Tua Wu Ka Company Limited

Andy struggled to enter his room with all the things he was holding. The noise brought his younger sister, Herty, walking towards the room. She smiled and helped him with his luggage. "I'm so tired. These new buses aren't as comfortable as the old ones. Where are your parents?" He asked when he was finally in his room. "They are preparing to leave for work. Aren't you going to the office?" Herty asked. "No, ah after that long trip? I have the day off." He replied lying on his bed.

Andy brought out a pair of traditional leather slippers and gave them to her. She beamed with joy and tried them on immediately. Just as Herty was leaving she instantly remembered something. "Andy, some men came here looking for you oh. They are from Tua Wu Ka. Do you owe anyone money?" She said frowning. Andy rolled his eyes. "It must be Selassie who hired them. I owe him some small 400 cedis too oh. He calls me several times. I won’t pay." Andy said. "Ei don't say that. I heard the Tua Wu Ka people are scary oh. They'll do anything for the money." Herty said but Andy brushed her aside and turned around to sleep.

That evening Andy got a call from a friend. He asked if he was home and Andy said yes.  He told Andy he'd be visiting him soon. When the doorbell rang Andy smiled in anticipation. He walked to the door and saw two, tall dark and very well built men outside his door. "Are you Andy?" One asked. His voice matched his size perfectly. Andy's heart missed a beat. He remembered what his sister said. "No I'm his friend. Let me go and call him for..." before Andy could finish his sentence. One of the men grabbed his hand. "I'll go with you." He said. Andy's heart missed a beat. Just then his mother called out "who is at the door? Andy is it your friend?" Andy swallowed hard. He had started sweating in the cold harmattan weather. He looked at the macho men. One had several marks on his face, ruthless. "It's 400 Cedis eh? I was going to pay oh but..."Andy started but the macho man tightened his grip and Andy got the message. "Ok let's go." He said, slowly losing his breath.

Andy walked to his room with one macho man close behind him. He took out his wallet and with shaking hands gave him the money. The man counted it and looked up at Andy. "But this is 425 cedis." he said. "Oh saa? Ah then the rest is for your transportation." He said. The man nodded and left. Just then Herty appeared in laughter. Andy was furious. "I told you about them. They are the only people who will come for money you owe them and you'll add a tip." She said laughing and holding her sides.

If you owe anyone money just pay or else you know who they are gonna call...

Eli's Wife 14

Sena sat in the canteen calling Charles. He wasn’t answering his phone. She called her detective next and asked him to find out where Charles was. She needed to get to him before he did anything scary. She looked around hoping to see Eli return but he didn’t. After an hour she decided to go and check up on him. She met President Tamakloe with his wife alone in his room. Afi was just a few steps outside the room on the phone. She knocked and went in. Mrs. Tamakloe signaled for her to sit down. “I don't understand. Why hasn't Charles told the press who he really is? All he needs to do is a DNA test.” She asked. Sena looked at President Tamakloe and he nodded. "Maybe he needs a way to get the president's attention or maybe he's saving it for last. These are my guesses." Sena added. When Sena found out Eli had left, she left immediately to find him.

Sena didn't have to look far. Eli was in his car. Just sitting there and staring into space. Sena walked to him and knocked on the window. Eli turned around and unlocked the car when he saw her. She shook her head and went around to his side. "Get into the other seat. You shouldn't drive." She said. He said nothing but did as she said. "Let's go home, take a shower and eat. We can talk whenever you are ready." She added and drove off.

Sena's phone rang as she drove Eli home. It was Charles so she quickly answered the call. "Were you calling to laugh at me?" he said. Sena asked to meet him in private and that it was important. Charles asked a number of defensive questions but later agreed to meet her at a familiar venue. "Was that Charles? The true president's son?" Eli asked. Sena hesitated but replied. "All these years I wasn't theirs. No wonder I'm such a screw up." He added. Sena felt bad. She tried to comfort him but it was like she wasn't even there. Eli kept talking. "Do you know what happened to my mother?" He asked. Sena swallowed hard. "My detective told me she died of breast cancer but I know she had good medical care. Eli I know it's a lot to take in but honestly, the people who love you and are always there for you ARE your family." Sena said. Eli asked for her detective's number. He had more questions he needed answered. She gave him her phone to call him.

When they got to the meeting point Eli stayed in the car while Sena went to meet Charles. It was an old playground. It had a lot of dark shady places to sit with almost no one around. She used to meet Charles there when she had no idea what his real intentions were. She sat down on their usual bench and waited. She turned to look at the car. Could Eli ever get over this? She asked herself. She felt very sad for him. Who was to blame? Charles? President Tamakloe? The new hierarchical rule of government? Perhaps all of them. All but Eli who was in pain.

Sena was about to head back to the car to wait with Eli when Charles appeared. "I didn't know I had to tell you I was done using you." He said and smiled. Sena wished she could slap him. "I know who you are." She said. His smile faded. "Why you saved it for the last I have no idea Charles Quaye, what is it really you want?" she asked. Charles giggled and sat next to her. "Aha, now you are talking. How about 50,000 Cedis? No that's not enough maybe 100,000? A million? I find deciding hard. What do you suggest?" He asked. "Money? All this was about money?" Sena asked. "Ah why you thought I wanted to have a family reunion? No please!" Charles said.

Before Sena could say another word Eli appeared. Sena noticed something different in his eyes. "Charles Quaye?" He asked. Charles smiled and nodded. "You know who I am right? Let me tell you something. I'm a few years away from being president. I'm not going to allow you to take that away from me." Eli continued. Charles shook his head. "I just want some cash and I'll be out of here." Charles confessed. Sena nodded but Eli shook his head. "No that's not a good plan for me because you can always come back for more. I have a better solution." Eli said and brought out a gun, a silencer.

Charles and Sena stood up immediately. "Eli what are you doing?!" Sena cried. Charles started to sweat profusely. "Look if you kill me you will go to jail and that will...” Charles started as Eli pointed his gun at him. An evil smiled crept up Eli's face. "There's no one here but my wife. We'll dump your body somewhere far away and I'll be the only true son of the president. Clean job." he replied. "Eli, this is crazy. Let's look for another option please. This is wrong." Sena pleaded. "Shut up! I need to focus! I don't have many bullets in this gun I need to kill him on the second shot." Eli yelled putting his finger on the trigger.

Charles in tears now screamed "wait I'm not the President's son. I'm not Debora Quaye's son. I just worked on a cancer article with her and she told me about it before she died. She asked me to tell her son but I decided to use it to make some money. Please, I am a nobody. Don't kill me." Charles confessed. Eli squinted and yelled “lies!” Charles shook his head. "No, no I swear it's true. I can show you the documents for the cancer article. I'm telling the truth!" Charles pleaded with tears falling down his face and Sena pleading in the background. Eli lowered his gun. Sena and Charles were relieved. He brought out a phone from his pocket. "I have all you said recorded. The sentence for identity theft, deception of the state, blackmail and extortion is about 40 years. If you don't disappear this tape is going to the police." Eli said. Charles nodded several times, got up and run off. Sena stared at the gun as Eli put it back into his pocket. He smiled at her. "Don't worry it's not even loaded." She giggled as they went into the car and drove off. This time Sena wasn't the one driving.

"How did you know to record Charles?" Sena asked finally. Eli smiled. "He could have gone the straight route with a DNA test but he didn't. He only appeared after Debora Quaye died. He just wanted money. I just suspected him and you are right, the people who love me are my family and no one messes with my family. Thank you for letting me see that." He said and kissed her hand. Sena smiled. She had never met any man like Eli before. She knew he would make a fine president one day and right by his side she would be. "Now that all this is said and done how about we go on that honeymoon?" Eli said smiling.

The End

Eli's Wife 13

Eli, his mother and his sister sat by their father in the hospital. He had been rushed there because of a heart attack. Luckily the president was stable. They watched as he lay there sleeping. Doctor Richard said he would be fine in no time and it was probably caused by stress. Eli left his father's side and saw Sena pacing in front of the hospital's canteen. "Trouble deciding whether to eat or not?" Eli teased. She smiled and hugged him.

 He looked at her and asked her what she said to his father. Sena shrugged and tried to change the subject. Eli kept asking. His voice even went up. He was getting angry. "Sena, you were the only one with my father when he had an attack. What the hell did you tell him?!" Eli asked furiously. Sena fumbled but after she noticed Eli wouldn't budge she looked around and signaled for them to sit down in an empty corner. Before she could say anything, Afi rushed to them. "Dad wants to talk to you." She said grabbing Eli's hand. "I'll be right back." he said to Sena and left with his sister.

  When Eli got to his father the nurse was just leaving his room. His mother turned to look at him with a worried look on her face. "Afi, let's go and get daddy a cup of water." she said. Before Afi could point out to the bottle of water by President Tamakloe's table the first lady had dragged her away. Eli sat down next to his father.

   “Eli there’s something I need to tell you. I should have told you this a long time ago but I didn’t know how.” President Tamakloe started. “Many years ago, before I was President your mum had a complication with her pregnancy. The baby was stillborn and her womb got damaged as well. The doctors said chances of her having another child was very slim. That very day there was a woman who also having a baby. Her name was Deborah Quaye. She was a janitor at a school nearby. The doctor came to me and we thought about us having her baby and paying her. We knew it was wrong but for my political career to take off I needed a child.” He paused for a second and continued. “She agreed to take the money and we had you. You were a bundle of joy to us, a gift from God. We decided to make her a surogate for our next child but she said she lost the child. I believe this was a lie looking at the age of the journalist. Five years later miraculously your mother had Afi. We only tried again because you said you wanted someone to play with. You gave us hope. I know I should have told you all this but I just couldn’t. I hope you forgive me.” He said looking directly at Eli.

  Eli sat there quietly for a while. It was a lot to take in. “Where is Deborah, where is my real mother?” he asked looking down. President Tamakloe hesitated for a while “We flew her to Nigeria to start a new life there with her family. The last I heard was she got sick and passed away. Eli, Sena believes Charles is her son.” he answered. Eli’s heart missed a beat. Nothing could have prepared him for all the things he was hearing. He stood up. “Thank you for sharing this with me. The truth is very important.” He said and walked out. President Tamakloe called him back several times but he just kept walking.



 To be continued for the last time...