THE VEIL OF DESTINY

CHAPTER SEVEN

*Beyond the Veil of Destiny — Chapter Seven

*

Auntie Oforiwa began measuring tomatoes into a woven basket, her bangles clinking softly.

“So how much are you buying today? Your normal package?” she asked.

“Yes, please, the same package,” Maa Esi replied. “But tell me—has the price increased again?”

Auntie Oforiwa sighed. “Hmm, yes oh. You will now give me fifty cedis instead of thirty. Things are not easy at all.”

“Fifty?” Maa Esi gasped. “Ah, that’s an abnormal price. How can we survive like this? Please, my sister, have mercy on me.”

Auntie Oforiwa looked at her old friend’s tired face and felt pity. “Alright, I’ll do thirty-five for you. That’s my last.”

“God bless you,” Maa Esi said softly. But even as she spoke, her chest tightened. Bargaining used to be fun for her—she would joke, laugh, and pay without worry. Now every coin counted.

As she handed over the money, a dull pain rose in her heart. She remembered a time when life was different—when she and Boakye would walk through the same market with pride. She could almost hear his voice teasing her about over-buying.

---

Flashback

Boakye’s laughter filled the air. “Esi, do you need five baskets of tomatoes for one stew?”

She laughed back. “Ah, maybe I’m buying for the whole town!”

Back then, she wore bright dresses and gold earrings that caught the sunlight. The sellers greeted her with smiles and respect. They had lived in a two-storey house in a quiet estate, their children playing on polished floors.

But that was before the accident. Before the whispers and betrayal.

When Boakye died, everything fell apart like a clay pot. His relatives came, claiming every property—house, car, even her jewelry—saying it belonged to their late son. Maa Esi remembered the day her husband’s brother told her coldly, “A woman’s profit is for her family, but her loss is for her husband.”

She had thought that proverb wise once. Now it felt like poison.

---

She blinked back tears and returned to the present. Auntie Oforiwa was calling her.

“Esi, Esi! What are you thinking about? Don’t let depression arrest you, oh!”

Maa Esi forced a smile. “Nothing, my sister. Just memories.”

“Hmm,” Auntie Oforiwa said kindly. “The good Lord will help you. Just have faith.”

Maa Esi nodded. ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted,’ she whispered from Psalm 34:18, clutching her basket.

“Akwasi, take the things,” she said quietly. “Let’s move on.”

---

The three of them walked again through the brightening market. The noise had grown—traders shouting prices, customers arguing, radios playing old gospel tunes. A smell of grilled tilapia mixed with the scent of ripe plantain.

Akwasi skipped ahead, his earlier sadness forgotten. Jojo walked beside his mother, quiet but thoughtful. He watched her face, noticing the lines of tiredness near her eyes.

“Mummy,” he said suddenly, “one day I’ll build a big house for you. You won’t need to come to this market again.”

Maa Esi looked at him in surprise. “Ei, my son, that’s what Boakye used to say. May your words come to pass.”

Jojo smiled shyly. “Amen.”

They turned a corner, passing a man sitting under a tree with cages and small animals. The sound of chirping birds and playful squeaks filled the air. A baby monkey swung from a rope tied to a wooden post.

Jojo stopped, eyes wide. “Mummy, look! That man is selling monkeys. They’re so cute. If we buy one and take care of it, when it gives birth we can sell the babies and make money.”

Akwasi laughed. “Ah, Jojo, what will you even do with a monkey? It will eat all our food and scatter the house.”

Maa Esi smiled faintly but shook her head. “My son, you know I can’t afford that. I wish I could buy you everything you ask for, but I can’t.”

Jojo’s face fell. “Mummy, I’ve never asked you for anything—not even on my birthday. Please, just this one time.”

Her heart twisted. She wanted to say yes, to see joy on his face. But she had only a few cedis left, and there were still things to buy.

“I’m sorry, my son,” she said quietly. “Not today. But one day, by God’s grace, I’ll surprise you.”

Jojo looked at her, disappointment flickering in his eyes. Then he smiled bravely. “It’s okay, Mummy. I know you would if you could.”

Maa Esi reached out and touched his cheek. “You’re a good boy.”

They continued walking, the noise of the market growing louder behind them.

---

Maa Esi’s Reflection

As they walked, she thought about her two sons. Each so different—Akwasi full of questions and laughter; Jojo quiet but proud. They reminded her of Boakye in different ways.

She whispered a prayer: “Lord, help me raise them well. Don’t let them grow with anger in their hearts. Give them a future brighter than mine.”

The boys walked ahead now, arguing softly again. She smiled faintly, shaking her head.

Sometimes she wondered if Boakye could see them from heaven. Maybe he was laughing at their quarrels, just as he used to.

The clouds above were breaking apart, letting in streaks of golden light. The world looked momentarily hopeful.

---

They stopped near another stall where a young woman was selling fruits. Maa Esi began to pick some oranges while Akwasi inspected mangoes. Jojo’s gaze, however, wandered back toward the man with the monkeys. The animals were climbing and chattering. One of them reached out as if waving at him.

Jojo’s heart stirred. He thought of what his mother had said—“One day, I’ll surprise you.” But what if he could surprise her first? If he bought the monkey himself one day and made money from it? He smiled at the thought.

He lingered for a moment longer, then turned to call his mother—but she was already moving on with Akwasi, lost in the crowd.

“Just a quick look,” he told himself, and walked back toward the man under the tree.

---

At the Pet Seller’s Stall

“Good morning, Papa,” Jojo greeted politely. “Please, how much is the monkey?”

The man looked down at him with kind eyes. “Good morning, young master. Why do you want to know?”

“I’ll buy it in the future,” Jojo said seriously. “I’ll work hard and save. When I get money, I’ll come.”

The man smiled. “That’s good. Learn hard, my son. God will bless the work of your hands.”

Jojo grinned proudly. “Thank you, Papa.”

He turned, ready to show the monkey to his family—but the lane behind him was suddenly empty. The crowd had thickened. He couldn’t see Maa Esi or Akwasi anywhere.