughed when the boy in the story laughed at the people he had managed to fool.

"I'm coming." Gamu whispered to me getting up and walking off towards the hut before I could ask her anything.

A few seconds after she got up someone came to squeeze in the space Gamu had left. I was familiar with that scent. When I looked, Yoké and I were side to side. He made himself comfortable and paid attention to the speaker. I looked towards the hut and saw Gamu standing at the entrance with Furah. I realized that it was Yoké and Gamu's plan.

I couldn't focus anymore; I felt so uneasy. I just wanted to get up and go far from him. But I couldn't, I felt stuck, I couldn't move.

When everyone broke out laughing because of something said in the story Yoké turned towards me. I could feel his face so close to mine, so I just looked forward.

"What's wrong Genesis?" He whispered on the side of my face.

I ignored him and lowered my head.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He asked. He tried to touch my hand, but I pulled my hand away.

Did he not see that we were around other people?

When the assembly drew quiet again, he looked at the speaker and pretended to be focused in the story.

When the session ended and everyone started to get up and chat away, he came in front of me.

"Please come to the well tomorrow morning or come see me tonight. I will wait for you Genesis."

I just looked at him silently.

"Please." He added and then turned and walked back towards the mountains.

When I got back to the hut, Gamu was just staring at me. I smiled at Furah and wanted to get into the hut, but she took my hand.

"Why do you look so worn?" Furah asked me. "What feeds on your mind?"

"Nothing." I said giving her my best smile.

"Do you know what?"

I shook my head still smiling.

"There is something good for you. Good news. But we will only tell you once it's confirmed. The Chief and I."

"Really?" I looked towards Gamu, but she shrugged, clueless.

"Yes." Furah touched my cheek and rested her palm there. "Go get some rest now. You look so worn."

I returned her genuine smile and went into the hut.

I couldn't stop thinking about Yoké and what he did today. But then something occurred to me: if Yoké was only playing with me, why did he take so many risks with me? Someone could have easily spotted him trying to hold my hand like that, someone could have seen him whispering to me. If I did not mean much to him, why would he risk his life just to talk to me? Of course I was not planning to go see him tonight. No way, I still didn't have the strength to hear him tell me that everything had just been pretence or deny it. At some point something deep inside me tried to convince me to go see him. It told me to overlook everything and just take the chance. It told me to end this confusion once and for all. I did not let it win.