Chapter 26

 

 

MICHAEL AWOKE TO THE noisy blast of the car radio. His mind cleared immediately as he shot a glance around. Dr. Cruickshank sat in the driver’s seat. It hadn’t been a dream, then. Esi was gone. Everything came pouring back. After they’d left the doctor’s house, they had driven around, going to places familiar to her.

It wasn’t until after midnight that he’d agreed to rest for a few minutes. It turned out they’d both been tired.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“The outskirts of town.”

They fell into silence again. His heart twisted with worry. Esi was in no condition to be roaming the city of Accra with no money. Two nights ago, she’d been robbed. Who knew what could happen to her today?

He listened to the song on the radio, an oldie by Louis Armstrong. Unfortunately, he couldn’t identify with the musician’s ‘Wonderful World.’ The world was no place without the one he loved.

Where could she be? Was she in danger? If anyone hurt her, he’d never forgive himself. Concern for her seized him for many reasons, but especially because she didn’t know Accra well. What if she was lost somewhere, praying to find her way back home?

To his surprise, he was angry with his mother for forcing him into this marriage, although he loved the girl she’d given him. Unsure of how much the older man knew, he felt compelled to explain.

“My father chose Esi for me while I was studying in the States. I felt trapped, and I’m afraid I didn’t treat her well.” He paused for a second and smiled weakly. “But I’ve fallen in love with her.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ve always believed that every marriage requires determination to make it work irrespective of how it was established.” After a moment, he added, “I don’t understand you, though. If you hadn’t told me, I’d never have guessed. I am convinced she loves you, and now that I’ve met you, it’s obvious you love her, too, so why would she run?”

“It’s complicated.” He’d allowed his feelings for Forest Girl to get in the way of his marriage. It was time to forget her. What he had with Esi was more real than anything he’d ever imagined with Forest Girl. “I thought I loved someone else.”

Given the option today, there was no question about whom he’d pick. He took a deep breath of the clean morning air.

“I feel like there’s a hole in me that can only be filled by her, you know.”

Selfish. He knew he was being self-centred; he wanted her back because he needed her.

What about what she wants?

He didn’t know what she wanted, but if he couldn’t convince her to stay when they found her, at least, he could ensure she was safe. Not on the streets.

“Well,” his companion said. “We have no time to waste.” He turned the key, and the engine came alive. “Now that we’re better acquainted, I’d like you to call me Eric.”

“Mike.” With a smile, he noted that Esi had never cut his name short. With her, it was either Michael or Yaw. It was the little things he missed the most.

Eric moved the car onto the highway. In a few minutes, they were back in the city. At the same time, the DJ on the radio announced the time was seven-thirty.

“Where do we go from here?” he asked.

“Let’s try the hospital, and I can tell them I won’t be working today. From there, your home then mine, and if she’s not in any of these places, I insist we go to the police.”

 

****

 

The radio lost its connection—something that happened every day at noon. Osei casually switched from FM to cassette and lay on his sofa to listen to The Ramblers. Almost immediately, a knock sounded at the door. Annoyed at having been disturbed, he took his time shuffling over to answer it.

He backed away in surprise when he saw his visitor. Without the near-professional makeup and with her hair loosely tied, instead of the usual tight bun, Lena looked younger, and her natural beauty shone through. She wore a short jean dress and a pair of medium-heeled sandals.

“Uh…” For a second, words failed him. “Are you sure you’re in the right place?”

“I need to talk to you, Osei.” Something was different about her, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. “Please.”

He narrowed his eyes. Lena never said please. The idea of her being humble today brought on suspicion. Nevertheless, he invited her in.

“Sit down,” he offered. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you,” she replied, then hesitated. “I need a favour.”

Was that a quiver in her voice?

“What in the world can I do for you?”

“I’m being fired, and I’d like to know why.” She couldn’t have been more precise.

“I’m sorry, Lena, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She frowned. “I understand the board voted to have me leave.”

“The board hasn’t voted to fire you,” he said. “If the board wants you out, they did it without me.”

Unfortunately, he thought, and then felt bad. Professionally, he had nothing against Lena.

“Then why did I hear I’m being let go?”

“I don’t know who told you this. Why are you asking me, anyway?”

“I figured you’d be the most willing to give me bad news.”

He laughed. “You may not be my favourite person, but I’m bound by ethics to keep such matters confidential.”

Unlike whomever she got her information from.

“So, there is something.”

“It’s not what I said.”

“I’m good at reading between the lines.” Lena lowered her eyes, fidgeting with her fingers. She actually looked embarrassed. “Come on, there must be something you can tell me. How could they have voted without you?”

“I don’t know. The only time you were a topic for discussion was when we voted for who’d manage the Cape Coast office, but you should already know that.”

“No, I don’t.” Her surprise and relief were unmistakable.

Osei grimaced. He expected her to have been informed by now. “Sorry I told you, then. I hope that’s good news to you.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Cape Coast is such a small town. I don’t know if I want to move there.”

“You like a challenge, Lena, and this is one for you. That’s all I can say.”

She nodded a little absently. “Wasn’t there someone else?”

“Does your reluctance have anything to do with Mike?”

“That’s personal.”

Those were words the old Lena would have spoken, but not the way she said them.

Osei nodded. He knew Michael would tell him everything that had happened in his own time.

Lena turned away, and when she looked back at him, her face was wet with tears. Osei’s jaw dropped. Though sceptical, he preferred this subdued Lena. He didn’t know what she expected of him. Was he to hold her, or let her be? Not wanting to fall into any possible trap, he did the latter.

“I’m sorry.” She sniffed and repeated her apology while wiping her face quickly.

Moved by her tears, he said, “I’ll see what I can do for you if you really don’t want to go. I’m sure the company can find someone else. Although, I’d think about it a little more if I were you.”

“You’re going to help me?” She sniffed again, eyeing him with suspicion. “What’s the catch?”

“Let’s see,” Osei replied. “How about you learn to be more human to the rest of us lowly people?”

“I’ve swallowed my pride, Osei. I’m crying in front of the one person who hates me.” Her lips twitched into an awkward smile. “How much more human can I get?”

“First of all, I don’t hate you,” he said. “But there are a lot of things you can learn. Maybe you should try smiling a lot more like you mean it…like now.”

She began to laugh, an embarrassed sort of laugh.

“I’ll remember that.” She wiped her face dry. “Thanks.”

When she stood to go, an awkward silence settled in the room as he wondered whether to shake her hand. He didn’t suddenly like her, but decided he had to try to change the way he felt about her.

“I know I’ve never been nice to you,” she said. “But you’ve welcomed me into your home and listened to what I had to say.”

“It’s a two-way street,” he said.

“You know, this is the first time we’ve talked without insulting each other,” she said.

He laughed. “Yeah, maybe I should take my own advice, as well.”

As Lena turned, something seemed to catch her attention, and she frowned. “Why is your phone blinking?”

“My phone?” Osei turned to look. “Oh, it’s a message.”

“Ah,” she said. “Mike said you never remember to listen to them.”

Without thinking, he pressed the button to play the message. Michael’s voice filled the room, and Osei immediately regretted not waiting for Lena to leave. The message was short, and after it had played, he slowly turned to look at Lena. What was she thinking?

“It was left yesterday,” she said.

“Yup,” he answered, unable to think of something better. Here he was, standing with Michael’s ex-girlfriend, and she’d just heard a dismal message Michael had left about Esi. If Lena thought she could get Michael back, he had no doubt she’d jump at the chance.

“Maybe we should go there,” she said.

“I don’t know,” he began to protest. Michael and Esi had gone through a lot, and he wasn’t sure Lena’s presence at their house would be a good idea, especially if Esi had left Michael.

“Look, Mike and I are done. He obviously cares about her,” she said. “I think the least I can do is be a friend to him. Besides, how much damage can I cause if you’re with me?”

Osei decided not to argue with that, but he didn’t have to be happy about it. At least, she wouldn’t be going there alone.

 

****

 

The time was past two o’clock. The weatherman might have described the scorching day as fine and sunny. Michael and Eric were on their way to Michael’s house from the police headquarters. He didn’t want to remember the questions they’d asked and the strange looks the inspector had given him as he’d taken down the details.

They’d driven in silence since leaving the police station. As the car manoeuvred its way around Danquah Circle, Michael continued watching the pedestrians closely, hoping against hope for a miracle. Should they have gone to the police earlier? Had they put Esi in any more danger in waiting until today? It seemed like he was committing one mistake after another. Please let her be safe. He didn’t know how many times he’d said that prayer.

A few metres before a set of traffic lights, his ears twitched. He sat up. No way.

“There she is!” he announced urgently.

“Where?”

“After the traffic lights. She’s wearing a white top.”

“I see her,” Eric confirmed. “That seems like what she was wearing yesterday.”

When they reached her side, Eric slowed down.

“Esi,” Michael called out.

She turned. Her clothes were now dirty, and her hair so scattered, it was almost impossible to tell what the original style had been. She’d always been neat and orderly, but what he saw was a far cry from the usual. The tendrils of her hair fell everywhere but in the right place, her dress crumpled and dirty.

She froze for a second, and Michael saw alarm sneak into her eyes. Even though their eyes had only met for a split second, he was whisked back a few months to a time and a place he could never forget.

He blinked at the same time she took to her heels.

“Wait!” he yelled.

Just then, the lights turned red. The doctor swore.

“I’ll get her.” Michael alighted from the car.

“I’ll follow you as soon as the lights change,” Eric said.

Three-months-pregnant women don’t stand a chance when it came to racing young, athletic men, especially when the latter happened to be their husbands. Michael was catching up fast, pushing aside anything and anyone that came in his way. He wasn’t about to lose her again.

She kept looking back, which slowed her down to his advantage, but as she glanced back one more time, her leg slipped over the step of the pedestrian walk, and she screamed.

Michael saw her fall in the direction of the moving vehicles, and his heart stopped beating. He gave a terrified shout and made a long leap, managing to catch her just before they both fell. He rolled her aside, and a car sped by with a loud honk.

When he opened his eyes, he was lying on her, shielding her from further danger. He looked into her eyes again. Absolute joy wasn’t something he’d felt often, but as his pulse raced and his chest rose and fell with hers, he knew he’d never been happier than he was right this moment. Though he smiled, tears stung his eyes. He hugged her, thinking about how fatally close he’d come to losing her.

“Let me go,” she cried. “I don’t want you anymore.”

She tried to free herself, but he hugged her tighter.

“Do you realise you almost got killed?” he said. “I sure as hell am not letting go of you.”

Her eyes welled with tears that flowed down freely.

Immediately, he felt contrite. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you,” he assured in a soothing voice. “I promise.”

While he was still trying to calm her, the BMW pulled up. A small crowd had begun to form around them. Though she’d stopped crying, she still looked distressed. Eric opened the back door for them, and they got in.

 

****

 

Esi pulled away from Michael, making sure she was as far from him as possible, her mind in chaos. Why had they come after her? How did they find her? She’d slipped out the doctor’s house after overhearing him tell his wife about going to get Michael. She’d walked to the bus station, hoping to hitch a ride anywhere. After it had proved futile, she’d decided to wander some more and maybe wash dishes for a restaurant to get some money to go back to her parents.

She couldn’t deny her relief at being found, though. She hadn’t slept in two days; her feet ached, and she was hungry. Stealing a glance at Michael, she noticed how dishevelled he looked in native slippers, his hair unkempt, and he hadn’t shaved. Though he’d never been fussy about the way he looked, she’d never seen him like this before. She glanced away for a few moments, knowing she had to be looking worse.

She turned to him again. This time, he was facing her. Her heart skipped a beat, and her pulse raced. Her face burned with embarrassment. She turned away quickly, but she hadn’t failed to see the quizzical look in his eyes. She could feel him still watching her even though her gaze remained focused outside. One thing was clear, though. Next time she left, she needed to plan it well.

 

****

 

Michael couldn’t take his eyes off her, and when she squeezed against the door as if trying to get away from him, he only found the gesture alluring. He wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, unable to control his joy. He stretched a hand to lock her door, which earned him a sharp, reproachful glance, and he could have kissed her.

Soon, she dozed off into what he hoped was a fitful sleep. She needed it. Feeling it was now safe to do so, he pulled her into his arms, cradling her, and trying to make her more comfortable.

He kissed the top of her head, running his hands along the contours on her arm. He felt her take a long breath, and her hand rose to rest on his shoulder as she shifted in her sleep. She’d probably kick him if she knew he held her in his arms.

He took her hand and brought her fingers to his lips, crying discreetly as he held her close. His heart ached with joy.