Faithfully Sam's

She stood there for ten minutes watching them play. It was not the way they fell to the ground or scored goals. It was the way they got up that amused her. They would fall and get back up. It was like watching a spring. Her head twirled so fast she had to catch her breath. It was only noon. The sun was high up in the sky. Her rays magically hit the ground. Her heat scorched her forehead up close. The referee called for half time. She picked her bag and walked to the end. This was one game she would not finish watching. Her head throbbed. Her fingers were shaking and palms sweaty. There was so much work to do back home. Was there or was she imagining it?

“Faith!” She heard her name before seeing the person. The name was uttered again. She turned and stepped off the seats onto some soft green grass. She immediately regretted wearing her plastic shoes. Her feet were making a plop sound. The man got to her before she walked away. Sam steadied her using his arms. “Hey, why are you leaving so early?” He asked in between deep breaths. Faith saw him and smiled. She had known Sam all her life. Well, they had studied at the same university. He was the only friend who lasted the mile. Was he there, when she lost her sister? Was he really there when her parents’ house had to be auctioned because of the many debts they had? And when her mother was hospitalized? When all her friends and fiancée left her? He was. He was there even when she asked him to go away. Now that he needed her she was bailing out.

“I am not feeling so good. Please let me head home, just finish your game, okay?”

“I will escort you home. Let me just tell the coach.”

“But the team?”

“The team will understand Faith. I don’t want you driving around Nairobi with a splitting headache.”

“Thanks Sam.”

She walked over to the car and he was driving her out of the parking lot in no time. Faith looked outside the window and drifted off to sleep. Here she was too tired to thank him. She was a teller at one of the big banks in Nairobi. Her money had been used to get her parents back on their feet. It was hard. It seemed like she had been working all her life. Each time she sent them money her mother would call to thank her. Her father did not say much. His pride was hurt. After all, he had just gotten his family into debt with his business. That was three years ago. Now her younger brother was running it. Joshua believed that people had to eat. She was proud of him.

Faith slept all her life. Or rather it felt like that. Sam walked her to her apartment and opened the door. He let her in and walked her to the room. He sought some aspirin as she rested. He came back later with a bowl of porridge and gave her the medicine. They talked about her for a while. He was doing his usual work. Asking about her life and what she was doing. Sam was twenty nine years old. He came from a wealthy family. His father was a well known retired sergeant. His life was spent in the army barracks. Sam was still single. He had a job as a journalist but loved travel writing. Seeing him, one thought he was lucky. He had been through a lot taking care of Faith. Their friendship was the one thing he’d risk his life for.

His mind drifted back to Bellamy. The swine who swore to marry Faith. Now he left her in shambles. She never talked about it, but her heart yearned for answers. The only questions were “why?” He wished he could answer her but he was not Bellamy. In fact if he came and asked her to marry him again, Faith would agree. That was what worried him the most. He dumped her when her parents were in court fighting to save their property. He could not marry into a poor family. He did not want to carry financial burdens. He eloped with her best friend and room- mate, Nancy.

Then she started tossing. He watched her sleep. He liked watching her sleep. She inspired most of the articles he wrote. He sat there his nose being stung by his sweat and watched her. If only she would simply ask “somebody save…”

He thought of Remy Zero’s song. The soundtrack of the series- Smallville…”Somebody Save me.”

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