Know Thy Man Ep07: House of Cards

Hiya!!! I missed you guys! So Father’s Day is coming up pretty soon and one of my readers mentioned that nobody makes a big deal about Father’s Day even though there are some awesome fathers out there. I agree- my father was THE WORLD’S BEST!!! No hype! The man was just legendary, so yes Happy Father’s Day in advance to every single dad in the world, especially Dads who are Kenikodjo readers. May your sons look up to you and may your daughters adore you! Daddies, we love you! ❤

If there was ever a thing like living a nightmare, then Ewuraefua was doing just that. She had lost track of the number of times she had woken up, drenched in sweat, heart racing, lips trembling and tears on her cheeks, because of a dream in which Esowba had found out the truth. Every time this happened, Peter would take her in his arms and rub her back soothingly, and reassure her that everything would be okay.

And finally everything was crumbling down right before her very eyes. She looked at the diary that she had carried downstairs with her one more time and allowed the tears to cloud her vision. It was worse than anything she had dreamt of and it explained a lot of things that had been happening over the last few years. She had always dreaded this day. It was finally here.

Whenever she had thought about breaking the news to Esowba, she imagined what it could do to her. She had also thought of the kinds of questions that Esowba would ask. Esowba was big on loyalty and family. This was definitely not going to be an easy conversation. She jumped when she heard the gate open. Peter was home.

When he got inside, he instantly knew that something was wrong. The TV wasn’t on. He could not smell the butter popcorn with which they watched their weekly episode of Good Wife. The lights in the sitting room were off. He flicked the switch and found his wife sitting on the carpet, bawling her eyes out. She was holding a book with butterflies and unicorns that looked like something that belonged to Esowba. She lifted her face and said just two words.

‘She knows.’

Peter dropped his suitcase and the papers in the first chair and put his arms around his wife.

She knows.

Of all his failings in life, this was the one that always left him weak in his knees.

‘How does she know?’

‘She went to her school. I can’t believe that they just allowed a stranger to talk to her. How did you allow this to happen? You told me she would never get in contact with us.’

‘I’m sorry, Ewuraefua. I am so sorry that you have to go through this. You don’t deserve this. Goodness, you are the last person who should have to go through this. It is my mess. You are just a dutiful wife. I am sorry.’

Quiet sobs were her response. They both knew that the real hurdle would have to be crossed when Esowba woke up or perhaps when she came back from school the following day, but tonight, Peter’s job was to comfort the woman who was brave enough to cover up his mistakes, the woman who loved him past his greatest failings.

---

Tonia and Zainab had fast become close. Tonia’s tell it is as it is-ness had created an ally out of Zainab. They connected on many levels- disappointment by a man they loved, natural hair, climbing the corporate ladder. In the last week, they had had lunch together almost every other day.

‘Can you believe that some guy in my office tried to hit on me this morning, with the pick up line, ‘I like the way your fingers move when you are typing.’? Like I don’t have enough on my plate with raising two girls on my own and working a strenuous 8 to 5 job. The last thing I need is a guy with weak pick up lines.’

Tonia laughed.

‘How are the girls?’

‘Great. Angels as always. It is tough on them not having their father near by. It is tough on me too.’

‘You would need to explain the last bit. I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with him.’

‘Yes, I did. And I still stand by it. It is just that this society punishes you for being a single parent. They don’t realise you have to work twice as hard as everyone else so that your child can have the same opportunities her classmates have. Some of the girls’ friends are not allowed to visit them at home because they come from a broken home. Broken? Just because I raise them alone? You should hear some of the comments my colleagues pass when I have to go for a PTA meeting. You would think I was a prostitute. Smirks of approval. Mean comments. Everyone assumes that if you have kids and no husband, then you are a husband snatcher whose ‘mɛgye wo kunu’ plan went south. They laugh when I can’t join them for client socialisation trips. Who is going to check on the girls’ homework and make sure they have eaten and are safely in bed? I don’t have anyone I can rely on. The Ghanaian society is just insensitive to single mothers. Our situation is already difficult as it is. The last thing we need is you defining us by the very thing we are fighting so hard to be disassociated with. Father’s Day is always a difficult one in my house. Every birthday. Every Christmas. Every communion Sunday. Yes, apparently because my husband was someone else’s husband, I can’t draw near to the Lord’s table.’

‘As for the communion, I will leave that to my friend Ewuraefua. I have learnt to refrain from commenting on these religious matters. You should meet Ewuraefua and the other girls. You will like them. We could take turns with babysitting the kids when you have to travel.’

‘That’s kind of you. But I don’t want us to be a burden to anyone. We’ll get by.’

‘Nonsense. That’s what having a support system is for. We all hold each other down when the other needs it. I know, it is rare, but I like it. It allows me to fuss over other people’s children since I don’t plan to have kids myself. But on a more serious note, you should meet everyone. Life is easier when we all take turns carrying the load and we are more than happy to take turns.’

---

Peter and Ewuraefua were sitting in the dining hall waiting for Esowba and her siblings. This morning, they were running late so they didn’t have much time to speak to Esowba. After they had eaten, Peter and Ewuraefua led their daughter to her bedroom.

‘Esowba, I think we owe you an explanation.’

‘You found my diary, didn’t you?’

‘Yes we did. Tell us what really happened.’

‘A woman came to my school and mentioned my full name. She told me not to be afraid of her because she was my real mother. She told me that she gave birth to me  and that you took me away from her. She told me that Grandpa told her to forget about me and not to look for me.’

Peter knew it was time to come clean.

‘Sweetheart, I don’t know why if that is why you are so angry at your mother. It is all my fault. Just before we got married, a woman came to see me. She told me that I had impregnated her in a one night stand. You know what that is?’

Esowba nodded. Peter made a mental note to filter the kinds of books his daughter was reading when all this was over. He continued.

‘I was afraid of losing your mother because Grandpa was very strict. He would have said that I was not good enough for his daughter. Mummy begged him not to separate us and to allow us to raise you as our first child. Mummy was very brave. She chose me and you over her father. You have always been our daughter ever since you came into this world. I am sorry for keeping this a secret from you.’

As expected, Ewuraefua had tears on her face. They bowed their heads as Peter led them in a prayer. More delightful than her husband’s rich baritone voice praying for them was the fact that her daughter reached out and grabbed her hand. The feeling of their daughter’s hand in hers was worth far more than rubies. She squeezed her hand gently and to her surprise, Esowba squeezed back.

---

Tonia had sent Adjeley running as soon as  Paa Kow said he was coming over. It had been a long day and she was looking forward to some quality time with Lover Boy. Before long they were snuggling on her carpet, having a random conversation. Ever confident Tonia asked the question that had been on her mind since their first kiss.

‘So isn’t it about time we had sex?’

‘I didn’t realise there was a timetable to it.’

‘There isn’t but you know what I mean.’

‘Well, I don’t plan to have sex again until I am married.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because sex just complicates things. It is easier to keep things this way, trust me.’

‘What if I like things complicated? Wait, so we are going to stare at each other and chat until we get married?’

‘Exactly. We are going to watch movies, take walks, have pillow fights and everything in between. Allow me to court you the old fashioned way. And yes, I heard you say ‘get married’, Madam Marriage is a bondage.’

She threw a pillow at him to hide the fact that she had a smile on her face. She could not wait to tell Ewuraefua that she was with a man who was saving sex for marriage, and even though she would not admit it, hearing him say that he wanted to court her excited her in an unnatural way. She knew that she was slowly giving herself permission to fall in love with him. But first, she had to win the pillow fight she had started.

They were getting night time waakye from a joint in Adabraka later that evening when she saw him.

Tim.

In the flesh.

As surreal as that could get, before she could recover from the shock, she saw that he was wearing a Catholic priest’s cassock and even worse, he was talking to Paa Kow. Her heart began to pound like a drum being beaten by a possessed fetish priest.

Priest? How is Tim a Catholic priest?

She steadied her hand so that she would not drop the waakye she had just bought. She saw Tim’s eyes widen as she made her way towards them.

‘Tonia!’

She ignored him and planted a peck on Paa Kow’s cheek.

‘You two know each other?’

See you next week!