Bonanza part 3

Fosuwa stepped out of the house and stood by the roadside, waiting to board a trotro for the 20- minute ride to the house of Sandra and her husband, Abeeku, where she had started what she considered a temporary job, whilst she looked around for a job that would offer her a decent reward for her graphic design skills and qualification. She was okay with the GH₵600 pay agreed with Sandra. It would enable her to make a useful contribution to the family budget. Hopefully, things will improve for her brother Felix in the US, and he would resume sending money home as he had been doing previously. Sandra and Abeeku did not seem to be getting on well, but it seemed that they could have done better if Sandra’s mother, the well known owner of the Anderson restaurant chain, was not fully involved. The elderly woman had told her, point blank, that Abeeku had ‘no power’ in the marriage, and should, therefore, not be treated with any respect.

Wow. She felt sorry for Abeeku, even before she met him. But she also felt that perhaps Abeeku was not ‘pulling his weight’ and somehow deserved to be treated that way. Every mother wanted the best for her children, and for a woman who had acquired wealth and respect like Mr. Anderson, it was to be expected that she would want a son-in-law who had some financial and professional muscle. Maybe Abeeku had turned out to be a disappointment.

Then she met him. For some funny reason she liked him instantly. Very good looking and polite, Abeeku carried himself with a confidence, and did not seem easily ruffled. He seemed to take his mother-in-law’s disrespect in his stride. And he treated her with respect. She tried to banish the thought from her mind, but she wished he was not married. Perhaps, she thought, the problem was with Sandra and her mother. And from the little she had seen in the two days she had been in the house,that was the case. Anyway, all she wanted was a quiet environment in which she would earn the GH₵600 until something better came along.

Abeeku was seated at the porch with two young guys, busy chatting when she entered the house. Sandra’s mother had also just entered the house a couple of minutes earlier, and emerged from her car. She walked to the porch ahead of Fosuwa, and breezed past Abeeku and his friends without greeting. Sandra greeted the three guys, and they responded warmly. Fosuwa started cleaning as Sandra and her mother held what seemed to be an emergency meeting. The elderly woman walked to the porch and addressed Abeeku. ‘I need to talk to you!’ she charged.                                                                                              

‘I’m sorry, I can’t talk to you. You can see I am involved in a discussion with visitors. Moreover, you just passed by us and went in the house without greeting. Have you now recognised me?’    Fuming, Mrs. Anderson stormed back into the house. She paced the hall for several minutes and returned.                                                                                                                                            

 ‘Listen, do you know that you are living in my house? I said I need to talk with you’.                  ‘Correction. I don’t live in your house. I am a tenant in your house’.                                              

‘Don’t talk nonsense. Since when did you become a tenant in my house? Who did you pay rent to?                                                                                                                                                           

‘Perhaps you should direct that question to your two sons. I have the evidence in my room, but I think it would be better if you ask them directly. Now, let me tell you today. I have tried to ignore all the posturing and bad attitude you and your children have been showing. I don’t take anything from you. I don’t take your food, I don’t use your water or electricity, yet you are continually coming in and out of here, interfering in my life. How many people will take such arrogance?’ ‘I do not believe you paid any money to my sons. If you did, they would have told me’. ‘Now, that is really funny, madam. If I open my mouth I will really spoil your day. I’m sure you don’t want to call them because you already know the answer. Or would you like me to bring the evidence?’‘Sandra, let’s go. I don’t know why I bother with this boy when he is already on his way out’.‘I’m ready Mom’, Sandra said. ‘Let’s go. And Abeeku, you can’t be so disrespectful to my mother and expect me to have a good relationship with you. I expected you to be quiet when an elderly person, who is your mother’s age, is talking to you. You could have raised any issues you did not like when I came home. But look at your attitude. You are just so disrespectful’.‘Let me tell you something, Sandra. Are you saying that you have not seen or heard what your mother has been doing and saying since we started living here? Anyway, we have already agreed that this relationship is over, so I won’t bother. But instead of being so arrogant and pretending that you are so wealthy and disrespecting everybody, I will suggest that you and your mother open your eyes, because something is about to happen, and you won’t like it. Good day’.