The Lion King In The Human World Part 3

Rani Is Still In Africa.

RANI

Dinner last night was really good. The strange food was really good, flavor combinations I'd never tried before, interesting textures, and it was all just off the fire.

I woke up in my grandfather's hut with my grandmother and his two other wives, still getting used to that. The sun was just rising, sending red rays across the sky. Sounds came from outside. I peeked through the rug hung over the door to keep the bugs out. A few women and girls were walking around, some with wood, some with food, and about two with clay pots. Then I overheard my name being mentioned.

"Rani might give us our land back," one woman with a baby tied to her back said to another with an older baby on her back, "Her father gave us our houses and she will give us our fields and pastures."

"She should hurry," said the woman with the older baby, "Her grandfather wishes to see his land restored. No one blames him for having to sell, that year was hard on all of us, but it is only right that he see it restored."

I hadn't asked how this land got into their enemy's hands, but I guess I know now. Hard times and forced to sell. I guess there's worse ways to lose your land. I don't know. How could I know how someone could lose their land?

I heard noise inside the hut. I turned around. My grandmother was waking up. "Good morning my dear," she said, "How long have you been up? I'll make some breakfast."

I went to her cot. "I'll help," I said, "I'd like to make some African breakfast with you."

"So," my African Grandmother said, "This man you accidentally called your husband yesterday, tell me about him."

I sighed and kept quiet while I mixed the dough given to me. One of my grandfather's other wives made it last night so it would be an easy breakfast in the morning. "Well," African Grandmother asked. I'm calling her African Grandmother to distinguish her from my American Grandmother. "I'm waiting," African Grandmother said.

"Could we not talk about him?" I asked.

"Why should we not talk about him?" African Grandmother asked, "If you called him your husband, he cannot be a bad man. Is he living?" I nodded in answer. "Healthy?" I nodded again. "Kind?" Again nodded. "Smart?" Nodded. "Interested in taking you as his wife?" Nod. Wait, did I just do that?

African Grandmother smiled at me. "He asked me to marry him," I confessed, being left with no explanation, "I just, I, I don't know if I'm ready for marriage yet. I just got out of college and he wants to marry me?"

"College?" African Grandmother asked, "You are a doctor?"

I shook my head. "I studied business," I said, "You know, starting a company, hiring people, that stuff?"

African Grandmother sighed. "I would have liked a doctor in the family," she said, "But still, what makes you think you're not ready for marriage?"

"I'm not ready," I said, "Kion's proposal came so suddenly and so soon. I love him, but I don't think I'm ready to get married and have a family."

African Grandmother stirred together nuts and some kind of seeds. "I had worries about my marriage to your grandfather," she said, "I was your age, perhaps, I don't know your age. And your grandfather was a stranger to me. Our parents arranged it and we had never met each other before the wedding. I was terrified, my sister had married a man who tended to get drunk, I was worried I'd marry a man like him.

"But your grandfather was kind," she said, "He told me on our wedding night that he would be kind and care for me and our children. In all my years of marriage, I fell in love with your grandfather, and he's told me that I am his favorite wife even though the others have bore him more children than I."

"My father is your son," I said, "Your only child."

African Grandmother nodded. "And this Kion?" she said, "Would he ever act like my sister's husband?" I shook my head, I could never see Kion getting drunk. "Would he care for you and your children?" I nodded, I could see Kion caring for me and any children I'd give him. "Then what are you so worried about?"

I sighed. "I don't know."