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“Thank you Nana, Nakupenda sana” Muthoni said as she placed her head on Nana Makena’s thighs.

Nana Makena was everything to Muthoni. They met at the time when Muthoni’s career just started. She was her former boss’s mother. She had become a mother figure to Muthoni and served as her mentor, therapist, friend and life coach.

Her mind went back to their first encounter. She was 25, working in the transport industry as a company secretary and personal assistant to the managing director. She was young, vibrant, eager to learn and very dedicated to her job.

Everyone at the company recognized her as an asset except the Head of the logistics department who was determined to undermine her efforts at every chance he got.

His reason wasn’t far fetched, she had refused to date him and that had taken a toll on his overrated ego.

The company was owned by a prominent family in Nairobi, The Makenas. The founder and family patriarch, Pa Mpenda Makena had since passed away and his children had taken over the running of the business, his second son Jaali Makena, being the Managing Director.

Nana Mumbi Makena, a Director and major shareholder, was the matriarch of the family.

That fateful day, there had been a meeting with the heads of departments and Muthoni was present, as the company secretary, to take the minutes of the meeting. Nana Makena was in attendance, she was known to make random appearances at such meetings unannounced.

In the course of the meeting, Muthoni was asked for information they needed to refer to, but she didn’t have it at hand and requested for a few minutes to go to her office to get it.

The head of logistics went off on her, making snide comments about her incompetence and inability to comprehend her role.

Muthoni trying very hard, was able to hold back the tears that had formed a lump at the back of her throat. She apologized and excused herself and just as she was about to open the door, Nana Makena spoke.

“Stop there Miss Wambui.” She got up slowly and turned to the head of logistics. Her tone, calm but firm, held command and authority.

She held his gaze as she spoke “Mr Onkwani, clearly your family had a sense of your uncontrolled tongue when they named you. Your lack of tact and respect towards other members of staff will not be condoned in this establishment.

You will tender an apology to Miss Wambui this minute and hand in a written apology addressed to the Managing Director by the close of day, otherwise, please tender your resignation. “ She picked up her bag, “Good day everyone” She said and left the board room.

The silence in the room was thick enough for a knife to cut through it. Mr Onkwani looked around, embarrassed. He cleared his throat and adjusted the knot of his tie.

“I apologize Miss Wambui, I was out of line.” He said curtly and sat back in his chair, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

The Managing Director, Jaali Makena, called for everyone’s attention and continued with the meeting. Outside, Nana Makena was speaking to Muthoni.

“Mtoto wangu, you should never let anyone talk down on you like that. I apologize on behalf of the company.

Your general performance has not gone unnoticed Muthoni. Well done and keep up the good work.” She said and started to walk away.

“Thank you Mrs Makena, thank you for standing up for me”. Muthoni said, her voice quivering with emotion.

Nana Makena stopped and turned around. “You can call me Nana darling. I’d like it if you call me Nana” Then she paused for a moment and continued.

“How about you join me for lunch at the house on Saturday, 3pm?” She reached into her bag, brought out her card and handed it to Muthoni who stood there in shock.

“Call me and let me know if you can make it. But I look forward to seeing you” Nana Makena said and walked away.

Muthoni stood there rooted to the spot staring at the card until she suddenly remembered she was supposed to get the reports needed at the board meeting.

She made a quick dash to her office and gathered all the documents together and dashed back into the board room.

She had no doubts she was going to have lunch with Mrs Makena. By the evening of the following day, she had sent a message confirming she’d be there.

For the rest of the week all she could do was make plans about what she’d wear, how she’d speak, what she’d say, questions she’d ask. She was anxious and excited at the same time.

She had always admired Nana Makena from afar and to have this opportunity open up for her was a dream come true. She planned to make the most of it.

That one lunch date led to many more casual, out of office meetings and over time, a deep mentor – mentee, mother – daughter relationship between Nana Makena and Muthoni was established.

They shared a love for one another that no one would ever have imagined.

Nana Makena took the place of the mother that Muthoni missed and even though she never said it, Nana Makena took Muthoni as the daughter she never had.

Nana Makena literally took Muthoni’s hands and guided her through life with love and wisdom and her own wealth of knowledge and experience about life.

From career to relationship, navigating through friendship and family connections, health consciousness, gaining financial independence and life generally, Nana Makena was always there to help and support Muthoni make wise choices and decisions.

When Muthoni explored the possibilities of moving to tech and eventually established herself in the industry, it was Nana Makena who connected her to her first paid job that enabled her float her own company.

And it had been all the way up for Muthoni. She experienced the patriarchy rooted deeply in the system as she climbed up the ladder. She got discouraged and exhausted from fighting it, but she never gave up. Most of her determination came from the support she got from Nana Makena

She was Muthoni’s real life guardian angel and they often joked about how her mother had come back to take care of her in the body of Nana Makena.

Muthoni through the years had also been faithful and loyal and showed extreme love and genuine care to Nana Makena and everything that concerned her.

And so it was on this day when Muthoni was feeling down and out and completely disoriented and dissatisfied with the state of her love life and anxious about her future, she had run to her Nana and cried out all the fear and frustration she felt within her.

Nana Makena had left her to cry, not once interrupting the flow of her tears and heavy sobs. When the sobbing seized and everything went quiet, she spoke in her gentle, controlled tone.

“Mtoto, one thing I don’t ever want you to do is doubt yourself.” She paused and gently lifted Muthoni’s head from her thighs holding her by her chin to look up at her. She continued.

In that moment she realized she had so much more to be thankful for rather than focus on the one thing she didn’t have yet.

“You, Muthoni are a gem, a priceless gem. Not only are you intelligent and smart, you have a kind and genuine heart. You are not perfect, no one is, but you Mtoto wangu always strive for perfection in everything you do.”

“I have watched you over the years and I see how much you have grown, how intentional you are with your life, how you’re always willing to learn, how you take care of your family and friends and want to see every one around you grow.” She paused again and pulled Muthoni up as she got up to go to the bar, where she poured them a drink.

She continued “One thing I strongly believe and I will always tell you is that God makes things beautiful in His own time. He knows the desires of your heart and He has created you with such qualities that validate those desires”

“Your own man will come Muthoni, the one that God has destined for you, the one who will give you peace, the one who will not alter the course of your destiny.

Just imagine if you had settled for that man. Do you think you’d be genuinely happy now? If you had gone with him and had to give up your career, do you think you’d be living a wholesome life now?”

She paused and took a sip of the shot of cognac in her glass and gestured to Muthoni to do the same.

“A man who loves you will want you to thrive in every area of your life. He won’t be blinded by his ego and selfish needs and feed his insecurities by asking you to give up something you’ve spent your life building and nurturing, something you’re clearly passionate about.”

“In my years of being a wife, mother and career woman, I fought many battles Muthoni. Battles I wouldn’t have had to fight if society was compassionate to my needs as a woman.”

“I refused to be boxed up in the space of being just a wife and mother and not having the chance to pursue the things I wanted to do for myself as an individual.

I love the concept of family and like you, as a young woman I craved to have my own husband and children. But I also knew I’d never have been complete if I didn’t go after the things I wanted to accomplish for myself.” She stopped and walked back to sit in her chair as Muthoni returned to her position, sitting at her feet and placed her head on Nana Makena’s thighs.

She continued, “As long as you keep your heart open to love, I promise you that your man is out there and you will both fit into each other’s lives and futures perfectly. Your journey may not start out perfect but all things will work together for your good.”

“You, my child will carry your own children, experience and enjoy love and companionship with your husband, raise a family that we will all be proud of and still thrive in your career. You my child will have it all eventually” She finished as she stroked Muthoni’s head lightly with her hand.

It was all that she needed to hear. Nana Makena always knew the right things to say to encourage her and lift up her spirit. She didn’t know what she’d do without her.

Even though it didn’t look like it was going to happen soon, she felt a strong conviction that she was inching closer to happily ever after with the bone of her bones.

In that moment she couldn’t be more grateful for the gift of Nana Makena, her friends, her successful career, her loving siblings, her health and her life as a whole.

With a new found strength and joy from deep within, Muthoni got up and pulled Nana Makena up into a warm embrace.

TRANSLATIONS

Nakupenda Sana – Swahili for “I love you very much.”

Mtoto Wangu – Swahili for “My Child”

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And there we have it, an insight into Muthoni’s struggles. A woman who started from the bottom and managed to build her career to its peak.

A successful career woman who also desires to have her own family. Would she have to give up her success for a man to call her own or would she remain single, without a life long companion?

Share your thoughts in the comment section, you know I love to read your feedback.

If you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, please share with your friends, colleagues and family members.

You won’t have to wait for long before the concluding episodes of each character.

It’s your favorite storyteller,

Coming through with the power shot.

Jay