??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 07??
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Effe opens her eyes slowly. Her
head hurts really badly. She is in a
very comfortable bed. She moves
her eyes and sees she is in a
hospital ward. The room is
amazingly beautiful.
The curtains are pristine sky blue.
There is a little fridge, a small
cabinet and even a miniature
wardrobe. There are flowers in a
vase by the window. There is a
television mounted on one wall,
and an air-conditioner is
whirring the room cool silently.
It looks like a private ward. She
can feel the bandage wound
around her head and around her
right elbow. She stares at the
pretty angel murals in the ceiling
and slowly she remembers the
previous evening, and a look of
sheer pain crosses her face, and
although she tries ha-rd to still
her tears, they began to trail
down the sides of her eyes and
soak the pillow.
EFFE
Oh, Steve! Oh, Steve!
The door opens suddenly and a
buxom nurse enters. She
approaches the bed and smiles
at Effe.
NURSE
Oh, you’re awake. Thank
goodness. I’ll let the doctor know
immediately.
She turns and heads towards a
telephone mounted on the wall.
EFFE
(speaking hoarsely)
Wait, nurse, please! Where am I?
The nurse turns with the receiver
held to her ear.
NURSE
In the Ameyaw-Eden Clinic,
Madam. You were brou-ght in last
evening. You had been in an
accident …hello, Doc. The patient
in Ward Twelve has come to.
She replaces the receiver and
comes to the bed.
EFFE
Oh. Okay. One of the Eden
hospitals.
NURSE
Yes, un-der the care of Doctor
Michael Ameyaw.
Effe’s eyes widen with surprise.
EFFE
Mike Ameyaw. Sounds familiar.
The door opens and a young
man in a white doctor’s overcoat
enters. His black hair is speckled
with grey. He is a little plump and
has a small pot-belly, but he is
quite handsome.
He is wearing round gold-
rimmed glas-ses, and his eyes
reflects warmth as he comes to
the bed and smiles down at her.
He looks very familiar to Effe, but
she can’t quite recollect where
she made his acquaintance.
DR. AMEYAW
We meet again, Mrs. Hollison.
After the seminar in Takoradi you
promised to visit me here. I never
imagined it would be this soon,
and with blood all over your
head.
Effe tries to smile.
EFFE
Oh, yes, so that’s where we met.
You told me about this lovely
hospital which is being funded
by Eden Inc. They wanted to take
over your hospital, right?
The doctor sits beside her and
mops the tears from the sides of
her eyes.
DR. AMEYAW
Oh, we’ve resolved that issue
now. Had the privilege of
meeting the President of the
Eden Board himself, and they’ve
agreed to change the takeover
clause. So it’s now a loan. I’ve to
work ha-rd to repay the loan, and
then ownership of the clinic will
revert to my family.
Effe smiles wanly.
EFFE
That is good news.
DR. AMEYAW
Very good news. How’re you
feeling now? Scary and rou-gh
day yesterday?
Effe sighs.
EFFE
Very rou-gh, Dr. Ameyaw.
DR. AMEYAW
Thought we agreed in Takoradi
that I’ll be Mike to you and you’ll
be Effe to me.
Loved your presentation at the
seminar, Effe. Now, let’s see. You
were brou-ght in yesterday with a
concussion, a cut in your scalp
and a sprained elbow.
Luckily, no bones were broken,
though you’re going to have a
headache for a couple of days,
and there’s not going to be any
driving for you for a few days
yet, until that elbow sprain heals
completely. Otherwise you’re fit
to go.
Effe’s eyes turn warm.
EFFE
Thank you so much, Mike. I don’t
know how I got here. I don’t
have my bag here, or my phone.
I’ll call my father and sort out the
bill. They might be worried by
now.
DR. AMEYAW
The bill is on the house, my dear.
A young taxi driver brou-ght you
here yesterday, and from what I
hear he brou-ght your bag too,
but he kept it, wouldn’t give it to
anyone. He’s been to the police
station where your damaged car
was towed to, and he’s been
here since dawn waiting for you
to wake up. Quite stubborn man.
He’s been on my ne-ck to attend
to you although I told him time
and again you were doing fine.
Chris Bawa he calls himself. Has
an annoying habit of smoking
and speaking in pidgin English.
Effe chuckles and shakes her
head, amazed.
EFFE
(speaking softly)
He found me? Chris? The Darling
Boy?
Doctor Ameyaw raises his
eyebrows with curiosity.
DR. AMEYAW
Darling boy? Well now!
Effe laughs and shakes her head
gently.
EFFE
Oh, no, not like that. That’s what
he’s written at the back of his
taxi. A nickname, I guess. I met
him a week ago, and I guess I
still owe him for his fare that
time. Maybe that’s why he’s
sticking around. Obviously, he
wants his money back.
The doctor smiles and stands up.
DR. AMEYAW
Alright, dear. I’ll send him in with
your bag. Your dress was badly
soiled with blood when you
came in yesterday, so I asked the
Laundry Department to work
their magic. Nurse, are her
clothes ready?
NURSE
Yes, Doctor. They’re in the
wardrobe.
Effe looks at Doctor Ameyaw with
a mock frowned face. The doctor
notices her discomfort and
chuckles good-naturedly.
DR. AMEYAW
Don’t be nau-ghty, Effe. Nurse
Evelyn undressed and put you in
the hospital gown. Considering
your elbow is still in a cast,
maybe she can help you get
dressed up again. And do well to
take your medication. You’ll have
a mighty splitting headache later
in the day.
EFFE
I’m very grateful, Mike. God bless
you.
They all laugh. The doctor leaves
after a few more pleasantries,
and the nurse helps Effe to get
dressed. The nurse leaves after
fetching a glas-s of water for Effe.
Effe is sitting on the bed, wincing
from the gentle throbbing from the pain
in her elbow when the door
opens and Chris Bawa enters.
He is wearing black jeans and
beautiful sneakers. His white
Lacoste fits him very well. She
notices for the first time how
extremely good-looking he is,
even with his mane of
dreadlocks.
She has not noticed that the first
night. His eyebrows are dark and
full, almost feminine, and his li-ps
are sensual. His eyes are heavy
and veiled, giving him a most
exotic look, and he looks so
handsome that for a moment she
just stares at him in surprise.
He is holding her bag in one
hand and a tall white rectangular
box in the other, with the words
LOIS BIT NIPS written on its side.
He comes and stands in front of
her.
CHRIS
(in a slow voice)
How be you? You fine?
She smiles in spite of herself and
looks up at him.
EFFE
Thank you, Chris. Seems you
saved me again. Strange
coincidence, don’t you think?
CHRIS
(his voice deadpan)
Co nothing. I dey traffic inside
then I see you zoom pas-s, so I
turn and follow you. Abi you no
pay me the last time, so na I dey
come for my dough. Then I see
sey you swerve and hit the
electricity pole. w£tin dey wrong
you la? You wan kill yourself or
w£tin?
She is quite taken aback by his
abrupt manner, and she scowls
at him, her defences up
immediately.
EFFE
You think I make it a habit of
intentionally running my car into
pillars?
Chris sits down beside her and
offers her the bag.
CHRIS
Sorry. I no talk well. But na I
make scared. Like you fit die sef.
EFFE
I know. And once again thank
you. I was in a very bad situation.
I lost control totally and couldn’t
concentrate.
He nods and hands her the tall
LOIS BIT NIPS box.
CHRIS
You for be careful, Madam. Your
life be precious.
EFFE
(gesturing at the box)
What’s this, Chris?
CHRIS
Oh. Na food. I was thinking
maybe you go be hungry.
The box is still warm. She opens
it and peers inside. She sees
noodles and meat bits and other
greasy stuff. She wrinkles her
nose with distaste, although she
is suddenly feeling ravenously
hungry.
EFFE
I can’t eat this, please. Too
greasy. I don’t think it’s healthy.
Chris looks at her with sudden
pained eyes.
CHRIS
You know where I drive go
before I get the food buy? I
almost reach Akuapim. That be
Mama Lois Special. Please try am.
E sweet pas-s gogome!
Effe laughs, and reluctantly
removes the wrapper around the
plastic fork he proffers. She dips
into the box, scoops a forkful
into her mouth, chews slowly,
and then her eyes widen with
both surprise and delight.
EFFE
Oh, gracious me! This is sweet.
CHRIS
w£tin. I know. Then you wan
make too know for my top.
Effe eats everything, and still isn’t
full. She is surprised the food
tasted so good. He stands up,
digs into his pocket and hands
her a little sli-p of paper on which
is written a list of misspelled
words.
It is an account of how much she
owes him, including the charter
fare she has not paid the first
time she boarded his car. She
shakes her head with a smile.
EFFE
Alright. This is even less than
what I envisaged. You’ve indeed
been very kind to me. Is it
possible for you to drive me to
the place you dropped me off the
other time? I’ll stop at any Visa
ATM and take money to pay you,
okay?
CHRIS
No P. I go tap you at the
reception.
He gets up to leave and walks to
the door. He stops and turns, and
looks at her for a long time.
EFFE
What now?
CHRIS
(in a very calm voice)
You be the finest woman I ever
see, Madam.
She tries to keep calm, but she
feels a certain inner glow at his
compliment, and she smiles sadly.
EFFE
Thank you, Darling Boy.
He smiles at that. His smile is
broad and creates dimples in his
cheeks and is so full of both life
and beauty that she marvels.
When he closes the door behind
him she shakes her head again,
and wonders at life’s injustices
which has denied such a kind-
hearted handsome man the
benefits of a good education.
She leaves the ward shortly
afterwards. Walking throu-ghthe
premises of the Clinic, she is
impressed with how well-
designed and how beautiful it is.
The Eden Hospital, where she
works, is one of the biggest and
best hospitals in the world, but it
lacks the homely atmosphere she
is seeing in Dr. Ameyaw’s clinic.
She is shown upstairs into Dr.
Ameyaw’s office. He hands her a
little packet in a medium-sized
white envelope.
DR. AMEYAW
Your medication for two days. I’ll
take off that cast three days from
now.
EFFE
I’m indebted to you, Mike.
He throws a hand in the air in a
gesture of dismissal. He walks
round his desk and takes her
hand.
DR. AMEYAW
Come with me, dear. I want to
show you something.
He takes her outside, walks along
the beautiful corridor and stops
in front of a brown door.
He opens it with a key and
ushers Effe in. She sees that it is a
new office. It is hu-ge and
comfortable, beautifully
furnished for a doctor.
She is particularly fascinated with
the amazing aquarium that is to
the right of the desk.
EFFE
(awed)
You really do things in style, Mike.
DR. AMEYAW
(his voice serious)
This Clinic was built by my father,
Effe. It was his life’s work, his
blood, his vision. He left it to us to
run, but after his death two of
my brothers and my senior sister
wanted to sell it. I couldn’t let
that happen, and so I bought it
from them.
Effe nods, and there is a gentle
look in her eyes.
EFFE
With help from Eden Inc.
DR. AMEYAW
(nodding)
Yes, my dear. Eden almost took
the hospital away from me, but
thanks to God, they changed
their eighty-percent ownership
into a loan. I’m a good Doctor,
Effe, but not a very good
surgeon. That is where the big
money is, nowadays. Recently I’ve
started freaking out when I go to
the theatre to operate. I’ve
developed stage fright, my dear,
and you know how dangerous it
is if you don’t cut a patient open
with confidence.
His face is haunted and sad. Effe
lays a gentle hand on his arm.
EFFE
Surely it is not that bad. We all
have our bad days now and then.
You can pull throu-ghthis.
DR. AMEYAW
It is bad, Effe. It is very bad. Last
month I cut someone open for a
gallstone op, but he had nothing
in him. To make matters worse, I
left a pair of for-ceps in his
stomach. Now tell me that’s not
bad.
EFFE
That is very bad, Mike.
DR. AMEYAW
Yes, it is. Lucky he was my friend
from the University. I could have
lost my license and the Clinic.
bott-om line is, I nee-d help here,
Effe. I meant to ask you this in
Takoradi, but the right
opportunity never cropped up. I
know I’ll get myself in order, but
before then would you consider
helping out here on a contract
basis? This office is for you, and
I’ll pay you a fair wage. I know
you ba-rely get spare time at the
hospital, but please, would you
help me?
EFFE
It is perfect, Mike. My life is now a
nightmare, and I nee-d a place to
lie low for a while, you know, to
settle down and see the storm
throu-gh. This will work perfectly
for me. I accept.
The Doctor gives a whoop of joy
and hu-gs Effe. His relief is evident
when he walks her out some few
minutes later, and waves as she
sits in Chris’ taxi and it begins to
move.
Chris drives her throu-ghNorth
Legon towards Dzorwulu. They
are both silent for a long time.
Effe is still reminiscing about
how she could have gotten it all
wrong.
She is still wondering how Steve
and Elaine have been able to
sustain their affair in her
presence for so long! How has
she missed it all?
She remembers his words again
and again, and each time pain
suffuses her. Chris sees a
Barclays ATM and swings the car
over and stops for her. She gets
out, withdraws money, pays him,
and then they resume driving.
She notices that the taxi is new
and nice. He has even wound up
the windows and turned on the
air-conditioning.
She fishes out her phone and
sees a lot of missed calls from
her parents, Eyram and
colleagues. She calls her parents
first and as-sures them that she is
okay.
Next, she calls her sister and lies
to her that everything is fine. She
is in the process of calling Dr.
Anaman at the hospital when
Chris speaks. She looks at him
blankly.
CHRIS
E no be your husbie dey there?
They are stuck in traffic and he is
pointing out of the window. She
looks in the direction he is
pointing, and her heart skips a
very painful beat when she sees
that is indeed Steve.
He has emerged from a Mother
Care. He is holding a bulging
package which he is putting
inside his car. Behind him is
Elaine and a smiling Jonathan
Afful.
Elaine is laughing at something
Jonathan has said. Jonathan tries
to touch Elaine’s belly, but she
pulls away and runs to a smiling
Steve.
Steve holds her and puts a
reverential hand on her big belly,
and then he bends and ki-sses
her belly.
Effe looks away as her eyes go
blind with tears again. The pain
is unbearable for her. Luckily the
traffic moves and Chris drives on.
She looks at him, and wordlessly
he picks up the box of tissues on
the dashboard and gives it to
her.
She weeps silently and cleans her
face with the tissue.
EFFE
Oh, Steve!!
CHRIS
Your husbie be crack paa oo! E
dey run nak-ed on the street and
now e dey smooch pregnant-
EFFE
(sharply, painfully, angrily)
Just shut the hell up, would you?
He says nothing. After a while
she turns to him and looks at his
cold profile.
EFFE
I’m sorry, Chris. I’m hurting. I’m
really hurting.
He nods but says nothing. Just
then her phone rings, and she
takes it.
It is from MR. JOSHUA DARKWA,
their family lawyer. Her heart
begins to beat extremely fast
now. She hasn’t heard from the
lawyer in a little while, and she
knows without being told that it
is about the divorce Steve had
threatened her with. Her heart
beating with trepidation, she
picks the call.
JOSHUA
(sounding really disturbed)
What’s this, Effe, my dear? Just
received a letter from Steve’s
lawyer. He’s seeking a divorce?
Effe grips the phone so ti-ghtly
that her fingers hurt her.
Suddenly everything goes black
for a moment as she almost
pas-ses out.
The phone drops from her hand
and falls. When she looks at Chris
he sees a pain so great that his
anger vanishes immediately.
CHRIS
Hey. w£tin dey wrong you? You
be okay, lady?
EFFE
(her voice trembling horribly, her
tears falling in torrents)
Don’t take me home again!
Please take me somewhere,
somewhere I can lie down,
please.
CHRIS
I no dey un-derstand, madam!
EFFE
Take me somewhere, please! A
hotel, any hotel, please! I want to
be alone! Oh Steve, oh Steve!
He nods and drives. She cries
bitterly besides him. Her phone
rings again. She cuts the call and
switches off the phone. She is in
great anguish and he watches
her silently.
He switches on the radio and
begins to play reggae Mellow
Melodies on the CD player.
To be continued…..