??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 26??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
Effe parks her car and gets out.
It is 3.00 a.m. in the morning.
She had tried the previous day to
come and look for Chris, but just as she
finished dressing up a call had come
throu-ghfrom Doctor Ameyaw; there had
been a serious motor accident, and she
was nee-ded urgently to perform life-
saving surgeries.
She had had no option than to rush to
the Ameyaw-Eden Clinic where she had
performed surgeries throu-ghout the day.
She had called his phone every chance
she got, but it had been off on each
occasion.
She had not even bothered to go home
when she left the clinic although she is
so tired.
She had driven straight to his house.
She sees his taxi and parks her car
behind it.
There are other cars parked around,
but there is nobody around.
She climbs the steps carefully, walks
along the corridor to his door and knock,
taking out her phone and trying his
number again, and is very surprised when
his phone begins to ring at the other end.
He picks the call, but does not speak.
EFFE
Chris.
CHRIS
(in a very soft voice)
You hurt me, in a way I’ve never been hurt before.
She shuts her eyes ti-ghtly as her heart
skips a beat.
She can feel the pain in his soul, and it
tortures her heart so much knowing that
she is, in a way, responsible for his pain.
EFFE
I’m at your door.
CHRIS
(shocked)
What?
EFFE
Open the door, Chris.
The key rattles in the lock, the handle is
depressed, and then the door opens.
He stands in the doorway with the phone
pressed to his ear. He is wearing black
shoes, black trousers and a white singlet.
She steps past him into the room and
stops.
There are two packed bags in the middle
of the room. He is leaving! The
realization shatters her resolve, and
brings her feelings to the fore.
She turns and faces him.
Her eyes search his face, and she moves
very close to him.
EFFE
(softly)
Don’t say anything more, Chris.
I’m going to tell you everything that happened
yesterday morning.
CHRIS
Effe-
EFFE
Chris. Please. Listen to me.
You were going to leave without telling me.
So just listen.
She takes his hand and leads him to a
seat. She makes him sit down. She sits
beside him and takes his left hand in
both of hers.
She looks straight into his eyes, and tells
him all that had happened before he
walked into her room and saw her nak-ed
with Steve.
When she is done he looks at her de-eply,
searching her eyes.
CHRIS
So, you didn’t have s-x with him.
It is a statement. She ru-bs his hand.
EFFE
I won’t answer that, CB. You should know
the answer to that.
Do you believe me?
He brings her hand to his li-ps.
CHRIS
I believe you.
EFFE
Why?
CHRIS
Because you told me.
She smiles, reaches out and touches his
cheek.
EFFE
You believe my words?
CHRIS
I love you, Effe. With my soul. I believe
you. I know you will never lie about
something like that.
She puts her head to one side and looks
at him with strange lights dancing in her
eyes.
EFFE
I saw your eyes, Chris. The pain in them
really cut me up. I will never hurt you, CB.
Not intentionally. I went to my marriage
bed a V¡rgin, and Steve is the only man I
have known intimately before I met you.
One thing is certain, Chris. I will never be
able to be with two men at the same
time, never!
Chris nods and leans back. His
expression is still troubled. He looks
away from her and speaks.
CHRIS
Your ex wants you back. Can I still trust
you with my heart?
Effe reaches out, holds his chin and turns
his face round to face her.
EFFE
I’m not thinking about him, Chris. Right
now, I’m just trying to figure out how to
deal with what is happening between you
and me. I’ve never been with a man like
you before, CB. You make me feel
emotions I’ve never felt before.
When we made love,
you did things to me I’ve never
experienced, and you made me behave
in a wanton uninhibited way that
bothered me! When you’re not with me,
or when we fight, I feel a pain I’ve never
known.
I’ve lost absolute control where you’re concerned.
This is something new,
Chris, and I have to deal with it, in my
own way. That’s why, although I want to
make love to you again so much, I must
nevertheless ask you to wait. If this is the
love of my life, I want it to begin right.
I have very strong feelings for you, Chris, I
won’t deny that. But then, I have to get to
know you better. There’s also the fact
that this has happened so fast, and I
don’t want to realise later that maybe it
happened because I was hurting.
And I want you to trust me on this,
please, CB.
He looks at her and his face is very
tender, full of a love that almost breaks
her down.
CHRIS
So you’re not ashamed of me?
She sees the concern in his eyes, the
doubts on his face, the uncertainty, the
nee-d to be reas-sured. His inferiority
complex is like a book on his face.
Effe gets up and gently sits on his lap-s.
She links an arm around his ne-ck
and smiles into his eyes.
EFFE
I’ll never be ashamed of you, Chris. I
don’t mind if you’re my driver. I get paid
well, and I have a bit saved, for us. And of
course I want to make sure that
what happened to Steve and I will never
happen again.
CHRIS
(raising his eyebrows)
And what happened? Something you
haven’t told me?
EFFE
(in a sad voice)
I can’t have kids, Chris. Sometimes love
isn’t enough. You’re young, and you’ll
undoubtedly make a very good father. If
we’re together,
someday soon you would nee-d children,
and I wouldn’t be able to
get give you even one. I’m barren, CB.
You must remember that too.
He smiles, reaches out and caresses her
calves tenderly.
CHRIS
When the time comes for that, we’ll
adopt. I have no problems with that.
She looks at him, intrigued, suddenly
feeling elated. That is not the answer she
had expected.
She puts her arms around his ne-ck and
searches his face desperately.
EFFE
You sure, Chris? You would really
consider adoption and wouldn’t mind?
CHRIS
(his face earnest)
I love you, Effe. You’re the most amazing
woman I’ve ever met. I’ve fallen for you,
and I can spend my life with you alone.
But I know you’d make a wonderful
mother, so yes, we can adopt.
EFFE
(smiling sadly)
I’ve always wanted kids, Chris. I adore
them.
CHRIS
Then we would adopt, Precious. I don’t
ever wanna lose you.
I don’t ever wanna make you sad.
As long as you would have
me, I’ll be there for you.
Tears glisten on her lashes for a moment,
and there is a song in her heart.
She feels as if she is going to burst.
EFFE
(in a choked voice)
Oh, Chris! Are you for real? Why do you
make me feel like this?
He smiles then, and his cheeks dimple,
and that crazy small boy look is once
more on his face,
the look that makes him so handsome
and which kills her heart so
totally.
CHRIS
And how do I make you feel, Doc?
She laughs happily, leans forward, and
puts her sweet li-ps to his,
ki-ssing him gently, sweetly, tenderly,
taking his heart away.
EFFE
(murmuring against his li-ps)
You fill me with life, CB, you bad boy!
He crushes her against his
che-st and ki-sses her.
She feels him, and she knows in a
second she will not be able to stop it.
Her whole body is tingling, alive, nee-ding
and wanting, thirsty for this amazing love
drink that is driving her crazy.
She holds his hand and with a herculean
effort she drags her li-ps from his.
She stands up quickly, pa-nting.
She looks at him with eyes still inflamed
with pas-sion.
CHRIS
We nee-d to cool down. Until you’re
ready. She laughs shakily.
And nods.
EFFE
Yes, Darling Boy.
I’m now going into your kitchen
to find something for us to eat. In
the meantime, you better start
unpacking. You’re going nowhere. You’re
stuck with me forever.
He laughs gently, happily,
and shakes his head.
CHRIS
Yes, Doctor. I’ll gladly serve a life
sentence for you.
??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 27??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
It is late evening.
Effe sits in her office and gently
mas-sages her ne-ck.
She had carried out two complicated
surgeries earlier, and she is tired.
But she is happy. The previous day had
been one of her happiest.
She feels like a teenager all over again.
She smiles and glances at her watch.
Chris will be picking her up in about an
hour. They are going out for dinner.
She does not know where he is taking
her, but she knows it is going to be
something unpredictable.
She feels a tingling in her body as
she gets up and sli-ps out of her skirt and
blouse.
She takes them to the inner room of her
office and returns a few minutes later
dressed in jeans and a fetching blouse.
She glances at her watch again as
she gets out of her office and heads for the
elevators.
She puts her phone to her ear. It rings.
He picks up.
CHRIS
Hello, Precious.
EFFE
(chuckling)
Darling Boy. Are you here yet?
CHRIS
Almost, Precious. Got held up in a little
traffic.
EFFE
Hurry up. I’m hungry!
CHRIS
(laughing)
For food, or for love?
EFFE
(laughing)
For both, you bad boy!
CHRIS
(chuckling)
Ok. See you soon, Precious.
Effe rides the elevator to the
fifth floor to MATERNAL CLINIC.
Doctor Anaman had called earlier that he
wants her to perform surgery on a baby
born with an extra leg.
Effe wants to see the baby and make an
initial plan. She emerges out on the reception area
and as she walks towards Doctor
Anaman’s Consultancy she sees
Rebecca and Sheena throu-ghthe glas-s
door of DELIVERIES.
They are Elaine’s friends!
Effe experiences a sudden pang of pain
and misery which she quickly tries to
push away.
Suddenly her name is called from behind,
and she turns to see Steve and Dr.
Anaman walking towards her.
DR. ANAMAN
(in a rush)
Effe. Oh, you’re here. For the profiling of
the baby, right?
Effe nods. She is looking at Steve. He
seems so excited as he looks at Effe.
STEVE
Elaine’s here, Effe. Her water broke.
She’s in the Labour Room.
Effe nods and pushes down the great
leap of sadness and jealousy in her b—m.
She pats Steve on the arm gently.
EFFE
That’s good. Soon you’ll be a proud
father.
STEVE
(smiling)
Yeah. Isn’t that great!
DR. ANAMAN
Listen, Effe. Can you wait a little bit?
Elaine is fully dilated, and this’ll take a
few minutes. I’ll be with you soon so that
we can see about little Akwasi’s problem.
EFFE
Actually, I’m going to grab a bit to eat, so
I’ll see you tomorrow.
She is suddenly scared. She knows she
doesn’t want to be here yet.
It is suddenly too painful, reminding her
forcibly that she can never be in a labour room,
can never have a man smiling and
looking so happy as Steve is doing now.
She can never put that look on Chris’
face, and maybe, when the love is aged,
he might want that feeling, and not the
feeling from an adoption home.
DR. ANAMAN
Alright. Just a second. Let me check on
her and then we’ll talk, okay?
He does not wait for a reply. He opens
the glas-s door and goes inside. Steve
follows him without another look at Effe.
Effe feels tears dancing in her eyes, but
she tosses her head back and against
her will she walks to the glas-s doors,
push them open and walks in.
Rebecca and Sheena look at her, and
Sheena titters and winks at her.
SHEENA
Oh, the Righteous Angel is here! Please,
Elaine’s going to have her Prince! Don’t
you come and put any evil spell on her,
Madam Righteous.
Effe smiles at her and sits down beside her.
EFFE
So sweet. Tell me, when are you going to
have your baby too? Oh, don’t tell me.
You have to get married first, right?
Sheena’s li-ps ti-ghten and her
eyes go mad with anger.
SHEENA
At least I’m not bloody barren, like you!
Effe smiles again.
EFFE
Oh, how do you know? Hundreds of ab-ortions,
I guess!
Sheena glares at her, tries to speak, and
shuts up. For a moment she looks very
lost, and her eyes look haunted.
Rebecca smiles secretly and gives Effe a
thumbs-up sign.
LABOUR ROOM.
It is time.
Elaine is screaming.
Steve is standing by her side, holding her
hand.
She is gripping his hand so ti-ghtly that he
fears his hand will be blistered for life.
Her legs are propped up with a sheet
covering her lower body so that she and
Steve cannot see what Dr. Anaman and
the two nurses are doing.
Elaine is screaming and pushing as tears
and sweat fall down her face. Steve
holds her hand and whispers to her,
encouraging her.
STEVE
Come on, baby. Push ha-rder! Our son is
almost here… my son! Come on, baby!
You can do it! I love you, Pumpkin!
DR. ANAMAN
(speaking soothingly)
Come on Elaine… head’s out now …a
little push now… almost there …almost
there… The baby is half-way out.
The two nurses
look at each other, and then at Elaine,
and then at the baby.
Dr. Anaman catches the baby, and his
strident voice soon rings out, clear and
strong. Steve smiles throu-ghhis tears.
He leans forward and ki-sses Elaine
lightly.
ELAINE
(weakly, smiling)
We did it, Steve. Our baby! Our son!
STEVE
(weeping uncontrollably with joy)
Yes, my love! My sweetest Elly, you made
me a father! I love you, baby! Thank you,
baby! I love you, baby!!
He is raining ki-sses on her face.
She is giggling and touching his face, crying and
laughing with happiness.
Dr. Anaman looks at them briefly as he
expertly cuts the baby’s cord.
The nurses are cleaning the baby, and
they still look at each other.
Elaine touches Steve desperately.
ELAINE
Darling! Darling! I want to see him! I want
to see our son!
STEVE
(laughing elatedly)
Yeah, yeah, baby, darling! Me too!
He straightens and looks at Dr. Anaman,
who looks at them and then begins to
attend to Elaine.
Steve walks forward slowly, ru-b-bing his
tears of joy away.
The backs of the nurses are turned as
they clean the crying baby.
ELAINE
(softly)
Is everything okay, Doc? You look… you
seem quiet.
Doc Anaman glances at her and tries to
smile.
DR. ANAMAN
Everyhting’s okay, Elaine. The boy’s just
fine!
Steve pauses behind the nurses.
STEVE
Can I see my son, please?
The nurses look at each other and slowly
stand aside.
The baby is lying on warm sheets, and he
is crying. Steve looks at him, and slowly the look
on his face changes from expectant
excitement to incomprehension to
absolute shock and then to great fear.
He shakes his head numbly. His body
begins to shake ha-rd,
and he takes a horrified step back.
Elaine is suddenly frightened.
ELAINE
Steve? What’s it, darling? Honey?
Steve looks at Doc Anaman with very
terrified eyes.
STEVE
What’s this, Doctor? What’s the meaning
of this?
DR. ANAMAN
(reas-suringly)
Be cool, Steve.
I’m sure there’s a pretty good explanation for this.
It is very possible.
STEVE
(screaming)
SHUT THE F–K UP!!! WHAT THE HELL
IS THIS???
Elaine struggles to sit up, her face now
filled with panic and desperation.
ELAINE
What’s the meaning of all this? You
people are scaring me!! What’s wrong?
Steve? Darling?
Steve turns with a roar of sheer terror
and runs away from the Labour Room.
Steve crashes the waiting-room door
open, causing Effe, Rebecca and Sheena
to jump with fear.
He is screaming as he rips the glas-s
doors of the Reception open and rush out
to the elevators. He is so distraught and
feels deceived.
SHEENA
What’s wrong? Has something happened
to Elaine or the baby?
Effe is also confused. She looks after
Steve, then at the doors of the Labour
Room. She wonders what in God’s name
would make Steve behave like that.
Fearing the worst, she and the other
women look at the Labour Room
door with apprehension. Effe is sure she heard
the cry of a baby. What she is not sure
about is Elaine’s condition. She wonders
if something terrible has happened to her
cousin.
Effe feels worried and scared now.
It is true Elaine has betrayed her in the worst
way possible but she never wish her any
harm. She’s wished her nothing but the
best after her abominable act with her
Steve. Somehow, she has br@ced the fact
that whatever was between Steve and her
was not strong enough otherwise it
would have survived the test of time and
trouble..
Inside the labour room, one of the nurses
is holding the new-born baby and brings
him to Elaine. Elaine takes one look and screams
shrilly, and then she faints immediately.
DR. ANAMAN
Take the child to the ward! I nee-d to
revive Elaine. Take him out!
The baby is put in the incubator.
The right temperature is set, and then one of
the nurses wheels the baby out of the
room throu-ghthe waiting area to the
infants room.
Effe, Sheena and Rebecca look throu-gh
the glas-s cover of the incubator at
the new boy and are shocked at the sight
that meets their eyes..
SHEENA
(screaming)
JESUS H. CHRIST!!!
REBECCA
(also screaming)
OH MY GOD!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!!!
Effe looks again and ru-bs her eyes. She
is sure there’s been some mistake
somewhere..
Even she is absolutely shocked.
The baby in the crib is healthy and big.
But he’s not black. He is a half-caste.
He is a white man’s child.
He has thick black hair.
He looks like an European.
Even Elaine’s African blood has not been
able to dilute his strong European genes.
Effe wonders if Steve has British
ancestors. She dismisses that thought for
she would have known about it.
The baby simply cannot be Steve’s.
There is no logical or
scientific basis for him to be Steve’s.
Effe takes a closer look and realizes he
looks a lot like the South African
Paediatrician, Doctor Rupert Henderson!
EFFE
(with de-ep shock)
Dear sweet Jesus!
To be continued….