??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 20??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
Chris drives Effe to the Ameyaw-Eden
Clinic.
She asks him to pick her up in five hours,
and then he leaves.
She operates on three patients. The first
two were comparatively easy, involving a
tumour removal and moulding two
titanium legs for a millionaire who had
lost both legs in a motor accident.
The third was a highly complex
separation of Siamese twins who shared
a common stomach.
It had been very difficult and had
stretched past eight hours, so that by the
time she finished Chris had been
waiting for three hours.
Mrs. Ivy Kedem, knowing her daughter
usually does not eat when she has
surgeries scheduled, decides to take
some lunch to her.
She had been with her husband at
the bank to transfer a part of the loan money
from Eden Investments to one of their
partners in Thailand.
Afterwards they had shared a lovely
meal, and returned to the office with new
hope. After work
Mr. Kedem decided to go home for
the day whilst Ivy drove to
the clinic to give her daughter some food
before going home.
She is told Doctor Effe Kedem is still in
the theatre. The kind receptionist says
she does not know when she will be done,
but she can take the food and keep
it for her.
MADAM IVY
(pursing her li-ps)
You believe she would be there for a long
time?
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
(smiling kindly)
I wouldn’t be in a position to know,
Madam. She was supposed to have
finished three hours ago, so I don’t know
for how long she would be there.
MADAM IVY
Hm. Maybe I’ll wait for a while.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
Alright, Madam. Kindly have a seat.
Alright, Madam. Kindly have a seat. I’ll be
finding out the Doctor’s status from time
to time and let you
know when you could see her.
Madam Ivy thanks the receptionist, turns
and heads for the comfortable chairs,
and that is when she sees Chris sitting at
the back row fiddling with his phone.
There are quite a number of
people in the reception area.
An instant look of de-ep anger and hatred
crosses Madam Ivy’s face.
She moves past all the seats until she is
standing close to Chris, who looks up at
her and looks into her cold eyes without
saying anything.
MADAM IVY
Well, well, well. Look what the cat
dragged in. A d–n wom-anizer.
Get up, Mr. Bawa, and come with me.
I want a word with you, but not here.
Chris Bawa carefully puts the phone
down on the seat beside him.
He looks at the furious woman standing
above him with an expressionless face.
CHRIS
Good Lord, Ivy-
MADAM IVY
(cutting in angrily, explosively)
MRS. KEDEM to you!
Chris holds up his hands in a submissive
manner.
CHRIS
Yes, yes, you’re right. I’m sorry, Mrs. Ivy
Kedem. I’m not going anywhere with you.
Whatever you have to say to me, say it
right here!
Madam Ivy leans down so that her
furious face is just inches from Chris’ face.
MADAM IVY
You know d–n well what I’m going to say
to you can’t be said here! You either go
outside with me, now, or you tell me
where to meet you so that
we can talk about this d–n thing
you’re doing!
CHRIS
(face still cool)
What am I doing, Mrs. Kedem? Why do
you hate me so much?
What in the name
of God have I done to you?
MADAM IVY
I know who you are, boy. I know what you
are too! A cheap fraud, an opportunist, a
slimy dirty worm who thinks he can
squirm his way into my daughter’s heart! I
know your type, Mr. Chris Bawa,
and believe me, I’m not going to stand and
watch you turn my daughter’s life into a
nightmare.
Madam Ivy cannot hide her de-ep
emotional turmoil, and her voice carries
to the ears of the people sitting nearby,
and they look at her with curiousity.
CHRIS
You’re making a scene, Mrs. Kedem!
MADAM IVY
(her fury spiralling almost out of control)
Do I look like I give two hoots about
who’s looking at me? Jesus, Chris, why
Effe? Why do you want to take her for a
ride? Is it for the money, is it to show that
a lowdown turd like you can get into the
pa-nties of a sophisticated girl? Is it to
prove to yourself that a poor miserable
wretch like you can have any woman you
want?
Chris looks at her straight in the eyes and
smiles sadly.
CHRIS
You have a lot of hate bottled up inside you,
I can see. It’s not good to keep
things bottled up. You should know
better.
Madam Ivy slap-s him so ha-rd that even
the onlookers gasp.
The whole reception area
becomes cemetery silent.
Madam Ivy is trembling
with fury. It is evident she is very close to
becoming very violent.
MADAM IVY
Don’t you dare tell me about hate, Chris
Bawa. You don’t know what real hate is,
you b—–d! I am not going to allow you to
destroy my baby girl.
Chris still looks at her. The look on his
handsome face is almost traumatized for
a moment, and then he speaks very
softly.
CHRIS
I have fallen in love with your daughter,
Mrs-
Again Madam Ivy slap-s him, this time
ha-rder and nastier, leaving terrible welts
across Chris’ left cheek.
The receptionist leaves her desk and
approaches, her face is full of panic.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
Please, madam, you can’t as-sault a
visitor like that, please! If you don’t stop it
I’ll have to call security!
Chris looks at the receptionist with sad
eyes.
CHRIS
It’s okay, lady. It’s okay.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
Are you okay, sir?
Chris nods and smiles at her
reas-suringly. The receptionist gives
Madam Ivy a baleful, scornful look, and
then she goes back reluctantly to her
desk.
Chris looks at the fuming Madam Ivy.
Her fists are balled ti-ghtly,
and Chris looks at the fuming Madam Ivy.
Her fists are balled ti-ghtly, and she is
breathing ha-rd, as if fighting to remain
calm.
CHRIS
(his voice now menacing)
That is enough, Mrs. Kedem.
If you hit me again,
I promise you it would be a
mistake.
MADAM IVY
(hissing at him)
What, you will hit me too? Are you going
to as-sault me like you did Jonathan Afful?
Chris shakes his head.
CHRIS
No. That’s the last thing I’ll ever do. I
don’t hit women. But if you do it again I’ll
tell Effe, and I’ll tell your husband.
Like I said, I’ve fallen head over heels in love
with your daughter. I didn’t want it to
happen, and I don’t know when or how it
happened. I’ve not even told her. She’s
hurting badly, and I want her to heal
completely, and be sure of what she wants.
If it turns out that she can be able
to love me back, Mrs. Kedem, then I’ll
devote my life to her, and I’ll respect you
as a mother-in-law. If she loves me back,
and wants me, then I’ll love her with all
my heart, and you can’t stop me.
Madam Ivy draws very near to Chris. She
pushes her face almost into his, and
when she speaks it is with de-ep hatred
and pent-up fury.
MADAM IVY
Over my dead body, Chris Bawa.
Even if she loves you,
even if she wants you, I’ll
make d–n sure that you never have my
Effe. I know your type, and I know you’re
as filthy as you’re despicable. You’ll
never have Effe. Do you hear me, Chris
Bawa? NEVER!!
She turns round in uncontrolled fury.
Everybody is watching her. She strides to
the desk and slams down the pack of
food on the desk.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
Are you leaving now?
MADAM IVY
Give that to my daughter!
She pushes the glas-s doors open
violently and goes outside.
All the people now turn their gaze on
Chris.
He nods, and then he picks his phone again.
Those nearest to him see
that his hands are shaking.
A few moments later he stands up and
shoves the phone into his pocket, and
just then Effe comes out throu-gha door.
Their eyes meet. She looks very shaken.
She walks towards him,
but a moment later the door
behind her opens again and Dr. Ameyaw
emerges with an elderly couple.
The doctor calls Effe’s name, and she
stops and turns.
Dr. Ameyaw hu-gs her,
and then the elderly couple also hu-g her.
The elderly woman seems to be thanking
Effe profusely, but Effe only nods.
Effe then begins to walk again, but when
Dr. Ameyaw calls her again she does not
stop this time.
When she reaches the desk the
receptionist stops her and talks
to her, obviously telling her about her
mother.
She extends the food package, but Effe
shakes her head, and turns away from
the reception.
She folds her arms across her che-st and
walks towards Chris. He waits for her,
and she stops in front of him.
He sees her eyes are large, filled with
unshed tears.
She looks like a little lost girl,
and the love he feels for her explodes throu-ghhis
heart and unto his face.
EFFE
Hi.
CHRIS
Hello, Precious.
EFFE
Heard my Mama came earlier with some
food.
CHRIS
Yeah. You rejected it.
EFFE
Not hungry. Did she see you? Was she
nasty again?
Chris shakes his head and smiles.
CHRIS
Nah. She was a mother. She was being a
real, loving mother.
She just told me just how much she loves you.
She nods, tries to speak, and then her
whole body begins to shake
uncontrollably and tears suddenly burst
out of her eyes.
EFFE
(throu-ghher tears)
Oh, Chris! I lost him! I lost him!
Chris reaches for her, her pain cutting
him badly. He takes her into his arms.
CHRIS
(tenderly) Hey, hey, Doc.
Take it easy! Take it easy!
You lost who, Steve?
She can’t stop crying, holding ti-ghtly on
to him.
EFFE
No, silly! One of the Siamese twins!
I could only save one!
He does not un-derstand what she’s
talking about, but he holds her ti-ghtly as
she weeps.
CHRIS
It’s okay, Precious!
EFFE
No! No! I tried so ha-rd to save both of
them. They were joined at the stomach
but the other one was small, so un-der-
developed! Their parents don’t have any
children! She got pregnant at forty-five years!
When I separated them the frail
one died! It was as if that little tot
sacrificed his life so that his brother could
live. I tried, Chris! I tried so ha-rd!
CHRIS
(tenderly, lovingly)
Hush, hush, my love, my Precious! You
did more than your best, because you’re
the best. Any other Doctor would’ve lost
both. Is that their parents behind you?
They’re so happy. Don’t blame yourself
so much, Precious.
I’m sure they are very grateful to you.
At least they have one
son to adore.
She clings to him and cries bitterly with a
breaking heart. Chris holds her and
smooths her hair.
He feels so helpless.
He wishes there is something he can
do for her, to help her,
to take her pain away.
A man’s name is called out. He stands
up. He has been sitting beside Chris. He
pauses and whispers to Chris.
STRANGE MAN
Is this Doctor the reason why the woman
dey tow tow your ears like that?
Chris smiles and nods.
STRANGE MAN
Charley! She be fine rou-gh! Make you no
lef am!
Chris smiles again and nods. The man
winks and moves on.
Effe lifts a tear-streaked face to him.
EFFE
Who was that man?
Chris shrugs and wipes her tears
away with a thumb, but more tears drip down.
CHRIS
A friend I just made. He was saying
goodbye.
EFFE
Take me away from her, Chris.
CHRIS
You wanna go home?
Effe shakes her head.
EFFE
No. Not home.
CHRIS
(softly)
Where do you want to go, Precious?
EFFE
I don’t know. Just take me somewhere,
anywhere I can be alone with you for a
while, Chris.
He looks searchingly into her eyes. He
has never seen a more beautiful woman
in his life.
Without a word, he scoops her into his
arms and carries her outside.
He opens the door of his taxi,
and she sits down. He closes the door, goes
round it, and gets into the driver’s seat.
A moment later he drives away.
He didn’t notice Madam Ivy still in her car
which is parked a few meters away from
where Chris’ car had been.
She is gripping the steering-wheel so
ti-ghtly that her knuckles stand out almost
white.
MADAM IVY
You’re going to pay, Chris Bawa! I’m
going to make you suffer for this,
you b—–d!!
To be continued…