THEN A DEVIL CAME FROM THE STORM
The one thing they don’t tell you about becoming a millionaire at 30 is; you still get nervous. Why wouldn’t she put him out his misery, already? Robert groaned. His was on a razor edge.
Suzie yelped. The thunder crashed overhead, and the new mansion shuddered. But Robert was unfazed. He’d paid 2 million cedis for this hulking building. He eased into the cream sofa of the milk coloured living room that could contain a small house. They were okay.
“Scaredy cat” Robert teased.
“Oh Shutup” Suzie giggled.
“Hurry up and open it, ah” He poked the present in her hands, the size of a letter.
“I wanna open the big one” she toed the child sized box at her feet, pouting her lower lip.
“Ooh, I said open this one first”
“Please?”
“No.” He waited. “Oh hurry up erh”
She whimpered. A smirk dressed her lips. “What if I-“ She leapt for the big box
“Herh” He nabbed her round the waist, bringing his catch back to the couch shores. She shrieked and kicked, giggling.
“Okay, okay,” she resigned. “If it’s not nice erh” She mocked his deep voice “the way I’ll beat you-“
“You’ll beat me?” He guffawed
A loud ripping came The package was undressed. “The way I’ll beat- ei what’s this?”
She squinted at the colourful paper, muttering. “Travel to Copacabana…” Her head perked up, eyes wide “We’re going on vacation!”
“Nuh uh” He shook his head. “Better. What’s the one thing I’ve been putting off?”
“Uhh… oil change?”
He laughed.
“Fixing the porch light?” she said.
He grinned. Suzie’s eyes widened. He was getting on one knee.
“Suzie Elena Korkor Addo” he said, fetching a ring out his pocket. “Will you be my-“
The world spun into a whirl of colour after a shrill “Yes!” sent him deaf. They kissed, one body melting into another. He pressed in her back with his hand, moving towards the bedroom. She resisted. They broke apart.
She spoke, panting. “Wait, what made you change your mind? Five years of my complaining, and nothing, suddenly-“
“Oh don’t think about it-“ He moved in for more loving. She declined.
“What? Oh no no, I just-“ He led her back to the couch, and held her hand in his. His gaze pierced right through her.
“I just- umm, it’s just happiness is such a tricky thing, you know. I thought the first 100, 000 would do it, you know? I’d finally feel rested. Like I could float off if I took off my shoes”
She laughed.
“It didn’t.” He shook his head. “I thought the big house would do it. It didn’t. Or the car, or the promotion. There was a hole- a pit in my soul, and right now, I can feel it, slowly filling in-“
“Aww”
“-And the moment we kiss on that beach” He held up the travel brochure
“Oh my God, the beach” Suzie cooed.
“I know I’ll be complete”
“Aww Robert, come here” Their lips buttered together. Another crash of thunder shook the world. Their hairs stood up. A sharp chill rang through Robert. He wrapped her for warmth.
A sharp ring woke their ears. Ignore it, Robert thought. The bell screamed again. The lovers split, exchanging worried looks. It was 12am. Who could that be?
Suzie moved first. He clutched her arm.
“I’ll get it”
He sneaked toward the door, eying the peephole. Darn it. Rain had spattered it. All that was left was the outline of a woman. A woman? What was a woman doing out in this hell scape?
He swung the door open. She looked up at him. His mouth ran dry. He stammered, reaching for words that had ran away and left him. He quickly stole unto the porch and shut the door.
“Honey?” Suzie called. “Who is it?”
“Oh it’s nothing-uh-umm- I’m coming.” He hesitated. “Open-open the big present. I’m coming”
A snarl replaced the confusion on his face. “Nadia”
The familiar airy giggle floated from her lips. His heart fluttered like book pages against his ribs. Shut up, shut up, his brain yelled
She spoke. “You didn’t look like that when you were naked-“
“Shh!”
She ignored him. “In my bed a year ago. Why, what’s got you upset?”
He hooked her arm and wrenched her close to his stormy face “What are doing here? Erh? What are you doing here? You’re a witch”
“Hahaa”
“You’re a witch! Why do you want to-“
The door creaked open. Robert let Nadia go like an electric fence. Suzie’s head poked out.
“Robert, two blenders? Wow I-“ Her eye caught Nadia. “Who’s this?”
Nadia beat him to it. “I’m his e-“
“Friend” Robert butted in. “She’s a friend. From work”
“Oh I see” Suzie scanned her. Her threat detector wasn’t going off, long retired by years of nasty arguments with Robert. His work made him meet a lot of beautiful women. She’d made peace with it.
“Oh come in, come in, you’re soaked” Suzie said
“Thank you” Nadia slipped in before Robert could serve a rebuttal. He cursed profanities in his head. Dammit. Dammit. Why now?
Nadia gasped. The sheer size of the room swept her “Wow, Robert, you’ve done well for yourself ever since we-“
“You know what?” Robert attempted salvation “It’s an important night for us, Mary-“
Nadia narrowed her eyes.
“I- uhh- I just proposed to my wife” He added an icy punch to ‘wife’. “Whatever business you have, maybe send me an email, maybe call tomorrow… You understand”
“Robert” Suzie gasped. “Oh don’t be rude. She drove all this way”
“I ran, actually” Nadia said.
“Oh my God” Suzy exclaimed “What’s so urgent?”
Nadia thrust out two brown paper letters “You need to read these right now” She added with a sexy flourish; “Boss”
He threw her a dark look and snatched the papers. “Okay, I’ll read these in the morning. Now go”
“Robert!”
“I’ll call an Uber”
“Come, Nadia” Suzy let out a hand.
“I’ll call an Uber”
Suzie giggled. “Ignore him, he’s so impatient when he gets excited”
“Oh, I know” Nadia replied, stealing a wink at Robert. He flashed a growl before Suzie saw.
“Rob, at least let her stretch her legs, erh? Come, come try this wine Robbie bought-“
“She doesn’t want wine, dear”
“Nonsense, everyone loves red wine” She led Nadia to the couch and reached for a bottle “It’s a 92. Chateau-En-Blanc”
“Oh I see. I’m more of a whisky girl myself”
Suzie’s perked with interest
“Danny Blanco”
“Oh that’s expensive.”
“Mm” Nadia savored the drink. “A bit heavy on the peach, but this is fantastic”
“Wow, you know your wines” Suzie remarked.
“Oh” Nadia giggled, taking a long sip “I know a lot of things”
Robert’s heart leapt into his mouth. God, this girl will kill him today. “I’m calling the Uber”
“Robert” Nadia called, “You really should read the documents”
“I’m calling an Uber! I’m calling an Uber” His hands struggled to find the phone icons, shaking and trembling. Every second she stayed in there, he cracked by an inch. He burst the app open. No signal.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Laughter of the women floated to his ears from the living room. She’s sinking her hooks into him. His heart jumped. That’s how she gets you, he remembered. Her jokes. That’s how she destroyed him. Hurry up.
He refreshed the app. No signal. A thunder crash roared as if to punctuate his doom. Shit. He hit reboot on the phone. He tossed Nadia’s cursed papers on the pile of bills, and home sale documents on the kitchen counter, flying to his bedroom for his second phone.
“So, Mary” Suzie asked
“Nadia” she corrected.
“Oh, I thought you name was Mary”
“Friends call me Nadia”
“Ah, Nadia” Suzie replied “Nadia, Nadia, your name sounds familiar. Hang on, I think we’ve met before-“
“Mmhmm” Nadia sipped, waiting for the hammer to drop.
“Umm… Oh, I’m struggling… wait, what do you do for Roberts agency?”
“Travel consultant”
“What, like bookings and stuff?”
“A bit. And other stuff. I co-ordinate events; conferences, weddings-“
Suzie gasped “Oh weddings-“ She checked herself “I’m sorry” she giggled. Her head was getting a little light from the drinks. “I just met you and all, but-“ She flashed the travel brochure and shook with a spasm of glee.
“Wow” Nadia cradled the paper “Robert is-“
Suzie nodded “Mmhmm”
“I see” Nadia gave a thin lipped smile that never reached her eyes. Suzie was too drunk to notice. Nadia immediately wore a bright grin. “So what are you doing for hotels?”
“Oh, I don’t know”
“There’s the Cristal, the Concordia, and oh- the Marriott, the Marriott is gorgeous-“
“Oh-“
“Whatever you do, don’t pay for the beach space. They’ll try to trick you into paying. There’s public spots. Last year, Kelly Nkrumah-“
“The singer?”
“Mmhmm. Went into debt $10,000 dollars”
“Oh my God”
“Yep. They just bleed the new couples dry. When I did the Folanike wedding, I told them, look-“
“You did the Folanike wedding?” Suzie tugged herself erect, sloshing wine over herself. It was the biggest destination wedding of the year. No, the past five years. Splashed across magazines and the imagination of every girl in the country. They turned a beach side into a snow white and soft pink princess-fairy dream. Often imitated since, but never surpassed.
“Every bit of it” Nadia replied.
“The Folanike wedding?” Suzie blinked.
“Mmhmm. The lace, the menu, flowers, everything. Even picked out the ring”
“Woow”
“Mmhmm”
Suzie weighed the thought, nodding along to silence for a minute. She spoke; “I’m sorry, maybe this might seem a bit too forward-“
“Oh no go ahead”
“Me and Robert, we’ve never done this before and I really want this to be perfect-“
“Mmhmm”
“I’m sorry, really sorry to intrude and I know you’re a busy woman”
“Oh, not at all-“
“Could you maybe help me plan mine-“
Robert burst in “I got an Uber! I got an Uber! Come on, let’s go”
“Robert, wait-“ Suzie said.
“Darling, I’d love to.” Nadia gave a luscious smile. “What’s your design palette?”
“Ooh, what’s that?” Suzie replied.
“You don’t know?”
“What?” Suzie’s eyes pleaded like a lost dog.
“Wow” Nadia said.
Suzie gasped. “Why, what?”
“We really have a lot to do. Do you have a drawing pad?”
“Yes”
“Get it for me. I don’t usually promise this, but-“ She leaned forward with a smile “I’m about to blow your mind”
Suzie scrambled to her feet and ran for the bedroom.
Robert was puzzled “Ah where are you going? Where are you going, she’s leaving”
“Cancel the Uber, Rob. She’s staying”
“What?”
“she’s showing me design palettes” Suzie yelled from the bedroom. “She’s going to plan our wedding. We’ll have a Folanike wedding”
“What?”
“Folanike. The Naiga TV CEO’s child”
What madness was this? He thought. He’d been gone barely five minutes. Robert locked eyes on Nadia. He stormed up her and grabbed her arm.
“You” he hissed “What did you do to her? What did you do? I told you to leave us alone”
“I didn’t do anything Robert” she replied
“Shh, lower your voice”
She rolled her eyes. “Robert, if you know what’s good for you you’ll read the documents”
“Shut up! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave my house. I want you gone in 30 minutes-“
“Robert-“
“If you don’t go you’ll see what I’ll do to you-“
“Robert, listen-“
“I’m done playing your jokes. You’ll see what I’ll do to you”
“Robert, I have AIDS”
His eyes never fell out of his head. He choked on his words. “You what?”
“Yeah. Read the doc-“
A shrill wail cut into their ears.
“Suzie” Robert gasped. They dashed to the bedroom. Suzie stood, petrified, eyes glued on a stream of water now guzzling from the roof unto the floor.
“Shit. Shit. Shit” Robert raced to the bedside and grunted as he pushed it to the other side.
“Rob, lemme help” Suzie tried to cross the puddle.
“Eiiii” She slipped. Roberts heart all but fell out his chest. Nadia caught her.
“D-don’t come, don’t come” He cried. “C-call the mason. Call him”
“What’s the number?”
“Yiee” he pondered. “It’s on the dining table. Check the papers”
Suzie zipped out.
Robert slipped and fought through the puddle to snatch Nadia’s arm. “What do you mean you have AIDS?” he whispered
“AIDS. AIDS. What other kind is there?”
“Lower your voice!” He hissed
“You’re really ungrateful for someone who’s saving your life”
“What? I don’t have AIDS”
She scoffed “Not that. Although I do doubt that. Cuz Brandon does”
“Who the hell is Brandon?”
“You don’t read my emails?”
“Why the hell would I-“
She sighed, cutting him off. “Anyway, Frimpong. My husband. He knows. There was a complication”
“A complication? I have no business with your sickness-“
“Our sickness-“
“Your sickness. This is my house. My life. And you’re destroying it, please leave-“
“I’m helping you!”
“How? How are you helping me?”
“There was a complication”
“What?”
“When Frimpong found out I had- the thing-“
“AIDS”
“Yes. He- he went crazy. Convinced I cheated on him. He did a DNA test on Brandon. Turns out-“
“Who the hell is Brandon?”
“Your son, Robert. Your son. I put the test in the file for you. For you.” She looked around. “Where is it?”
“It’s on the-“ He shrieked. His eyes bulged. “Dining table”
The sound he was dreading came. “Robert” Suzie called. Her voice was fraught with worry. “What’s this?”
Robert slow marched out of the room. The walls seemed to close in. His vision blurred, like he was in a fever dream. He emerged in the dining room, the she-devil Nadia behind him. Suzie held up a paper from the brown envelope, hands trembling, her face stiff with shock lines.
“Honey, it’s not what you-“
The door banged twice. Eyes darted at the quaking wood. He spun to Nadia. “What’s that?” he demanded.
She exhaled, eyes wide open. “The complication”
Frimpong charged like a bull at the door, red eyed. He would have Roberts blood, before the night was done.
Robert shook, praying the door of the 2-million-cedi mansion would hold. And suddenly, a bullet came blasting in.
THE END
- Jesse Heymann
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