episode 16
Mr Johnson dropped the police officer at the Achimota police station and drove back to the house feeling a little relieved, knowing it wasn't his beloved daughter that was murdered. He sat behind the steering with his head on the steering thinking hard what to do. He had consulted most of his business partners but non had a clue to what was going on. He lifted his head and turned to face his wife.
"honey, who is your instincts telling you has a hand in the kidnap" he asked
"my dear, I know you won't be happy about this but I suspect your mother" she replied.
Mr Johnson's mood changed instantly. He knew how his mother maltreated his wife when she wasn't given birth. Every mother would do that. The woman has changed for good since the kids were born so why was his wife insinuating that his mother had a hand in the kidnap.
"honey, for the first time, I will disagree with your instincts. How can you think of such a thing?" he frowned
"don't get me wrong. Don't forget your mother wants the girls to spend some time with her but you know these girls want to be on their own. I'm not saying she has evil intentions" she explained
"you have a point but for her to kidnap Marylin just because she wants her to spend time with her doesn't really make sense. I didn't want to involve her but we are travelling to Mankessim tomorrow, God willing to see if Marylin is indeed with her. From there we will go to your parents also. It's high time we made them know what is going on" Mr Johnson said looking away.
"we should have done this long ago. It's not too late though" Nana Akosua gave in her concern.
They got out of the car and entered the house.
Anita nearly got out of her skin when she spotted Mary in the room. She trembled but tried to control herself. Mrs Parker noticed a changed in her daughter and asked what the problem was. She told her nothing was wrong. Anita excused herself and went to her room. Benedicta was all over Nick and Mary. She asked so many questions. Mr Parker stood up and asked his son to join him under the summer hut on top of the building. Anytime Mr Parker ask Nick to see him under the summer hut, the young man knew it was serious matter. A minute after his father had left, he pleaded with Benedicta to have fun with Mary and left to the roof top. Mrs Parker went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Leaving Mary and Benedicta who were getting along very well.
Anita held her head in total confusion. She just couldn't believe it. Everything looked like a movie to her.
"so all this was happening in my family?" she muttered under her breath. She paced about in the room thinking hard what to do. Her biology lecturer warned her not to tell anyone about the secret she told her. When she first heard the story, she thought it was one of those Nigerian movies which she had watched. The the older woman proceeded to show her some documents pertaining the story which bewildered her.
"oh Lord, what should I do, what should I do.... "
She kept repeating the words to herself.
On the roof top, under the summer hut, was Mr. Parker and his son. Nick had his jaw dropped when he heard his father's love story for the first time. He was overwhelmed by what the father told him.
According to Mr Parker, he met Angela, now Mrs Parker when they were in their final year in Senior High School. Angela was from a rich home and he was from the opposite. Angela's parent's were cool with the friendship because he was very intelligent and assisted Angela Academically. Things changed when they completed Senior High School. Angela's father called Eric, now Mr Parker and gave him an envelop containing money. Angela's father told him it was a pay for being an aide to his daughter. Eric politely rejected the money. He explained to Angela's father that he assisted his daughter because of friendship. The man got furious and told him plainly that he was from a poor home and can not have anything to do with the rich. Eric understood what he meant. He decided not to go to the house again but kept meeting Angela at a hide out. Angela's father got to know they were still meeting. He made Angela call Eric to the house and told him he would assist him financially. Eric believed him without using his head. He was later arrested by the police when he got home. His father didn't understand what was going on. The police officers told him his son had stolen jewelry. Eric's father asked him about the jewelry but the young man knowing he hasn't taken anything from Angela's house, denied the allegations. Angela's father insisted that the young man's father should search his clothes.
Two police men went with Eric's father to the house and searched Eric's clothes and bags. Lo and behold, a very expensive jewelry was found in the same bag he took to Angela's house when he was called. Eric's father was very surprised. So was Angela. They knew Eric to be a good boy but as to how the jewelry got into his bag, nobody knew. He was punished by the police and released the same day because he was a minor. Angela later believed Eric was a thief and vowed not to have anything to do with him. She was flown to the States to continue her education. Eric vowed to study hard and make money because of Angela's father.
In university, he did menial jobs to support himself and with the help of God, he was able to graduate from the university with First Class.
His father thought he would go for a white color job but went into farming. Earlier, his father disagreed but when he realized he was making progress, he let him be. He grew fruits in large quantities to feed fruit juice making factories in Ghana. He employed more farmers when the demand became huge. In a short time, he started exporting some of the fruits oversees. He became very rich and famous.
Angela returned from the States only to be told by his ailing father that, he placed the jewelry in Eric's bag and made her believe he stole it....
"to cut a long story short, Angela's father accepted me back to the family and we got married. Your mother is the only woman I have known all my life" Mr Parker said to his bemused son.
Nick was somehow angry that his father forgave Angela's father so easily and accepted his daughter back. Mr Parker explained to his son that he was very happy Angela's father did what he did.
"do you think I would've taken my studies serious if Angela was to hang around me. Would I have worked hard and become this great? Don't always see the negative side of a situation. When ever you are faced with a problem, know that, that problem when well analysed and solved well, can catapult you to a higher heights"
Nick was overwhelmed with his father's depth of wisdom.
"make good use of the situation you have at hand. What if Mary is the actual woman God has prepared for you or better still, who knows the worse thing that would've happened if Marylin wasn't kidnapped? Think about it carefully my son. I am still expecting my grandchild from you" the older man said tapping Nick's shoulders. Nick saw great wisdom in his father's advise. He decided to give himself sometime. If Marylin wasn't found, he would have no option than to Marry Mary..
To be continued tomorrow