Ann introduces Kamene to her two children, Norman and Sheyi and her husband, John. Norman and Sheyi are still under ten years old. John is in his early forties, while Ann is in her late thirties. Kamene quickly learns that her auntie works in the city as a financial consultant while her husband is a police commissioner. In Ann’s home are four workers, two ladies who are staff in the house, Ann’s personal driver and a gatekeeper.
Ann’s Terms
Ann tells Kamene that she will be working with her in her consultancy office, but she disagrees. Kamene has just completed her primary education and has a vision to join secondary school and pursue higher learning. She has a dream to become a lawyer and seek justice for the voiceless. Ann quickly reconsiders her offer and agrees to allow Kamene to continue her learning, however, under one condition. Kamene will not go to school from her village as she had planned, but will join a city school where she will be picked up and dropped off by Ann’s driver because she will continue living with the family.
Kamene finds the offer mean, considering that they left her mother alone in the village. Therefore, she disagrees and says she wants to go back home. Ann smiles and leaves. Before leaving for work, she asks Kamene to think about the offer, reminding her that she has few options. This statement triggers fear in Kamene. She cannot expect her auntie to be so mean or intimidating to her. Immediately, she senses danger and wants to communicate with her mother.
Out of Options
Back home, Grace is not doing well. She is not cooperating with the counsellor. She has refused to talk to anyone. Indeed, she is on a hunger strike. Kamene borrows one of the girl staff’s phones to call home, but when she does, Grace does not answer. The frustration starts to build up. She calls many times, but no one answers. It is now in the evening, and Auntie is back. Kamene has no other choice but to accept Ann’s offer. At this point, the teenager feels trapped. She does not know her way out of this home. Indeed, she does not know her way home from this foreign land.
See Part 2: https://www.whispers.co.ke/1393/your-story/2025/kamene-part-2-a-bereaved-teenager/
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