Monsieur’s daughter – (Part 6)

Gladys opened her eyes, picked up the phone and checked the time. It was just past three. Quite a number of issues were competing for attention in her mind, even though Simon was just by her, snoring gently.

She had already given up on Simon’s laziness and general atti­tude. But money was becoming a problem. She had done her best to provide for the family, but in some couple of months the WASSCE re­sults would be published, and Sarah would almost certainly be going to university.

How on earth was she going to find money for school fees, hostel accommodation, food and clothing, and pocket money? She was already excited about going to the universi­ty, assuming that her mother would find a way to provide her needs. There was almost enough time to start looking for money.

She would go and speak to her bank manager and the folks at the credit union, and she would speak to her friend Catherine with whom she had done joint contracts every now and then. But with the whole house financially dependent on her, it was still going to be quite difficult.

There was, of course, a very simple solution staring her in the face. David Asante. Monsieur. All she needed to do was contact him, and the whole problem, and maybe some of her other problems, would be solved.

But David was the one person she hated with a passion. She hated him for rejecting her, even though she and her family had gone and fallen at his feet to beg for for­giveness. He had stood his ground, dissolved the marriage and flown to Germany.

She admitted that she had made a big mistake. Simon came back to Ghana a few months after she had married David, and she had spent a few evenings in a hotel with him, just to catch some romantic breeze from the past.

He returned a few months later, and they spent another couple of evenings together. That was all. She had no intention of continuing the relationship with Simon. But word had filtered through to David, and he put an emphatic stop to the marriage.

That was quite heartless, and David deserved to be punished for that. She had no regrets, therefore, for telling him that Sarah was not his, but Simon’s baby. That was her emotional retribution for the rejection.

Using her wits, she quickly moved to get Simon to marry her and claim Sarah as his child. If Simon had only made a modest attempt at taking responsibility for the family upkeep, there would be peace. Un­fortunately, the house was always in turmoil. She had come to accept the responsibility of taking care of Simon as one of his children.

She got up to get a drink of water from the kitchen. She opened the door and found Sarah seated in the couch, wide awake.

‘Sarah, why, you are unable to sleep? ‘

‘I was waiting to talk to you’.

‘Okay, Sarah. Talk to me. What’s the problem? ‘

‘I want to know who my father is’.

‘How could you say that, Sarah? You know who your….’

‘I want to know who my father is! For a long time I have been hear­ing the arguments you and Daddy have been making about me. I’m not stupid. Daddy doesn’t like me. I am tired of the confusion in this house. My friends are always asking me what the problem at home is. And I have already heard people saying things. If you won’t tell me, I will take everything into my hands. I won’t continue living like this. I’m tired’.

Simon appeared in the hall and sat down as Gladys stared at the floor.

‘Gladys, if you have anything to set your daughter’s mind at rest, tell her now’. Sarah stared at him.

‘Okay, listen. Your real father is called David Asante. He and I were teachers in the Western Region. He rejected you when you were born, but Daddy stepped in and claimed you, and has been in your life since then. You see, your father is the one who claims you and makes an effort to take care of you. You see, we are not a perfect family, but most families have problems. I’m very sorry for what you call the confusion in this house. Please forgive us.

We will try our very best to keep peace, not only for you but for your siblings too. Daddy and I have already started making plans to find money to take care of your needs when the WASSCE results come in. You are certainly a brilliant stu­dent, and we will make sure you go to the university and do something big in future.

I want you to remember, Sarah. Your father rejected you from day one. He hasn’t spent a penny on you since you were born, and he has not tried to find out how you even look like. Is that a father? And another thing. He was always into visiting shrines and the occult, and I don’t think you are safe with him. I would kindly advise you to take it easy for now, and concentrate on your uni­versity education. Later on, when you like, you can find him. I don’t know what will happen now if you make the effort’.

‘Sarah’, Simon added, ‘the truth is what your mother has told you. I’m sorry for anything I have said which may have troubled you. Please for­give me, and let’s stick together as a family, okay?’

She nodded and went off to sleep. They sounded a little convincing, she told herself. But she didn’t believe them one bit. She would go and see Ms Odame and present the new information to her. Perhaps she would help her get to the truth.

Later in the morning, she sneaked into her parents’ bedroom, picked her handbag and dashed into the toilet. She removed the phone and scrolled down, but didn’t find what she wanted. Then she took out the little notebook and opened it.

Quite a few phone numbers had been written in it. She scanned carefully, and there it was! David Asante. Her hands shaking, she copied it and replaced the handbag. At long last! Now she was going to confront that irresponsible man who had allowed her to suffer all those years.

Sarah knocked on the door of Ms Odame’s house.

‘Sarah! It’s so good to see you. I was just about to attend a family meeting. Please sit down while I fix you a drink’.

‘Madam, I don’t want a drink. Something happened this morning’.

‘Okay, let me hear it’. She listened as Sarah recounted the discussion she had had with her parents.

‘Sarah, you have suffered for far too long. We will solve the problem today. Give me a minute’, she said. She went to her bedroom and called Mr David Asante’s number.

‘Sarah’, Simon added, ‘the truth is what your mother has told you. I’m sorry for anything I have said which may have troubled you. Please forgive me, and let’s stick together as a family, okay?’

By Ekow de Heer