BETRAYED (Episode 9)

BETRAYED EPISODE 9
© Aaron A. A

Maame Akosua enters the ward in the morning.
She cleans Mr. Awuah gently, working around the machines surrounding him.
He is asleep, and she is scared.
Lately his sleeps have become prolonged, and she knows that he is gradually dying, and it is killing her because she has come to care for him so much, and suddenly his imminent death is driving terror through her.

She is sitting by his side when he opens his eyes finally and looks at her, and then he sees the concern on her face, the love, and the tears running down her cheeks.
He blinks once… no!
Why is he saying no?
It dawns on her then!
He doesn’t want her to be sad and cry.
She slowly wipes the tears from her face with a handkerchief and smiles at him.
He blinks twice… yes!

He is happy she has stopped crying.

MAAME AKOSUA
(tremulously)

Listen, I’m an old woman, Kwame. Fifty-five years old. I don’t have the figure of a model, and I’m certainly not as beautiful as your wife. But I have a good heart that has not been used much, okay, and that heart loves you now. I’m a Christian, and I know my Lord will help you, so don’t die! At least, don’t let those evil couple get away with what they have done to you. Last night I had the dream again about a tall, bearded gentleman in a black suit who has been sent by the Lord to help you! Please, don’t die on me!

Two blinks…
Yes, he won’t die yet.
She smiles beautifully, and just then the door opens and Nana Yaw comes in, his face sweaty and grave.
Maame stands up stiffly and looks at him with such fury that he raises his eyebrows at her.

NANA YAW
Anything the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?

MAAME AKOSUA
Nothing, sir. Good morning.
Nana Yaw ignores her and looks down at his father.

NANA YAW
How’re you father? Don’t worry about anything, okay?. Very soon you will be free of all your pains!
Maame’s jaw sets with the depths of her anger.
Such hypocrisy!
Oh, such evil!
Such wickedness!
Oh, why should God allow people like these to live free after their evil deeds?
Nana Yaw checks the Stats Card of his father and the readings from the machines. He fidgets with instruments and takes fresh readings.

MAAME AKOSUA
Is he alright, sir?

NANA YAW
(brusquely)
He will be fine. Please, take this prescription and get me the items from the pharmacist.

MAAME AKOSUA
(taking the list)
Yes, sir.
She goes out slowly with a slight frown on her face.
She does not notice that Kwame Awuah is looking at her desperately and giving her a series of single blinks…
No, no, no, no, don’t leave me alone with him!
Kwame Awuah is scared! He has seen the look of doom in his step-son’s eyes, and he knows that evil is lurking behind the façade of Nana Yaw’s caring expression.
The moment Maame goes out Nana Yaw takes the deadly ampoule and the syringe from his pocket.
He quickly breaks the neck of the ampoule, extracts the deadly fluid with the syringe, and then holds his father’s arm.
He looks up suddenly, and sees the tears falling down the sides of Kwame’s eyes.
It makes Nana Yaw tremble, and tears came into his own eyes so that he can barely see.
He quickly swabs his father’s arm, grips it for the vein to pop out, and then he ins**ts the syringe and depresses the plunger.
He quickly turns away and puts the wh0le package into his pocket and walks to one of the windows and stares out as tears course down his face.

Nana Yaw knows that he has committed murder.

He has just killed the only man who ever treated him with genuine love, the man who has given him a life, and an existence of affluence!
A man who had never held anything back from him!
The door opens and Maame comes back in.
She knows immediately that something is wrong when she sees the frantic look in Kwame’s eyes and the tears forming a w-t patch on the pillow.
Nana Yaw suddenly turns away from the window and, weeping openly now, flees from the room.
Maame drops the package she is holding on a table and sits beside Kwame as tears fill her eyes.

MAAME AKOSUA
Oh, dear, dear, dear! What did he do to you? What happened? Oh, no, no, no! Kwame, Kwame!
The machines around her are now emitting different beeps now.
Maame stands up and runs into the corridor scre-ming for help.

To be continued

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