??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 06??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
It is evening. Effe drives throu-gh
the beautiful silver gates of her
matrimonial home located in the
serene neighbourhood of the
Airport Residential Area.
It is a beautiful sprawling house.
She is surprised to see two other
cars parked beside Steve’s car
un-der the Visitors’ Canopy. She
recognizes the Toyota Sequoia
her father-in-law drives, and the
Prius of RUTH BOATENG.
Ruth is Effe’s aunt, and Elaine’s
mother.
Effe’s heart begins to beat fast,
and she closes her eyes for a
moment. It looks like a family
gathering, and her heart begins
to pain her.
She parks her car and sits quietly
for a while. The pain on her face
is very visible. For a moment she
contemplates leaving, and then
she gives a hu-ge sigh and checks
her face in the mirror inside the
sun visor.
She opens the door of her Lexus
four runner and walks up the
stairs towards the main door.
She is aware of the security man
closing the gates and greeting
her, but she ba-rely hears him.
She can hear raised voices inside
the house when she nears the
landing. She stops with her
hands on the balustrades and
tries to listen.
After a while she continues up
and pauses on the landing.
Suddenly the main door flies
open and out comes Ruth
Boateng. She has tears in her
eyes and her scarf is almost off
her grey hair. She is using a
portion of the outer cover of her
Kaba and Slit outfit to wipe her
eyes. Her back is turned to Effe.
AUNT RUTH
(her voice shrill and bitter)
This is an abomination, Elaine!
Ah, how could you do this to this
family? How could you do this to
Effe, of all people? Ahhhh! No, no,
no!! I refuse to be a part of this! I
refuse it! Over my dead body, do
you hear? Over my dead body!!!
She turns then, and sees Effe. She
freezes in her tracks. Behind her
Elaine appears in the doorway.
She is wearing a very short
maternity dress that accentuates
her bulging belly.
ELAINE
I don’t care, Mom! I don’t nee-d
your permission for this! You
have never loved me, have you?
It’s always been Effe, Effe, Effe!
I’m your daughter, not her! Do
you hear me, Mom? You can
leave. I don’t nee-d you. I don’t
nee-d…..
She sees Effe and stops. For a
brief moment she looks totally
guilty, and then she clenches her
jaws, puts one hand on her
wai-st, and looks directly into
Effe’s eyes.
Aunt Ruth takes stumbling steps
forward and drops to her knees
in front of Effe. She bows further
and holds both of Effe’s feet, and
suddenly great tears begin to
shake her body.
AUNT RUTH
(crying inconsolably)
Effe my daughter, please forgive
me! I had absolutely no idea!
They just informed me! This is a
taboo! Forgive me, Effe, please
forgive me and my daughter!!!
Effe leans down and forcibly pulls
up her aunt. The woman is just
mourning, and can’t speak.
EFFE
(striving to remain clam)
It’s alright, Mama. I hold nothing
against you.
AUNT RUTH
This is my greatest day of shame!
I’ve been asking my daughter
who was responsible for her
pregnancy for nine months now!
I never imagined she could do
this to our family. I don’t know
what’s going to happen, but I
want you to know that I’m by
your side, and I’ll never support
them. I must go now, my
daughter. I have to see my sister!
I nee-d to explain! I nee-d to beg!!
I nee-d to pray!! Oh, my God,
forgive me my daughter!!
Aunt Ruth turns and flees to her
car, and a moment later she
drives out of the house with a
squeal of tyres.
Effe walks unsteadily into the
house that she has shared with
her husband for ten years.
Elaine is standing near the hu-ge
window besides Steve, whose
back is turned to the doorway so
that he does not see that Effe has
entered.
Elaine’s arm is around Steve’s
wai-st, and her head is on his
shoulder. He is wearing black
jeans and a pink T-Shirt. His arm
is across Elaine’s shoulders, and
he is holding a drink in the other
hand.
Effe’s mother-in-law, MRS. IRIS
HOLLISON, is setting dinner in the
dining-room which is off the
living-room in a slightly declined
end of the hu-ge space. She looks
up and sees Effe in the doorway,
and she sets her jaw firmly and
looks away.
CAPTAIN BOSOMTWE HOLLISON,
retired army veteran, is standing
watching CNN News on the hu-ge
plasma television. He is wearing a
grey suit. His hair is iron-grey,
and he sp-ots a hu-ge moustache
that is completely white.
He turns and sees Effe standing
in the doorway. He puts the
remote down and approaches
Effe with his right arm
outstretched.
CAPTAIN HOLLISON
(in his metallic gruff voice)
Effe! Just the woman I wanted to
see. Come, come, dear. Let’s get
all this mess cleared up. You must
have met…erm, your aunt Ruth.
She was in a bit of a tiff, I must
say. But I believe we can do this
civilly, right?
Steve turns quickly and drops his
arm from Elaine’s shoulders. He
walks rapidly towards Effe, and
on his face is great concern. Effe
steps back a little so that Captain
Hollison can’t hold her. She also
moves forward to meet Steve.
STEVE
(in a contrite voice)
Angel, you’re here.
EFFE
(her voice shaking)
I came here to talk you, Steve.
Alone. Is that possible?
STEVE
Yes, of course, honey. Let’s go to
the bedroom.
Iris Hollison comes to stand
besides Steve, and her eyes are
cold as they gaze at Effe.
IRIS HOLLISON
(in a flat deadpan voice)
Is it necessary to go to the
bedroom, son?
STEVE
(sharply, irritated)
Mama! Stay out of this! This is
between my wife –
CAPTAIN HOLLISON
Belt it, boy, don’t bark at your
Mama like that! She said nothing
wrong.
Obviously Effe wants to talk
about this little situation you
have with Elaine, and since we
had a meeting about it, I think it
is fair if you tell Effe what
happened here and what
decision we arrived at.
EFFE
Oh. You had a meeting. Would
someone be good enough to
apprise me of this rather
fascinating outcome?
IRIS HOLLISON
(angrily)
Spare us the cynicism, Effe. You
and Stevie have been married for
ten years. He’s our only child, and
you haven’t been able to give him
a child, our grandchild. Elaine is
now pregnant-
STEVE
(with anger in his voice)
Mama, Papa …please! This is
between me and Effe! I’ll take it
from here, please! May I?
CAPTAIN HOLLISON
(angrily)
Mind your tongue, boy! She’s
your d–n Mama! She raised you,
b—-t-fed you and cleaned your
d–n shitty mess till-
STEVE
(also angrily)
PAPA!!! I SAID I GOT THIS!! She’s
my wife, still is!! NOW COULD I
HAVE A LITTLE PRIVACY WITH MY
OWN WIFE, PLEASE???
Elaine suddenly pushes her way
forward and stands in front of
Steve and faces Effe. She has
contempt, bitterness and
jealousy all rolled into one on her
face.
ELAINE
(her voice spilling venom)
I’ve told Steve and her parents
that I’ll never give birth to a b—–d!
I’ll not give birth out of
wedlock. He either divorces you
and marry me, or he’ll never see
his son again. I’ll deny him
fatherhood, and that’s that!!
Effe feels faint. The shock and the
pain makes her take a stumbling
step back. She shakes her head,
and once again the tears of
agony brim her eyes and spill
down her beautiful cheeks. She
looks at Elaine with horrified
eyes.
EFFE
(tears spilling down her eyes)
Elaine! Ei! How could you do this
to me? I’ve only loved you like-
ELAINE
(her voice vicious and like a
whiplash)
Spare me the mega drama,
SISTER! You always thought you
were better than us! You
thought you had all the money,
always looking down on me,
giving me your old dresses, your
old shoes! You and Eyram and
your parents thought you were
the best of the best, always
looking down on my mother, and
all the other family members!
Now see how the tables have
turned, you useless barren fig
tree! Your husband loves me, and
I love him! Move on, SISTER!!
Steve is mine now.
Effe is blinded by tears. She
reaches out to Steve.
EFFE
(weeping uncontrollably)
I’m dying, Steve, honey! Please
hold me! Please tell me all this is a
dream! STEVE, MY LOVE,
PLEEEAas-sE!!!
Effe’s hands touches Steve, but
Elaine slap-s Effe’s hands away
violently.
ELAINE
(her voice raised and shrill)
LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU BARREN
WITCH!!!
Effe loses it. With a cry of pain
she rushes at Elaine, her hand
raised to slap her.
She hears Steve’s parents
screaming, and Steve steps
forward and pushes Effe so ha-rd
that she is flung backwards to
smash into the door-frame.
CAPTAIN HOLLISON
Relax, Effe!!
IRIS HOLLISON
(shouting)
Effe!! Don’t come and kill our
grandson!!
Effe is on her hands and knees.
She can feel blood running
drown her ne-ck from the gash
that has opened up in her scalp.
Mucous falls down her nostrils.
She is blinded by tears.
EFFE
Steve! STEVE! STEVE!!
STEVE
(his face contrite)
Now look what you made me do,
Effe! You were going to strike
her! She’s pregnant, Effe. If she
had fallen down as a result of
your attack the baby would’ve
been hurt. I’m sorry for pushing
you, honey, but you wanted to
hurt the baby on purpose!
Effe gets to her feet, and stands
there wobbling. She looks at
Steve and slowly she falls to her
knees in front of him.
EFFE
(sobbing)
Steve, my love! Remember the
good times we shared. I’ve loved
only you! Please don’t leave me
like this! I can’t live without you,
Steve, my darling, my honey! If
you want to have kids with
Elaine, fine, I’ll stay with you! But
please, please, please, DON’T
LEAVE ME, STEVE! I’LL DIE
WITHOUT YOU, DARLING!!
ELAINE
HE DOESN’T LOVE YOU! He hasn’t
loved you for a long time! Leave
him alone, aaaba! You’re barren!
Deal with that!
Steve pulls Effe to her feet.
STEVE
(speaking softly so that only Effe
hears him)
I’m sorry, honey! Very, very sorry,
but please I know Elaine would
deny me my son if I don’t do as
she says. I nee-d a child, Effe! I
really nee-d a child! I’m sorry, but
seeing the terrible way things
have turned out, we nee-d to part
ways for a while. I know I’ve hurt
you beyond comprehension, but
there’s no going back now! We
must get divorced, for a while.
Please un-derstand.
Effe turns and runs blindly from
the room. The floor is spinning
and her heart is beating so fast
that she fears it will rip out of her
che-st.
She can’t bear the pain that is
suffusing her whole body. She
feels like she is dying.
STEVE
(his voice filled with fear)
Effe! EFFE PLEASE WAIT!!!
He tries to run after Effe but
Elaine holds his arms to prevent
him. By the time he frees himself
and goes outside Effe is already
speeding away.
She drives blindly, tears falling
down her face in torrents. She is
wailing in pain. She ba-rely sees
where she is going. She shoots
past cars recklessly, and jumps a
traffic light. Other motorists honk
angrily at her.
She is trying to take a curve at
top speed when she loses
control of the car and smashes
into a lamp post.
The impact throws her forward.
Luckily she is wearing her seat
belt and so she is spared
debilitating injury.
She feels a sharp pain in her
right shoulder first, and then her
head smashes into the metal
frame of the right window.
Everything goes black as she
pas-ses out.
People are screaming. Cars stop
and people rush to her aid.
A beautiful taxi stops first and a
handsome man in dreadlocks
gets out in a rush. On the back
windshield of his taxi are the
words: DARLING BOY.
He rushes to her car and
wrenches the door open. He sees
her face covered with blood. He
releases the seat-belt and takes
her out gently.
A great crowd has gathered
now, and talking excitedly. Some
are telling him not to move her
body and wait for the police.
Others offer to help him carry
her.
He carries her to his taxi, puts
her down carefully in the back.
He runs fast back to her car and
checks it quickly. He takes her
handbag which is the only item
he sees, removes the keys from
the ignition, remote-locks the car
and runs back to his taxi. He
drives away fast, and is relieved
when he sees that a police car
has turned towards the accident
scene.
He turns back occasionall.
Tbc