Ruracio.

Dearest diary,

I quit my job. I know, I know. I said all that, but I can't be working all the time. I need time for family too and I feel like I've been neglecting Briella. Apart from our homework hour, I can't say that we spend that much time together and I don't want to be estranged from my own daughter.

Okay, I am now rumbling, but you get the gist of what I am saying. I need more free time and working two jobs, no three jobs that I hardly have time for is not working. I can't give up writing and the company is my baby, so you know that was the obvious choice. I can still do some freelance consulting, but that's about it. No more bosses and no eight to five o'clock working hours.

************************************************************

I finish my diary entry and turn back to face my father.

"You do know you don't have to keep on doing that?" He says, pointing to the phone that I have laid back on my desk and I nod back at him. "You've come a long way from way from where you were several months ago and I feel like it's no longer necessary."

"I know, but I like keeping it. It helps be turn out my thoughts and look at my situation from a different angle." I tell him.

"Oh, I see. I was under the impression that you didn't like the idea of keeping the diary."

"Who told you that?" I ask, my mind going back to that time several months ago when he had been clueless about my apparent hate for diaries.

"Your cousin."

"Dom." I repeat as if to comfirm my earlier thoughts that someone must have informed him. "Anyway, what are you people doing here?" I ask, referring to my dad, mum, Shea and even Dom who just popped out of nowhere and on very short notice.

"Can't we drop by and visit you whenever we like?"

"No. There's always a reason with you people. I mean, even Dom? Mum and Shea I understand. They always feel this need to make my life miserable, but you and Dom, you are an entirely different matter. You even left your work right when business was booming!"

"Alright alright...so we may have an underlying reason, but seriously, have you ever thought about trying to reconcile with Troy's mum?"

"Who, Monica?"

"Yes! How many mother's does he have?"

"The one and only dad." I answer with a laugh. "And NO, I have NOT thought about it. Have you forgotten that that woman tried to sue your daughter?" I throw it back him, staring at him incredulously like he's grown an extra head or something.

"True, but she's family. There's no way you can get rid of that connection even if you tried." He tells me wisely.

"Okay... So what do you want?" I am being a little rude, but luckily for me my father seems to be on another path that is not necessarily leading to war.

"You, especially you and the family have been invited to Mr White's sixtieth birthday. I think you should consider going."

"And there it is! I knew there was a reason why you brought the entire clan with you."

"Attara..." my dad said with a frown. "Do not allow bitterness to cloud your inner judgement."

"Fine. I'll think about it, but I do not promise that I will go." I tell him rising up to my feet. "Right now I have a meeting and after that a wedding committee to attend.Imagine that, the father of the bride does not pay for the wedding here!"

My father laugh at my comment and shakes his head at me. "Okay, you go and have a blast, the rest of the family and I will remain and enjoy your amenities."

I nod and smile back at him as begin to pack my office bag.

#

"How is everything?" I ask David as I walk behind my desk and put my bag down.

"We hired the new temps and the latest shipment is coming up well." He tells me watching Aoko as she moves to place some documents on the desk before me.

"I am not asking about work. I am asking about the wedding." I tell him as I take a seat and lean forward on my desk. You see, it's been exactly two weeks since I learnt about his secret and a lot has happenned since then. Troy found out my secrets, I quit my day job and soon I'll be working at our company full time. Right after I finish signing up the new clients that Troy's corporation brought with them.

"It's happenning. As you know the Ruracio is next week and after that, everything is uphill building up to the climax that will be the wedding."

"Oh okay, just know that we are here to support you. Right Aoko?" The woman in question nods and I smile back at her. "So, don't hesitate to ask for anything." I add returning the documents that I have just signed to Aoko.

"I know and your boyfriend, manfriend? Babydaddy?" I give him an irritsted look. "I don't know what you call him," he says with a laugh. "But he's been very supportive."

"How?" I ask genuinely curious. Troy rarely keeps secrets but that doesn't mean that he's always forthcoming with his numerous plans.

"You know that the wedding customs in Kenya are different. They normally vary from tribe to tribe but the underlying theme is always the same. Before you're allowed to take your bride home, as a groom and his family, you're expected to part with a substantial amount of currency. Be it money, and other smaller gifts. That's what the Ruracio is. Asking for the bride's hand in marriage and paying the bride price."

"Oh, I didn't know. I heard my dad and mum mention something like that, but I thought it was some kind of them being funny." I tell him with a thoughtful expression on my face.

"I assure you that it's not a joke. Marriages that would have been have crumbled and families broken due to a breakdown of communication during negotiations."

"Negotiations?" I ask feeling more confused than ever.

"Bride price negotiations. You google it. You'll find it very exciting." He tells me turning around to leave. "Right now I have to handle the issue of the scouts and it will take a lot of time to explain everything especially when I have to explain it to you going from tribe to tribe."

"It's okay. I don't have anything lined up until the next hour. It sounds exciting and since I have nothing to write home about I'll take a moment to enlighten myself."

"Oh, now that you mention about writing. Dr. Mwangazs called. He couldn't catch you and he said it was something urgent."

"Okay..." I reply with a frown wondering why Linda hadn't told me anything. "I'll call him right away."

I pick up my phone and I realise that I had accidentally placed it on airplane mode. "Accidentally? No." I didn't even remember placing it on airplane and all my suspicions pointed at Shea. Shea and her endless meddling. I don't know what she planned to achieve by taking me offline but I would find out later.

"Good morning Attara!" Dr. Mwangaza's voice booms through my phone's speaker. I have placed it on handsfree so that I can continue my research while still on call.

"David told me that you tried to reach me." I tell him clicking on the search panel of my search engine before typing in the words Ruracio.

"Yes. We couldn't reach you and it was pretty urgent."

"Was?" I ask, scrunching my face into a frown.

"Still is." He laughs."I need to see you today. We have some issues to discuss and they can't wait until tomorrow."

I consult my mental calender and do a quick math before replying.

"How about the hour between four and five?"

"You can't do a little earlier?" He asks me.

"No. My diary is swamped. The other time I am free is this present hour and at lunch and I don not know if it's convenient for you."

"Lunch is fine."

"So, one?"

"One." I tell him.

We end our call and I return to do my research and this is what I find.

***

I walk into the restaurant some minutes after one. It's a little quaint place situated in the middle of town where they serve all manner of African dishes something that Dr. Mwangaza has a great liking for. As i walk through the threshold, I spot the pair at a corner booth and from the looks of it, the two have already gone ahead an ordered.

"Attara!" Davis' face lightens up as his eyes land on me. I give him.a small wave and slip.into the booth next to him and opposite the smiling older man.

"Attara! Glad you could make it." The older man bellows between bites.

"I am curious...and I did give you my word, didn't i?" He flashes another smile at me as Davis begins to speak.

"What will you have? Ask you can see...we have already ordered." He says pointing to the bowl of fish stew steaming before him and scrunch up my nose in disgust.

"I'll just have a drink."

"Are you dieting?" I raise an eyebrow at the man and he retaliates with a laugh.

"I believe you did not bring me all the down here to make fun of me?" I respond all sensitive to the little bulge that is hidden by my lose chiffon shift dress. It's navy and i have accentuated it with a pair of nude coloured shoe boots that i found in my sister's closet.

"Actually...dad wanted to talk to you about his retirement..."

"You're retiring?" I gasp looking bark at the ever jovial editor in chief.

"I am growing old Attara and i want to rest. Maybe move back to the countryside, raise a few animals and spend time with the wife."

"But the publishing house..."

"It's in good hands with Davis." He replies as he jutts out his chin at the younger man. "...i have been grooming him for a while now."

"Okay..." I respond as try to take it all in. "So why am I here?"

"Straight to the point...that's what i like about you my girl." He laughs. All this time Davis has been very quiet and i turn around to see if he's been listening."You're here because you are our biggest shareholder and we wanted to discuss this with you before we bring it before the board."

"In short, you are soliciting me for my vote?"

"Something like that..." Davis replies as his father exploded into more laughter."It's more like a formality and we want to make sure that the transition is goes on smoothly. You know that any issues that may be there may affect our stock very negatively..." I nod at his wisdom and he takes it as his cue on to move on.

"We have a board meeting on Monday as am sure it will be communicated to you. We just didn't want you to get upstaged by the news."

I nod again and turn back to the older man, my mind already swimming with an influx of information. The pressure is real and i realise that i need time to sort myself out.

"Okay, I'll take my leave now." I tell them standing up.

"Already?" Dr. Mwangaza cries out and i nod back. "But you've not taken anything."

"I know...but i need to process this and examine my options." They nod back in understanding.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing you know..."

"I know..." I tell Davis. "But it's change and i need to figure out how to make it work for me."

"Wait...one more thing Attara. Linda told you about the other thing..." i am stopped as i turn to walk out.

"The award...?"

"Yes..." the good doctor replies.

"Yes...we spoke about it though i have my concerns...in fact it's quite overwhelming and i feel that i need sometime to think about it."

"That I can understand. Plus please do consider it. Winning such an accolade is something that many authors only dream about." At that point i begin to feel really pressured but despite my heavy thoughts i still manage to shoot him a smile.

"Thank you Daktari, I'll make sure to take that into consideration." With that, i bid them adieu and walk out of the restaurant before they can say more.