Incompatible…

AARON ANSAH-AGYEMAN

INCOMPATIBLE

A ChrisEffe Thriller

CHAPTER 7

Chris…always in one sort of trouble or the other!

Effe had tried not to get too involved with the court case, and it was her father who had insisted on her joining him in the courtroom. It always hurt her so much to see their parents involved in such a wrangle for the control of that plot of land.

She knew Chris’ father had bought the land fairly, and she knew her parents didn’t want Chris and his father near them for a reason she did not understand, but once her parents had decided to pay for the plot of land, even double the amount, she felt strongly that the least sacrifice Chris could have done for their love was to convince his father to take the offer.

It would have brought respite and some modicum of peace to both families, and given their love a chance.

Things had been quite hectic for some time now between Chris and her. They had tried not to get affected by the unfortunate incidents going on around them but to no avail.

She was aware that they were changing; the love they had for each other from the beginning had changed. She really didn’t love him as much as she used to, mainly because of his unreasonable and demeaning jealousies, wanting to have her all to himself and not willing to allow her to see other men, or go out with them.

Effe liked going out and spending time with friends.

The trouble was that Chris was virtually an introvert, wanting to be with her all the time, and this just constricted Effe and made her feel cooped in and owned. It made her breathless and seriously troubled. His claustrophobic pressure on her was beginning to make her crack, and she lived in fear that if things didn’t change for the better soon, the unfortunate split might just happen and one of them would definitely break.

She got to the police station, parked at the carpark, and went inside.

She approached the counter and told them she wanted to see Chris Bawa.

There were a lot of people milling around, and it was quite hectic. They told her Chris was not allowed to see anyone, and that he could not be bailed out too. As she was begging a sergeant to let her speak to Chris for just a minute, Effe saw two people coming out of an office at the far end of the counter.

They were Chris’ grandmother, Auntie Stella, and Chris’ stepfather, Ato McBaiden. They were impeccably-dressed although Ato had a huge dressing on his nose and slight contusions on his face. Effe wondered what had happened to him. They had been informed by a family member of the Yeboah’s that Chris had gone berserk at the family meeting and beat up his mother. Effe knew what a fiery temper Chris could have, but she had not believed the man she loved would hit his own mother. Chris was disciplined, and the last thing he would do was strike a woman…and so Effe wondered if, perhaps, it was Ato McBaiden rather whom Chris had assaulted.

Chief Inspector Danso Cuger followed them, and they were speaking quite animatedly.

Almost at the same time, Chris’ father came in by the main entrance of the police station in the company of his lawyer. He was obviously very agitated as he crossed towards the counter.

“Daddy!” Effe said and hugged Brand Bawa gently.

“Effe, my beautiful daughter,” Brand said with a forced smile. “Is everything alright? What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I came to see Chris and check out how he’s faring, but they’re saying I can’t see him,” Effe said.

“They’ll say that, wouldn’t they?” Brand Bawa said sadly.

Chris’ grandmother, Ato McBaiden and Inspector Cuger had reached them now.

“You hypocrite!” said Maame Stella as she planted herself squarely in front of Brand Bawa. “You’ve always been happy to see your son going wayward, and you never bothered to reign in that brat, that mad twerp! Now you see where it has landed him!”

“Let’s go, Asew!” McBaiden said disdainfully. “No need to waste your time with this wretch! I’m sure he came to see that bastard son of his! We have laws in this country, man, and your son will face the full rigours of the law!”

“You better leave, sir,” Inspector Cuger said with a cold face as his eyes bored into Brand Bawa. “No one will be allowed to see Chris today. He’s still being questioned.”

“I’m not here to see Chris, please,” Brand said, looking at the policeman with a livid face. “I’m here to lodge a complaint. I was attacked by Mrs. Lois Yeboah-McBaiden, my ex-wife, on Saturday. I couldn’t report it because I had to go to the hospital. I have the hospital report with me now, and I’ll like to report her for assault.”

There was a sudden electric silence.

Effe almost laughed as she watched the stunned expressions on the faces of the policeman and the other two. Suddenly, Esther Yeboah thrust her face against Brand Bawa, her face filled with uncontrollable fury.

“I knew it! Heeeeey! I knew it!” she cried disdainfully. “A bastard you are and always will be, Brand Bawa! Today you would make a report against your own wife, you wretch of a man?”

“Yes,” Brand said with steel in his voice. “If she can make the police arrest her own son, then, of course, I can also let the police arrest her! And, a point of correction, she’s my ex-wife!”

“Now, look here, sir!” Chief Inspector Cuger began, but just then the Commander of the police station, Jon Fii, came down the stairs and saw Brand Bawa.

They were good friends because they were in the same church and belonged to the Men’s Fellowship.

“Oh, hello, Brand!” the Commander said and shook Brand Bawa’s hand. “How’re you doing? What brings you here, my brother? Can I be of help?”

Now Chief Inspector Danso Cuger and the other two exchanged glances filled with apprehension. Effe was elated inward, especially when she noticed the cagey look in the eyes of the old lady.

“Chris was picked up this morning, Jon,” Brand Bawa said. “Apparently his mother reported him for assault. I’ve also come here to report an assault on me by his mother.”

The Commander raised his eyebrows with surprise.

He turned and faced Cuger.
“Mrs. Lois Yeboah-McBaiden filed an assault case against her son? Quite unbelievable. Are you aware of this, Chief Inspector?”

Danso Cuger glanced nervously at Ato McBaiden, and then he smiled sheepishly.

“Well, not exactly, sir,” Cuger said. “Actually, Mr. Ato McBaiden here came and lodged the complaint that Mr. Chris Bawa attacked his wife and her bodyguard.”

The Commander scowled darkly, his expression one of deep surprise and displeasure as his eyes roamed the face of Cuger and the other two.

“I see, and I take it you called Mrs. Yeboah-McBaiden to confirm this, and also sought her consent to bring an assault charge against her son, at least? And of course, you let her fill and sign the appropriate form to take to the hospital?”

Chief Inspector Cuger Danso was looking quite sick as he shook his head numbly.

“Well, yes, sir,” he said softly. “I called her several times but I couldn’t get through to her.”

“And you expect me to believe that?” the Commander asked, obviously getting angry, and then he fixed his stare on Ato McBaiden. “Sir, did the Member of Parliament, Mrs. Lois Yeboah, give you the go-ahead to lodge a complaint against her own son?”

McBaiden looked at the police Commander defiantly.

“Well, she’s my wife!” he blurted out. “You don’t expect me to stand idly by whilst my wife is attacked and assaulted by a damn drug addict, do you?”

“And what did you do when your wife attacked Mr. Brand Bawa?” the Commander asked calmly. “Do you want him to lodge a complaint against your wife too?”

McBaiden and Maame Stella exchanged troubled looks as the Commander brought out his phone and began to dial.

“Erm, please, Commander, what are you doing?” Maame Stella asked nervously.

“I’m calling your daughter, ma’am,” the Commander replied coldly. “I think she has a right to know that her mother and her husband got her only son arrested.”

Effe turned away now.

She was so close to laughing uproariously. She just could not stand the fear on the woman’s face. The Commander put the phone to his ear, and suddenly Maame Stella held his arm.

“Alright, alright!” McBaiden said tightly. “Cut the call! Let’s talk about this, please!”

The Commander lowered the phone and glared at Chief Inspector Danso Cuger.

“You know this arrest was wrong, Cuger,” he said, his voice brimming with anger. “It violates procedure, and you well know it. You’ll release the boy, and I want your written report on my desk! Mrs. Lois should come and make a complaint herself if she wants us to arrest her son. Now go and release him!”

“But, sir –”

“I mean now, Cuger!” the Commander said in a bristling, abrasive voice. “Go and release Mr. Chris Bawa this instant!!”

Danso Cuger turned away with a murderous look on his face, and the Commander looked at the two complainants.

“I’m telling Lois about this,” he said grimly, and then he patted Brand Bawa on the shoulder gently, and walked away, putting his phone once more to his ear.

Grandmother Stella quickly walked away toward the exit, and an evidently ruffled Ato McBaiden followed her.