Just like the proverbial ‘love at
first sight’, David had bonded with baby Ellen from the very first time their
souls touched. A very elaborate naming ceremony was held for baby Ellen after
the eighth day of her birth. David’s father reluctantly agreed to be the one to
name his grandchild as custom demanded. David had wanted Erica and Ellen to
move in with him but Erica’s parents declined the request arguing out the fact
that David had to officially ask for Erica’s hand in marriage first. David
however had to pay a penalty for getting Erica pregnant out of wedlock. He also
asked to be given some time to adequately prepare to marry Erica. Both families
agreed on certain terms and conditions before the naming ceremony of baby Ellen
was held. Baby Ellen had managed to win
the heart of her father with her cuteness and grace. She seldom cried and right
from the very first time that her father held her in his hands, she would
rather have no other firm and comforting hand around her little body. The birth
of his very first child and daughter turned David into of a workaholic. He purposed
in his heart to do whatever it took to give her a comfortable life. David spent
more time at work than at home, his manager saw the need for him to cut back
and take a paternity leave but David turned down the request every time they
attended a managerial meeting. David’s relationship with Erica was on the
decline. He spent less time talking to her, his main concern was having his
baby in his arms when he had the chance and that was all that mattered to him.
Erica felt the need to talk to David to discuss a possible future together but
anytime David visited, he brushed that issue aside. On one of his visits to see
his daughter from work, Erica flared up and burst out, “David, things can’t
keep going on like this”. “You come here and you ignore me as if I am not here
at all”. “You won’t talk to me, comfort me or even check up on me when you are
not here”. “Is this how you intend to treat me should we get married?”, Erica asked
with a sunken look on her face. “Erica come on, don’t tell me that you are
jealous of your own daughter”, David fired back. “This little princess here
needs much care and attention in her formative months now”, David said,
touching baby Ellen’s little red cheeks. “You and I will always have each other
so please, for now, let us do our best to show her all the care and attention
we can”, David added, as he held Erica close to his chest to pamper her. Days
passed and David kept working hard to ensure that both Erica and baby Ellen had
the best of everything. At one of their many managerial meetings, David
suggested that more hands needed to be taken on to ensure continued
productivity in the company. His boss deliberated on the issue with his board
members and per the marked progress David had brought into the company ever
since he joined, it was agreed that he be allowed to employ as many people as
he saw fit. David saw this as a perfect opportunity to give another childhood
friend of his, Jacob, who had dropped out of school, the chance to earn a
living. Jacob had been David’s friend before he met Fred. Both of them used to
live in the same neighborhood in rented apartments until David’s father completed
his house and they moved out. That was many years back but David never lost
contact with Jacob. Jacob, on the other hand, after David had moved out, joined
bad company and his life turned around. He was noted for delinquency. David’s
heart was saddened when he heard that Jacob had dropped out of the university
due to bad behavior and non-performance. Rumors were however rife that Jacob
was thrown out of school for non-payment his fees and not for poor performance
as he would have everyone believe. Investigations into the matter revealed that
he spent his tuition fees with his girlfriend and as the money was used up; his
girlfriend dumped him for the next rich person. This issue was yet to be
confirmed. The irony of Jacob’s situation was that, unlike Fred, Jacob’s
parents were well to do and to add insult to injury; his father was a deacon in
their church. David called Jacob on phone and invited him over to his house.
When Jacob arrived, David offered him a job to work in his company. “Jay, I know
we have been friends for long”, David started. “As time would have it, we have
all moved on in life and I expect you to do same”. “We all need to take up some
responsibilities at one point in life or another”, David continued. “I have a daughter
now and because of her, I am motivated to work hard to set a good example for
her and also to be a role model for her”. “I don’t mean to judge you or
anything but I know life has not gone the way we all expected it to go, one way
or the other but as far as we have life, we have hope and a chance to better
the rest of our lives”. “Even if we cannot go back to right all our wrongs, we
can make a few right decisions now to put smiles on the few faces that once
looked up to us”, David added. All this while, Jacob listened to David but kept
scanning David’s room with his eyes. “I didn't know you had so much sense”,
Jacob said jokingly. David laughed and said, “Responsibility makes a man take a
different look at life and living it”, David responded. Jacob accepted David’s
request but asked for time to prepare adequately to start working. In a week’s
time, Jacob reported for duty and started working as a sales distributor in
David’s company. David knew that the position he offered Jacob was below his
qualification but when he gave it a second thought, he came to the conclusion
that it was better than he staying at home doing nothing. Jacob started off
well and showed immense commitment to his work. Jacob was well-experienced in
pressure marketing and sold off his products faster than most of his
colleagues. David was pleased that Jacob was living up to the hype he had given
him at the employee review meeting. One afternoon, after two months of Jacob’s
employment, his distribution driver called David and complained, “Sir, problem
has come”. “Isaac, what is the matter?”, David asked, adjusting himself
properly in his seat. “Sir, boss Jacob’s customer run away plus the goods we
delivered”. “Where is Jacob?”, an alarmed David asked. “He say make I wait for
inside the car, he will be back but he is not back”. David who was sensing
danger called Jacob but there was no response. Before David knew it, the matter
had reached the Head Office. Apparently, they had tried to contact Jacob for a
report on the issue but he refused to answer any of his calls. The management
of the company therefore decided to involve the police into the matter. They sent
the police to arrest David first since he was the one who employed Jacob so it
could well be a planned thing to dupe the company. When the police arrived in
David’s office, he called his boss and asked, “After all these sleepless nights
and effort that I put in, you choose to treat me like a criminal?”. “David,
there are standard procedures everywhere and it is quite unfortunate that
things are turning out this way but I also take my orders from people who are
above me”. David followed the police to the police station and started making
phone calls. He was told that the amount in question was the equivalent of over
twenty thousand pound sterling. When pounds were mentioned, David remembered
Fred and called him for assistance. Fred bemoaned having a hard time in the
UK but promised to send David some money to help pay for part of the amount. David
called his father and his father came in to bail him. It had been two days after
the incident and David had been suspended and had still not heard from Jacob
who had gone into hiding. On the third day, Jacob sent David a message asking
him to forgive him. David asked him to tell him where he was so he could help
him out, Jacob, out of distress, told David where he was. David quickly grabbed
a shirt and his phone and went straight to the location Jacob provided. When he
got there, he gave Jacob a call and he came out, immediately, some men who were
in regular clothes appeared and arrested Jacob. Unknown to Jacob, David
informed the police and they ambushed him. Soon, David’s name was cleared and
he resumed work. That was the last time he heard from Jacob. After work, on one
of his most busy days, David decided to surprise Erica and baby Ellen with
dinner from Erica’s favorite restaurant. He ordered the food and picked it up.
When he got to Erica’s house, he tip-toed to the room so as not to disturb baby
Ellen if it happened that she was asleep. When he entered the dark room, he saw
two dark figures on the bed, he went back and turned on the lights and it was
Erica in bed with a topless guy… YOU DON’T
NEED TO GUESS, FIREWORKS ARE IN THE OFFING. STAY TUNED. MY NAME IS EDWIN OKO
LAMPTEY AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS ANOTHER RANDOM AFRICAN THOUGHT PIECE. R.A.T © MORE @ randonafricanthoughts.blogspot.com
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