THE EXETA

CHAPTER FOUR

It was evening, and things were getting clumsier for Margaret as she entered the pub that had the same name as the one on the text message she had received from Zade. The pub was not like the normal pub you will. This one had the tugged resistivity of mayhem and an aura of excitement and elation. The place reminded her of her past occupation before she got the job with the Frimpong Manso’s. There was rather strange a thing about the pub. It was empty—at least there were drinking some men and the music playing in the background was soporific. Not the kind of music you play in a pub. Margaret’ thought. Margaret’s was in the pub already still unsure of the choice she had made. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced she was walking into a trap – the trap of the unknown. She got to the bartender and mentioned the name that she had received. Arnold Forson. Another irony. Zade was also called Arnold Forson. What kind of person is this? Margaret’s thought. But the name did not seem strange to the bartender as she told Margaret’s to have a sit as she fetched the man she had come to see for her.

            Margaret moved on mildly and took a seat. The pub was rectangular with a normal internal coating. It’s designed was more tradition than western with a lot of traditional Ghanaian symbols -- adinkra adorning the walls. There were 7 oval shaped tables that sat in the middle of four chairs that flanked each oval table. Three of the tables were occupied and the others empty. At the far end four men who sat had all turned their heads to the direction of Margaret’s as they saw her enter. She did not seem like some who was a p********e as they had thought she was initially. To them she was someone who had lacked company had had come to the bar for company. The men kept ono talking among themselves – devising ways of coaxing Margaret for her to join them. As they talked they kept on looking at her direction. Margaret’s was also stiff and did well not to look at them at all. It was all her fault. She thought. How could she just accept the condition of someone she totally had no idea about. Still in the mountain of her thoughts, a young boy came to the bartender and the bartender – a woman directed him to take Margaret. The boy moved to Margaret’s the she followed him.

            It would have been very had to think that a place like the pub would have inner rooms. As Margaret followed the young boy, she did not keep her eyes of the different turns and the haphazard nature of the arcade they were traversing. The boy moved on, as they got to a door. He then unlocked it and stood by the side gesticulating with his hand that Margaret enter. Margaret was taken aback a little. That was not what she was expecting. Margaret to wanting the boy to see she was petrified entered the room. Surprisingly, the boy did not close the door and he left without saying a word. Margaret’s moved inside. The room was not like the pub. The room was well clean and looked more like an executive office. It had an official table and the chair and other office paraphernalia. Someone, stood at the window, with his back facing Margaret’s. It all then clear that this had been the man who had made Margaret make very daunting decision the past few weeks. She could not wait to find out who the man was. Margaret, moved in, still petrified. The office was still quiet. That was not what Margaret had come in for, so she mustered the last valour in her and spoke,

            “Who are you? Are you Zade or Arnold. And how did you get my contact? Margaret inquired still transfixed and curious to get answers for all her questions. There was silence. The man did not turn. Margaret’s still stood awaiting an answer.

            “Thank you for coming once again Naki…” The man replied coarsely. “I knew you would come, and today, you will finally get all the answers you require. Margaret was still not moved by that. Then man then turned back to face Margaret. It all then clocked. It all made sense now. She recognized him. They knew each other. They had loved each other. They had shared a lot of things together. Both the good times and the bad times. He was not a total stranger to her at all. He was the long lost and dead love she had to forget. But now he was standing right in front of him again. It all looked like a dream and mirage conflated together. She could not help to fathom what she was seeing. But he was real. He was neither a dream nor a mirage. It was him. He was Anoi. Who had been thought to be dead for three years. Now surprisingly he stood in front of her beloved and partner tin crime. Margaret was frozen and stunned. She had to keep mute for a second. Margaret waited for minutes to elapse for the reality of the situation to dawn on her.

            “I know you have a lot more questions, and that is why I reached out to you. You have no idea how am happy to see you again.” Anoi said moving closer to Naki.

            “You…Anoi…you are the Zade. How are you alive?” Margaret inquired still stunned as tears started to form on her face.

            “A lot happened, and I will tell you all. But first you do not need to be afraid. It’s me Naki…it’s me Anoi.” Arnold replied and moved on closer to Margaret. They then embraced each other. Naki was welled up with so much joy and emotion that the only prudent thing to do what was shed tears of joy. They hugged each other for long after they retreated, and Margaret finally took a seat in front of Anoi. The room was quiet.

            “So, tell me, what happened to you. Do you own this pub?” Margaret’ asked.

            “No…it’s for a friend. We both use for important, meetings like this one.” Anoi replied.

            “I see. So Zade, Arnold Forson what is the difference, what happened to you after I saw you jump into the sea? How did you survive? Margaret inquired more sentimental.

            “After I jumped into the sea, the next thing I could remember was that I was on a stretcher being pulled to the I.C.U for an operation to remove the bullet that were in my body. I could not see clearly. I was unconscious. To me I thought it was the police that had rescued me and were trying to get me to live so that I will be thrown into jail. But after the operation and I had regain a little consciousness I asked the doctor. A female doctor and she replied a man who called himself THE FACTOR was the one the saved me. And he had been the one who had paid the medical bills and he also rescued me from the sea.” Anoi narrated. Margaret was taciturn listening attentively

            “And this man…do you know him?” Margaret inquired. Anoi upon hearing that looked on and shrugged.

            “No…I have never met him. I never got the chance to meet him. He told me seeing his face was not necessary, but he had a lot installed for me. After I was fully fit, we started communicating via a cell phone. He told me about how he was fishing on the sea and found me almost dead and rescued me. As part of the plans he had for me, I travelled to a place called Fonkera – Northern Egypt. There I was enrolled into a school a school that trained men to kill – an assassin school. I was trained as an assassin for three years after I graduated I was given the new name Zade - the ally of death.” All this while I was the only person I could contact was The Factor and no one else. I never forgot about you. You were always with me the whole time. I purposed in my heart that as soon as I came back you were the first person I would reach out to. And that is what I just did.” Anoi narrated.

            Margaret was remorseful for him. A lot had happed to him and she had no idea of all that had happened to him. “Am glad that you are alive. You have gone through lot, from all that you had said. But am still concerned with the kind of person you have become, Zade is an assassin and I am scared that.”

            “I know, but that was the Factors doing. You do not need to worry about me. Am still Anoi and nothing has changed.” Anoi replied.

            “And Arnold…Arnold Forson who is he also?”

            “Arnold is the new personality or identity I have taken. Just like you Margaret Ansong. I guess that makes the two of us” Anoi replied. Margaret was surprised he knew about her also.

            “Don’t worry I have been looking for you for long time. I had to do a profound search for you, and that is how I got to find out that you are now called Margaret.” Anoi replied.

            Margaret sighed, a mountain of flood begun to flood her eyes. “So, does it mean we can be together again, after all these years? You reached out to me. You still love me…?”

            Anoi paced his head up a little with that question from Margaret. That was a lot he could not tell her. He knew that if he did he would be giving away too much. Anoi then stood to his feet and moved towards the window. It seemed he was now free and looked happy, but he was not relay happy. Margaret had noticed that

            “After your presumed death, I expended some of the money we got form the last robbery and travelled to Nigeria, Abuja and lived there for a year as a trader and student attending a literacy course by night – as part-time. Life was good though the main aim was to hide myself from the aftermath of our robbery operation and also to improve my english. After the one year was over I came to a change of government after all the old robbery cases had been revoked. I was now a free woman again. I also took on the new identity as Margaret Ansong and took a work at a bar. It was all doing well as I did not encounter any person who seemed to know my past. One day my boss came in with the news that a rich family needed a maid – someone fluent in With English. Since I was good at English at that time, I opted for it and that is where I am currently. But I also never stopped thinking about you. After you sacrificed your life to save me, your memory had always been with me. I was sure we would meet again somewhere on the other side. But here we are.” Margaret rose up and started moving towards Anoi.

            “That nature or God was preparing something better for us. Nature was giving us a second change to be together again. And what a better thing in life that to love and be loved.” Margaret said sentimentally, and she moved to Anoi a hugged him again from the back. Anoi loved her company. He still loved her but there was something that transcended love for him now. Anoi also turned and considered the eyes of the women that had made him believe the most stone-cold heart of a man is still capable of love.

            “Nothing will give me boundless joy than to be together with you again. But there is only one thing that hinders me now,” Anoi said worried.

            “And what can that be?” Margaret inquired more curious. Anoi moved away a little from her grip and replied.

            “The Factor, I owe him my life. He had given me the second chance at life and I also must repay him for that. There is something I need to be obtained for him, and that is the only way I will finally be free from him. With that settled, we can then be together again and go where we will ever like to go.” Anio replied. Margaret looked on surprised by the quandary of Anoi. This was too simple to handle? Margaret thought.

            “And what can that be…. what is this about the Factor? What does he have on you?” Margaret inquired.

            “I need to obtain an ancient African relic for him. And time is fleeting. And that is the only way I can be free from him and we can be together again.” Anoi narrated.

            Margaret looked on surprised and said, “then what are you waiting for, find it for him and just be free.”

            Anoi replied that it was not all that simple. He continued that, the Factor took so much pride in that relic, and that it was also believed that the relic was in the house in which Margaret currently worked. Meaning, Margaret had to help Anoi to find this relic if she really wanted them to be together again. Anoi continued to narrate about all the evil about rich people like the Frimpong Manso and Margaret did not like and agree with what Anoi had narrated. She felt Anoi had reached out to her not because he wanted them to be together again but rather to coax her to obtain the relic - thus to be a spy in the Frimpong Manso house. Margaret’s felt humiliated and livid. He just wanted to use me. He did not really love me. Margaret thought. Not waiting for any further talks from the man she thought was the same Anoi. But through their conversation had just proven that he was someone else, Margaret quickly stormed out of the pub, livid.

-------

The Morrison house stood some few meters from the Frimpong Manso House. It was located at the estate of the Southern industrial area of North Kaneshie. The building stood as a nicely adorned edifice with nice lawns and walkways. Lawn separated the path ways to the beautiful garden that had the little shrubs of plants and trees. A young woman was busy that morning cutting the leaves. Apparently, to brighten the aura of the house. She kept on cutting the tree as she sang her favourite melody.

            Suddenly someone started bellowing, “Cassiee…Cassiee.” The voice that was producing the sound emerged from the living room and moved towards the direction of Cassie the women shaping the leaves of the trees. She then moved on and took a stand at the barrier between the walkways and the lawn. Cassie raised her head to look at her. She was beautiful, a half-caste with fair and supple skin that had grown lighter and porous. She was sixteen and in high school just like young Simon and was the daughter of Mr. Morrison.

            “Marlon…you are up early” Cassie met her with an ecstatic reply. Marlon was not relay bothered by that.

            “Where is my Dad…did he say where he was going?” Marlon inquired more tensed. Cassie looked on and smiled like everything was okay and that she needed not to worry.

            “Your father will be back soon. He did not say where he was going though, but he does a lot of things.” Cassie replied her.

            “…I see…the flowers have grown beautiful, since the last time I was here.” Marlon replied and plucked a sample flower and admired it.

            Marlon Morrison was a half-caste if you like to call her that way. She was half Ghanaian and half South African. After she was born here in Ghana she had spent all her like in Johannesburg, South African but came to his birth home on some sporadic intervals. 

            “You do remember the last time you were here…you were very little.” Cassie added. Marlon was now exuding smiles.

            “Yes, I was. I was eleven and was in grade seven. That was my second time. I had come to Ghana when I was four and for that you were not here by that time.” Marlon replied.

            “I see, you have grown well and more beautiful, Minenhle, do you still use that name?

            “No….it been a long time since I used it. But Auntie calls that sometimes.”

            “So tell me about life in South Africa…how is it like?” Cassie inquired still shaping the flowers.

            “It more like normal African life. Nothing special. I live with my aunt and her son. My aunt Cynthia works a lot so most of the time we are left with house keeper Adina and Aaron my auntie’s son. Aron’s father works in the office of the President, so he hardly stays in the country. Currently am in grade eleven of high school and we are on the long vacation. And my Dad thought that it will be a great idea to visit Ghana again. And he promised he had a surprise for me. So, I agreed to spend the vacation here.” Marlon narrated.

            “I see, that sound like a great family you have there. You are in Joberg as they called it, right?”

            “Yes, we are in Johannesburg with my Aunties and her son….any questions again?” Marlon inquired. Cassie was almost done, and she finally ended the shaping with one last stroke and she led Marlon into the dining room. Marlon also followed her to the living room that housed the dining room.

The living room was a moderate room that was great in decoration. Terracotta arts spluttered on the walls. Marlon moved into the sofa and switched the TV on. Cassie quickly moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Marlon. Cassie had been a good friend of Mathai’s. They had worked together in the past. As Cassie got married and started to give birth to her current three children her husband’s job had suddenly gotten poor. Her work place found her incapable of work, so she had to find another means of supporting herself, her children and her husband. She had narrated the plight to Mr. Morison, who in the end had agreed for her to be a house keeper since he travel a lot and would like to entrust the safety of his house in the hands of some on he trusted. Cassie came in handy having been working in the Morrison house for the past two years. She had grown fond of Marlon the second time she visited Ghana and that had been the inception of a great friendship between them.

            Marlon was still in the sofa when Cassie carried the prepared breakfast to the dining table.

            “Is there anything fun on Ghanaian TV?” Marlon bellowed. Cassie shrugged as she was still busy setting up the table for her breakfast.

            “I do not really know. I am not a fun of the television, but you can try all the other channels.” Cassie replied gingerly. Marlon then took the remote control and switched through the various channels. Still there was no program that caught her attention. She then finally turned off the TV and moved to the dining table.

            “So what are we having for breakfast?” Marlon inquired as she had already open up the plates.

            “Cereals with flavoured milk and some fruits…you offed the TV.” Cassie replied.

            “Yes…no station was showing anything interesting. Oats and milks my favorite.” Marlon muttered and took the milk and the sugar and started helping herself. Cassie looked on fascinated. There was a lot she seemed fond of with Marlon. Marlon was already enjoying her meal as Cassie sat looking at her eat.

            “Are you not going to eat…?” Marlon asked Cassie. Cassie shrugged her heard,

            “No…I will eat later. I prepared this specially for you.”

            Marlon was surprised to hear that and kept on eating. As she continued to eat there came in a buzzing from a device. Marlon then reached out to her side pocket and took out an iPhone – her cell phone apparently. She checked the message on it and immediately her face was full of excitement. She then typed on the screen to reply a message. Cassie was still watching her.

            “I can see you will be missing your friends back home.” Cassie commented. Marlon continued eating now a bit elated.

            “Yes…we are supposed to work on this science project for the vacation and my friends are coming up with these wired topics.”

            “I see…then I guess you will be doing more conversation of your phone.”

            “Yes…but it gets boring.”

            “Don’t worry…you are in Ghana now…things will get very exciting soon.” Cassie smiled,

“Yilokho uBaba wami angitshele khona.” Marlon replied still smiling. Cassie looked on confused.

            “And what does that mean?”

            “It means – “that is what my Dad have been telling me”. It’s Zulu – native South African language. 

 “Okay.” With that, Cassie shrugged, stood up and left Marlon alone to eat, while she continued replying her friend’s messages.

-------

Before she became Theresa Frimpong Manso, she was Theresa Agyemang Prempeh born to a Presbyterian Moderator and a Women’s fellowship leader. Though the parent of Theresa’s were into church were also hard-working farmers in their community. The believe that they could only support the work of God if they worked hard. Theresa had only one sister -- Monica who was unlike Theresa like to talk a lot. Theresa was the quiet, natural beautiful and obedient one that always dreamt of become a doctor from a little age. As she parents saw her passion for medicine and her determination to really become one, they did all their best to give her all she needed was thro ugh Medical Senior High school to Medical school. After graduating from the University of Ghana Medical school she had the chance to do a one-year internship there something she did not really like. She wanted to intern back home in the Asante region where she was born so she could be with her family. But that did not happen for her. With nothing left to do, she accepted her fate. As time went on, he parent had visited her telling her time of marriage was due. Theresa was surprised to hear that, though she had not completely forgotten about that. She kept on replying to her parents that Gods time is the best and continued her works as if nothing was at stake. Then one miraculous day she meat Clarence and everything changed.

It was evening and the Frimpong Manso house and dinner was underway. They had. almost finished eating so, they could have a family talk as they usually.

            “Today we wrote our final exams Mom.” Lily said.

            “And we also vacated today, Dad…” Simon interjected and teased Lily. Lily gave Simon the look that said that she did not like what her brother had just done. Both Clarence and Theresa nodded their heads.

            “I see, so I should be expecting a first place from your terminal report when school reopens Lily?” Theresa inquired.

            Lily was now solemn upon hearing that, “Yes mom…this term was the easiest am sure am toping the class again.” Simon gestured as he did not really believe that.

            “And you Simon…should I expect the same?” Theresa asked his son. Simon looked a little tensed as the gravity for the question dawned on him. He did not know what her mother should expect.

            “Well Mom, I hope so…this term had been very tight. Especially when you are in class with guys like Kankam and Oduro…?” Simon replied bleak.

            “And who are these boys anyway?” Clarence shipped in. Simon then looked at his father face. Lily was now the elated one teasing Simon.

            “They were the most intelligent in the school according to the teachers…but I doubt that.” Simon replied.

            “And why is that?” Theresa inquired. Simon looked on and replied, “I will beat them for the National Science and Math’s Quiz…and not giving them a space this time though we are very good friends.” Simon bellowed with great confidence. Clarence was astounded and bellowed,

            That’s my boy! give me a high five.” Clarence stretched his hands to his son and the high fived each other. It was all joy for them.

            “I see Simon you are supposed to represent you school for the competition. That’s great. Am happy for you.” Theresa complemented his son. Simon smiled back to her mother and replied, “Thanks mom…I will not disappoint you all…and you too Lily.”

            Lily shrugged on hearing that, “I do not need your promise Simon, but it will be nice to tell people that guy that on TV is my brother…so just beat them.”

            “Sure I will.” Simon replied smiling.       

            “So what on this vacation for you Lily…?” Theresa inquired.

            “Vacation classes mom…did you even have ask that?” Lily replied more coyly.

            “And you Simon…?” Simon upon hearing paced his head up a little to the skies and ruminated.

            “I have not decided on anything yet. I will soon.” Simon replied.

            “Okay…that’s cool.” Clarence replied.  Still in conversation, the plans for the vacation gave way for other matters to be discussed by the family.