I picked Kwakyewa up, and we drove to the site on the Aburi road. We drove for some five minutes, and a security man opened the gate, and we entered the 40 acre plot secured with a fence wall.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

‘Here we are. I have just started buying materials. I am planning on building one hundred apartments, and fifty top class houses’.                                                                     ‘

David, are you telling me that this is all yours?’                                                                                                                                                                                        

  ‘Yes. All mine. I carefully engaged with the chief of the town, and his elders. I paid him all the arranged monies, in the presence of his people. And I have started work on a school building for the town, and I’m renovating his palace. When the block of houses is sold, I will invest the bulk of the funds here.

I will start with twenty houses, without taking any loan. When I sell them, then I will build many more’.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 We went round the site, and spoke with the workers who were clearing the land. After an hour we went back in the car and drove off.                                                                                                                                                 ‘You are not saying anything, Kwakyewaa’.                                                                                                                                                                                             ‘

What can I say? It’s just incredible. I will stay for as long as you need me’.                                                                                                                                                    

Many thanks, Kwakyewaa.

I will count on your support. I will continue working with the EU for another couple of years, so I will be up north a lot of the time. So you will be in charge’. After spending another couple of hours at the city centre site, we decided on lunch’. 

We got down at Sankofa, and I took her hand as we walked to take our seats. After taking a sip of my drink I looked across the big room and saw Abena staring at us, a look of utter shock on her face. She continued to stare as Kwakyewaa spoke about the changes she had to make due to her extended stay in Ghana. After a while I ignored her and focused on the discussion.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

‘Now listen, Kwakyewaa, this is a most important part of what we have started to do, as a couple, and as business partners.

For starters, I would like you to prepare a budget of the expenses you need to make as a result of postponing your return and staying here for three months, and I will pay you the money.

In the coming days we will decide on how much money you need to be comfortable. Then, later on, we will take the bigger decisions resulting from continuing with the relationship.

Suddenly she got off from her seat, sat on my lap and hugged me, as the other guests watched in appreciation. Unfortunately I could not look in Abena’s direction.

We parted at the office at the close of day. Kwakyewa joined Eva and Robert for the drive home, as I drove home. Although I was playing my favourite jazz tunes, my head was spinning with thoughts of Kwakyewaa. Abena was beautiful, but Kwakyewaa was in a completely different league altogether.

And she combined queenly beauty with incredible sharpness of mind. She calculated business issues with ease, and she planned and recorded everything. And to top it all, it was obvious from the first day that she cared about me.

This time, business was going well, but the relationship side was also cool. This time, I could forget about Abena and her big ego and sharp tongue.

I sat to watch TV, but started feeling sleepy, so I rose to go and lie down when my phone rang. It was Kwakyewaa.                                                                           ‘Bernard, Abena just came in. She’s furious. She’s throwing verbal bombs at Esaaba, saying things like “if you think you will insult me by fixing David Kwakyewaa, you are joking.

If I wanted Bernard I wouldn’t have thrown him out. David is junk. She can have him. I’ve gotten someone far better than him. You are all stupid”. ‘

And what did Esaaba say?’ asked.                                                                                                                                            

‘We didn’t say anything. Which made her angrier, so she rained insults for quite some time, and went to her room’.                                                                            

‘Nice one. It’s good you ignored her. Hey look! She has just sent me a message. Let me check and get back to you’.

I opened the message and read. ‘Bernard, so you are now Kwakyewaa’s boyfriend. Congrats. I thought you would spend sometime to improve yourself before trying to get a girlfriend, but obviously you think otherwise. Pray that she also doesn’t throw you out soon’. I sent her a reply.                                         

‘Madam, I’m tired of your insults and lies. I will come and show this to Mom first thing tomorrow, and tell her about the things you have been saying about me. I may also do you a favour by telling her about a certain transaction by which Jennifer sold an arrogant girl for peanuts.

Goodnight’. She called me numerous times, but I did not pick her call. At six following morning, my doorbell rang, and I went to find Abena and Esaaba, and let them in.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ‘David’, Esaaba said after I had offered them seats, I hear you have threatened to come and see Mom this morning to tell her about the message Abena sent to you. Well, we have come to apologize to you, not only for the message but also for anything she has said about you.

She says it will not happen again, so please forgive her, and cancel your plan of coming to see Mom’.                                                                                                                                             

‘Yes, David’, Abena said. ‘I am very sorry. I promise it will never happen again’.                                                                                                                    

‘Okay. I accept your apology, even though the things you’ve been saying were not true, and they really hurt me, because I did not get the chance to defend myself to the people who heard it’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 ‘And David’, Abena said, please do me a favour. ‘You said Jennifer sold me for peanuts. Is it true, or you were just rebutting what I said’.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

‘Let’s do it this way’, I said. ‘Call Jennifer, and ask her if it is true that she was paid by your boyfriend for fixing you with him. I’ve heard he has not given her the full amount, so she has been calling him to demand the balance’.                                                                                                                                                 ‘I don’t believe it, but let me call her and see’.

She called Jennifer. After a few moments she started shedding tears. ‘Esaaba let’s go’, she said quietly. I walked them to the roadside and hired a taxi to take them home.                                                                                                               

At the office a couple of hours later, Kwakyewaa came to sit by my desk and looked straight at my face.                                                                                                    

‘So what happens now? Esaaba told me what transpired at your house.                                                                                                                                                      ‘What she does is none of my business. Maybe she will go and sort things out with her rich boyfriend’.                                                                                                        

‘I was afraid she would decide to fight to have you back. I have been really worried’.                                                                                                                           

‘Are you joking? We have already agreed on what Esaaba calls a smooth transfer. We have a relationship, and I’m very pleased with it. Let’s make plans for the future as we agreed’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

‘Okay. I have already started implementing my plan. I have told my parents about you, and my plan. They have accepted it. From this evening, I will spend a lot of time with you, at your house. Now, let’s talk about activities for today’.

By Ekow de Heer