GETTING THEM 26

 GETTING THEM 26 

I wondered what she meant until she explained further. 

Litase advised that it was best I put my bed space on rent, I could generate money from that and a lot of people were doing that. That was a relief as I would imagine many students would do anything to get a room in school. Litase agreed to help me find someone to replace my space and then she begun to help me pack up. For a moment I thought I had made a very dramatic decision and I could have found another way to handle the situation perhaps ask her about it. But how? 

“Girlfriends I wish you luck but remember to take what I have told you and put it into consideration” she said. 

“I will and you are right… thank you for being so kind” I said. 

Litase helped me take my bags to the car and gave me some groceries which she had intended that we share. I was a bit worried about using her things so I got them but ended up giving them to a young girl who was selling vegetables outside. She was so happy and thanked me; she knocked off that very moment. 

“So how did it go?” Austin asked as I fastened my seatbelt. 

I was always the kind of person who always told Austin everything but this time I knew what I was told was for my own good so keeping quiet was ideal. Sharing such information with Austin would only make him think I was doubting him so I kept my mouth shut on the topic. 

I settled in quite well and Austin helped me pack up before he left, we were not going to see each until he returned from Mamba where he was going on a work related trip. The school had other property which he was going to assess and while there he would also work on some milk project which he had initially started in Mamba. Austin had some roots in Mamba as his dad owned a farm there; the farm was occupied by workers now and his father’s only surviving brother who was like Austin’s dad.  

After the passing on of his dad, Austin got his uncle from the village to come and stay at the farm to run it. Austin was an only child and was raised by his dad only; his dad had never remarried after Austin’s mum died on her second pregnancy. They had struggled to have children and lived many years with none until Austin came along. Austin’s mum was pretty young when she got married, she was only 19 years old and Austin was born when she turned 37, they had waited 18whole years to have a child and she got pregnant again 6 years later at 43 but she died while pregnant due to some complications. His dad was 59 years when his mum died. Austin never stopped speaking of how lucky he was to have had his dad until he had his first job, it would have hurt not to have been able to have him long enough to be financially stable, he however hurt that he could not pay back the good his father did for him. I understood why Austin did not mind our age difference. 

I was happy to be in my new place and it felt just like a beautiful small home, I was going to be alone and enjoy my study time as well as my quiet time. The hostel had other students who I heard walk in out from their rooms but they seemed reserved, I set up my little kitchen and made some hot chocolate before I retired to bed. The next day was orientation and I needed to be early.