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We were hoping the lockdown would be lifted after the two weeks period. My daddy guardian wanted it over so he could return to business but that night when the president came on TV, he added one more week to it. Daddy guardian looked at my way and said, “The way things are going, it looks like you are not going back to Kenya again. You’re stuck! Call your family and tell them you are now a Ghanian.”

We all burst out laughing. The wife said, “Stop teasing the poor girl. She has had enough already.” I told him, “When I finally leave, I know you’re going to miss me. Tell me, who are you going to tease again when I’m gone?”

The three of us are living like a close-knit family. There is always something exciting to do. They tell me their stories, where they had come from, and where they are going. It surprised me to learn that at their age, they still have dreams. I thought dreams were for girls like us but these two are always dreaming of something and when they need someone to laugh at, I’m the one they turn to. 

We barely spoke about that boy who dragged me here all in the name of love. They had helped me settled and had provided the platform where I always try to look at the perfect picture of my situation. The woman said, “You had kept us company since you came here. That’s not a bad thing. Maybe we needed someone, and God through his wisdom threw you our way.” That’s her truth but my truth is different. It’s rather the other way round. I needed someone and God threw them my way and my heart is always full of gratitude for them.

When the third week of the lockdown was over, these my two folks were looking forward to hearing what next. I remember the man asking the woman if the president was going to speak that Sunday evening. We sat and waited until finally, the president was on TV. The lockdown was lifted but there was no hope for me to make a return back to Kenya since borders were not opened. The man looked my way after the president had finished talking. I knew he was coming to laugh at me and I was ready for him; “Odoyewu, today too nothing for you ooo. You better call home and ask them to send the rest of your belongings to you here.”

It’s always funny the way he does it so we all laugh. I told him, “If Ghana opens up today and Kenya doesn’t, my situation will still remain unchanged. I’m only praying for a miracle.” He said, “It’s true ooo. I hope you now understand why love is death. You’re dead!”

The next morning I was at the hall when he walked up to me; “I have a plan. You can’t travel all the way from Kenya to Ghana and still not see the face of that boy who did that to you. You have to find him and let him know how deep the waters he left you to drown is. You might have forgiven him but you should let him regret his actions so he doesn’t do it to any other person.” It made a lot of sense and to be honest, I was also thinking the same way but didn’t have the courage to tell them. I asked him, “How do I find him?” He answered, “You tried it once with your mother. Try it again.”

I called Bernard again to ask him to do me a favor. I told him, “You were helpful the last time and I appreciate it. I’m still In Ghana and want to see your friend. Trust me I’m not going to hurt him or his marriage. I only want to meet him. I want to tell him how I’ve gotten over what he did to me. I want to have proper closure with him before I leave for Kenya.” I sensed the reluctance in his voice. He didn’t trust what I was saying. I kept convincing him; “Trust me, I won’t mention you to him. All I need is access to him.” He responded, “I can understand your situation but I don’t think I can do what you’re requesting me to do. Please forgive me.”

That was it. He wasn’t ready to help me in any way.

The woman told me; “Let’s try that office again. If he didn’t lie to you about his working place, then we should find him there. So the next day we were there. His office was right ahead when you enter the premises. The partitions of the office are made of glass so you see whoever is behind the glass wall. Immediately I entered the premises, I saw him. I checked his finger and his ring flashed. I told the security who I was looking for. He asked me to sit as he goes in to inform him. I sat down with my nose mask on watching the security as he was pointing to me as the one looking for him. He might have not seen who I was because of the nose mask. 

The security came to tell me he was ready to meet me. He didn’t know who I was or why I was coming to see him but by the time I sat down in his office and watched his finger, the ring was gone. He said, “Nice meeting you dear. What did I do to deserve your presence?” Then he flashed this innocuous smile as though he couldn’t kill a fly. I sat watching him keenly without saying a word. His smiles got faded as he realized I wasn’t saying anything. He kept looking at me anticipating what I was going to say.

I asked him, “You don’t know me?” I removed the nose mask. He squirmed in his seat. “How did you get here?” All of a sudden he became restless. He had a posture of a boy ready to receive his punishment. I asked him, “So what happened? It’s been over a month. Did I say something wrong?” He couldn’t say anything immediately. His eyes were all over the place looking for nothing. “A lot happened,” he said. “I didn’t know how to explain for you to understand.” 

“Please tell me. What happened to you after the last time you spoke to me?”

“Before I explain anything to you, let me apologize for everything that had happened. I accept my mistake and regret everything. Please forgive me.”

“I’m over it, trust me. I came here only to see you and also have you tell me what happened.”

“I was driving through town that day when my phone was stolen. I didn’t have any other means to reach you. You know I didn’t have your number off-head. They even picked my wallet. I didn’t know what to do and everything was happening so fast I needed to catch my breath and know what else to do to reach you.” 

You could see he was struggling to put words together. I guess I’ve done a better job of putting his response into writing than what he did. Nothing he said was cohesive. He kept repeating how sorry he was and how he should have tried to contact me and some other mumbo jumbo. I looked on his table and asked him, “You have two phones on your table now. You still can’t call me? Does it make any sense to you at all that I’m in a country where I don’t know anyone and would be stranded? Does it?”

At this point, I was almost screaming. He got scared I was going to create a scene. He told me, “Can we have this conversation outside? My car is parked just behind there, we could sit in there and talk.” I told him, “I’m not moving an inch. We are having this conversation here and you’ll listen to me. When you think I’m shouting, draw my attention.”

“You blocked me on Facebook. You blocked me on Whatsapp too. Your phone was missing so how were you able to do all that?” Is there anything you are not telling me.”

“I’m telling you the truth but it seems your mind is already made up.”

“My mind is not made up, I only need you to explain yourself.”

He kept going off topic and making flimsy excuses. It was very clear he wasn’t comfortable in my presence. In the video chats we had, he looked a little bit taller but the guy in front of me was shorter than I expected him to be.

“When I entered this premisses, I spotted you with a ring on. Now I’m here and you are not wearing the ring. I know you are married with two kids and I know it’s the reason we are where we are now. Why didn’t you tell me the truth? Why would you do this to me?” 

At this point, tears begin to flow on my left cheek. I had planned not to cry. I was so firm about it but I couldn’t help it at that point. He buried his face in his palms. I think people on the outside of the office were starting to wonder what was happening in there. Every now and then, someone will cast a glance at us and I could feel the tension. 

I told him, “I don’t ever regret coming to Ghana. I have a beautiful home and beautiful people to spend the rest of my days here with…”  Just when I was about to round up, my  mommy guardian walked in. I was keeping long and she was getting concerned. I waved at her and she came in. She asked, “Are you ok…?” “Yeah I’m ok,” I responded. She asked, “Oh so it’s not true that he’s married?” I answered, “He removed his ring.”

She held my hand and said, “Let’s leave here. He’ll be a changed person from now on.” When we sat in the car going back home she asked me, “Are you ok? Are you feeling any better?” Yeah, I’m feeling liberated. He’s not even as tall as I perceived him to be.” We both laughed it off.

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That evening he called me several times. He asked me to give him the chance to make amends. To correct his ill deeds so I don’t leave with hatred in my heart. I told him not to bother but focus on wearing his ring every day to honor the woman he married. 

I blocked his line. Blocked his WhatsApp. Facebook wasn’t unblocked so I couldn’t block him there. I don’t want his calls or messages. 

Life is good and it’s a classical case of goodness sprouting out of evil. I’ve been offered a job at my guardians’ establishment until I’m able to leave for Kenya. They go to exciting places with me. They teach me how to cook Ghanaian dishes. I can cook banku and okro stew with my eyes closed. They introduce me to others as their daughter. I meet new faces every day. Too bad I can’t shake hands or hug people due to the Corona. So many people have been kind to me and they deserve a heart to heart hug. 

—Odoyewu, Ghana 

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