Chapter Forty-Eight – From Frying Pan To Fire

I analyzed my feet after each step. If I could walk any slower, I would. Everything kept reminding me of what happened between Boateng and I over the vacation.

He’d come over to visit and we’d been talking when he told me that there was something he had to tell me. He’d cleared his throat nervously and said “I was speaking to my counselor and she asked that I be honest with you. I like you. I think I’ve liked you for as long as I’ve known you. I just thought you should know.”

The cold air was biting and I pulled my cardigan closer to my body.

I remember my face getting really hot and fumbling for the words to say. “Thank you for telling me, Boateng, but I’m with Sly and I really like him. This isn’t like one of your flings, I really really want things to work with him.”

“That’s okay. I’m okay just being your friend. I just thought you should know so we can move forward together.”

I knocked on the door and rocked back and forth. What I was about to do wasn’t easy. I couldn’t believe I was even doing it.

Boateng opened the door beaming from ear to ear. “Hey stranger! I thought you were avoiding me. Come in” he said. I stepped in and watched him close the door. We walked over to the bed together and sat.

Boateng quickly noticed that something wasn’t right. “Araba, is everything okay? You seem off.”

I gulped. “Boateng, there’s no easy way for me to say this. I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

He was so confused and asked why.

“Things between Sly and I have got really tense in the last few months and I really want things to work with him. I think space between us is necessary for that to happen.”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“His birthday for one. Boateng, I ditched our movie night to help you. We both know that’s not the first time our friendship has interfered with things.”

Boateng slowly nodded as he took it all in. “So, what happens to the group study and all? Do I leave or do you?”

“No, I’ll leave. I already have another group study that I’ll be joining.”

He nodded.

*

Lara was not in support of my decision but she promised to support me through it. She was surprised I had chosen Sly. In truth, I wasn’t. The whole Boateng situation was a will-they-won’t-they and it’s not as fun as the movies make it out to be but Sly was real. I was sure of the feelings I had for him and I was sure about how he felt about me. He respected me. He cared about me and he was actually all in.

How many university boys could be that focused on one girl? He wasn’t just another guy. I know you’re thinking, dear reader, that I am being childish but I did want him to be my first and last boyfriend. I wasn’t looking for a fun time; I was looking for a long time.

*

Lara was still trying to nurse her wounds but there was still more trouble looming overhead. It was like her relationship with Kwame had tipped over the first tile causing a domino effect of problem after problem.

This was trouble that we never saw coming. While Lara was at the hospital, one of her family doctor’s got wind of it and came to check on the situation. As you can well imagine, confidentiality in Ghana is dead and so he found out what had brought her to the hospital.

Reader, adults love to gossip. My oh my! Adults can gossip for the nations. I suppose I don’t need to tell you that the doctor made a straight call to the US to one Mr. Johnson. One Mr. Johnson nearly had a heart attack and one Mr. Johnson and his beloved wife, booked a flight to Ghana at their earliest possible convenience.

This very same Mr. Johnson and his precious wife did not even pass by the house from the airport to stretch themselves on their bed that hadn’t been slept on in over 16 years. No. This very Mr. Johnson and his significant other, had their driver pick them straight from the airport and without wasting time, they were headed to their daughter.

Reader, reader, reader. Hmmm. What can I say besides ‘yie!’

The weather kept getting darker and darker. It was so bad that Lara and I had gone to pick up our stuff from off the drying line. We were all chilling, doing our own thing when a call came through startling Lara.

She was shocked to find that it was her father on the phone. They hadn’t spoken on phone in over two months.

“Lara, I’m in your school. What hostel are you in again?”

Lara’s heart dropped. She mumbled a few words and he asked her to come downstairs to meet him. She looked at me wide eyed after cutting the call. We were both flabbergasted. What was he doing in Ghana? Why was he here?

Her journey down the stairs felt like it took a million years. Finally, she was out of the hostel and she could already see the black SUV with the tinted glasses. Her father was surely in that car. As she got closer, the driver descended and opened the door for her.

She got in and greeted quietly. She hadn’t seen her parents since she’d been to visit them five years before. They definitely looked older. Mr. Johnson couldn’t be bothered to respond to his daughter’s greetings. He menacingly adjusted his phone on his lap and looked over at his wife before speaking.

“A while ago, I got a call from Doctor Andrew. He shared some disturbing news with me and so I knew I had to come down to address the situation. Lara, so is this what you’re doing in school? You’re using the money your mother and I give you to be sleeping around and having abortions. Is that what you’re telling me?”

“No sir” Lara quivered.

“No? So, Dr. Andrews was lying? Perhaps we should call him. Sweetie, why don’t you call Dr. Andrew.”

Mrs. Johnson picked up her phone and proceeded to go through her contacts. “No no” Lara protested.

Mr. Johnson stared at his daughter so hard she thought she might drop dead at any moment.

“So, who was this boy?” Mrs. Johnson asked. Perhaps she was to be the voice of reason. After all, she was a woman too. Maybe she would understand.

“It was my ex-boyfriend.”

“Sweetie, can you imagine? We brought our daughter to school to engage in prostitution. I am a good man to remove you from this school right now.”

Lara’s eyes widened. “Oh no, daddy. I beg you.”

Mr. Johnson chuckled. “You’re begging me. In fact, I can’t even look at you right now. Get out of my car” he bellowed.

Lara recoiled and opened the door.

As she descended and looked at them, Mr. Johnson added, “oh, and don’t expect another dime from your mother and I from now onwards. Since you’re so grown, you can pay for your own things. Kpakpo let’s go” he said.

Kpakpo shut the door and hopped into the front seat. Lara watched as the car sped off.

Well damn! Trouble doesn’t end.