??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 08??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
Effe wakes up in the most
comfortable bed she has ever
slept in. Her eyes fall on a
luminous clock on a quaint
bedside table with a glas-s top. It
is 10:12 a.m.
She turns on her back and
yawns. She remembers dimly
about being in Chris’ taxi for
many hours and wondering
where he was taking her, but not
really minding where they were
headed, or even scared of him.
The pain of seeing Steve looking
so happy with Elaine, and being
so R0m-ntic with her, had almost
knocked Effe straight into a
coma, and she had not really
cared where that taxi driver took
her, but she remembers getting
out of the taxi finally and
following him into a room and
falling on a bed…
She sits up now with a little cry
of alarm. What has happened?
She remembers feeling hungry
somewhere along the journey
and the taxi driver had stopped
to buy her some Digestives and
Pure Heaven Coconut drink.
She sees she is still in her dress,
and that she has not been
ravaged.
She smiles in spite of herself. She
has totally abandoned herself
into his hands, and she knows a
less respectable man would have
taken privileges with her.
She looks around and sees that
the room is excellent and
luxuriously furnished.
The bed is four-poster, the three
armchairs leather-bound, the
carpet impeccable, and the small
bar obviously well-stocked. A
door opens unto a terrace
outside, and to one side is a
small but beautiful eating place.
The ceiling has excellent murals.
On the walls are clas-sic art
drawings, mostly of rastafarian
orientation.
There is a glas-s-fronted
wardrobe, and a beautiful
dressing-table. A hu-ge mirror is
set into the wall at the foot of the
bed so that lovers can obviously
watch themselves on the bed.
The television on the wall is
tuned to some reggae station,
and Bob Marley is singing ‘Could
You Be Loved?’
She gets up slowly. Her
movements are hampered a bit
by the cast around her elbow,
but she goes into the bathroom
and is again taken aback by the
mini jacuzzi and the pristine look
of the accessories and fittings.
She draws a warm bath and
stri-ps down. She soaks in it for a
long time. She suddenly realizes
that she has not packed any
clothes for her impromptu flight
from pain.
She puts on a fluffy white
bathrobe and goes to the room.
She has absolutely no idea where
she is, and to make matters
worse she realizes that she has
not even bothered to take Chris’
phone number.
She sees a white telephone on
the writing desk, and one fixed
in the wall above the bedside
table.
She sits on the bed. She notices a
laminated sheet on the table and
she picks it up. It is a list of some
important numbers and
extensions, and on the top of the
sheet are the words: JAMAICA
RESORT, AKUAPIM.
She raises her eyebrows. She has
never heard of it before. She
picks up the receiver and dials ‘0’.
It rings twice, and then
somebody picks it up.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
Good Morning. You’ve reached
the front desk, please.
EFFE
Good Morning. I came in last
night and was very tired. I don’t
know my room number.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
(politely)
You’re in Hut Twelve, Madam.
EFFE
Thank you very much. I came
with a… erm, a gentleman. A taxi
driver, actually…
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
(breaking in politely)
You mean Mr. Bawa. He asked me
to inform him when you wake
up, Madam.
EFFE
(surprised)
He’s here?
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
He is in Hut Eleven, Madam. The
one after yours. You can dial
Extension Eleven to get him.
EFFE
Oh. Okay. Thank you very much.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST
You’re welcome, Madam.
Effe replaces the receiver gently
and looks at it. She had been
both hurt and confused the
previous day. She had asked him
to take her away from the pain.
He had obeyed, and he had even
stayed the night.
She tries to tell herself that he
had stayed because she had not
paid him for the journey, but
de-ep down she knows that is
not the case. She is beginning to
realize that he is a very caring
person indeed.
She sighs and lifts the receiver a
second time and dials Ext 11.
He picks it on the first ring.
CHRIS
(sleepily)
Who dis?
She chuckles instantly.
EFFE
My word, but you can be very
infuriating when you choose to,
can’t you?
CHRIS
(chuckling too)
Oh, Madam. You’re awake. I dey
come your room pronto!
The receiver drops with a clatter
and she chuckles again. A
moment later there’s a gentle
ding-dong sound, and she walks
ba-refoot to the door and opens
it slowly.
He is standing there in black
jeans shorts, white sneakers and
a white T-Shirt. He is holding a
hu-ge polyethylene bag in his
hand. She steps back.
EFFE
Come in, please.
He does not move. His eyes are
riveted on her face, and as she
looks at him she is once again
struck by how extremely
handsome he looks.
She finds it ha-rd believing that he
is just a semi-illiterate taxi driver.
He looks every inch a model, or a
leading Hollywood movie star.
EFFE
What is it? Aren’t you coming in?
Why’re you looking at me like
that?
CHRIS
(in a very soft and calm voice)
You be the most beautiful
woman I ever see, Madam.
Despite herself she finds herself
glowing inwardly at his
compliment.
EFFE
(with a smile)
Thank you. Now are you coming
in? And do call me Effe.
He steps into the room. She starts
to close the door, then sees the
compound of the JAMAICA
RESORT for the first time and
stares. It is very beautiful. The
compound is taken up with great
expanses of green gras-s and
royal palm trees.
The HUTS are brown stone
stuccos and spherical white
edifices. She sees a great garden,
and far off she can make out
what looks like a sports complex.
She closes the door and turns to
him.
EFFE
Waow. This place is so beautiful.
I’ve never even heard of it. How
did you know this place?
CHRIS
(with gentle smile)
I be taxi driver, abi. I know a lot
of fine fine places because big
big people be my customers. This
place is owned by a rasta Dada
called Sir Sullivan. He be ma
paddy!
They smile at each other, and for
a few minutes Effe forgets about
her pain and only thinks of the
fact that the world is not as
terrible as she feared it is going
to be.
He puts the package he is
holding on the bed. She raises
her eyebrows quizzically.
EFFE
What’s that?
CHRIS
(shrugs)
Oh, I use some of your money
buy some things for you because
you no bring anything. If you
wan stay here then you for buy
other things later. They get some
nice supermarket around hut
one.
She walks past him and opens
the package. She sees black
jeans, a red and white blouse, a
couple of pa-nties which
thankfully are still in their original
wrappings and down-heeled
sli-ppers. And then there is a br@.
She turns and looks at him.
EFFE
And you think you know my
sizes?
He smiles ruefully.
CHRIS
I guess them.
EFFE
(calmly)
You guessed my sizes? You’re
obviously a wom-anizer, aren’t
you?
The smile vanishes from his face,
and his face becomes rigid with
sudden anger.
CHRIS
My thanks be that?
Quickly she sees she has hurt
him somewhat.
EFFE
Oh, sorry. I was just joking with
you, Chris. Thanks.
She goes to the bathroom, locks
it from within, and changes.
Everything fits like a dream, and
when she surveys herself in the
mirror she likes his selection very
much.
When she returns to the room he
is putting the telephone receiver
down.
CHRIS
(in a brusque voice)
They called. They wan know if
you dey want some breakfast.
For a moment, she does not
really hear him. She stares at him,
and it dawns on her suddenly
that he is quite resourceful and
awfully caring, unless he is doing
it simply to impress her. Try as
she can, she simply cannot
recollect the last time Steve has
really been selfless and chivalrous
towards her nee-ds. Lord, she is
doing comparisons already?
She chides herself and gives
herself a mental kick to stop the
wanderings of her thoughts.
EFFE
Thanks for the clothes, Chris. I
like them.
CHRIS
Ok. I go leave you now.
She frowns.
EFFE
Leaving?
CHRIS
Yes. I for go make some rounds.
My taxi be work and pay. Every
week I dey pay the owner four
hundred cedis. When I finish e
go be my own. If you be happy
here then I dey go.
She realizes she has not thought
about him leaving. She is a bit
dismayed when she realizes that
she has been dependent on him,
and has unconsciously as-sumed
that he will be available.
Her mind races, and then she
walks and stands in front of him.
EFFE
(in a soft voice)
Look, my arm is still not quite
healed. The Doctor said he would
remove the cast tomorrow. I
want you to wait. I’ll pay you for
the week. I will even double it if I
have to because I obviously can’t
drive, and moreover I don’t have
my car. So I’ll like to retain your
services.
He smiles, and his cheeks
dimples, and she is once again
quite taken aback by his sheer
presence and masculinity.
It is as well that he is not highly
educated, she thinks, otherwise
he would’ve been a very
dangerous man indeed…to
innocent women.
CHRIS
(his voice suddenly excited)
It is expensive here o, Madam.
You can stay here. Me I go go the
town inside go find some place
sleep.
EFFE
Another hotel? There wouldn’t be
much difference in charges,
would there?
CHRIS
(chuckling)
No hotel. I get some old chick for
here. I go go search for am.
She puts her head to one side
and regards him.
EFFE
You’re not going to break any
girl’s heart again. You’ll stay. I’ll
pay for your time, and you’ll stay
here.
CHRIS
Yes, Commander.
He salutes, and she laughs, and
just then her telephone rings.
She sits on the bed and stares at
it. It is JOSHUA DARKWA, their
family lawyer. She sighs
miserably, suddenly reminded of
the pain factor in her life. The
love of her life lost to her own
cousin.
Oh, Steve! She picks the call.
EFFE
(in an unsteady voice)
Hello, Uncle Josh.
JOSHUA
(sounding worried)
Effe. I nee-d to see you.
EFFE
Steve? His divorce?
Joshua is quiet for a little while.
JOSHUA
Yes, my dear. They’re going to
court, if necessary. I want to see
you so that I’ll know how best to
represent you and negotiate
your interests to the maximum
values possible.
EFFE
(sadly)
I’m not fighting it, Uncle Josh. He
wants it, let him have it. I don’t
want anything from him. He can
keep everything.
JOSHUA
(his voice sharp)
Don’t react with your hurt heart,
Effe. You can’t give in like this. I
can convince the judge to grant
you months for counselling, and
even more months for a
temporary legal separation, so
that you think this over. I can
drag this, if you want, and Steve
would regret ever messing with
you.
EFFE
You know what this is about,
Uncle Josh?
JOSHUA
Yes. Elaine. Your Mama told me
she’s pregnant for Steve. This is
madness! It’s absolutely cruel. I
can rip him apart, Effe. He
wouldn’t know what hit him!
Just give me the go ahead.
EFFE
(softly)
No, please. If he wants to go, let
him go. He can have the house
and everything. I’m ok. Please
review the papers, and do
whatever you nee-d to do. I’ll
come and sign them. Just make
sure he gets everything.
JOSHUA
Effe!!!
EFFE
(her voice catching on a sob)
Please. It’s over. Don’t let him take
me throu-ghany more pain, I beg
of you. Just do it.
The lawyer sighs de-eply.
JOSHUA
Okay, Effe, my dear. If that’s what
you want, I’ll do it. Oh, before I
forget, I’ve also been contacted
by your insurers about your car.
I’ll deal with that too. I’ll call you
later. Take care, dear.
Effe cuts the line. Her eyes are
blurred with tears. Her heart is
breaking with pain. She gets up
and tries to run to the bathroom,
to hide and cry, but in her rush
she trips and suddenly falls
against the taxi driver.
He holds her, and her weight and
momentum send them both
sprawling to the floor. She tries
to pull away, but he holds her,
not ti-ghtly, not crushingly, but
gently. She collap-ses against him,
and she buries her face in his
che-st. And then she cries her
heart out.
He says nothing. He just holds
her. Her body is racked by sobs.
After what seems like an eternity
she calms down, but she remains
within the circle of his arms.
CHRIS
Your husbie?
Effe nods, but she does not look
at him.
EFFE
Yes. He wants a divorce.
CHRIS
Oh, Charley!
EFFE
He’s with my cousin. She’s
pregnant for him. He wants to
marry her. I couldn’t give him any
children.
CHRIS
(shocked)
So, he hammer your own cousin?
Cha, the man wild paa o! Oh
Charley, e ha-rd o!
Without meaning to, without
knowing what is happening, Effe
begins to tell the taxi driver
about her life. When she has
finished, she feels relieved. It is
as though a great weight has
been lifted off her shoulders.
The tears, however, slowly trickle
down her cheeks. She cries for a
while, and he says nothing, just
lets her cry. After a while she
brushes tears from her eyes and
exhales.
EFFE
That uncircu-mcised son of a b—h
hurt me so bad!
CHRIS
(chuckling)
What you mean uncircu-mcised?
Effe laughs and turns in his arms,
leaning the back of her head
against his che-st now. He sits
back and holds her.
EFFE
Steve comes from a royal line. In
the old days Kings in his
hometown were chosen from his
family line, and Kings shouldn’t
have scars and wounds, and
shouldn’t be cut in any way. They
should be complete men. So, the
sons in his family line are always
uncircu-mcised.
CHRIS
I no dey un-derstand. If dey be
Kings why say them no dey cut
their di-ckies?
She laughs again and digs an
elbow into him.
EFFE
I just told you! Because Kings are
not supposed to have scars! A
King must be a whole man, a
virile man. Getting a circu-mcision
means he has a deformity.
CHRIS
Deformity! Cutting your di-cky no
be scar! D–n, so your husbie is a
‘kote bƆtƆ!’
Effe laughs uproariously this
time, so ha-rd that she turns into
him and buries her face in his
che-st. After a while she suddenly
stops laughing and lies quietly
against him.
She is first aware, quite suddenly,
that there are thick hairs on his
arms and up his ne-ck, and that
her right arm is practically
around his wai-st.
She becomes aware too, of his
ha-rd frame against her, and is
simply aware that apart from her
husband she has never been so
close to another man. She had
never allowed that.
Alarmed, she moves from him,
and suddenly finds her face just
inches from his, and notices how
sensuous his li-ps are, and how
pene-trating his gaze is. She
moves quickly from him and
stands up. She speaks in a rush.
EFFE
We better go and finalize the
booking arrangements.
He stands up slowly and nods.
When they leave the room and
she locks the door, she walks
beside him, and then he
suddenly reaches out and takes
her hand.
Her first instinct is to pull her
hand out of his, but his big hand
holds hers, and after a couple of
tugs she stops trying to get free
and walks hand in hand with
him to the reception.
To be continued…