Retired Nurse Nancy Tot sat under the pear tree in front of the three-bedroom estate house she shared with her husband.  Their two grown-up children had long left home to live their own lives; so it was just the two of them living in that comfortable house, and so when she found that lady in front of the house,  she wasn’t hesitant in taking her into her home. She had looked closely at her and had seen that it was indeed nurse Judith.  Judith had once saved her career when she prompted her when she was about to dispense the wrong drug to a patient, a minister’s son when she was doing her clinical at Effia Nkwanta Hospital.

Since that day, Nancy Tot, feeling extremely grateful, had taken young Judith under her wings, helping her in any way she could including giving her both cash and material things. So finding Judith at her doorstep had stirred up old memories.

She had called her husband, a Doctor, home to examine the still unconscious Judith.

“She’ll be fine but we need to send her to the hospital, ” Dr Tot had said.

“I’m a nurse, you are a doctor, so let’s keep her here, please,” she had pleaded.

And so from that day, she had taken care of Judith.

Judith suddenly gained consciousness, finding herself in a strange bed. She got up feeling unsteady on her feet. She walked slowly out of the room and hearing the electronic sound of a TV, went in that direction and found herself in the sitting room..and Nancy feeling a movement behind her, turned around and saw her.

“Judith!.. you are up”

“Nancy T?”

“Yes, that’s me. Come and sit down, you are still weak.”

“This is your home?”

“Yeah, I found you lying at my doorstep. You are pregnant, you know?”

“I think so. I must call my husband immediately,” Judith said.

“Don’t worry, let my husband come and check you up, then we’ll call your husband here.”

“Please, let’s call my husband. He must be sick with worry,” she pleaded “I was in an accident and my husband should know that I’m still alive.”

Kweku Hima, on the other hand, was dejected and broken. He had not been able to find his wife.

“Ohh Judith,  where are you? O God, our great father, please help me. The only holy spirit in the whole wide world, please help me find my loving wife, Judith.  This is your son speaking, your humble son, the son whom you raised from being a driver to become an Operations Manager, o Lord. I need you o Lord. .in Jesus name I pray, amen.”

He rested his head against the back of the sofa and was almost dosing off when he had a call from an unknown number.  He reluctantly picked up.

“Hello”

“Koo dear, “

“Judith!” he screamed her name, fully awake now.

“Yes, dearest.”

“O God,  where have you been, my love?”

“O Koo,” she said and started weeping.

She then gave him the directions to Nancy’s home and hung up to wait for him.

Koo arrived in no time and it was an emotional reunion.  They embraced tightly while Nancy stood behind them, shedding tears of joy.

“I think you guys need to sit down and preserve your energies for later,” she said and left for the kitchen.

She was out of the kitchen in about five minutes to serve them with some of her special sobolo.

As for Appiah Kubi,  his woes were not over. His wife Joanna had been pleading and pleading but he wasn’t moved by it. His love for her seemed to have gone away completely and he was even contemplating moving out because he now found her repulsive from the way she had been treating him and not even her vows to stop using football scores to regulate their sex life could sway him.

They were still at it when Koo called him with the good news of his wife being found safe and sound.

“Koo,” Judith said, “This woman is an angel, she took care of me when I was doing my Clinicals and now she has saved my life.”

“Don’t mind her my dear, she is that Angel.  She saved me from making a tragic mistake,” Nancy rebuffed.

They were still arguing about it when Dr Tot, Nancy’s husband got home and jumped into the argument uninvited.

“You are up at last. I understand you saved Nancy here from dispensing the wrong medication. That makes you our daughter then.”

Finally, after a lot of laughter,  and tears, Koo and his wife were able to take their leave.

After Judith’s happy reunion with her doting husband,  the conspirators were arranged before Court and after a short trial, were given their jail sentences.

Congo, Alex,  Koti Poison and Soja were jailed for fifteen years each with hard labour. As for Hassana and Mr Musah, they were each jailed for 5 years.

***

Three months later.

It was a nice breezy Friday morning and Kweku Hima was relaxing at home, sipping fruit juice and listening to the news, looking forward to some quality time with his pregnant wife; since there was no work for him because it was a public holiday, he was relishing a long weekend with his wife when a call from his boss changed everything.

“Kweku, I want you to represent me at a function being held at the Atlantic Hotel this evening. I need to go to Accra and can’t be there.”

“But Carlos!”

“I know it’s short notice but please do it for me.”

“Ok boss.”

“Thanks. Please be there at 5:00 p.m. The event is taking place at Ballroom No 1.”

“Ok.. will be there at 5:00 p.m. sharp.

“Who was that?” Judith said from behind him, her phone glued to her ears.

“Carlos,  he wants me to represent him at Atlantic.”

Koo was pissed at the sudden change of plans, and his wife seemed to be spending forever on the phone.

So, on a day that he had envisioned having some T. L. C, (Tender Loving Care), his adorable wife seemed to have abandoned him and was perpetually on the phone.

 She stepped into view again, still on the phone.

“Ok. All set? Please call me if you encounter any hitches.” she said and ended the call.

He also had a call. .from IGP

“Hello”

“Koo, wosop?”

“Cool o, would you be home in the evening?”

“No. I’ll rep Carlos at some damn function.”

“Ok, cool… enjoy, ” IGP said and signed off.

Koo bored now, went into the kitchen to find his wife still talking on the phone

“Ok then, pick me up by 3:30 p.m,” she said.

“Who are you talking to?” he asked, not hiding his displeasure.

“Adiza, she’s picking me up to the salon.”

He looked at her quizzically.  Adiza and his wife seemed to have become very close of late.

“Eei, you and Adiza. I dey fear you sef.”

“Aww, don’t be like that now. She’s a good person.”

“I know. Just be careful.”

Soon she was on the phone again and Koo had no option than to settle for TV. It seemed to him that the whole world had conspired to separate them that evening.

In no time it was 3:00 p.m and Adiza arrived to drive Judith away.

Having nothing to do, he had his bath and on entering the bedroom,  saw a package on the bed with ‘wear this for the Carlos event’ boldly written on it. He wore it and left the house.

He drove leisurely, as he had left home too early. He descended the Windy Ridge hill, went around Market Circle, though he had no reason to pass there, made a U-turn at Mankessim White House, went through Sikafo Ambantem No 1and listening to Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic on the radio, cruised through the Methodist Church end of Siakafo Ambantem No 2 and after greeting a policeman friend at the central police station, went up the hill through Sikafo Ambantem No 3 and went on through the Harbour View road to the plush Atlantic Hotel, a paradise away from home.

 He walked majestically to the receptionist and said

“Good evening ma’am,  I am Kweku Hima, may I please know where Ballroom No 1 is?”

She dialled a number and whispered something and in less than a minute, a cute lady in the hotel’s staff uniform appeared to lead him to Ballroom no 1 which happened to be a very large room that could easily accommodate a hundred guests. She flicked a switch and a large neon light went on with the inscription’ HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY, MR & MRS HIMA’ appearing at the top of a dark red velvet curtain. He was staring open-mouthed when the curtain parted to reveal almost all his friends and Judith his wife. Adiza, Carlos his boss, Appiah Kubi who had a beautiful sexy lady by his side, Dr and Mrs Tot and all members of staff of Marine Energy. Even some friends from 3 Brothers Company were there including the ever happy Abolo and his new wife.

Judith went to him first,  kissed him deeply and they all went to congratulate them.

The party started in earnest and sometime later, Judith took the stage with a heart-warming message to her dear husband.

“My husband, you are the most caring man I have ever met. One year ago, we tied the knots and it has been the most memorable year of my life. I love you Kweku Hima, my beloved husband and will be with you forever.”

” I love you too my beautiful wife, Judith,” he said when he inched closer to her.

Then, the guests started shouting.

 “kiss kiss kiss kiss”

And they kissed and the guests cheered.

There were messages by Carlos, Adiza and Appiah Kubi, and even Abolo and Fii his former mates chipped in something. There was merriment all around. There were drinks and food in abundance, more than enough for those present.

Even after the couple and most of the guests had left, the party still raged on.

“Abolo, let’s leave,” Fii said when he realized Abolo was very drunk.

M’abow dɛ kɔtɔ,” Abolo said, almost in a whisper.

M’abow dɛ kɔtɔ ne yer,” his wife concurred.

“Huh?” Fii asked.

“I mean I booze like a crab”

“I also booze like Mrs crab.”

 THE END