Chapter 23

"I'm no longer interested in Ekow, I've moved on with my life. I think he should also do same."

Maame said to Emily who was pleasantly surprised at the sudden transformation of her cousin.

"Heeyy this is unbelievable; I hope this is the same Maame I know."

Emily said in utter shock and amazement.

"Well, I thank God my mentorship program has produced great and wonderful results."

Emily said proudly.

"See who's talking here. Mrs Emily herself."

Maame teased. Emily had taken it upon herself to have Maame stay with her after the attempted suicide in her house the other day. Judging from how Auntie Ama had behaved, Emily felt the older woman would be too tired to constantly keep an eye on her daughter. With Stephen's permission, she decided to bring Maame to stay with them. During the process, she was able to nurture Maame with the word of God.

She also taught her how to prepare excellent and delicious meals. It had not been an easy journey for Maame because she was emotionally attached to Ekow who didn't even seem to care or show remorse about what had happened. He had rather hurled insults at her after Maame had given him a phone call.

"What do you want me to do for you Maame?"

He had asked after Maame had called him.

"Ekow, so don't you care that I tried to commit suicide?"

Maame had asked bitterly.

"Am I the one who sent you to commit suicide? I don't care whatever you do with your life okay? As far as I'm concerned, this relationship is over. You and your mother are the people who forced me into this in the first place. Don't you ever think of calling me again!"

Ekow had said angrily and hung up. Tears began to stream down her face as she thought of the hurtful words Ekow had said to her. Emily had been there for her all that time, encouraging her.

"See Emily, I owe you my life."

Maame said to her.

"Point of correction Maame. It is God who owns your life. I am only his representative here on earth. This is what he would have me do okay? So let's give all the glory to God."

Emily said, trying to shift the attention from herself. She was careful not to take the place of God in people's lives.

"Okay Ma, well understood Ma. All the glory belongs to God."

Maame responded.

"To think that I wasted my time with that nonsense called..."

"Please Maame, don't call a human being 'nonsense' please".

"But Emily,how else do I call someone who messed up my life?"

Maame asked bitterly.

"And Jesus has cleaned up the mess."

Emily responded to her question.

"Whether or not you agree, Jesus loves Ekow."

Emily said.

"Jesus is just waiting for the day that Ekow would turn back to Him and surrender his life wholeheartedly, just like you have done. So you have to forgive him no matter how badly he has hurt you."

Emily countered.

"Well,it wouldn't be easy Emily".

"I know it wouldn't be easy, however I know a man who can help you to make it easy."

Emily said.

"Really? Who is that man Emily?"

Maame asked excitedly.

"His name is Jesus Christ."

Emily replied and Maame sighed.

"Okay okay, let's drop this whole thing about Ekow so that we talk about something else ok?" Maame said, trying to change the topic. Emily knew it was difficult for her cousin to forgive Ekow however she believed that one day she would overcome her emotions and difficulties. She just needed time. Otubea had started to cry because she was feeling sleepy.

"Hush, it's okay. We'll go to bed now."

Emily said as she carried Otubea inside the bedroom. She was a year old now and had began to walk round the house. She had been scattering things within her reach, giving a lot of work to her mother. Emily had encouraged Maame to constantly read the Bible and pray, after Maame had given her life to Christ.

"It would help you to grow in your relationship with Christ and it would also help with your spiritual growth."

Emily had told Maame.

Aunt Ama had been visiting them to check on them after Maame had gone to live with her cousin. Auntie Ama was besides herself with joy, after seeing the tremendous transformation in the life of her daughter. She had been visiting with Maame's father,who had also apologized to Emily for his actions in the past.

"Emily, I'm very sorry for how your Aunt and I treated you when you used to stay with us. In fact, I'm even ashamed and feel uncomfortable whenever I see you and observe with amazement, how God has blessed you."

Her uncle had said during one of their visits.

"It's okay Uncle. God was doing all this to help shape my life. Look at Joseph in the Bible. His brothers sold him as a slave to foreigners. Initially they thought they were destroying his life. Little did they know that they were rather pushing him to fulfill destiny. In the land where he was a foreigner, God lifted him to become a Prime Minister. He was the one who helped his family to survive during the famine. In the same way, I'm the one God has raised to help Maame out at this time. Therefore I would not take any credit for myself. All the glory belongs to God."

Emily had told her Uncle who nodded his head in agreement.

"Thank you Emily, I don't deserve your forgiveness."

He told her.

"No Uncle, please don't say that. We all didn't deserve God's mercy however He chose to have mercy on us and lifted us up, and here we are today. Ebenezer,thus far the Lord has brought us." Emily had said to encourage her Uncle.

Maame waited for the Uber she had ordered for. Emily had offered to allow her use one of her cars however she had turned it down.

"No Emily, I don't think I want the guy to know that we have money in our family. I mean, Ekow was moved by the money we had, and I believe that's one of the reasons why he wanted to marry me." Maame had told her cousin.

"Okay, I think I understand you Maame. Be safe."

Emily had said to her.

Maame was going to meet with the fellowship president of their Church and Emily was very happy for her. Although the President had not given the reason for which he had asked Maame out for dinner, Emily was sure that he was interested in Maame and had said it to Stephen. "See Love, I'm very sure Daniel is asking Maame out because he is interested in her." She had said to her husband.

"Eii women and their assumptions."

Stephen had teased.

"I'm serious Stephen, I'm very sure of it."

"Okay, okay, you win."

Stephen said, trying not to have any debate with Emily about this issue because he knew she'd eventually win. Emily didn't just talk anyhow. She had the spirit of discernment and anytime she said something, she was very sure of it and it mostly turned out to be true.

Maame arrived at "Chicken Republic" at 6:15 in the evening. She was wearing a black gown with black heels. Daniel was already seated, waiting for her. He spotted her after she alighted from the car and he walked towards her so that she would not find it difficult locating him.

"You are welcome Princess."

He said graciously to her and she beamed with smiles.

"Thank you Daniel."

She replied heartily. He took her hands in his and walked her to the table where he had been seated. He pulled out a chair for her to sit first before going to sit down right opposite her. He made a sign to a waiter who came over to their table and took their orders.

"I prefer pineapple juice and jollof rice with chicken. What about you Maame?"

"I'd prefer same, thank you."

Maame had said, trying not to be picky. She also wanted to be as polite as possible.

"Okay so shall we pray?"

Stephen requested after the waiter left to bring what they had ordered for. Maame was surprised at his request because they were in a public place. She was however not too disturbed because where they were seated was enclosed.

"Yes, you can go ahead."

She urged him on and he prayed a short one. After the short prayer, the waiter brought the pineapple juice.

"First of all, I would like to thank you Maame for honoring my request to have dinner with you this evening."

Daniel began and Maame just continued to sip her juice.

"I know this may look sudden or something you may not have thought about. However I am ready to give you all the time you would want to have. Besides I'm not in a rush."

Stephen said and Maame looked away, trying very hard to avoid his eyes. She was shy of him and didn't want him to know. She tried to maintain a calm composure.

"Well, you've been attending our church for over a year now and I've taken my time to study you. I have observed the transformation in your life also. I have prayed to God about this and I would like to ermmm..."

He paused and continued.

"I would like to marry you. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want to wake up each morning and and see you beside me."

He stuttered.

Just then, the waiter brought their food.

"We can start eating now. Don't worry about saying anything now."

Stephen said after seeing that Maame looked uncomfortable and shy. She had been expecting this because she had noticed how he greeted her in church at had thought he might be interested in her. She had however brushed the thought away, after she remembered all what she had been through in the hands of Ekow. After their meal, Maame decided to speak up.

"Daniel, I would like to say thank you for bringing me here and for the dinner, I'm very grateful."

She began. Emily had encouraged her to open up to him about her past and her fears if he brought up the issue of marriage. She decided to follow Emily's advise because she didn't want him to be deceived.

"I would like you to know something about me. I mean I have had a horrible past and..."

She paused and quickly cleaned the tears that fell from her eyes. Daniel offered her tissue to wipe her tears.

"You can relax Maame, I have all the time for you. Don't worry, we can talk about this some other time if you are uncomfortable at the moment."

Daniel told her.

"Okay, I think I would like to go home immediately."

She told him and he quickly offered to drop her off at home. He had brought his saloon car along.

"Hey girl, what's up?"

Emily asked excitedly after Maame entered the living room.

"My ears are really itching to hear the good news, I'm all ears."

Emily said and Maame sighed as she headed towards her bedroom.

"Tell me something Maame."

Emily said as she run after her.

"Is everything okay?"

She asked after seeing the worried look on Maame's face. She took a seat beside Maame in the sofa.

"Emily, do you think Daniel would love me or even marry me after he gets to know about my past?" Maame asked worriedly and Emily sighed. She turned to look into Maame's face and smiled.

"Is that your worry Maame?"

She asked.

"Well, it's important that you tell Daniel about your past before he finds out elsewhere. Telling him would help to build trust between the two of you. Also,if Daniel is very serious about you, your past life shouldn't hinder him from marrying you. You are now a new creature in Christ. The old is gone, the new has come. Cheer up girl, you are a better person now,a virtuous woman whose worth is far more than rubies."

Emily tried to encourage her.

"See Emily, I had wanted to tell him however I didn't have the courage to do that."

Maame told her."

And he says he can give me all the time that I want."

She added.

"Wait a minute Maame,he said he can give you all the time you want?"

Emily asked her excitedly and Maame nodded her head in agreement.

"So, does that mean that he proposed marriage to you?"

Emily asked again smiling at Maame.

"Yes he did."

Maame responded.

"That's great news oo my Dear. This is good news. If he tells you that he can give you all the time that you want, it's a good sign that he is really interested in you. However don't keep him waiting for too long."

Emily cautioned her.

"Muster courage and tell him the truth."

She further encouraged her. That night, Maame couldn't sleep. Therefore she decided to pray. The following day, she requested to meet with Daniel.

"Oh Maame, you can't imagine how excited I was after seeing your call this morning. I was excited about seeing you again."

Daniel told her after they met at the City Mall. "Well, there's something you have to know about me Daniel."

Maame decided to go straight to the point. She was afraid that if she exchanged pleasantries with him, she might not have the courage to say anything.

She went on to tell him everything he needed to know about Ekow and how he had made a mess of her life, while Daniel listened with rapt attention. "Is that all,or is there anything more you need to tell me?"

Daniel asked her and her heart jumped. His face didn't let out any emotions whatsoever.

"Yes, that's all please."

She responded to his question.

"Well Maame, your past is in the past. I'm however glad that you're telling me about your past yourself."

Daniel began.

"You are changed now and are a new creature in Christ Jesus. So don't worry about the past at all. If I say I love you, please believe me. I'm serious about you and I know that we're going to make a great and wonderful couple to the glory of God."

Maame felt relieved after hearing the sweet words that emanated from Daniel's mouth.

"Thank you Daniel."

She expressed her gratitude amidst tears.

"Hey hey hey hey please, don't cry okay?"

He took tissue from the table and went towards her with the chair and sat closer to her. He tried to help wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I don't want to see you cry, okay? I want you to be happy always."

Daniel encouraged her.

"Your past is over now, therefore don't think about it."

He said to her. He ordered ice cream for her in order to cheer her up.

"Emily, what you said was true! He loves me."

Maame said excitedly to her cousin after arriving home.

"Eish, I can see that someone is happy and already beaming with smiles."

Emily teased.

"Well, tell me what happened Maame."

She said to Maame whose face was radiating with smiles.

"He proposed again Emily, even after getting to know about my past oo."

She said excitedly while raising her left hand for Emily to see the promise ring which Daniel had put on her middle finger.

"Waooo, this is so so beautiful Maame, I'm so happy for you!"

Emily exclaimed while admiring the beautiful silver ring. Just then Stephen walked inside the hall, after putting Otubea to sleep.

"Your excited noises are going to wake Otubea up, and I did a 'whooole' lot to put her to sleep."

He said to the two ladies,who laughed at how he stressed the part he played to put Otubea to sleep.

"What's the good news? I'm curious to know."

He added.

"Well,see something here."

Emily said to him, drawing his attention to Maame's finger which had the promise ring.

"Ooh my God,he proposed?"

Stephen asked excitedly.

"Yes, he did!"

Maame exclaimed proudly, waking Otubea up in the process.

"I have to run ladies, and congratulations Maame."

Stephen said as he dashed into the bedroom to cuddle Otubea.

"Omo, Emily, you are so fortunate to have a man like Stephen oo."

Maame said after seeing how Stephen quickly left them to attend to Otubea who was already crying. "Well my Dear, it's God oo. You are also fortunate to have Daniel in your life."

Emily said, trying to shift the attention from herself.

In four months,an elaborate wedding was organized to join Daniel and Maame in holy matrimony. Auntie Ama was besides herself with joy. Emily's uncle proudly walked his daughter down the aisle as the crowd cheered. After the classy yet simple wedding, Daniel and Maame went to the Bahamas for their honeymoon.

"I want to say thank you for saying 'yes' to me Darling."

Daniel said after they were both alone in their hotel room one night.

"Thank you also for finding me Daniel. Everything changed ever since I said 'yes' to you. I love you so much."

She responded to him.

"I love you too baby."

He said and kissed her lips. She kissed him back and before they could realize, they were already making love. Daniel removed his pants and gently brought Maame's own down. Slowly,he pulled the strap of her lingerie and it gave way, giving him full access to her body. Slowly he pulled her closer to himself and mounted her. She opened up and allowed him to express his love to her.

The following morning and the next, they made love over and over again. It was as though they had bottled up love within, waiting for the right time to express it.

Daniel took her out for shopping and they fully enjoyed their honeymoon at the Bahamas. "Honey, I wish we could stay here forever."

Maame told him one month later as they were preparing to leave the Bahamas for their own country.

"Okay Maame, I'll see what to do so we could come here often, and possibly stay here to work. I'll have to get confirmation from God first."

Daniel replied and she nodded her head in agreement.

Their fun-filled experience was worth remembering and the quietness of their surrounding made Maame long to always be in a place like that.