She had a joint where she sold ice water in the neighborhood. She sold it next to a popular food joint. The first time I saw her, my heart sank. I was like, “Why is a beautiful girl like this doing this job?”

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So I made it a point to make her my friend. I bought more sachet water than I needed so she would notice me. I even asked if she sold it in packs. I took her number so we could talk whenever I needed a pack of water to buy.

Through chatting every morning and evening, I got to know her story. She had run away from home to seek greener pastures. She came to live with a friend and had to work to help her friend pay the rent for the house they lived in. She said they were four girls living in a tiny room they were paying GHC300 for.

I told her I would help her find her feet and be able to live comfortably. She even said she wanted to go back to school, and I told her that wouldn’t be a problem.

She became my girlfriend and came to spend the weekend with me. I desperately wanted her to stop selling the water that sometimes I would buy her water stock just to keep her for the night.

I asked what she wanted to do, and she said she loved selling. I looked for a space at a busy junction and set up a mobile money business for her to do.

She needed to do sales for me, but everything was for her. I was guiding her to make her own money so she could go into something bigger.

Business was good. Some days it was better. I could see her growing more beautiful and she even started changing clothes. Her complexion started coming out from the shade under which it was hiding. I loved her more and even thought of going to see her family when the time was right.

One evening after work, I was passing by the junction to be with her when I realized she had closed. It was around 5 p.m., but she wasn’t there. I called her line, but she didn’t pick up. I thought maybe she had gone somewhere for a few minutes, so I sat on a bench next to the shop where her table was. Then a guy asked me if I was waiting for Matilda, and I said yes.

He told me, “You have to advise her. She doesn’t come to work often these days, and when she does, a certain man in a Camry would come for her and she wouldn’t come back again.”

She had told that guy that I was her elder brother, so he was telling me to advise her.

I didn’t ask questions when I saw her. I decided to keep my eyes on the floor. I was with her one afternoon when the Camry came around. She ran to the car and soon she was back. I asked who that was, and she said a customer. From that moment, she started asking when I would leave. “Are you not going home anytime soon?” she asked.

Almost every minute she asked the question, so I told her I was leaving. I left and hung around the area. A few minutes later, the Camry came back. She folded the table and jumped into it. I called and called, but she didn’t answer.

I waited for her all night at her place, but she didn’t show up. I saw her the next morning and took my heat out on her. “Do you think I’m a fool? I should set you up and let another man into your life? Where was he when you were selling water?”

She stretched her hand and gave me the MoMo phone. She handed me a small rubber bag and said, “That’s your money. Take it and leave me alone. Just this, and you’re reminding me of where you took me from. Thank you.”

She walked away from me. I felt I was too harsh, so I apologized to her. Come and see how this girl talked to me, like I was a despicable thing no one wanted. It was hard, but I let her go.

Just last week, I was going to buy food and saw her back selling water. I shook my head and smiled. I had healed. My heart was back to normal, and I was also pleased to know she was back to normal.

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I went to her table and said I was buying water. She looked up, saw me, and put her face down. She didn’t say a word or look back at me again until I picked the water, put my money on the table, and left.

Just within a year, she was back to normal. God works in mysterious ways. His wonders to perform. All praise to Him for bringing her to where she started so she knows the price of pride and betrayal.

—Leo

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