By Amie Sillah
At Gaa’s Home
He is at home in communicado with his family and drinking to stupor.
Tida mustered courage and went to him and seized the liquor.
“Give me my drink!” He yelled at her. “I’ll not allow you destroy yourself and our family, you are
killing us slowly and I reject it!”
“Give me my drink or!”
“Or what? Do your worse but I’ll not give you liquor.” He hissed lost
his gait and went out Tida after him wailing and protesting but to no
avail.
“You cannot drive in such a mess, you can cause accident.” But he
ignored him and went to his car driving it out; Mam Ndaxte drove in as
he drove out and the two cars met at the centre of the compound and
both drivers came out shouting at each other.
Confrontations
He rushed back to his house walking very fast as Mam Ndaxte followed
him with taunts and insults.
“Who do you think you are bushman of a graduate? I blame my naïve,
inexperience sis for marrying you out of blind love; but I Mabel Mam
Ndaxte would put an end to this nonsense now!”
Suddenly
“’Pintimpantam’!” Mam found herself being pushed into the swimming
pool being a good swimmer saved her from being drown; she swam out
holding her breath as Ti cried and hugged her sister.
Gaa walked past them into the house unconcerned as he continued
smoking and drinking.
Mam Sarah Sawdatou
She dreamt that her daughter in law Tida died and the corpse being
transported to the village. It seemed so real that she woke up in cold
sweat and started to pant. She decided to visit a village seer but met
her friend Mama Lisa, AjaSampulenroute and she discouraged her.
“The dream looked so real that makes me very frightened.”
Mama Lisa
“He is a liar and a cheat, he will ask you for money and will not
be able to tell you anything concrete, go and pray over it and save
your money.” Mam Sarah returned back to her house.
Gaa
He came to terms with whatever was troubling him and decided to take
his children for the last date outing that he has promised them. The
kids were excited to go with dad who has been incommunicado for weeks
now.
The other Family
Sohu and Saul waxed their love further as she asked pertinent questions.
“I am very scared darling, how can loving, compassionate Gaa
changed overnight and made my best pal’s life a hell on earth? I am
ashamed because I was among the catalyst that made the marriage
possible when Mam Ndaxte her elder sis was totally against it on the
pretext that she does not know Gaa and Ti also has not know him enough
to marry him; I hope you’ll not change overnight like Gaa?”
Saul
“Change is a constant phenomenon of life which should be expected and
accepted by everyone but the kind of change we should celebrate is
change for the better and darling that’s the change I’ll bring not
change the other way round.” They embraced and kissed each other, have
fun and romance; they renewed their love and confidence in each other.
Sohu
“I feel for my best pal and I would do anything to help her out of
this mess I help in creating by convincing her to marry him. I feel
very guilty and Mam Ndaxte is not making it easy for me.”
Saul
“Don’t be hard upon yourself.You were trying to do some service to
your best pal. But I think Gaa is having some medical issues which he
cannot share with anyone, perhaps something terminal; he drove me out
of his office and I met him crying; it will be okay don’t be hard upon
yourself.” He consoled his wife.
Gaa with the Kids
Tida waved them goodbye and threw them kisses as she felt a bit relief
that at least he is opening up to the kids. He opened up to them as he
took them to a private clinic to be checked.
“Don’t tell mom that I took you for check up, she would be worried and
I don’t want her to be; do you promise? Clap your hands if you do.”
The kids clapped their hands and dad praised them as he took them to
the ice cream shop to buy ice cream and chocolate as they also bought
some for mom and Mantome.
Tida
She went to the office in confidence and talked to Rose Gaa’s secretary.
“Do you know anything about his strange behaviour? Has he got
problem/issues with anyone that you know of?”
Rose
“He is a nice man until he came from the hospital last week
everything about him changed, last week he slept in his office.”
Tida
“Don’t tell anyone my visit here, thank you for your information.”
From Gaa’s office she proceeded to Sohu’s office and explained to her.
Sohu
“Go to Dr. George to find out because he changed after visiting him,
but please promise me not to cry you have to comport yourself I trust
you to do this for your family.”
Tida
“I do not promise anything but I’ll try.” She visited Dr. George.
“Dr. George, what is it that my husband got from your office when
he came for his results because since then he has changed for the
worst, incommunicado, psychological trauma, distress is what we get
for giving him our unflinching love and care.Please Dr. help me get my
husband back.”
Dr. George
“I wish I could help you but I can’t because of professional ethics,
madam go to your husband and asked him he will be in a better position
to tell you.”
With frustration Ti went back home.
With Sohu
“Dr. George refused to bulge out any information he said due to
professional ethics.”
Sohu
“Professional ethics my foot! Is he mad?”
“I tried all ways but he refused, he said it is my husband’s duty
to inform me not him and I think he is right. Sohu I regretted this
marriage. Mam Ndaxte warned me but I would not hear of it but you
encouraged me to accept him as a country man when I refused 3 suitors
abroad.”
Sohu
“You should not say that, he is your husband and you do love him
until his recent transformation; this is men’s nature they can change
any time.”
To be Cont.
