To Survive

TWO WEEKS LATER

KOFI AMOYAW
BORN: 11th November, 1977
DIED: 21st January, 2024

Everyone had left the cemetery except Ally Halle,
Alessia and Juanita. Rhian and Cara were left behind too
to drive them straight to the Ampate residence after they
were done at the cemetery. The funeral was short.
Everyone was tired of mourning and wearing black. They
moved from one funeral to the other during the past two
weeks. Ranging from Richmond to that of Trina and Lola.
Kerron had come out to tell Ally Halle the truth and it hurt
her deeply. She didn't believe it even though Kofi had
confirmed it before he died. Kerron had to come in with me to
a DNA test that proved that she was indeed his daughter.
The news haunted everyone who heard it and it haunted
Ally Halle even more.
"Let's go, Ally Halle," Juanita said.
"The both of you should take the lead, Grandma, I'll be
there soon." Alessia turned to her grandmother and they
left for the car together leaving Ally Halle by the grave of
Kofi.
"I feel more lost knowing that you're gone for the
second time but this time for good. I'm glad that I got to
speak to you at least. My world feels like it's crashing and I
wish so badly that you were here to continue to give me
hope like you always do but then you're gone. Help me
wherever you are Dad. I need to set my choices right and I
can't do that without you. Help me, Dad."
*
After Kofi's funeral, Sedem rushed back to the
hospital. Kate was with her son, Paul. Paul and Clifford
had undergone a safe kidney transplant surgery but
Clifford had still not woken. She moved to Paul's room.
"I don't know what you've done to my son but I'm glad
he's happy," Kate smiled as Sedem moved to Paul's side.
The two kissed.
"How is Clifford doing?" Paul asked.
"He's still the same. I just hope he wakes up soon."
"It's our hope," Kate said reassuringly and moved to
Sedem's side and held her shoulder gently, "He will wake."
*
The Ampate residence had loved ones there clothed
in black. The Bequin brothers were present, Juanita and
her granddaughters arrived shortly and people extended
their condolences to both Ally Halle and Alessia.
"I just hope that your mother wakes up soon,"
Benjamin said.
"She can die for all I care..."
"Ally Halle!" Alessia screamed out angrily and people
turned to them. Ally Halle angrily walked up the stairs to
her bedroom gaining attention as usual and Alessia was
not ready to let this slide. She climbed up the stairs too
and Therod climbed up the stairs to stop the two. Ally
Halle shut the door to her room when she entered but
Alessia opened the door and got in.
"What do you want?"
"What do you mean by what do I want? What is the
meaning of the nonsense you said out there?"
"It's not nonsense. It's something I wish was true,"
Alessia slapped Ally Halle and Therod held her back.
Alessia teared up.
"You're not the one who lost your father and that's
why you are acting stupidly..."
"How dare you!"
"The woman you want dead is our mother!"
"The man that died was my father too and I hate
mother for making me a bastard child in her marriage with
Dad."
"You know the problem with you? You always
complain about everything that goes wrong and you never,
not even once do you remember the good times. All you
keep in that thick skull of yours are the bad memories and
it's going to shatter you if you do not stop that nonsense.
Mother has sacrificed a lot for you if you have no idea. You
have no idea how much that woman loves you. She loves
you even more than she loves me. Even my own father loves you more than he loves me! He called you into his
room, not me. He asked for you. He asked you to forgive
Mother because every human has their flaws. Try and
understand why Mother did what she did and realize that
all of this is in the past!"
"If you think I'm stealing your space you could have
said that earlier."
"No one said that!"
"I'm leaving this house."
"Suit yourself! I'm tired of you and frankly, everyone is
tired of you and your complaints and your silly tears!
Everyone is tired of the Ally Halle who never understands.
You're my sister but I'm tired of you too," Alessia let
herself out of Therod's grip and walked out of Ally Halle's
room.
*
"I'm glad to know that you are feeling better,
Detective Ebban." Salim said to Martin who lay in one of
the hospital beds. He still found it hard to move. The bullet
wound still heart, especially at the part where he was shot.
Thelma knocked and entered the room.
"Miss Ampate, I'm Sergeant Salim. I haven't gotten
the opportunity to ask for forgiveness for the
inconvenience we caused you by putting your life in
danger."
"You found a man to save me and it clears it all," she
walked further in and smiled lightly at Martin, "I still hate
you but how are you doing, Special Detective?"
"I'm good and glad to know that you hate me. Maybe
I'm starting to hate you too."
"I just hope it is hate we are talking about."
"Definitely," he added and smiled.
*
Birgitta found herself kneeling and praying in the
chapel. It was a Saturday and there were fewer people there
in the afternoon. "I don't know if going away from William
was the best decision. Sometimes I feel like I should
return and go and live the life I was living but then I feel
too cheap to do so. The unvalued and unloved wife. Did I
buy myself this fate? I lived all these years praying and
wishing that one day William would just look at me and say
'Birgitta I love you' but that never happened and
surprisingly after all that I still love him. I can even die for
him, a man who has not even loved me before and never
wishes to. Lord, I pray that you make him find the
happiness he wants and if that happiness is not by my
side then let your will be done."
"His will has been done and that happiness is by your
side," she turned to the presence of William and stood.
"What are you doing in Dabbor?"
"I found myself on a tour and then I met that one
jewel I never appreciated but now do. I met my wife and
the mother of my three kids and I hope she returns home
with me." he smiled and she walked away. "Birgitta."
"What?"
"I love you," she paused and turned to him.
"Which new joke is this?"
"It's been two weeks..."
"Three weeks, William, and not two."
"It's different without you. The table feels empty. The
bed feels empty. Everything feels different."
"Are you here just because you miss my presence?"
"Maybe that was what I needed to know how much
you meant to me. I'm sorry I cheated on you and I'm glad
that you stayed by my side throughout all my stupid
adventures. Birgitta Arthur, I just don't need you to return
because you're my wife, I want you to return because I love
you. It took me a while to notice but it's true, I love you.
You're the mother of my children and the only that stands
by my side no matter what so I'm here with a different
proposition. I thought it through with all our three children
who are also present and they agreed to it," she noticed
Adel, Padi, and Saffron walk in and she smiles as a tear
drops down her eye. She turned back to William.
"What could that be?"
"A reunion of vows," William knelt, "Birgitta
would you marry me again? This time not a pregnant
version of you," she laughed.
"Yes, William, I'll marry you again."
"She agreed!" Saffron screamed and moved to hug
her mother. The boys neared too.
"We've missed you, mother," Adel said.
"I've missed all of you."
"I bet you missed me more. There's no one here to
disturb you," they laughed after Padi had spoken.
*
"I'm not surprised. I was expecting that argument,"
Noah admitted.
"But frankly speaking Ally Halle shouldn't have said
something like that. Sabella is just a line away from death
and saying something like this about her mother is bad."
"She's hurt. The whole thing about Kerron is driving
her insane," Jana added.
"She must understand that what is done is done and
she can't change her fate even if she wants to. We don't
choose our parents." Berna said frankly.
"There is so much going on of late and sometimes
happiness is questionable. We all wanted Nutifafa dead
but it looks like we got more than we wanted," Berna
turned to her husband who had just spoken.
"At least peace is closer."
"I don't think so." they all turned to Ally Halle who was
descending the stairs with her suitcase and Alessia sighed.
She was downstairs with her grandmother and the sight of
Ally Halle with the suitcase was pissing her off.
"So you won't stop being stupid?" she made it
clear not caring if people were watching or listening. Ally
Halle just continued downstairs with her suitcase.
"Ally Halle," Benjamin called out, "You can come to
my place if you want to."
"I'm going out of Ghana...maybe to the States or
something."
"God be with you and grant you wisdom because you
need it."
"Stop insulting me there!"
"Get out already!"
"The both of you should stop!" Juanita came in loudly,
"Have mercy on your dead father and dying mother. This is
not the family they wished to leave behind so come to
your senses the both of you and notice for the first time
that your mother needs the both of you by her side."
"That will not be possible now," Ally Halle said as she
advanced towards the door.
"Don't worry, we are still ready to accept you when
you finally get back your senses."
"I'm not stepping foot here ever again." she walked
out.
"This is the definition of stubbornness. A proud combo
of all her three pride-filled parents."
*
Sabella found herself on a yacht. It was an elegant
yacht and she was clothed in a pure fine white dress. Her
hair fell down her shoulders so long and smooth like it
was in the days of her prime. She climbed up the stairs to
have a look at the still and wonderful ocean. It was
beautiful and heavenly. The water was the purest she'd
ever seen and she could swear that she could see through it and was awed by the lovely creatures in the ocean. She
wanted to jump in and swim and feel as happy as they felt.
She opened her arms and allowed the wonderful breeze to
pass by and touch her skin. It was warm, just the kind she
needed.
"Mrs Amoyaw," she turned to the presence of her
husband who was in a fine white shirt.
"I always told you that you look amazing in white."
"I still prefer black," he smiled as he got closer and
they kissed. She turned back to the ocean.
"It's beautiful. Where are you taking me?"
"I'm not taking you anywhere. I'm going on a fun trip
and you're going back home."
"I want to go on the trip with you."
"I wish you could. I desperately want you too but
there would be so much of this joy later. Our daughters
still need you."
"Kofi, they need us not just me."
"You survived without me,"
"But I knew you were there. That was how I managed
to care for them."
"Sabella," he held her cheeks, "When you go back I'll
be there too. I'll be in the shadows and I'll protect every
single one of you. There was one thing you said back
when we were dating. I doubt you wouldn't remember."
"I have all my memories playing in my head like a video."
"You told me that to survive is the best drama and
greatest gift at the same time. It sounded exaggerated to
me back then but now it makes a whole lot of sense. You
are to survive. You were born to survive. You were born to
face all your problems head-on and maybe that is why you
still have that undying power in you and I hope that it
doesn't vanquish anytime soon. We'll go on a fun trip
together, Sabella."
"When would that be?"
"When you are all gray."
"That's too long."
"I'll wait here for you. I'll wait for her for the woman I
love." she held his hand that still stayed on her cheeks.
"I love you, Kofi."
"I love you more..."
"She is awake!" one of the nurses screamed in shock
as she rushed out to call in the doctor. Sabella just stared
silently at the hospital room where she had been kept. Her
head was spinning and the off-white walls made her want
to throw out. She sighed, a sigh of relief, and then shut her
eyes. The kind of peaceful death she wanted.