Chapter 5

Adobea and Gaither warmed up to each other by the day, sharing one thing; the mountains. They became Adobea and Gaither’s meeting place just like a backyard garden. Gaither helped the visitors to feel at home and invited people over to come and see the great sight. Those who heeded his invitation were never disappointed.

“Dad, why don't we invite our in-laws to be for a showdown? I suppose he is an expert mountain climber, isn't he?” asked Baafour.

'” What are you getting at, my son?”

“If you want a chance at them knowing each other better, take advantage of every opportunity to do so including setting themselves up against each other. We need to know whether they are meant for each other or not.”

Baafour has always been a wise son of his. If he was suggesting this, something good could certainly come out of it.

“I thought you were for Aboagye. Why have you suddenly changed your mind?”

“It’s just the pleasure of watching them compete that thrills me to the core. I choose to be neutral from now on. Your daughter does need a chance at true love. You must take advantage of her situation now! We may call it a love contest although no one can determine who and how a person should love.”

“Alright, you have my word. We must all get ourselves fully prepared although we are already conversant with climbing the mountain.”

“You’re going to feel younger. I promise you,” said Mrs Agyei, barging in.

“Do you think I’ve grown older?” asked Mr Agyei.

“You still look as handsome as you were when I met you,” she replied.

“Don’t flatter me,” he said, pleading.

“I wouldn’t. I‘m saying it as it is. You may have advanced in age but you are still as young as you were and I must add that you are wiser too.”

“Wonderful,” he replied and held her as she tried to escape his grip.

Baafour relayed the information to Adobea.

“We are going to give you a chance at love. It’s take it or leave it. First of all, we’re going to set you up with Gaither so you get to know him better and give us feedback. If you feel you love Aboagye better. So be it.”

“That’s a very dangerous gamble, Baafour.”

“We are going to set the two men together on the mountain. Whoever wins this challenge wins you too.”

“There you go again with the riskiest plot ever. Who put this thought in your mind? I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Why do you say so?”

“Love is an emotion, not a competition. If you want to organize a competition, that’s fine, but don’t do it at my expense.”

“Anyway, you’ve given me an idea. We’re going to do it this other way…”Let’s bet over who’s going to win your heart in the end,” said Baafour.

“Why a bet??” asked Adobea “That’s even worse than your previous suggestion.”

“Well, that’s what we agreed on; to set the two men against each other.”

“And Dad was privy to that? He’s already biased. He doesn’t like Aboagye. ”

“That’s the main reason for this bet.”

“You’re gambling with people’s emotions.”

“It’s like throwing a dice,”

“The two are the same, Baafour. I don’t agree with you.”

“Then let’s see what Daddy thinks about this suggestion.”

“My goodness, Baafour. You surprise me.”

“I like both men. Left to me alone, I wouldn’t be able to make a choice.”

“But the choice is not up to you? Is it?

“I’ve already suggested to Daddy about this contest.”

“So this looks like a perfect opportunity?”

“You know I like such challenges.”

“If you care for me that much, you wouldn’t gamble with my life.”

Mr Agyei swam for hours in the sea. Now relaxing on the beach, he saw Baafour coming toward him. This boy must be up to something. He said to himself.

“Young man. Can’t you see I’m relaxing over here? Don’t come bothering me, please!” lifting his right hand to stop him.

“Daddy. Just hear me out and I’ll be out of sight soon.”

“You always set me on edge, Baafour. Alright, what do you have to say?”

“I wanted to ask if the two men in love with Adobea could compete against each other?”

“My son, you mentioned this already and I told you that love was not a contest. If I didn’t mention that. I am now. If you handle the issue of love that way, you could make the biggest mistake of your life. Let me tell you the truth, it would even be better to keep the two apart.”

“Think about it, Dad. We could attract many people.”

“Oh, my son. Are you going to sell your sister’s big secret for money?”

“Dad. Nowadays, people make money from everything; reality shows and what have you. We can use this opportunity to bring this family’s saga to life.”

“Baafour. Your suggestion doesn’t seem right. I will discuss this with the Browns for their opinion. However, be aware of my stance. I hope she doesn’t think I’m already in?" Baafour scratched his head. “That wouldn’t be fair, Baafour. She now has the wrong impression.”

Mr Adjei discussed this prospect with Father Mason Brown. At first, he hesitated a little bit but gave in later on. Gaither was happy to hear the news. This was a great chance to introduce a new twist to the old way of doing things. To him, their relationship was secondary. He would be glad to do what he loves to do best. His excitement knew no limits as he prepared feverishly. Adobea hated the sound of a contest.

“I don't think I like this idea,” said Adobea to Baafour.

“You promised, Adobea.”

“Did I? You’re only ignoring my feelings.”

“Do this just for me. Please.” Adobea looked away, unable to assert her stance.

Adobea had a hard time coming to terms with the decision although there was the option of rescinding it anytime soon. The closer Gaither got to her, the more she felt she should keep her distance.

Gaither spent some time conversing with Adobea who was as cold as ever.

“It seems your sister is a little shy. I’m all right with that. I only wish she would open up just a little bit more,'” he said to Baafour.

“You don't know her yet. She’s nothing like you imagine.”

“Adobea,” said Gaither. “I don’t want you to think I’m here to coerce you into doing anything against your will. I love this place and the experience alone is enough for me. Your father suggested something to me that I believe may go against him in the end, but because he’s an elderly man and tradition speaks to his senses louder than reason, let’s give peace a chance, and just be friends with no strings attached.” His words sounded acceptable in her ears.

“What if you lose to Aboagye? What will be your reaction?”

“This will not be the first time I would have lost a woman to someone else. Before I came here, I was in love with one lady. Unfortunately, another man snatched her from me. I don’t know how he did it up till now.” Adobea empathized with Gaither, yet it should not be the reason why she should give in easily. They needed to know each other more. She and Aboagye clicked more than Gaither and herself.

“Gaither, I would like to give you the responsibility of going to get the items we will need for the climb,” said Mr Adjei.

“Can I please make a reservation, sir?”

'” And that reservation would be?'

“Can Baafour join us, please?”

“Gaither, you know the reason why I asked you specifically to go with Adobea. It's a chance to know her better.” For the sake of his respect for his future father-in-law, there was no turning down this request.

'” Alright, I will.” Gaither then went telling Baafour about his daunting task.

“Your father just asked me to go and purchase the items with Adobea.”

“Then do so? I second it.”

“You don't understand. Adobea doesn't want me.”

'” She'll warm up to you soon. Don’t worry.”

“Please don't give me false hopes. I need real assurance.”

Later that afternoon, Gaither was weak at the knees as he approached Adobea.

“What’s up with you? You seem terrified,” she said.

“I’m glad you asked. Would you like to go with me to buy the items we need for the competition?”

“I’d love to.” Gaither heaved a sigh of relief and surprised Baafour with an appearance with his sister.

”It was not too difficult after all, was it?' asked Baafour.

Upon hearing his comment, Adobea felt they had made plans behind her back.

'” You’re in this together?”

“No, don’t get us wrong.”

”I’m not going without Baafour!' folding her arms and staying put.

“Please, Adobea. Dad specifically asked me not to join you.”

“Dad? So Dad was the brain behind all this?” The thought of her Dad coming strongly between her and Aboagye was dawning fast on her. Would she soon lose Aboagye to Gaither? Did she love Gaither that much? If Gaither had strings attached to their friendship, then it was easier for Aboagye to lose the fight.

“Aboagye,” she said to him. “Would you love to put up a fight?”

“No, I’m not that kind. I love peace and not chaos.”

“But would you like to change your confession if there was the threat of losing the one you love so dearly looming?” Aboagye held his chin for a moment, not knowing how to reply to her statement. The least slip of the tongue could mean something else to Adobea.

“Is there something I should know?”

“Yes, if you ask.”

“Then let me in.”

“The choice is not up to me. It’s up to you. There’s going to be a competition between the two of you; Gaither and yourself.”

“Then I had better bow out?”

“No! That’s not what I meant. I want you to fight for your love.”

“Sorry. I cannot do that.”

“Then you do not love me.” Now, Adobea had begun to pull those strings women normally pull to get men to do anything from them. This could be tantamount to blackmail.

“What is the competition all about?” he asked reluctantly.

“Mountain climbing.”

“You know I’m not good at it. Gaither is an expert. I have already lost before beginning.”

“You could train for it.”

“Knowing that I lost even before I began? No.” So, that was Aboagye’s answer. He was as scared as a jackrabbit. Adobea should have known better than to have accepted the challenge.

As Gaither and Adobea strolled towards the shopping centre, they met Aboagye standing in the middle of the doorway.

“Hi!” he said with his shades on. Removing them quickly, he moved closer to Adobea. “I can see you’re on your way to do something important.” Adobea was lost for words, now staring at Aboagye. Did he not promise early on not to put up a fight? Perhaps, because she categorized the fight as mountain climbing, this act was excluded from the list. She hoped this was not tantamount to a change of mind.

“Mind you. That’s my girlfriend you’re walking with.” Gaither peered at Adobea as if to ask: ‘Is it true?’ Adobea nodded. Gaither sighed.

“I mean no harm, gentleman. We are only on our way to purchase the items we need for the competition.”

“What competition?” Gaither leered at Adobea once again.

“I suppose he doesn’t know about that too. Why don’t you brief him whilst I select a few of the items?”

“He does know about it, just that he doesn’t know who his competitor is yet.”

“Notwithstanding, I’d like to excuse the two of you so you can talk. Please excuse me.”

Politely, Gaither sneaked into the shopping mall, getting lost in the crowd.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t put up a fight?” said Adobea to Aboagye.

“At least I must make my presence felt and known? What you talked about was a competition, not a face-off. By the way, who’s he?”

“A friend of the family who has come to help.”

“And you’re so sure of that? Be careful they don’t exploit you.”

“That caution is well noted. Let us talk about our relationship for now.” Aboagye was eager to hear all that Adobea had to say to explain her behaviour.

“My Dad likes him and hopes we will be together someday but since we are already dating, we have another situation on our hands.”

“Really? So our relationship is on the rocks?”

“Not if you take up this challenge.”

“Which gives me no chance. Despite that fact, I’m not going to give up on you.”

Adobea now quickened her pace so she could find Gaither who was already lost in the world of kits, not knowing what to choose.”

“We have a list, don’t we?” she almost said in a whisper when she found him.

“You’re back? Where’s he?”

“I left him thinking at the entrance.”

“Why did you do that? You could have invited him in”

“I thought you would frown on that action if I did that.”

“I pity him. He needs help. If I win, I may have cheated him because he is a novice at mountain climbing.”

Gaither and Adobea strolled back to the foot of the mountain where children were building sandcastles and jumping in the bouncy castles below.

“How many children would you like to have?” Gaither asked her.

“Perhaps, three.”

“That’s typical of Africans, but I must confess you were just at the cut point. I would prefer to have two, that is, if I’m blessed with one of each sex.”

Left with no other choice, Aboagye went searching for a coach this time. Adobea made a few recommendations. Some turned down his offer because it was too short a notice whilst others were glad to offer their help. One of such good-hearted people was Mariama, a woman Adobea knew so well as a trainer for tourists who wanted special tuition before attempting to climb the mountain. Aboagye should be ready though to spend more than envisioned to get the best results. The good news about it was that they would help him on the day of the climb.

On the first day of the lesson, Mariama wasted no time.

“The first thing we need to have are our training gear. Whilst we wait for everything to be ready, we can have a little chat about Basic survival skills,” said Mariama at the beginning of her first lesson. “We are going to learn how to tie a knot and set up fires safely today. I will begin by saying that a knot is tied to a rope or piece of webbing.”

For their next lesson, Mariama taught him how to set up a temporary campsite although the experts had already set up a few on the mountain. Private individuals, however, owned these camps and charged a sum of money for them. To save time and money. Aboagye needed to be ready to do it on his own.

“First thing to remember is to choose an ideal spot and set up camp on a level ground free of rocks and other debris. It must be soft dirt so you can drive your pegs in,” he said. “Let me chip this in; that we will choose the four-season tents which are durable, heavier and designed to keep you safe from the harsh weather. Next thing is to check your tent and its parts before you set off.” She chipped in her last sentence before signalling to Adobea to tell him what was on her mind since she was interrupting the lesson with her presence.

“Next, we’re going to learn how to start a fire. Before you do so, make sure you have a fire pit or ring. Dig one in an open area and put rocks around it. Your pit should not be near branches or trees that could catch fire.” For their next lesson, Mariama went with Aboagye to purchase his gear; hiking canvas, backpacks, water bottles, water filtering bottles, and the appropriate attire.

It seemed Adobea and Gaither must have misunderstood a statement from their parents and got ready for the contest on a wrong day. When Adobea mentioned that she was ready to begin and was going to have a heart-to-heart talk at the foot of the mountain just before the game began, Baafour decided to play pranks on her together with the whole family. She and Gaither kept waiting, seated on the ground with their knees pointed towards their chests and leering into each other’s eyes once in a while. Gaither produced a flower from his pocket.

“Whatever happens, know that I love you, Adobea.'

“This is a strange way of determining who will win my hand in marriage though, but I’ll save my answer for the last,” replied Adobea. Her father came strolling past them, ignoring them, followed by Baafour and the others. Adobea covered her face, embarrassed.

“These people will stop at nothing just to embarrass me. Excuse me, Gaither. I want to have a word with my father.”

“Sure!” Gaither's words kept resounding in her ears. This was the first time she had heard this. Did she know what love was all about? What did it mean to be in love? Did that butterfly feeling mean she was in love?

“Dad, is the competition not starting anytime soon?”

“I think you might be in a bit of a hurry. You miscalculated. There’s no need to rush.” When she returned to relay the information to Gaither, he held her hand which she almost held back from him because of the many eyes that were ogling at her. Would they be on her tail forever? That way, she may not become well acquainted with him to be able to make a decision.

“Do you know how to climb the mountain like your father?'” he asked.

“No, he's far better than I am. Why would you ask?”

“Because I want to team up with you.”

Adobea felt something for him all of a sudden.

“I’d like to be by your side and take good care of you.”

“The contest is between you and Aboagye, remember?”

“Can we not add another twist to it?”

“I think that will be very unfair, considering that Aboagye will be alone too.”

“You’re right.”