Bitter Honey is a Ghana-based series, centered around the Quartey family. Kojo Quartey; a taxi driver, his wife Aba; who runs a bank’s canteen, and their three children; Kuku, Abena and Maama live through a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. The Bitter Honey series tells the story of different bittersweet experiences that build their characters and teach them life lessons. Enjoy.
Kojo’s heart was beating wildly, he hadn’t noticed how he was shaking until now. The gunman had insisted he lie face down on the ground until they had left. Kojo counted up to twenty once he had stopped hearing their footsteps. It felt like a full two minutes before he got the confidence to stand again.
Kojo got off the floor and dusted himself off, just as Sarah’s baby started crying again. Sarah was trying to soothe her baby through the tears that flooded her cheeks.
Sarah was muttering to herself and her baby. Kojo looked around like he had just noticed his surroundings. They were in the middle of a dirt road, with bushes on either side. There was no source of light, other than his taxi’s dim head lights.
“Sarah, are you ok?” Kojo asked. Really, he asked as a formality. He was too weak to be of any assistance if she needed it.
Sarah sniffed sharply. “Yes. Let’s go.”
Kojo was a little certain that she was in more control of her body than he was.
He placed his shaky hands on the steering wheel and started the car. It was the last few minutes until midnight. “Please are we still going, or you’ll go back?”
“Let’s go to East Legon,” she responded.
“Ah, these guys paaaa.” Kojo said quietly “Herh,” he continued talking to myself. “I could have died ooo…“
“Where did they come from? How did they know about the money?”
Sarah interrupted his monologue; “I know who sent them,”
“You suspect someone you know?”
“No, I KNOW who sent them” she sighed and closed the taxi door, indicating that she was ready to go.
“So should we go to the police?” Kojo sounded optimistic and kicked the car into gear.
“No, there is no point. I’ll show you where you can drop me off.”
***
Kuku was really anticipating his next hangout with Ma Dee and though he didn’t want to look desperate, he was desperately anxious about who she wanted him to meet.
After typing and erasing a text in their chat for the umpteenth time, he dropped his phone in irritation. “What kind of woman is this kwraa?” he thought to himself.
Ten minutes later…
Kuku’s phone was ringing. He had left it in the living room and was fetching a snack from the kitchen.
Abena run into the kitchen, waving his phone in the air, “Ma Dee is calling you!”
Kuku snatched the phone and wedged it between his ear and shoulder, “Hello…”
As he was on the phone, his mom walked into the kitchen, pretending to be taking something from the fridge, so that she could eavesdrop on his conversation.
Kuku felt her presence hanging over his neck and went outside to continue the conversation.
“What have you been up to?” Ma Dee asked, as if she was interested. “Nothing you will be interested in. How’s your family doing? When is your husband coming around?” The questions rolled off his tongue before he had the chance to stop them.
“He’s actually on his way home now – should arrive by night fall. Do you want to meet him?” Kuku was unsure if this was a trick question.
“Would he want to meet me?” He asked, his mouth dry, and his mind wandering.
“Of course he would! Any friend of mine is a friend of his.” She laughed heartily and continued, “Come by tomorrow after church and say hell.,”
“Err, okay,” he paused, knowing that he hadn’t been to church in too long, “I don’t know where you stay.”
“I will send you a google map location. See you!” and that was the end of the call.
Kuku sighed and went back inside, ‘What have I gotten myself into?” he thought to himself.
“Who is Ma Dee.” The question hit him before he closed the front door and as his eyes adjusted from the sunshine outside to the dimly lit living room, he had to keep himself from laughing at the quizzical looks on his mother and sisters’ faces.
***To Be Continued***