We met not too long ago. It was love at first sight but she said she didn’t believe in love at first sight; “Love takes time. Most often, love at first sight, is infatuation. If you really love me like you say you do, you’ll take your time for us to know each other.” So I took my time with her for us to build a friendship first. She made things easier for both of us. She will wake up in the morning, send me a message, and ask how my day will be like. In the afternoon she will call to ask how my day was going. In the evening after work, we’ll meet at someplace, talk for a while and later go our separate ways.

Everything she did was a sign. She loved me too but needed some time to decide. I was patient. I didn’t rush things. I was waiting for her to accept my proposal so we could move into grace. She said, “Wednesday is my birthday. What are you going to do for me?” I responded, “Why are you now telling me? It’s Monday today. How can we plan it?” She said, “Don’t worry. I’m not expecting anything grand. Just something little from you will go a long way to make me happy. 

On her birthday, I sent her a message, wishing her the best in life. I asked her, “Where would you like to go? Name a place and time and I will meet you there.” We met in the evening. I asked, “It’s been two months since my proposal. Haven’t you thought about it long enough to give me an answer?” She said, “I’ve thought about it. I’m still thinking about it. I’m closer to an answer so just give me a few moments in time, I will come through with an answer.”

I must admit that I was pushy that day. I wanted an answer by all means. I thought she liked me but was finding it difficult to tell me. I said, “You keep pushing me aside while I’m here waiting to come into your life. Two months is enough for anyone to make a decision. Tell me something today because I can’t wait to hear those words.” She said no. She said it was her birthday and didn’t want anything to take the shine off her birthday. She said, “The answer could come tomorrow or even before tomorrow. Where’s your faith, young man?”

I kept quiet. She started ordering hard drinks. She told me she was an occasional drinker but I didn’t think she could drink such hard liquors. A glass after another, she drunk everything that was served. I looked at her posture. It was clear everything was wrong. Her words were all over the place. She started talking plenty. I asked, “Is everything alright?” She said, “Why do you ask? You think I’m drunk? I haven’t drunk anything yet. I can take more and still maintain my grounds.”

It got me wondering; “When will drunk people accept that they are drunk?” She got up from her seat just to prove that she wasn’t drunk. She lost her balance and fell flat on our table causing everyone at the place to look our way. I said, “Francisca, are you okay?” She said, “I’m fine. I tripped on something.” I said, “Let’s go home. It’s late.” She didn’t want to leave. “The band hasn’t started playing yet so why should we go home?” She asked me. I answered, “Please look at your dress. You’re stained. Let’s leave.” 

I held her hand and started pulling her away. She resisted. I insisted. She said, “Where are you taking me to? I said, “Home.” She said, “You can’t take me home. I want to go home.” I said, “Yeah, that’s exactly where I’m taking you.” She asked, “Where’s home? Your home or my home?” I said, “Your home of course.” I called an Uber and by the time the driver got to where we were, she was already dozing off on my shoulder. I slowly walked her to the car and she sat down. The driver asked, “Where are you going?” I asked, “Franka, “Where are we going?” She didn’t talk. I looked at her and she was asleep.

I didn’t know her house so I told the driver to go my way. Not too long afterward, we were home. She couldn’t open her eyes so I had to carry her inside and help her settle. When we got home, she opened her eyes and asked, “Where are we?” I said home. She asked, “Why didn’t you take me home?” I said, “You were asleep. I couldn’t identify your place so I decided to bring you here instead. Before I could say the last word, she slept again.

My room is a single room with a makeshift hall right in front of the bed. I helped her into the bed and sat in the chair in front of the bed watching TV until I also fell asleep. I woke up before she did. I didn’t wake her up until she herself woke up. Immediately she saw my face she panicked. She asked, “What happened?” I laughed. I said, “You were so drunk you couldn’t find your way home so I brought you here.” She looked around the house. She asked, “Who else is here? I said, “I live here alone. He was quiet for a while and then asked, “What happened last night?” 

“You fell asleep before the taxi came. When I asked where your house was, you didn’t talk so I asked the taxi to bring us here.”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean when you brought me here, what happened?” 

“I put you to bed and I sat here on the sofa watching TV.”

“I feel like I’ve been touched.”

“The only touch was when I was bringing you in. If that’s what you’re talking about then you’re right. I touched you.”

“No. You know what I mean. Stop playing games.”

“You mean I did something to you?”

“Yes. It’s easy to see. I can feel it.”

I swore nothing happened. I narrated everything that happened in the night. I said, “I left you alone immediately you fell in the bed. I didn’t even come close.” She got up, picked her shoes, and started leaving. She said, “I don’t believe you. You did something to me.” She left feeling confused and disturbed. I thought if she gets home and inspect herself very well, she’ll know that nothing happened. I called in the afternoon and she didn’t pick. In the evening she called, “Do you know I can cause your arrest? You took advantage of me. You did it without my consent and you know what that means.” 

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Now I was getting angry; “How can you push such offense on me? I said I didn’t touch you. Don’t you see it? Don’t you feel it? I didn’t do it.” She said, “I’m going to the hospital for a checkup. If you did it, trust me, I will make a police case out of it and cause your arrest.” I was as confused as she was. In the evening she called again, “I did it. The test proves that I’d been touched. I was with you in the night so who else might have done it if not you?”

I said, “Where’s the result that says you were touched?

It’s been over two weeks but this girl hadn’t shown me any report. She calls me in the morning and verbally abuses me. One day a gentleman called telling me that he was calling from the police station. He said, “She has brought a case against you. If you don’t find a way to settle it amicably, this can send you to jail. I’m talking to you like a brother. Settle it with her before I come after you.” I called Franka, “How do we settle this?” She said, “I need GHC5000 and an unconditional written apology from you, else I will make it worse.” 

I told her, “Make it worse. I’m waiting for you.”

The whole thing has shaken my foundation. I didn’t do anything but then again, it’s Ghana we dey. If a woman makes a case of such nature against you, it’s hard to fight it. By the time you prove your innocence, you might have been through hell. I want to know, “Is it possible for a woman not to know if she had been exploited? Or it’s because of the alcohol? or she’s just blackmailing me for an amount I don’t even have in my account?

–Foster

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