Monsieur’s daughter —(Part 7)

‘Sir’ Ms Odame said when David As­ante answered the call, ‘my name is Victoria Odame. I’m a teacher at Research School in Koforidua. I would like to come and see you concerning a student called Sarah’.

”Okay, madam. I would be very glad to meet you. How can I make your trip easier?’

‘I was going to join a bus to Ac­cra’.

‘Here’s what we will do. Take a taxi and ask them to bring you to Accra. I will speak to the driver, give him the directions and pay him when you get here’.

The taxi stopped in front of the house. The gate opened, and the driver moved to the long driveway and stopped. ‘What a beautiful house?’ He said.

David and Adoma came out to meet them. Adoma paid the driver as David and Sarah stared at each other.

‘Please come in and sit down’, Adoma invited. She served them with water.

‘You are welcome’, Adoma continued. We have been waiting anxiously since you called this morning. So please, let’s hear you’. Before she could open her mouth, Sarah rose, moved to David, hugged him and sat on his lap’.

They both broke into tears. Adoma and Ms Odame also broke into tears.

‘Sorry madam’ David said. ‘This whole episode has been a very dif­ficult one. But let’s do the proper thing. Let’s here you first, and I will also speak. I’m sure we need to answer some questions immedi­ately’.

‘Okay sir. I have been taking an interest in Sarah, because although she’s brilliant academically, she seemed to be troubled.

Following my discussions with her and some whispers I had been hear­ing, I went to Aboso Senior High School, and spoke to your former colleague, Mr Hanson. He told me that you were an exemplary teach­er who was loved by all, and he also told me about the unfortunate events that caused you to leave for Germany. So I returned to Koforidua with the view to finding the appro­priate means of helping to solve this problem’.

‘Great. Ms Odame, I have to thank you for finally helping us to solve this problem. Now, let me state the facts. This is what happened.

‘Gladys and I met and got married whilst we were both teachers in the school. Some months into our mar­riage, she told me that she needed to spend some days with her par­ents, and I agreed.

It turned out that she was actually spending time in a hotel with her ex-boyfriend, Simon. This happened again, after Sarah was born. I got wind of this, and told her that I was no longer interested in the marriage.

I started preparing to travel to Germany. She pleaded for forgive­ness, but I stood my ground. Then she told me that she would punish me for rejecting her.

She came out later to say that Sarah was not my child, but Si­mon’s. She went and hid her some­where, obviously expecting that I would fight to take my child. I was actually going to do that, but my parents advised me that it was al­most impossible to win such a fight.

They advised that difficult as it sounded, I should leave the child with her, because she would come back to me eventually. I have absolutely no problem taking care of you, Sarah. I am taking care of quite a number of kids who are not mine. So that is what happened. My hands were tied. I have been trying to find out how you are doing.

I kept hearing that you were doing well at school. I also heard that Gladys and her husband were having problems, but I kept hoping that my daughter would at least be okay till it was possible for me to go for her’.

‘Sarah, now you have met your dad. You will be free to …’

‘I’m not going anywhere! ‘ she declared as she held on to him’.

‘You don’t have to worry about that, Sarah’, Adoma said. ‘We have been looking forward to the day you come home. This is your home. Now, you have to meet your sib­lings’. She called Abrefi and Adaa­wa.

‘Girls, we told you that you have a sister who would join us anytime. Now here is she’.

‘Sarah?’ Abrefi asked.

‘Yes’, Adoma replied. The girls hugged her and took her away.

‘Now’, David said, ‘I think it is time to call Madam Gladys’. He dialed the number.

‘My name is David Asante. I’m here in my house with my daughter Sarah. I hear you have told her all sorts of crazy stories about me. I could make life very difficult for you, but I won’t.

You are your own worst enemy. I don’t think you should be expecting her anytime soon. What do you say?’

Gladys stayed silent for over a minute, and cut the line.

‘Food is ready’, Adoma an­nounced. ‘Everybody please come to the table’.

Sarah chatted excitedly with her siblings as Adoma and David chatted with Ms Odame. She kept staring at her father.

‘Now, Ms Odame, after you have brought such joy into our home, should we allow you to go back to Koforidua today, or should we wait till we are ready to release you? I could call your husband and ask permission.

And please don’t tell me you didn’t bring anything for an over­night stay. There are several super­markets around here. We can fix that problem quickly’.

‘I will beg you to release me. Now that I have been so warmly wel­comed here, I already feel part of this home. Koforidua is not that far away, so I will visit often’.

‘Well, let’s see what the kids have to say. Ladies, shall I release Ms Odame to go back to Koforidua? ‘

‘No!’ They shouted, and all broke into laughter.

‘Ms Odame, I will have mercy on you. But we are going to do some­thing to make it easy for you to visit us. My wife wants to show you something. Please follow her’.

‘Adoma led her to the driveway as they others followed. They stopped in front of the car.

‘This is a Toyota Corolla 1600. It is very reliable, and good on petrol consumption. We are giving this to you in appreciation of your help in getting our daughter back to us.

And here in this envelope, is a little contribution to help you with maintenance. And here in this other envelope is a gift to help with your children’s school fees’.

As she stood, stunned, and stared from the car to the envelopes, Da­vid put his hand around his family’.

‘Let’s leave her to take a look at her car. Ms Odame, one of my drivers will drive you to Koforidua and leave your car with you. We are waiting inside’.

By Ekow de Heer