Until the virus reared its ugly head, Baffour had spent three and half years in the indigene's land. When we completed KNUST, he had the chance to study and work in US. The bittersweet opportunity nearly broke us part. The uncertainty was enough to fill me with trepidation that I didn't mind the distance or time difference, but Baf will not have it or hear it, and his playful nature was at its height when I called him by that term of endearment. "Me nkoaa me d) Baf". He matched my love name with his own,"M'adiepena Enam", his gentle responds.
"We will make this work, we have to", but the look on my face didn't assure him so he knelt down in front of me, held my hands, fixed his eyes to mine and said, "Olivia Enam Seyi, I want you to be part of my life from here on, so this chance will not separate us. I got some assurance; it wasn't the second part of what he said that convinced so don't judge with your prejudice of" women and words". It was him mentioning my full name.
When you have been with a special someone for years you learn a thing or two about them. Baffour only mentions my full name like that when he's serious and want my full attention to what he was saying. He does that with those close to him especially and before leaving he introduced me to his family as his intendent and he repeated the full name thing again.
After he left, I continued with my service and was about to be absorbed when the company I was working with folded up. Getting the job, I wanted was difficult so I took what I could get and got a waitress job in a wellness center. The owners of the place were nice when they felt like it and mistreated us with odd jobs that were not listed in the JD (Job Description) of a waitress anywhere but for them, I think it was hidden in the phrase, "any other duty that may be assigned to you". My only consolation was Baf, he kept in touch and when I was off on Wednesdays, we will video chat and have dates on the phone. Sometimes we would have dance or staring competition to see who blinks first.
When, I could no longer endure the treatment anymore, I got a cashier job at a clinic, this place was worse, a typical case of, "from frying pan to fire". The management were locals but family members who had no work ethics. I wanted to do an anticlockwise turn of "SANKOFA" because I had told the wellness center owners that my dad wasn't well, so I was returning to the village to take care of him. They said I could come back to work whenever I returned. However, by then the virus had progressed to a full-blown pandemic and such service providers like bars and eateries were closing down temporarily. I was in a fix and endured the daily six hours shift of torture which remunerated me peanuts. 'Me nkoaa me d) Baf' supported me with some monthly income even though he had to take care of his siblings' school fees and upkeep to ease the burden on their parents.
As each day of the new normal unfolded with more strict restrictions, I was worried about the severity of the virus in US and when I didn't hear from Baffour in a week because he had travelled to China just before the virus was declared a pandemic, the worry grew worse. My fears were allayed when he got in touch after a week, his phone had been taken from him with that of others at check in and it was returned later after a thorough check.
Around this time, I was expecting his return because he had completed the mandatory 3 years stationed work, but the virus killed some of his colleagues, so he had to work extra from home for which he had additional income. He sent me that income to buy two acres of land and he put up a five story with five chamber and hall self-contained family rooms on each floor, within nine months the building was complete. When the restrictions were eased a little and flights resumed normal activity, Baffour came home unannounced to surprise all of us. By then I was living in the detached three-bedroom house that we had built on the same acre of land at Amasaman. He finally met his son, whom we conceived during my summer visit. Oh yes! I did return with a parting gift of his seed growing inside me and I didn't even know it.
He and Baffour Junior (JB) were fond of each other so much that I hardly had time to date my Baf but when BJ played with his friends, we had quality time together, it felt like we just met. But there was something different about him, he stayed indoors all the time which was unusual of him, and he wasn't in a hurry to get married like he did months ago and there was no particular reason. My intuition as a woman failed me because I couldn't tell what it was, it wasn't another woman, every woman could tell. It was something else that was beyond me, I was sure.
Before the time he had to spend with us was over he was called to return to complete his five years contract and he showed me a letter of his absorption after the contract. He told me he would return by the end of the year to perform the marriage rites. On the day he was returning, he went to spend some hours with his parents, after which I was supposed to drive him to the airport. It was almost 1pm, an hour to check in and Baffour hadn't returned, I called his parents and they said he's left, I tried to reach him, but he didn't pick up. I took his bag to the car and returned to the hall to wait for him, that's when I spotted the letter and documents on the table. In the letter he apologized that he couldn't be with me as he wished, I was confused, then I found his will and I was entitled to the story building and the detached house with a change of name document to support it. In the will, there was ten acres of land in my name with a huge amount of money in an account with me as the controller, I was to put up a hostel facility since it was near a university and manage it in the best interest of his family. In my confusion I lost track of time and then I called Baf again, this time he picked up, "I'm coming, I'm coming", he said. I didn't know what to think, then my phone rang again, I picked up thinking it was Baffour, but was greeted to a white lady's voice. I must have blackout after hearing what she said. When I woke up Baf's parents were in the hall, BJ might have called them when he found me on the floor. They had also seen the letter and documents and they had enquiries on their face.
Apparently, Baffour had passed away from the virus three months earlier in a different country while in isolation on his own. He was cremated and the ashes kept but because of the number of deaths, it took a while before they started tracing and calling relatives of unclaimed ashes. As for his work, he told them he had missed home and was going to spend time with his family while working from home, that's why they didn't know he was dead. His parents and I tried his line severally but there was no response. After a while there was silence. Later the white lady called me again and sent the belongings they took when they found him, that is when I accepted that he was gone.
It's been a year since Baf passed, I am managing the properties he left us, the family members get monthly income and retirement contribution, whenever we meet, they claim to be happy about my stewardship, but I know they are upset he left me in charge. Some of the extended members said I charmed Baffour with 'my Number 9 powers'. That was not my issue, rather is that I lost my best friend and partner who cared and trusted me so much. One thing that hunts me till date, is that call I picked, otherwise he might still be here with us because I got a message from Baffour saying, I'm almost home, don't worry. Sometimes I wonder which home he meant. Even in death Baf loved me, he knew me so well to know that had we marry, I might not remarry even though there's a part of the marriage vows that says, "till death us do part". In spite of this, I'm still not able to reconnect with anyone or think of marriage because there will always be Baffour's love with me, which will be unfair to whomever comes around me.
THE END
GLOSSARY
SANKOFA: Returning to a previous tradition or changing your mind about an earlier decision.
NUMBER 9: A funny reference name given to the Ewe people of Ghana.
"Me nkoaa me d) Baf": My own love Baf" is a love pet name in a Ghanaian Language.
"M'adiepena Enam: My rare love Enam. is a love pet name in a Ghanaian Language.
