chapter 7

I shook my head and more tears fell that he couldn’t catch in time. “We’ll both stay out of it.”

“Without you everyone will back out, I will do everything in my power to keep the group together. And they won’t even know that you are not with us because I will lead them on the cliff and I will speak in your place.” 

“Our baby will need her father too.” 

Yoké hugged me and began running his fingers through me hair. “Yes she does but she needs her mother more.”

He tried to comfort me as I cried in his arms. “Don’t do this to me Yoké.” 

“If the uprising fails, just promise me that our child will always be safe and happy, that you will give her so much love to make up for mine.”

“Stop saying things like this.” 

He loosened his hug but I did not want to let him go. I couldn’t even imagine my life without Yoké. How miserable would I be? What happiness would I reflect on to my child if my own source of happiness was to be taken away from me forever? 

He tried to loosen my arms gently and when he saw that I was not letting go of him, he hugged me even tighter, buried his head in my neck and began to cry. He was really crying! 

“Yoké please stop crying, you know I can’t take it.” I said loosening my hug and placing my hands on his cheeks and wiping away his tears. 

“Do you promise me?” He asked me. 

“Yes, I’ll take care of the baby and make sure she’s the happiest child in this village. I promise. Now stop crying.” 

“I feel like I’m never going to have this opportunity again.” Yoké smiled sadly, touching my face and running his fingers along my features.

We heard thunder. It suddenly started raining, raining so hard we could hear it pour outside. We both looked towards the curtain instinctively. 

“Of cause you will see me again.” I told him. “The uprising will work and I will pray about it all night. I believe it will work. I have faith Yoké.” 

Yoké smiled sadly at me. “You still have never tied your hair like it was again when you first arrived.” 

I smiled. “I kept forgetting.” 

“You’re beautiful. I would have loved to see your whole face everyday, instead of having your hair cover the sides of your face.” 

I took my hair and made it into a ponytail using a strap of hair to keep the hair into a ponytail. 

Yoké smiled wholeheartedly and lifted my chin to him. And then he began kissing me. After a while he placed his hands on my belly and got on his knees to kiss my belly. 

“I love you Risa. Remember that?” He spoke to my tummy. 

I laughed. “Risa?” 

He looked up at me. 

“You are interrupting father and daughter time. Risa is trying to tell me something.” 

I laughed even more. 

“Yes, Risa?” Yoké continued. “Oh you love me too? Stay happy my baby girl.” 

He then got on his feet. 

“It’s raining so hard. I’ll get drenched when I return.” I told Yoké coming to stand by the entrance and keeping the curtain to the side. “And it’s so dark.” 

He came to stand behind me and put his arms around my neck. “And there’s probably puddles so you’ll get dirty too. Obviously I’ll go drop you so there’s no need to be scared of the dark.” 

I didn’t say anything. Just watched the rain pour. There was smell of soil in the air. 

Yoké placed his hand on my belly. “Soon Risa will start growing.” 

“So we are really naming her Risa?” I asked smiling up at him. 

He nodded. “My mother’s name was Risa.” 

He placed both his hands on my belly and we continued watching the rain in silence. 

“You need to get a lot of sleep from now on, so let me go drop you.” Yoké told me. “And eat well, even when you are feeling sad and missing me.” 

“We’ll get wet.” I told him. “Let’s wait for the rain to stop. I’ll sleep on your bed so long.” 

“Okay.” Yoké said and we both went back into the hut. 

“By the way, Uma knows.” I told Yoké, going to sit on the bed. “He is the one that advised me to come speak to you.”

“We’ve finally made him an uncle.” Yoké laughed. “He’ll watch over the both of you.” 

I looked at him seriously. 

“What?” 

“I told you to stop saying things like that.” 

He smiled and came to kneel down before me. He put his hands on the side of my neck and let our noses touch. 

“I’m sorry.” He said and then did what he always did. 

We both beamed. 

“Do teach my child to do that too.” Yoké laughed. 

“You’ll teach Risa yourself.” I told him. 

“Genesis.” 

“Yes, Yoké?” 

“I want you to know that I really love you and that you’ve changed my life, ever since your arrival in Toko village.” 

I smiled and placed my palm on his cheek. “I love you more. And that love grows every time I look into your eyes.”

Somebody clapped thrice on the other side of the curtain. 

Yoké and I exchanged looks. We were both frowning. 

“Uma?” I whispered to him. 

Yoké shook his head and placed his finger on his lips. 

I nodded. 

The person clapped again. 

“Rena, Yoké. It’s me.” Gamu was speaking. “I need to see Uma but I obviously can’t go to his hut and go get him. I need you, Yoké.” 

“Since when?” I whispered to Yoké. 

Yoké shrugged.

“Are you two sleeping?” Gamu asked. “Come on guys it’s almost morning. Soon the cock will crow I need to see Uma too before the uprising.” 

“It’s okay.” I told Yoké. “She’s not the old Gamu anymore.” 

Yoké shook his head. “I’ll go, you wait here.” 

“Come on. Who do you think helped me talk to Uma? She’s changed Yoké.” I assured him. 

We both got up, with me behind Yoké we came to the curtain and Yoké pulled it away. 

When I saw the look on Gamu’s face, I knew that we had just made a big mistake. In fact I had made the big mistake. Gamu was not alone.