‘Anytime convenient to you. How about lunchtime on Monday? I can pick you up around 11:30. ‘It is fine. I don’t have anything planned for Monday. I will be looking forward to it’.

‘I got to the house as planned, and was about to step out of the car when Kwakyewaa came out, followed by Esaaba’.                                                                    

‘Esaaba’, I said, ‘I thought you would be at work at the pharmacy at this time’.

‘I should, but I stayed home to do a report for our head office. I am on my way now. I will get off at the roundabout’.  ‘I will drop you at the office, but before that, you are joining us for lunch’.                                                                                                                                  

‘Okay Bernard. No objection’.   

‘Now, Esaaba, I need to mention this. Has Abena informed you that our relationship is over?’ ‘She hasn’t told me in black and white, but I get that impression from her body language and some of her utterances. For example, I was surprised that she was going out last Friday with Jennifer when you came to the house. You had been out of town for a while, and I thought she would want to spend time with you.’                                                                                              

‘We haven’t sat to discuss this, but as you said, her utterances and body language were a little unusual, but I now have confirmation that she is seeing someone. Quite a number of people have seen them together, and she used to ask me some funny questions about my work. I hear she has been saying that I am not doing any development work, but I’m rather an agricultural extension officer, and that she has met a wealthy person who can take care of her. She’s free to believe or say anything she likes, so I won’t bother to discuss it with her. I think she would prefer that.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

‘I’m surprised she hasn’t said anything to us. Perhaps she believes that because of our relationship with you, we would not approve’. ‘Maybe, but it’s her life. She’s free to do what she wants. But she can’t stop me from coming to spend time with you guys’

I dropped Esaaba at work, and drove to the office. She greeted Eva and Robert, and after offering her a seat, I introduced them.‘Now Kwakyewaa, after my B.Sc. Economics degree I did an MA in Project Management, and got a job as Project Manager with the EU, based in the north. It has been a very enjoyable job, and fortunately well paid. Soon as I started, my mentor advised me to find some run down or uncompleted buildings in prime areas, buy them and, after fixing them up, put them up for sale. I have done several, and I have now bought a block of six houses. I have just started the process of fixing them. Now I would like you to take a look at the block, and offer me some advice. First, take a look at these documents’. I opened a page on my laptop and placed it in front of her.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

‘Wow, this is very interesting. You know, I did similar work for a firm in France. When can we go to the site?’  ‘Right now. Eva, would you like to join us? I know Robert is expecting some visitors.’                                                                                                                       

We spent over two hours at the site, with Eva and I offering answers to her numerous questions. Finally, we arrived back at the office.  ‘This is really exciting, and very impressive. I would like to make some suggestions, on design, painting, and landscape’. ‘You start work tomorrow. Eva or Robert will pick you up, and drop you after work’.                                                                                                                            

‘Okay. I will try to do as much as I can before I leave’.                                                                                                                                                                            

‘You are assuming that I will allow you to leave in two weeks?’ She broke into great laughter. ‘Shall we get a drink before I drop you? ‘Of course. Let’s talk in some detail about the project. So you are a very big man. Does Abena know about this?’ ‘No. We had a good relationship until she started spending time with Jennifer. She changed completely, so I quickly lost interest’. ‘Maybe she would not have taken that decision if she really knew the kind of person you are’.                                                                                                                     ‘I think I gave her enough indication, but she is easily swayed by appearances. She and Jennifer were always talking about rich people, well dressed people, and stuff like that. I resent that. I also like the good life, but I prefer a low profile’.

 To be continued…