Bad Girls Don’t Love

AARON ANSAH-AGYEMAN

BAD GIRLS DON’T LOVE

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EPISODE 19

To Forgive Or Not

Jemima walked past Aku and stopped within touching distance of Rashid.

He saw that she was very hurt. Her eyelids were swollen, and her lips looked a little puffy too, and her nose looked slightly heavy, clear signs that she had cried a lot.

Rashid wondered what could have affected her so.

“You’ve always been a gentleman, Rash,” she said softly. “I am really disappointed in myself that I believed the worse of you when you were innocent all along, and the real guilty ones were Yao and Randy.”

Rashid’s eyes widened with horror as he shook his head lamely.

“What?” he asked with trepidation.

“We know, Rash, we know,” Rose added. “Joe confessed to it all. He was instigated by that bastard, Ledi, to trap you with that whore so that he would have Aku. We’re so sorry about what happened, especially since we heard you’ve been suspended by your bosses. Aku just explained it to the press, claiming you’re innocent. I hope that gets you back your job.”

Rashid looked from one to the other with shock, and suddenly wondered if this was the reason his two friends had not called him yet.

“Randy? Yao? You two didn’t do anything rash, did you?” he asked finally.

Jemima smiled wanly.

“Rose gave Randy an uppercut that landed him in the hospital. He’s okay now, back home with a swollen jaw and only sipping liquids. Next time, I’m sure he would think twice.”

Rashid looked at Rose.

“You forgave him?”

Rose shrugged.

“I did, after he apologized in tears and promised heaven and earth that it won’t happen again. After all, he’s my husband, and I can’t possibly divorce him after a few weeks of marriage.”

Rashid smiled a bit.

“That’s maturity, Rose,” he said appreciatively. “Sometimes, it takes lessons like these to make people grow and appreciate what they have. I’ve known Randy most of my life, and I know he is going to keep his promise.”

He turned to Jemima.

“And you?”

Jemima raised her eyebrows.

“I’m not Rose, and you know it,” she said bitterly.

Rashid put his hands on her shoulders and looked intently into her eyes.

“I know you have a stubborn heart, Jem!”

“Knock it off, Rash!” she said furiously and stepped back from him. “Is that what you can say? That I have a stubborn heart? I’ve loved that guy for years now! I clothe and feed him and fuck him! Anytime he wants, anywhere he wants, every bloody fucking disgracing style he wants! And he ends up shagging a prostitute without remembering a single sacrifice I’ve made for him? For Christ’s sake, I refused to marry the son of a rich king because of Yao Kolo! And this is how he repays me?”

“Jem, Jem, Jem!” Rashid said earnestly. “I understand! Yao has always been immature, refusing to grow out of the school days, but I know he loves you, girl. Without you, he will be lost! He said sorry?”

“With tears, Rashid, yes, but until I see him crying pure blood, I’m not letting him anywhere near me again! Remember, this is not the first time I’ve caught him doing this! He just thinks with his fucking dick, and I’ve had it this time around!”

“I understand, Jem,” Rashid said earnestly. “But…”

“But nothing!” Jemima almost screamed. “Not now, Rash, please. I respect you, and I admire you, and I’ve always listened to you. But not now. Please give it a rest. I want a little space first, please. I need to deal with it on a personal level before I can consider anything from there. You need to understand that, please.”

Rashid nodded sadly, knowing deep down that his friend might just have lost this wonderful lady who had such a good heart, and loved him for real.

“Yes, Jem, I understand.”

Aku stood in front of Rashid with her heart on her face.

Her misery and pain were real, and she was still weeping, and her body trembled slightly with the force of her emotions. She tried to speak several times, but her tears choked her each time.

She swallowed painfully as she wrung her hands.

Aku looked so helpless, so traumatized and so caught up in her guilt that Jemima put a hand around her friend’s shoulders with tears in her own eyes.

“I am guilty, Rash!” Aku said, shame-faced, barely able to meet Rashid’s eyes. “All these years, you always told me the one thing you couldn’t forgive was unfaithfulness. What I did was worse, Rash. We had a major fight in one day, and I ended up sleeping with an ex that same day. I’m not going to make excuses, because I’m quite disgusted with myself. No decent woman would ever do that. Finally, it has dawned on me that I’ve let my mother’s and grandma’s hatred of you shroud my love for you! I’m guilty, and I don’t deserve to even stand before you, Rashid!”

She began to weep then in a gutted, heart-wrenching way, and she suddenly crashed down on her knees and reached out blindly for his leg, but Rashid stepped back from her instantly and reached down for her.

He tried to draw her up but she shook her head and fought hard, wailing in anguish and shaking her head.

“Forgive me, Rash, pleeeeeease! I’ve learned a horrible lesson! I promise you this won’t happen again! I beg of you, forgive me! Can’t live without you, Rash, my love!”

Rashid dropped on one knee beside her and gently touched her shoulder.

She looked at him hopefully as he took out a handkerchief and gently cleaned the fractious tears from her face.

“If I have lost you because of this stupidity, my Rash, then death itself would be welcomed than to live under your disdain and judgement, my love! Find it in your heart to forgive me for this, and know I’ll forever give my life for yours!”

He looked at her with sudden tears in his eyes, and his shattered soul on his face.

“I’m here with you, Aku, but I’m not breathing,” he said softly, gently, but the pain was in his voice. “I can’t function. Plus, I have been suspended from work.”

“I’ll hold a press conference and tell them of your innocence!” she said sharply. “You’ll be taken back!”

“I don’t want to go back,” Rashid said with a sad smile. “This is it for me. I’ve decided to take up your uncle’s offer.”

“What?” she whispered with horror. “Oh, Rash, my love, no! Don’t tell me you’re going to the Mountains! Don’t’ tell me you’re leaving me alone!”

“Aku, my precious flower, the pain is in me. I hurt bad. I need to breathe, please. Give me a little time, and a little space.”

Her eyes roamed his face desperately.

“You can’t forgive me?” she whispered with horror.

He touched her cheek gently.

“I’ve forgiven you, Aku. I understand what happened, and I can never hold a grudge against you, or hate you. You’ll always be a part of me.”

“But you don’t love me anymore, Rash? Is that what you’re saying? You can’t forgive me and let us give it another shot? If you leave me like this I will die, Rash, I will surely die!”

“Don’t rush it, Aku,” he said softly. “I won’t lie to you. Right now, I’m very angry at your betrayal, and it kills me inside, especially seeing you as I last saw you. It is making my blood boil, and I want to rip you apart with my bare hands. But we have a history, my precious flower. And I want us to be close, and if there’s a common path, we’ll find it eventually. But, right now, don’t push it, please. Let me find my breath!”

And with that Rashid stood up suddenly as Aku broke down completely and began weeping bitterly again.

Her two friends held her, and they thought Rashid was in the room with them until the sound of an engine made them look through the windows.

The main gate was open, and Rashid was getting back into his car.

He was driving away!

Just like that!

“Rashiiiiiiiiiiid!” Aku screamed and bounded off the floor.

She raced to the door and flung it open, then ran violently outside, holding out her hands, screaming with tears streaming down her face.

“Rashiiiiiiid! Raaaaaash! Don’t go now, don’t leave me like this! Pleeeeeeease! Rashiiiiiid!”

The reporters who were chasing after Rashid’s car turned their attention to her as she raced after the car.

But the surgeon didn’t stop.

He left only a plume of dust behind him.

One of the journalists lowered his camera and looked sympathetically at Aku who was now listlessly trotting after the car which was long gone, her face tortured and covered with tears, looking gaunt and so frail.

“This doctor no correct,” the journalist said softly. “How you fit make fine girl like this run after your car like some mad cow?”

“You paaaa!” his colleague said with a chuckle. “When the news break say he fuck the prostitute, this girl slap-slap am roff-roff. She even throw-throw stew for the paddy ein head top. My paddy, don’t fuck with karma koraaa!”