A knock on her door brought Esenam back to the present. Elorm walked in quietly and pulled a chair close to her bed and sat on it. He looked directly into Esenam’s eyes and felt sorry for the acute pain he saw in the depths of her eyes. He knew their Dad was unfair to her at dinner.
“Sis, can’t you play it cool for a while? The old man is really pissed off, you know. He meant everything he said and knowing him, he won’t rest until you do as he says. Can’t you wait and finish your tertiary education at least? You have about two years to go. Please reconsider your decision. I don’t want to see you suffering.” Esenam wiped her tears with her palms and sat on the bed facing her brother.
“I wish it was that simple, Elorm. I really can’t do what Dad is asking of me. I can’t pretend everything is alright when they are not. As for the church, I can’t say I’ll stop. I want to serve God with all the zeal I can get and now is the time. Can you tell me what will happen tomorrow? Do you know whether you’ll be well and up tomorrow? I’m filled with this zeal to do something meaningful with my life for a change. Something that would guarantee me gaining God’s favour. I can’t put that on hold. We don’t own our lives. We live because God allows it. Do you know what would happen tomorrow or even later in this day? ”
“No, I can’t. But tell me, what has all this got to do with Akwasi. Why did you break off with him? I think that has caused all these problems.” Elorm enquired worriedly. Esenam looked down at her hands as fresh tears formed in her eyes. She had not opened up about what actually transpired in Akwasi’s house that drove her to taking that difficult decision.
“I don’t love him anymore. He turned out to be a pain in my flesh. I don’t think I can ever forget what he tried to do to me. Could you believe he tried to rape me the last time I went to see him?” Elorm snickered. He had not heard anything as absurd as one trying to rape his own girlfriend let alone a woman he was going to marry.
“Oh please, give the guy some credit, would you? Why would he want to do that? He can get any girl he wants anytime. Why would he want to rape his own fiancée? And don’t tell me you’re still a virgin because I know you are not.” Esenam was not surprised her own brother did not believe her. No one in her family would believe her because to them Akwasi was Angel Gabriel himself.
She laughed sadly and told Elorm she had been quiet about the whole thing because she knew no one would believe her. She said she knew they would all say she was lying to justify her break up with him. She mentioned how disappointed she was first in Akwasi for trying to hurt her and second for her own brother to doubt her. Esenam challenged Elorm to talk to Enyonam, Akwasi’s sister, who saved her from the whole situation and ask Akwasi why she left his house in frenzy without her slippers. Esenam pulled out her torn shirt from one of the drawers and threw it at Elorn.
“I’m sure I tore my own shirt and kept it as evidence for the alleged attack. If it had not been Enyonam’s timely intervention, I’m sure I will be in the mental hospital by now.”
Elorm examined the shirt and was surprised Esenam would keep something like that to herself. He still found it a little hard to believe Akwasi would do something like that. He was aware of the depths of Akwasi’s feelings for his sister. He wondered what could have driven Akwasi to even think of something like that.
“Well, I can’t say I’m convinced but for the sake of argument, let’s just say I believe you. You better know what you’re doing, dear sister. I really do not want to see you get hurt. Do compromise for peace to prevail in this house. I don’t want anything to stand between me and my studies abroad.” Elorm said as he put the shirt on the bed and got to his feet.
“You men are all the same. Selfish beings. All you care about is your pleasures. You don’t have to worry, brother. Dad is mad at me, not you. It’s my life and my future that are at stake here. I’d do whatever it takes to gain God’s favour in order to be saved. Don’t worry about me, my Father above will take care of me, He won’t forsake me, never.” Esenam replied. Elorm shrugged.
“Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.” He said and left his sister’s room. Esenam went back to lie down very disillusioned. She played with the idea of confiding in her mom but knew it was going to complicate things between her parents. If only her Dad would listen to her side of the story maybe he would understand her. She silently prayed for God’s guidance in dealing with the situation with her Dad.
If you were in Akwasi’s shoes what will you do? Education abroad or your sister’s happiness? Let the discussion flow
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To be continued…
