‘I quite understand the situation you are in’, David said as they approached her house, ‘The situation as you have described it is quite difficult. But I wish you did not have to leave your parents’ home on a sour note. If I make a suggestion, I would ask you to wait for just a few days, and try not to react to any provocation. If the sit­uation gets worse, then of course you can leave.’ ‘Well, I agree with you. I will take your suggestion. Hopefully, they will leave me alone to make my own decisions. ‘Esaaba, I have never forgotten about you. Is it possible for us to start our uncompleted project?’ ‘You have a way with words, David. Uncompleted project. Well, I have told you my current status. If you don’t have any skeletons hiding in your cupboard in Denmark or in your hometown, then I am ready to listen to what you have to say.’ ‘I made friends and went out with a couple of ladies, but I never entered into any commitments, and I don’t have any cupboards anywhere. Maybe you and I will buy some cupboards, and store some interesting things’. ‘You did not tell me where you are working.’ ‘Ah. I was offered a position here at the local office of Eurofood, the company that gave me the schol­arship. And I have been penciled in for some teaching at the Depart­ment, so hopefully I will be seeing you often.’

Esaaba went back to her room a much different person. She sat on her bed again, and this time she wiped her mental slate clean, and said a quiet prayer asking God to confirm if this is the relationship He planned for her. She felt thank­ful that she was able to forgive her parents and Beesiwa for treating her so badly. They certainly meant well, but they certainly went too far to have tried to force a husband on her. She enjoyed a deep sleep and woke up well rested.

Soon as she had arrived at work the following morn­ing, Marian called, and wast­ed no time to ask questions. ‘Esaaba, so what happened yesterday after I left the two of you alone? Esaaba broke into uncontrolled laughter. ‘Ei, Esaaba’, Marian contin­ued. ‘See how you are hap­py. You can’t even talk. Da­vid will have to pay for this.’ ‘You did well, Marian. We had a great evening, and we will be see­ing each other.’ ‘I’m happy for you two. I pray that ev­erything goes well. David is a great guy, and I’m happy you found each other at last.

Esaaba saw notification of a message from Stanley Forson, and she opened it. It was short and not friendly. ‘Good morning. Now that I have told you about the circum­stances under which I made the marriage proposal and gave you the ring, I withdraw the proposal, and would like you to return the ring to my parents. Thank you’. Esaaba’s reply was also short, but polite. Thanks for your note, Stanley. I agree that my parents were wrong to have bullied you into making the proposal. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. I will return the ring to your parents’ home this evening. I will call them now and inform them. Thank you’. Stanley replied, to her surprise. ‘On second thoughts, please don’t call them. Just wait till I tell you what to do with it.’ ‘I’m sorry Stanley. After the insulting messages you sent me, I don’t want to keep anything of yours. I don’t need to call your par­ents. I will send it to them now.’ ‘Can you please wait, even if for a few days, Esaaba? I’m really sorry. You are a really nice lady, and beautiful. I have had too much to contend with since coming to Handover. If you will kindly give me a little time, I will clear my head, and we can restart. I think we have the basis for a really good relation­ship’. Esaaba replied after an hour. ‘Stanley, your ring is on its way to your dad. It should be there in a few minutes. Sorry, I cannot wait. I’ve put your indecision and your insults behind me. I wish you the best’.

Soon after she sent the message to Stanley, Baaba called. Esaa­ba answered, ready to exchange verbal blows with her sister. But to her surprise, her tone was much different.’ ‘Big sis, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday. Mom and Dad should never have done what they did, and I should not have support­ed them. Please forgive me. I am truly sorry. I called them a couple of minutes ago, and they are very sorry. They are really afraid that you will carry out your threat to leave the house, and I want to plead with you, don’t leave. They have promised never to interfere in your relationship issues again. Please!

‘Don’t worry Beesiwa. I’ve put it all behind me. I’ve for­gotten it all. No hard feel­ings. I’ve turned the page.’ ‘Really? What happened? What has changed so suddenly?’ ‘I will tell you everything lat­er, but I have a visitor now. Let’s talk later. Esaaba looked up and said hello to David. ‘Good to see you, David. I wasn’t expecting to see you’. ‘Well, after what we discussed last night, I thought I should come and see you, and if possible, take the discussion a little further’. ‘Thanks David. If you will give me a few minutes, I will make a few arrangements, then I can go out for an hour’. ‘No, I will go to the Depart­ment and wait till lunch time, then I will come and pick you for lunch. If it’s okay with you’. ‘Yes, certainly. I will be waiting.’

David and Esaaba were insepa­rable from then, and after some month’s courtship, he proposed. Esaaba gladly accepted. ‘You came at just the right time, Da­vid. I had just had a bad quarrel with my parents and my sister, and was about to leave home’. ‘You were saved by the bell’, David said. But perhaps it was just the right time for us to meet.’

By Ekow de Heer