Chapter 25: Chapter 25
Rita’s broad shoulders came in close on the packed en-trance, and Jobson followed closely in her stair. She was warm, sparkling and beautiful. She walked briskly towards the lawn. He appeared bony but well kempt. Perhaps the few months spent at the dreadful Akuse maximum security prison has had a big toll on the young man. He looked older than the twenty five years he has spent on this world. Notwithstanding, he was cheerful and conceivably thankful to Lawyer Abena Agyeiwaa for helping to spare his fledgling life.
A loud impressive popular highlife musical tune of the time mixed with some old classics spewed through the grassy flower lawn of the Swiss Embassy in Accra. The music shook the branches of the dwarf trees beautifully pruned and fixed on the grass; which had her bouncing to the beat. By the time she reached the flower lawn, she was full-on throwing down; shaking away the stress of last week’s judgement from the Appeals Court. This is the beginning of the celebration that will continue through tomorrow, when she and Jobson will board the Swiss air flight from Accra to Geneva on their way to Vevey. Mostly everyone was tipsy, with a few people in clusters sitting outside the lawn to make out good views of the beautiful landscape of the Embassy. Others were dancing somewhere around or just talking. Occasionally a semi-drunk stumbled around.
The May full moon welcomed the hot steamy night air, flavoured with skunky odour of cigarette and beer. An unwelcomed embrace of cloying mix of onion garnished khebab and strong aftershave scented Greg brushed against Rita as she continued to dance in a crowded space. She held a cool beer cup against her palm. She licked her wet lips after taking a quaff, while some splashed of beer spilled down the front of Greg’s shirt. “Sorry.” She spurted out without looking at the intruder. Greg held her right hand and attempted to guide her to the pool side. “Come along!” He ordered. Rita without hesitation followed him to the poolside leaving Jobson behind. Ama walked in the shadows to Jobson. Someone made the rounds with a tray of chips and popcorn, of which Jobson picked two and passed one of the popcorns to Ama. They slowly and quietly walked abreast stepping upon fragments of chips, popcorns and empty beer cans thrown about on the grass towards the packed hallway where a figurine of the current Ambassador of Switzerland has been knocked over and broken.
“Tu es très heureux, Rita.” Greg let go Rita’s hand to hold the poolside’s glass parapet. He looked deep into the pool as if he was searching for a lost wallet, but the full moon cast its shadow onto the pool. “Hum.., Greg, you have not forgetting your French language.” “How can I forget simple phrase like ‘you are very happy’?” He smiled. Rita sipped some beer. “Anyway, I am very happy.” Greg turned swiftly to face Rita. He looked deep into her eyes and asked. “Rita, now, what is your next move?” “We are going home tomorrow.” “Is that so?” “Yes, the embassy has gotten us ticket.” “Ticket for you and Jobson?” “Correct!” Rita gulped down the last drop of beer and squeezed the paper cup. She left Greg momentarily to drop the cup into a nearby bin and came back with another paper cup filled to the brim with beer. She demanded from Greg whether he cared for some, of which he declined gently. “Rita, on a serious note, we need to do the paternity test before you leave.” Greg said with a stern face. “Yes, I agree with you but we have booked our flight already.” Rita replied, but Greg insisted that they should go to the clinic the next morning since the flight leaves in the previous night. After all, it was just a matter of taken the hair, chewing gum, cigarette butts or blood samples of himself, Rita and Jobson in order to compare their DNA testing, so that this paternity issue would be brought to finality.
Greg and Rita’s attention were drawn to a short speech from the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, the organisers of the party. The building has been wired to emit sound across every corner of the place. Greg and Rita turned to face the main hallway. Jacques Jacobs, the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, in a white casual Lacoste T-shirt over blue jeans trousers outfit began. “I welcome you tonight to the Chancery for a short get-together. It is a bittersweet night for all of us, especially the hard working and dedicated staff at the embassy. Our son and brother, Jobson Martinson was freed from condemned cells in Akuse Maximum Security Prison, which is a very good news to us.”
Through the hallway threaded lights shed different shades of colours across the adjoining living room furniture. Popcorn and chip fragments were grounded into the carpet. Jobson and Ama were seated on one of the three couches in the hallway, whilst some party goers and embassy staff stood about chaotically listening to the Ambassador. Ama and Jobson were engaged in a serious conversation, “...I have no choice. I have to go back home.” “Yeah, yeah...I understand. But Job, will you come back again to look for your dad?” “..Hmmmm…Ama, I don’t know, I can’t tell. Maybe! Time will tell.” There was brief silence. They looked at each other’s face, eyeball to eyeball, soul to soul and probably id to id. Fascination led to admiration, which further developed into laughter between them. The two love-birds laughed continuously for one minute, until Ama tapped Jobson on the lap and said, “What is our future, Jobson?” He replied. “Good.” Ama quickly snapped. “What is that?” “Oh Ama, my dear, please relax! It’s too early for us to discuss this issue now. Let me go home first and reflect over the whole matter.” Jobson tried to calm matters down.
Jacques Jacobs continued. “The bitter news is the separation to Part Company with our beloved Rita and Jobson, who are flying home tomorrow. I am told that he was able to complete both his course work and research on time before the unfortunate incident happened. We shall engage with the authorities of the National University of Ghana to make sure that his graduation credentials are release on time for him to move on in life. Now, may I call Rita and Jobson to join me for the toast?” Rita left Greg at the poolside and Jobson also left Ama at the couch: together they joined Jacques. “To Rita and Jobson, we shall miss you dearly.” Jacques raised his glass fill with beer for a toast. Clinging of bottles, glasses and papers echoed through the night air.
Hardly has the toast ended, did a cauldron of Bats flew over the embassy, flapping their way to a colony, located in the nearby large cave under the hills of Teflekope on the south-western belt of Accra. From the cave, the bats’ vocal cords and larynx produced intense screech that echoed through the serene night. Ama came out of the hallway to feast her eyes on these wonderful nocturnal birds. She walked slowly with head raised to join Greg who was still leaning by the Poolside parapet. She stood face to face with Greg. “Dad, see! Jobson and Mum are coming towards us.” “Oh okay.” Greg answered. Rita and Jobson hand-in-hand came to join father and daughter at the poolside.
“Hi, young lady and old man!” Greg addressed Rita and Jobson with a smile. In civility, he stretched his right hand to shake Jobson and Rita in turn. They reciprocated. Rita responded. “Please Greg, stop being sarcastic.” “Anyway, let me use this opportunity to introduce my daughter Ama to you.” Greg said. Ama smiled at Rita. “How do you do, young lady?’ Rita asked. “How do you do, Maa? Ama replied without blinking. Rita continued, “Jobson, my son needs no introduction. I hope you know why we are here tonight?” Ama nodded and stressed. “Oh, yes Maa. He is my friend and school mate.” Jobson quickly interrupted. “Mum, don’t mind Ama, she is my fiancée, not just school mate.” “Rita was surprised. “Huh…. Job! You don’t mean it?” “I mean it, mum.” Jobson reiterated. Rita sighed. “Hmmm…..Job. I see.” “Why mum?” Jobson blurted. “You might cause incest, my son, if you consummate this relationship.” Ama and Jobson simultaneously exclaimed as if they were pro-grammed by an artificial intelligence. “Aaeeih!” Rita moved one, two steps forward toward Jobson. She looked directly into his face as tears sagged from her eyes. She quickly turned to look at Greg’s and her pupils rolled from left to right. Her voice began to tremble. “W-o-w, tomorrow morning Greg, you and I would be going to the Clinic to do DNA test to establish once and for all your paternity issue.” Greg stood there stupefied, shoving his head left and right as if looking for missing keys. Ama was heart throbbed and began to sob. She ran out of the place as Jobson ran after her leaving Greg and Rita behind.