Hey there?. Hope you had a good weekend. This episode is dedicated to Marcia, a happy birthday dear ?. May we live to celebrate more birthdays. Nana Yaa episode 18…enjoy ?
Strength In Forgiveness
Anthony arrived at the hospital, he helped Leila out of the car. Her face had swollen up, the nurses on duty that dawn were very lazy and careless. Anthony had to force them to attend to his wife.
“what is wrong with her? a nurse asked.
“She was attacked on the street. She was beaten and raped. Please do what you need to do to help her. I would pay for everything” Anthony cried.
“I was not raped. I am fine. I just need some Diclofenac 100mg for the pains” Leila said to the nurse.
“we have run out of Diclofenac, and our pharmacy is also closed”
“Is there a doctor on duty?” Leila asked.
“He hasn’t arrived yet”
Leila shook her head and walked out, Anthony followed her out.
“Where are you going? he asked
“Anthony take me home. I am fine. I don’t have time to argue with these silly nurses. I know what I have to do to feel better”
Anthony felt so bad, it was all his fault. Leila laid in the back seat of the car and tried to sleep, she was angry with herself. What if she had been raped or even died? It would have been all because of Anthony, a man who didn’t even care about her. It irritated her how he kept asking how she is doing. She wasn’t fine, it was so obvious. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep ignoring all of Anthony’s questions, she was really tired.
Nana Yaa invited Derek over to her house, she wanted to apologize for keeping their baby a secret. She gave him the chance to rant and rave and to feel whatever he was feeling. It was better that way, better than keeping everything in. They were friends, they were better friends than lovers, that is why their relationship didn’t work. Nana Yaa couldn’t see past their friendship even though Derek tried his very best. She asked him to stay for lunch, Derek cooked his famous boiled plantains and kontomere* stew with boiled egg and avocado on the side. Nana Yaa couldn’t wait to eat, it was one of her favorite food and Derek knew.
Derek Dawson, a civil engineer and like most engineers he is very calculated and very smart. Nana Yaa loved how he knew something about everything. If she needed anything done, he was the first person she would call because he knew someone or something that would solve the problem. Like most Fantis he was very funny, he didn’t have to force to make Nana Yaa laugh. He is very patient, that is why he waited as long as he could for Nana Yaa to love him, he was the happiest man when Nana Yaa agreed to be his girlfriend. He knew Nana Yaa wasn’t very sure when she choose to be with him but he hoped her love would grow with time. As he watched Nana Yaa eating that afternoon, he realized how much he loves her and how much he truly wants her to be happy, even if it wasn’t with him. She had been through so much and he knew she deserves all the happiness the world has to offer her. They were still friends, she was still in his life and to him that was what mattered most.
He had to rush back to the office, he spent more time with Nana Yaa than he had planned. Nana Yaa felt a sense of peace after she had spoken to Derek, her mother noticed how peaceful she looked. She moved in with her daughter when she was discharged from the hospital, she wanted to take better care of her. When Derek left the house, she decided to ask Nana Yaa about what she heard at the hospital. Something about Ebo having a twin brother, she asked Mildred about it that evening in the hospital but she told her it was best she asked Nana Yaa, because she brought Jeffrey into their lives.
As they washed the dishes together in the kitchen, Nana Yaa herself brought it up. She knew her mother very well.
“Mummy? I have something to tell you. Well you heard part of the story from Nicole at the hospital but I want you and dad to know everything. I honestly wanted to tell you earlier, but a lot of things happened that prevented me from saying it”
Doreen wiped her hand with a napkin and sat down, Nana Yaa pulled a chair and sat down too.
“So, you remember my trip to Dubai? “
Doreen nodded.
“That was where I met Jeffrey. I noticed the resemblance he had with Ebo, Nicole also noticed it but we were both not very sure. It was very confusing because he had the same features as Ebo even though they were not identical. After the trip, we came back to Ghana and a few months later, George and Nicole got married. Jeffrey came down for the wedding, he wasn’t looking too good. I asked him why he looked that way and that was when he told me about a talk he had with his parents. It turned out Ebo and Jeffrey were separated at birth”
Doreen had a confused look on her face.
“Someone stole Jeffrey from Mildred when they were born?”
Nana Yaa shook her head.
“Auntie Mildred stole the baby mum. She was going through a very hard time when she got married to Uncle Ivan. She wasn’t getting pregnant, so she paid a nurse to steal a baby. She didn’t know the baby would be a twin. The baby’s mother had earlier given Jeffrey out to the doctors who helped her deliver, she couldn’t take care of the two babies so she gave one out. The nurse didn’t know that, so she stole the last baby for Auntie Mildred but in the process of stealing Ebo, the biological mother woke up and the nurse killed her to keep her from shouting. Auntie Mildred saw everything, she decided to keep quiet but she couldn’t. When she found the courage to report the incident, she heard that the nurse had disappeared. She didn’t want to take the fall so she kept quiet”
“Oh no! That is a crime! That is why Mildred didn’t want to tell me” Doreen cried.
“You spoke to Auntie Mildred?”
“At the hospital. I didn’t understand what was going on”
“Mummy please calm down. Auntie Mildred has beaten herself up enough about this. Jeffrey didn’t want to press charges. Believe me, he really wanted to. But to what end, she is old and grey and this is Ghana, investigations would take forever and just imagine the money involved? I am sure she didn’t want to talk about it because she is very ashamed”
“Is Nicole their biological daughter?”
“Yes. Nicole was their miracle baby. When all hope was lost, Nicole was born”
“So this Jeffrey, what is your relationship with him?”
Nana Yaa smiled.
“Well Jeffrey and I are now together. I haven’t told anyone yet. You are the first person I am telling, I am sure daddy would definitely find out now that I have told you”
Doreen shrugged.
“Does he really look like Ebo? I saw him for a short time at Natasha’s wedding when he was giving the toast. I don’t remember him clearly” Doreen said.
“He really does mummy. It is crazy. The way he walks, laughs, the way he talks, he has an American accent because he grew up there but his voice is just like him, only deeper”
“Sweetheart, are you sure you are not with him just because he reminds you of Ebo? I know how much you loved Ebo and what his death did to you”
“I thought the same way when I started falling for him Mum, at first it was easy because he behaves just like Ebo, but as time went by I started thinking about him, just him. I didn’t want to love him but I couldn’t help it, he makes me very happy mum. He loves me very much, even though they are twin brothers they are very different. I am very honored to have experienced their love, Jeffrey isn’t taking Ebo’s place. Ebo is untouchable and I would forever treasure what we shared. Jeffrey is Jeffrey and I am crazy about him”
“I can see you really are in love. Your face lit up when you started talking about him. I wish you the very best always my dear and I am so happy you are over Ebo. I honestly thought Derek was the one but I never saw you this happy when you spoke about Derek. Jeffrey is the one”
“Yes mummy. He is definitely the one”
“And my dear, I am so sorry about the baby. You are going to have lots of children in the future and I know you would be an amazing mother”
“Thanks mum. I love you so much. You have been there every step of the way. I am indeed very blessed to call you my mother” Nana Yaa said and hugged her.
Her doorbell rang, she wasn’t expecting anyone. She was thinking of taking a quick nap. She checked her camera and saw Anthony’s car. She pressed her gate open and went to meet Anthony at the door.
“This is certainly a surprise. Is something wrong at the office?”
“Everything is fine. I wanted to visit you today, I haven’t gotten a chance to pass by and I wasn’t in a mood to work”
“Really? wow! you weren’t in a mood to work? honam p3 job* like you?”
Anthony smiled and entered the house.
“Mum this is Anthony. A crazy guy I work with at the office. Anthony meet Mum”
“Good afternoon ma’am. it is a pleasure to meet you”
“Likewise. Okay Nana. I would be upstairs, if you need me. It was nice to meeting you Anthony” Doreen said and excused them.
“Wow! Your mother is very beautiful”
“Thank you. So what can I offer you? I have water, apple and pineapple juice”
“Water is fine. Thanks”
Nana Yaa walked to the kitchen and came back with a mineral bottled water in hand.
“So what’s up? she asked and handed him the bottled water.
“Leila was attacked, she is in very bad shape”
“What do you mean attacked? By who?”
“We had a heated argument last night and it got me very angry. I didn’t want to stay in the house. So around midnight, I called up Naa Shika to meet me up at Urban Blues hotel”
“Naa Shika? You mean Naa Shika in purchasing department? The one that has a huge crush on you?”
“Yes her”
“At midnight? Did she come?”
“Yes she did. And so did Leila. She followed me when I left the house. I thought she was fast asleep because she sleeps very early”
“So Naa Shika attacked Leila or what?”
“No. I was kissing Naa Shika in my car infront of the hotel when I saw Leila knocking on my window. She confronted me. I was ashamed I had been caught so I angrily asked her to go home and went into the hotel with Naa Shika”
“Anthony. Are you kidding? Tell me this is a joke. Did Leila see you two kissing?’
“I don’t really know, my windows are tinted”
“Oh right. But did you have sex with Naa Shika?”
“I really wanted to. I decided since Leila has already caught me I might as well just do it. But I couldn’t do it, she begged me but I couldn’t. I left her at the hotel. She has been giving me attitude all day at the office”
“So who attacked Leila?”
“I think an armed robber. I even thought he raped her but she wasn’t raped”
” I felt so bad for treating Leila that way so I wanted to rush back home and apologize. I used a short cut that leads to the highway. I had heard that road is pretty dangerous but I always use it when I want to get home early and nothing happens to me. That is the road I used when I was going to urban blues so I guess Leila used it when she was returning home. On my way back, on that road, I saw her running towards my car half naked. I felt my heart jump right out of my chest. In that moment, I was so angry. This man had a knife but I didn’t care I pounced on him and gave him the beatings of his life. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands”
“Oh my God! This is bad. Are you sure she wasn’t raped?”
“No she wasn’t. She has bruises on her face but they will heal, we will go to the hospital and they run some tests tomorrow . She is going to be fine”
“She could have died. Anthony, I won’t lie because you are my friend. I am highly disappointed in you. I mean why would you do that? I know you don’t love Leila but I always admired how you never went about cheating on her. What changed? Was the argument that bad? “
“She asked for a divorce and she also slapped me. She is so disrespectful. I can’t stand her, I felt she didn’t deserve my faithfulness so I wanted to disrespect her too”
“You sound like a little teenage boy. You are full grown man Anthony. If Leila wants a divorce, give her a divorce, and marry someone you love. You two are miserable, very miserable. Thank God Leila wasn’t raped. You would have ruined this poor girl’s life because of your stupidity”
“I can’t divorce her. Her father made me promise”
“Well sometimes promises are made to be broken. But wait, Anthony, are you saying there is nothing about Leila that you like? Nothing at all? “
“Absolutely nothing Nana Yaa. She isn’t my type”
“Come on. She is an intelligent young woman, she is very beautiful. Amidst all your constant arguments she always fixes breakfast for you every morning. Even if its oatmeal and you hate it, she has done that every morning for five years. She has been a pretty good wife”
“And I have been a good husband too, who do you think pays for her fees in medical school and makes sure she has everything she needs? I always make sure there is food at home and a roof over her head”
” I am not disputing that trust me, but I know you Anthony. I know how you work at the office, you do not like stress at all. You always make sure you do everything that is required of you to avoid any backlash. Leila obviously stresses you out, and living with her is not fun but you have done it for five years. The Anthony I know would have been out of such a situation a long time ago. Your father is gone now, he was the one you respected most and feared the most but he is gone now yet you are still married. A part of you likes living with her but you hate to admit it”
Anthony smiled.
“Madam don’t use how I am in the office to assume you know my entire life. But true, I like living with Leila. She is a good cook, and even though we don’t talk, we communicate just fine. She never lets me go hungry, when ever I get home, I have good food waiting for me, she does all my laundry without me asking. I always have clean clothes in my wardrobe. It is just her temper. She is easily agitated and starts talking anyhow to me, her husband”
“Then talk to her. Tell her about it. Learn to understand her. Be intentional with her, she is still learning how marriage works. You already said you two communicate well without talking. Aren’t you curious how things would be like if you two talk and have a better understanding about each other? You don’t have to be best of friends but it would be way better than living like strangers in the house”
Anthony looked at Nana Yaa, she had spoken wisely.
“That makes a lot of sense Nana Yaa, it took me five years and this conversation to understand what Leila really means to me. I am so sorry but I have to go home. Please let your mother know I am leaving.” Anthony said and rushed out.
“Please open your gate!” he added as he rushed to the door.
honam p3 job*- workaholic
kontomere*- cocoyam leaves stew
See you all next week?