Chapter One - Funeral Photos

They say behind every successful man is a woman. Well, behind every woman is the passion to turn the tide in her favor and burn the sea if it does not and behind every child is a mother that would commit murder for her children.

Mariama was about 10 years old when her father died. She was devastated but at the same time relieved. Her room was closest to the staircase that led to the hall and almost every night, she would hear the gate open, her father’s car pull into the driveway, the front door open and her mother and father get into a verbal contest in hushed tones.

April of 2005 was the last time she heard the argument. She continued to hear the gate, the car and the front door but her mother would not be in the hall waiting for her father. For three months there were no fights. Abena would wake up in the morning with a big smile on her face, making breakfast while ‘Wake Up Everybody’ by John Legend played on the radio.

Sometimes she had wondered if her mother had gone crazy. Her father was obviously cheating. She had watched far too many soap operas not to know. Most of the time, the woman would become delirious and eventually, she would be checked into a mental facility after unintentionally attacking one of her children.

Mariama hummed to ‘Wake Up Everybody’ as she made her way to the office. As she backed out of the house, she nearly knocked over a lady who’d been standing right in front of the gate.

“I’m so sorry” she said, getting out of the car. The woman was wearing far too much perfume and her makeup had caked on her face. Her dress hung tightly to her body, revealing her tummy rolls. Mariama got a good look at the lady as she adjusted herself. “Can I help you?” she asked curiously.

“You must be Mrs. Roberts daughter. I am looking for your mother. Is she around?” the woman asked, looking at the house curiously.

“No. Is there something I can do for you?” Mariama asked again.

Since the woman had regained her composure, she had some air of arrogance about her as though she was entitled to be there. It was as if Abena Roberts owed her something. “When your mother comes back, tell her that Phyllis came to look for her. She should call me. I won’t be patient forever.”

Mariama watched as the woman walked away. She had a peculiar way her hips swayed. She could have sworn she’d seen someone walk in that funny way before. Someone dressed in black perhaps. She brushed the thought away and got into her car. She might be the boss but she could not be late for work.

She adjusted the calendar on her desk and looked at the date. It was the 15th, her father’s funeral anniversary. She’d completely forgotten about it. It had been her tradition to glance through the funeral photos and remind herself of that tragic day.

She’d been young and it was a lot to take in. Looking at photos helped her to remember and try to make sense of what happened that day. As she went through the photos, she caught it. It was a picture of Phyllis standing off to one corner with a tissue in her hand and a pained facial expression.

That’s where Mariama had seen that walk. It was at her father’s funeral. She and her brother had made fun of the woman for weeks after the funeral. How could she forget?

Speaking of her brother, Martin sat in his car and played around with the Toyota symbol on the steering wheel while Vera rattled on and on like she usually did. Sometimes he wondered why he put up with it.

“Martin, seriously, I am tired of these games. I don’t want to be casual anymore. We’re getting too old for this back and forth.”

Martin rolled his eyes and sat up in his car seat. Vera searched his face for any reaction but he just sat there with a blank stare. “If you don’t put a label on what we’re doing, I am breaking up with you” she said finally.

“Okay” Martin said calmly. Vera was too stunned to speak.

“Okay? Martin is that all you’re going to say?”

“Vera, what do you want me to say? I’ve told you time and again that I can’t be in a committed relationship right now.”

Vera cried out in frustration and leapt out of the car, slamming the door as loudly as she could.

He increased the volume of the music and sped off. She’d be back. She always was. He was too toxic and emotionally unstable to take anyone seriously or put effort into anything and she was far too needy without any self-respect. It was a combination that had worked in his favor for the past three years.

Martin was so distracted that as he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant he was picking breakfast at, he nearly hit a lady making her way to her car. She hit the car in protest and his leg came swiftly to the brake causing an abrupt stop that swung him forward.

“Have you lost your mind? Why are you driving around like a mad man? You could have killed me. What the hell!” she screamed, throwing her hands out.

Martin was about to respond with his usual nonchalance till he got a good look at her face. He’d never seen her before and she was stunning. She had deep brown skin and thick lips that went perfectly with her chiseled nose and jaw. Her eyes burned with rage, making them even more attractive.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. My name is Martin…”

“It’s the fact that you think I care” she said before rolling her eyes and getting into her own car. One of the waiters inside had seen the commotion and come out to make sure all was well. Martin was a loyal customer and a finnicky one at that. They couldn’t risk upsetting him.

“Do you know who that was?” Martin asked intrigued. The waiter shook his head.

Martin was waiting on his food when Mariama sent him a picture of some lady from his father’s funeral photos asking if she knew who the woman was.

Martin thought for a while and then it clicked. She was the woman he had met one day when his father picked him up from school early. She’d been sitting in the front seat crying when he entered the car. She was mumbling something about not wanting to get rid of it but her father wouldn’t budge. They had dropped him home and then continued on their way. He’d laughed at the way she walked at the funeral.

“I’m pretty sure she was pregnant or something” Martin added after sharing what he knew.

*

Abena Roberts looked through the funeral photos with an undefined expression on her face. She couldn’t believe how many years had come by already. It was just yesterday that she was sitting at that dining table, making up her mind to take control of her life.

Big Ben came in quietly and set an envelope on the table. “This is the report you asked for. Also, the people said they have no plans of selling the Delta building regardless of the offer you make them. Mr. Andoh said something about a family legacy. I also need to remind you that you haven’t visited Marline in a while. I think maybe you should swing by the school this weekend and see how she’s doing.”

Abena threw the photo book onto the table and thanked Big Ben. She picked the report and glanced through absent mindedly as she thought of the Delta building. She’d been wanting that building for over a year and the Andohs were holding out on her. One thing she would not take was a no.

There were many ways to kill a fish like Peter Andoh. The question was should she use a gun or a knife. She took a sip of her coffee while she scrolled through Mr. Andoh’s photos. What could make a stubborn man like that say yes to her? She could dig up dirt on him quite easily. Maybe she would start from there.

“Big Ben!” she called. Big Ben’s broad frame came into view. “I need you to find out whatever you can about these Andoh’s. There will certainly be a way to turn that no into a yes.”

Big Ben nodded and turned around. Big, quiet and effective. That is why they’d worked so well together for over 12 years. She trusted him and that was saying a lot since she didn’t trust anyone besides her children. Even then, there was so much she hadn’t told them. Mariama still had a lot to learn. She was very green. Martin was in a world of his own, taking painfully after his father. As for Marline, she was a silly 18-year-old girl who was far too spoiled.

*

Mariama wasn’t at sea for too long concerning the Phyllis issue. As she went down for lunch, she met Phyllis in the lobby arguing with the receptionist that she had to speak to Mrs. Roberts.

Mariama intercepted and directed Phyllis to her office.

“Just like I asked you earlier in the morning, what do you want?”

Phyllis folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air. “You should be more polite. Didn’t your mother teach you how to talk to your elders?” Phyllis asked rudely. She walked around, touching things like she owned them.

Mariama chose to be patient.

“Your mother owes me for a favor I did for her. Tell her that she needs to answer my calls.”

Mariama was in no mood to be a messenger. “No. This is what is going to happen, Phyllis; you will tell me who you are and exactly what you want or you will get out of my office and the next time you come around my home or my work, I will have you arrested for trespassing.”

Phyllis tried to act unphased. “Like mother, like daughter. You cannot threaten me o. I am the one with the power here. I want money. I need money. What your mother gave to me is finished. I need some more. If not, I am going to the police and telling them everything I know.”

“And what is that?”

Phyllis laughed wickedly. “You are just a small girl. You don’t know anything. Ask your mother, she knows.”

Phyllis picked a piece of paper and scribbled on a number. “This is my phone number. It is also my MOMO number in case your mother decides to send me something small before the full amount I’m asking for.”

Mariama stared at the number on the table. What did this woman know? Big Ben would be the best person to consult. Big Ben came over as soon as he got Mariama’s call and didn’t give anything away even after Mariama told him what was going on. “I’ll let madam know” was all he said before rising to leave.

Mariama rushed to the door to cut him off.

“Big Ben, I don’t want my mother to know. She’s got a lot on her plate. I think this is something I can handle. Tell me what is going on. Big Ben, please” Mariama pleaded.

Big Ben hesitated. “I don’t think I can discuss this with you. Your mother won’t be happy with me.”

“Big Ben, two years ago, 10,000 Ghana cedis was unaccounted for and I covered for you. My mother won’t be happy with you for that either. We are family. Tell me what is going on.”

“She committed a crime for your mother; the kind of crime that lands you in jail for a very very long time. I can’t tell you more than that Miss, please.”

Mariama nodded. She wouldn’t be able to trust Big Ben if he told her everything anyway. She trusted him because no matter what, he never told any of her mother’s business; even to her. It made her know that if she ever needed Big Ben the way her mother did, he would come through for her.

*

Abena was on her fifth attempt at reading through the report when her daughter came in. She smiled and gave her a hug as they exchanged pleasantries. It was almost as if they didn’t live in the same house.

“I met a lady at the house today. She said her name was Phyllis”. Mariama noticed her mother’s shoulders tense immediately but she tried to play it off. “I see. What did she want?” Abena asked.

“She said you owe her. She wants you to answer her calls. Mummy, who is she? I saw her in daddy’s funeral photos”. Abena swallowed hard. “She’s just one of your father’s pained ex-lovers. Ignore her”.

It was certainly not nothing because shortly after leaving her mother’s office, she saw Big Ben rush in. Her mother was tough and mysterious and Mariama wanted nothing more than for her mother to really let her into the family business. Sure, she was managing the company now but there was so much more going on that she didn’t know about and that didn’t sit right with her. Whoever this Phyllis woman was and whatever she did for her mother was important.

Abena was fuming.

“What do you want me to do about her?” Big Ben asked.

Abena was too angry to think. How dare that woman. How dare she! She was like a bad plague that would not go away. She gives her money and then after blowing it, she comes back again for more.

“Ben, I won’t lie. I am getting very tired of her. Very tired!” Abena murmured. She was even more upset that this woman had dared make contact with one of her children. “I think we need a permanent solution, Ben. Call the boys.”

*

Mariama reluctantly called the number Phyllis had left behind asking her how much she wanted. Phyllis boldly mentioned a million Ghana cedis. When Mariama protested, Phyllis replied, “in 2005, your mother asked me to do something unthinkable. She didn’t care that I was just a little girl. I am not asking for much, only what my silence is worth.”

Phyllis gave her two days before she went tattling to the police. That left a day for her to come up with a plan.

Six years prior, when her ex-boyfriend had threatened to leak their sex tape, Mariama saw her mother call Big Ben and ask him to round up the boys. It was time for her to call Big Ben and round up the boys. Whatever her mother had done, she would handle it just like her mother had handled that for her.

Big Ben was a very quiet man and so Mariama was not surprised when he quietly took in the update she offered. “What do you need me to do?” he asked finally. Mariama hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“What would my mother do?” she asked. Big Ben scoffed, “Miss, you don’t want to know.”

As Big Ben stood there with a blank expression, a plan started to form in Mariama’s head. She knew what her mother would do. After all, Abena trained her for the world of business.

The next day, Mariama called Phyllis and asked her to meet somewhere discreet. Phyllis appeared with a smug look on her face. She took the money and inspected it to make sure everything was there. She was beaming from ear to ear as she picked each bundle of cash.

Mariama didn’t wait for her to finish counting the money. “Listen up, Phyllis. You will take this money and find another city to live in. It should be somewhere far away like Takoradi or Kumasi; somewhere nice and affordable. You will stay there and keep your mouth shut till the day you die.”

Phyllis frowned. “This is not even up to a hundred thousand. Small girl, do you think I’m playing with you? I committed murder for your mother. If I tell the police, your lives are over. You owe me.”

“No, we don’t. In any case, what evidence do you have that you committed murder for my mother?”. Mariama asked the question with a stern face but she really was curious to know what exactly this woman was talking about. Big Ben hadn’t reacted to what the woman said but then again, he never reacts. He sat there quietly looking at Phyllis.

“In 2005, I poisoned her husband. I will tell the Police.”

Mariama felt her stomach drop. She couldn’t give away her composure. “Okay, and what evidence proves she asked you to? For all we know, you already wanted to kill my father because he didn’t want you to keep the pregnancy. You were a scorned lover.”

Phyllis’ eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Mariama to be privy to that information. “That is not what happened. Your mother asked me to. I will tell the court.”

“Again, Phyllis, there is no evidence. I’m pretty sure we can get evidence to prove that you were in fact pregnant and then aborted the pregnancy. I wonder how they will believe your story. Even if for some ridiculous reason, anyone believed you, you will still wind up in prison for murder. There is no part of the story where you win. You should be thanking me. Go away and start a new life. Don’t ever show up here again or you’ll be sorry you did.”

Mariama stood to her feet proudly. “Big Ben will take you home and then you’ll pack your bags and say goodbye to Accra. Are we clear?”.

Phyllis nodded.

Mariama felt her legs shake violently as she walked away. From the corner of her eye, she saw Big Ben stand up and grab the woman by the shoulder and escort her out. The moment she reached her car, her legs gave way. She crawled into the front seat and let out a heavy breath. The tears gathered into her eyes and she let them fall as she grabbed onto the steering wheel for stability.

She’d been awake that day – the last day her parents ever fought. That night curiosity got the better of her. Instead of listening, she decided she wanted to see. From her hiding place on the staircase, she’d seen the pained expression on her mother’s face and how she’d tried to mask it. When the fight was over, she run to her room and listened. She crept back to her hiding spot when she heard her father’s door close and saw her mother sitting at the table with a strange expression on her face. That must have been the day she planned to commit murder.

When she had calmed down, she drove straight home. Abena was sitting in the hall reading a paper when she got there. Mariama dropped down beside her. Abena knew exactly what was coming next. Big Ben had told her everything. She set the newspaper down and looked lovingly at her daughter.

Mariama began; “I know what you did mummy. You had that woman kill daddy. I’ve taken care of her but I need to know why. Why would you do something like that?”

Abena thought of lying to her daughter or playing it off but Mariama was the future of the Empire. It was time she knew certain things about the family.

“Sweetie, there are some things that you need to know. As a mother, I will do whatever it takes to ensure the future of this family. Your father wasn’t a good man. In fact, he was an idiot. It took me half the time it took him to get the business to where it is now. He was a cheat and he was holding us back.”

“So, you had him killed?” Mariama cried.

“Yes. Sweetie, you’re a woman. I’m sure by now you know that when the race started, we were already several meters behind. There was no other way. Believe me, I thought of everything. It was only a matter of time before your father cast us to the streets like dogs because of one of those young girls he was with. Phyllis was hurting. She thought your father would leave me and marry her if she got pregnant but instead, he forced her to get an abortion. I saw an opportunity to give us the future we deserved while giving your father what he deserved. I don’t expect you to understand.”

“I do. It’s like you always say, no one wins by playing fair. Life is a game; we play to win.” Mariama said. Abena nodded.

Mariama embraced her mother, “we’re a family. I’ll always be on your team. Please tell me everything. I promise I’ll help you, no matter what.” Abena squeezed her daughter tightly. “Thank you, and from now on, I’m telling you everything.”

Abena waited till Mariama was gone before picking her phone to answer Big Ben’s call.

“Madam, we’ve handled it.”

“Okay. Thank you, Ben. Are you sure everything was discreet?”

“Yes. She told her family that she was going out of town for a while. No one saw us. We’ve destroyed the phone and retrieved the money.”

“And the body?”

“Currently compost, fertilizing the soil around your husband’s grave.”

“Thank you, Ben.”

“Anytime, boss.”