The Guest from the City
first meet
The dust in the village of Kenya didn’t just sit on the ground; it danced. For Kira, it was a nightmare. She stood at the edge of a winding dirt path, clutching the handle of her silver suitcase like a lifeline. Her high heels sunk into the soft earth with every step, and her silk blouse was beginning to cling to her skin in the afternoon heat.
amanikira(fl)
Kira holds her phone high, waving it in the air. "No signal. Of course. Why did I think a 'digital detox' was a good idea?
Near the side of the house, a man was bent over, his back to her, working on a wooden fence. He wore a simple, faded shirt and dusty trousers, his muscles tensing as he hammered a nail into the wood.
amanikira(fl)
Excuse me! Bro!" Kira shouts, cupping her hand over her mouth.
The man doesn't move. The rhythmic thud-thud-thud of the hammer continues.
amanikira(fl)
"Hello? Bro? I’m talking to you!" Kira walks closer, her suitcase wheels rattling loudly over the stones
Still, nothing. Kira felt her patience snapping. In the city, people jumped when she spoke. She assumed he was just a hired hand who wasn't used to being addressed by someone important.
amanikira(fl)
Oy! Servant! Put the hammer down and help me with this bag!"
The hammering stopped instantly. The silence that followed was heavy. The man slowly stood up to his full height—which was much taller than Kira expected—and turned around. Leo wiped sweat from his brow with the back of a tanned, calloused hand. His dark eyes weren't submissive; they were piercing and annoyed
leo(ml)
Servant?" Leo repeats, his voice deep and vibrating with a slow, dangerous calm.
amanikira(fl)
Kira huffs, gesturing to her heavy suitcase. "Yes, finally. My arm is killing me. Be a good lad and take this inside. I’m looking for the owner."
Leo steps closer, crossing his arms over his broad chest. He looks her up and down, from her perfectly styled hair to her mud-caked heels
leo(ml)
First of all, I don't know who 'Bro' is. Second..." He gestures to himself with a dry smile. "From which angle exactly do you think I am a servant? Is it the fence? Or do you just think anyone working with their hands is at your beck and call?"
amanikira(fl)
Kira reddens, her ego bruised. "Well, you’re dressed like... like someone who works here! And you didn't answer me! A little professional courtesy would be nice
leo(ml)
Professional courtesy?" Leo chuckles, a short, sharp sound. "Listen, Woman. This isn't a hotel, and I’m not your bellboy."
amanikira(fl)
Kira’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Woman? Did you just call me 'Woman'? I have a name! It’s Kira! And you are being incredibly rude to a guest."
leo(ml)
And I have a name, too," Leo counters, stepping right into her personal space. "But since you started with 'Bro' and 'Servant,' I figured we were just using labels. And honestly, Woman fits you. You look like you’ve never seen a day of hard work in your life.
amanikira(fl)
"How dare you!" Kira stomps her foot, but her heel sinks deeper into the mud, making her wobble. "I work eighteen hours a day in the most competitive industry in the world! I could buy ten of these fences!
leo(ml)
And yet, you can’t even walk on grass without falling over," Leo observes, his eyes glinting with amusement.
amanikira(fl)
Kira glares at him, her chest heaving. "You are the most arrogant, unhelpful—
...
"Is everything alright here?"
The argument was cut short as an older woman stepped out from the shade of the porch. She looked between the frustrated city girl and the smug village man.
amanikira(fl)
Kira turns quickly, trying to regain her dignity. "I am looking for Mrs. Kamau.
amanikira(fl)
"I’m Kira. I’m the... well, I’m the guest. From the city." Kira shoots a triumphant look at Leo. "The one who was promised a warm welcome
...
The older woman smiles. "Ah, yes! We have been expecting you.
...
Through that door, take a left, and the first room is hers."
amanikira(fl)
Kira grabs her suitcase handle with a jerk. "Thank you. At least someone here has manners."
Kira begins to trek toward the house, her nose in the air. As she passes Leo, she stops for a split second to glare at him one last time. Leo just tips an imaginary hat at her, his grin widening
leo(ml)
Watch the rug on your way in, Woman. It’s expensive."
Kira scoffs loudly and storms away, her heels clicking angrily against the wooden porch boards
happy propose day
The hallway of the old stone house felt narrow and smelled of dried herbs and ancient wood. Kira dragged her suitcase behind her, the wheels thumping loudly against the floorboards. She reached the door on the left and pushed it open without knocking.
Inside, an elderly woman sat by a large window, a knitted shawl draped over her shoulders. This was her grandmother—her mother’s mother—a woman she hadn't seen in nearly fifteen years.
amanikira(fl)
Kira stands by the door, arms crossed. "So, I’m here. It took three flights and a bone-breaking Jeep ride, but I’m here
...
The grandmother turned slowly. Her face was a map of deep lines, but her eyes were sharp. "Kira. You have your mother’s chin. And her temper, it seems."
amanikira(fl)
"I don't have time for nostalgia," Kira snapped, looking around the modest room with a look of distaste. "The 'resort' you sent me to is a dusty village, and your staff—or whoever that rude man outside is—has zero manners."
The grandmother didn't get angry. Instead, she stood up with surprising grace and walked toward Kira. Before Kira could pull away, the old woman reached out and took Kira’s face in her weathered hands.
amanikira(fl)
Kira felt a lump in her throat. She pulled away, trembling slightly. "I’m going to my room."
As she retreated into the hallway, she bumped straight into a solid wall of muscle. It was Leo. He was carrying a crate of supplies, and the impact nearly sent Kira sprawling.
leo(ml)
Leo catches her arm to steady her, then immediately lets go. "Easy there, Princess. The house has been standing for eighty years; don't knock it down now.
amanikira(fl)
You again!" Kira hissed, pointing a finger at his chest. "You’re everywhere! Don't you have a fence to go obsess over?
leo(ml)
"I live here, remember?" Leo leaned against the doorframe, looking bored. "And I heard you in there. Being a brat to a woman who has prayed for your return every day. You city people really are heartless, aren't you?"
amanikira(fl)
You know nothing about my family!" Kira yelled, her voice cracking. She pushed past him, her shoulder hitting his, and bolted into the small guest room at the end of the hall
Inside the room, the silence felt like a heavy blanket. Kira threw herself onto the bed and grabbed her phone. To her surprise, she had one bar of signal. She immediately dialed her father.
amanikira(fl)
Dad? You have to get me out of here," Kira whispered into the phone the moment he picked up. "It’s horrible. The people are mean, the air is full of dust, and Grandma... she’s weird, Dad. She touched my face like she was trying to read my soul."
..m
Kira, stop," her father’s voice came through, tired and stern. "Your mother left us, yes. But that woman is still your grandmother. She is ill, and she wanted to see you before... before things get worse. We agreed you wouldn't be rude. Give it a chance."
..m
No 'buts.' Grow up, Kira. Stay for the week."
The line went dead. Kira stared at the ceiling, a single tear escaping and rolling into her ear. She felt abandoned all over again—first by her mother, and now, it felt like her father was pushing her away too.
Later that evening, the heat finally broke, replaced by a sudden, cooling breeze. It was February 8th. In the city, Kira’s social media feed would be exploding with "Propose Day" posts—men in suits kneeling in expensive restaurants, diamond rings, and red roses
She wandered out onto the porch to find some air, only to find Leo sitting on the steps, carving a piece of dark wood with a small knife.
amanikira(fl)
Kira sits on the opposite end of the porch, hugging her knees. "I bet you don't even know what today is," she muttered
leo(ml)
Leo didn't look up from his carving. "It’s February 8th. Why? Is there a sale at the mall you're missing?"
amanikira(fl)
It’s Propose Day," Kira said with a cynical laugh. "Back home, everyone is getting engaged. It’s the most romantic day of the year, not that you’d understand 'romance' in a place where people's best friends are cows."
leo(ml)
Leo stopped carving and looked at her, the moonlight catching the sharp angles of his face. "Propose Day? You city folk need a calendar to tell you when to be brave? That’s pathetic."
amanikira(fl)
It’s not pathetic! It’s a tradition!" Kira argued, her spirits rising at the prospect of a fight. "It’s about making a commitment. It’s about promising a future."
leo(ml)
"A future of what?"
Leo stood up, walking toward her with the carving knife still in his hand, though held loosely at his side
leo(ml)
In the city, you 'propose' with a rock that cost three months' salary. Here, if a man wants a woman, he shows her. He builds her a house. He protects her family. He doesn't need a Hallmark holiday to do it."
amanikira(fl)
Kira stands up to face him, her eyes flashing. "Oh, please. You’re just saying that because you’re probably too scared to ever ask anyone. You’re lonely and grumpy, and you hide behind your fences so you don't have to take a risk."
Leo took a step closer, invading her space until she could smell the scent of cedar and rain on him.
leo(ml)
You think I’m scared, Kira?" Leo’s voice dropped to a low, husky tone. "I think you're the one who’s scared. You’re so busy looking for a 'proposal' and a fairy tale that you wouldn't know a real man if he was standing right in front of you."
amanikira(fl)
Is that a challenge?" Kira challenged, her heart racing—though she told herself it was just anger.
leo(ml)
Maybe," Leo whispered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, wild yellow flower he had picked earlier. He held it out to her, but instead of being sweet, his expression was mocking. "Happy Propose Day, City Girl. I 'propose' you try being a decent human being for at least twenty-four hours. Do you think you can handle that, or is the ring not big enough for you?"
amanikira(fl)
Kira’s jaw dropped. She snatched the flower from his hand and promptly threw it at his chest. "You are the most infuriating man I have ever met
leo(ml)
And you're the most spoiled 'guest' this village has ever seen," Leo shot back, though there was a tiny, unmistakable smirk on his lips as he watched her storm back into the house.
Kira slams the screen door behind her. Outside, Leo picked up the yellow flower from the porch floor. He didn't throw it away. He tucked it behind his ear and went back to his carving, the quiet of the Kenyan night swallowing his soft, secret chuckle.
chocolate day
The morning air in the village was crisp, but the tension inside the homestead was already boiling over. Leo was at the outdoor wash station—a private but simple enclosure made of stone and wooden slats. He had just finished splashing cold water on his face and was in the middle of hopping on one foot, trying to pull on a fresh pair of heavy denim work pants.
His younger sister, Amani, stood outside the enclosure, holding a towel and humming to herself.
amanikira(fl)
Kira marched toward them, her face a mask of disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me. Is this the 'spa'?
amani
Amani looks up with a bright smile. "Oh, no, Kira! This is just where we wash up. Leo is inside."
amanikira(fl)
Kira stops and hisses, pointing at the structure. "Who even changes their clothes in an outdoor box? It’s unhygienic, it’s primitive, and I can’t—I literally can’t with this place."
leo(ml)
From inside the enclosure, Leo’s voice boomed, "Maybe if you stopped staring at the 'box' and went away, I could finish getting dressed in peace
amanikira(fl)
Kira rolls her eyes. "I’m not staring! I’m mourning the loss of indoor plumbing!"
leo(ml)
It’s called living with nature, City Girl. Try it sometime!"
amanikira(fl)
Living with nature is for squirrels, Leo. Humans invented bathrooms for a reason!"
leo(ml)
Humans also invented manners, but you seem to have skipped that lesson."
amanikira(fl)
Manners? You’re the one half-naked in a garden!"
leo(ml)
"I'm in a washroom! Do you want me to shower in a tuxedo?"
amanikira(fl)
I want you to provide a guest with a proper facility that doesn't involve a wooden bucket!"
leo(ml)
The bucket is hand-carved. Most people in the city pay extra for 'artisan' things."
amanikira(fl)
I pay for luxury, not a splinter in my—anyway, it’s gross!"
leo(ml)
The only thing gross here is your attitude toward our home."
amanikira(fl)
My attitude is a direct result of the dust and your ego!"
leo(ml)
Then leave! The road back to the airport is exactly where you left it."
amanikira(fl)
I would, if my dad didn't treat this place like a mandatory prison sentence!"
leo(ml)
Prisoners usually complain less than you do."
amanikira(fl)
That’s because prisoners aren't forced to deal with you!"
leo(ml)
(stepping out, buttoning his pants with a glare): "Well, you're free to go cry to your followers about it. Just do it far away from me.
The argument was interrupted by a tall, dignified man walking toward them. This was Kira’s Uncle, the brother of her mother. He stopped, looking at Kira with a gaze that felt like it was searching for a ghost.
ml dad
The noise can be heard from the fields," the man said softly. He looked at Kira. "What is your name, child?"
amanikira(fl)
Kira," she said, straightening her back
ml dad
His eyes softened. "Kira. You look... you look exactly like your mother. You have her eyes. Especially when they are angry."
amanikira(fl)
You utter that woman's name in this house again, I will leave. I mean it."
Inside the house, the Uncle sat with the Grandmother.
ml dad
She is here," he whispered. "The girl."
grandma
"I know," the Grandmother replied, her voice frail. "She has the fire of her mother, but the heart of her father. We must be careful.
ml dad
She looks so much like her," the Uncle murmured. "It’s like seeing a ghost walk through the garden."
By the afternoon, the heat had returned. It was February 9th—Chocolate Day. In the city, this meant fancy gold-wrapped truffles. In the village, it meant nothing.
amani
Amani found Leo in the barn. "I think Kira is actually kind of cute," Amani said, watching Kira try to navigate the yard.
leo(ml)
Go check your eyes, Amani," Leo grunted, lifting a heavy sack of grain. "She’s a headache with a designer label."
As he turned to leave the barn, he crashed right into Kira, who was trying to carry a tray of tea. The tea splashed everywhere—mostly on Leo’s shirt.
leo(ml)
Again?!" Leo yelled. "Do you have a tracking device on me? Are you trying to drown me in tea?"
amanikira(fl)
It was an accident!" Kira screamed back, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Maybe if you didn't move like a bulldozer, I wouldn't hit you!"
amani
Amani watched them, shaking her head. "Okay, I was wrong. She is really, really rude."
leo(ml)
"See?" Leo pointed at his sister. "Finally, your sense has come back! She’s a nightmare."
Kira pulled a small, melted chocolate bar from her pocket—the last one she had brought from the city. It was squished and half-liquid from the heat.
amanikira(fl)
Here," Kira shoved the melted mess toward him. "Since it’s 'Chocolate Day' and you're so obsessed with being a 'real man,' take this. It’s bitter and dark. Just like you
leo(ml)
Leo looked at the melted chocolate, then at her red, angry face. He took it, unwrapped the foil, and took a huge, messy bite. He winced at the bitterness.
leo(ml)
You're right," Leo said, his teeth covered in dark chocolate. "It’s bitter. But at least the chocolate has a purpose. What’s yours?"
amanikira(fl)
To survive a week without strangling you!" Kira shouted, turning to walk away.
leo(ml)
Good luck!" Leo yelled after her. "The chocolate is better than your company anyway!"
amani
Amani just sighed. "You two are going to end up married or in jail. I haven't decided which yet."
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