Chapter 3

" I came here to ask you to hear me out, that school is a dangerous place for you to be," Ohene said to Frema.

"What are you talking about? This is my life! I have friends. I am following a particular curriculum. You're about to disrupt my life, Daddy or whatsoever you call yourself?!"

" Yes. I know that. I thought about that too."

" Do you mean I should become an illiterate just because of your mistake?"

" Please allow me to finish."

" Okay."

" I was going to tell you that I want you to be homeschooled."

" That's crazy! I will have no classmates and no friends. Can you imagine how my life is going to turn out?"

" I can, yet I'm pleading with you to understand. Your life is in danger."

"And whose fault is it?"

"Please don't keep reminding me of my folly. It hurts a lot."

"Have you already made arrangements for her?" asked Soya, empathetically as Frema stormed back into her room. Her daughter was capable of creating a nasty scene if given the chance. But for her respect for her, she had made the most difficult decision of walking away.

"Trust me, I have."

"Trust you to be always ahead. Okay. What am I expecting?"

" He'll be starting tomorrow and I will be paying and monitoring him. Don't worry about paying him."

" Do I have to tell Frema?"

" Yes. We have to prepare her mind too so she doesn't make a mess of everything."

" Have you made a background check about this teacher or teachers?"

" Teacher for now. He's all round. Very good." making the perfect sign.

" I don't like where this is going at all."

" He may start then whilst I look for others. If we don't like him, we can always find another one."

" That would be a better idea than to put all your eggs in one basket. Would you like to convince Frema or I should talk to her on your behalf?" Soya asked once again for the sake of clarity.

" I thought you said I should convince her myself?"

"Of course, I was angry at that time."

"So now, you will do the convincing, won't you?"

"Sure! Let me call her so we can talk to her."

"We? Since when did we become a team?"

"Don't be too excited, Ohene. It may not last."

"Oh! I know it will last. So have you forgiven me for putting you in this situation?"

"Don't ask me before I get angry again," she replied, nonchalant. " F-r-e-m-a!"

"Oh! Not so soon? Let's talk a little bit before she comes in."

" We have a situation now. Let's deal with it before it gets out of hand. I'm sure that's all our conversation is going to be about until we find a solution. No romance. Remember we promised ourselves not to get involved again lest we find ourselves in trouble again?" Soya, trying hard to resist his advances.

"I love you. That fact I know."

"What about your wife?" Her question brought Frema in as if to end their conversation abruptly.

" I'm here Mummy. Did you call me?"

" Yes, I did. Your Dad wants to speak to you."

" Before you say anything......"

Oh No! She's going to give me a lashing! thought Ohene. I'm glad she's coming around anyway.

" Where have you been all this while? You cannot hide forever?"

" I can't come and see you in the open."

" Because you did something wrong. When are you going to come clean about it?"

" I honestly do not know."

" Until you do so, it's going to torture you to your grave." I haven't thought about that. She is very intelligent. I'm glad I'm her father. "Now what did you want to talk to me about? I'm all ears. This had to happen anyway. There's always going to be trouble if you don't fix this problem." Where did she learn to give such good counsel?

" I've found a tutor for you. He will be teaching you all the subjects until I find others."

" Why didn't you ask me first? I like school. I'm going to miss my classmates. Don't tell me you don't want me to have friends anymore?"

" That's not the point, Frema. Your life and identity are at risk."

" My identity? Now you know I have an identity? When I went to school without a father and people kept ridiculing my mother, you didn't know I had an identity crisis? So which one are you trying to protect?"

" The one that you're my daughter."

" You're no longer proud of me? Are you?"

" I very much am, just that my children want to harm you."

" Did you not see this coming? They are right. I would have done that too if I had a father who has gone behind my mother's back, producing other children."

" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put you through this."

" Now, you're taking me out of school and I'm supposed to say what to my friends?"

" Nothing. Perhaps, you can no longer afford school fees or something. Just tell them something."

" What if I tell you I cannot lie to them?"

" You may have to give them a tangible reason."

" Give me one then."

" I just gave you one."

" Okay. Fine. What if the teacher becomes an informant? You cannot put this past anyone. They want to get you and I believe they can, in any way they can."

" I haven't thought of that."

" You have to take all that into consideration."

" Now that I haven't and I'm pressed for a solution, this is all that comes to mind."

" Without thinking about the consequences? Don't disappoint me, please."

" Does that mean you're not going to consider my offer?"

" It's not an offer. It actually seems like this is mandatory. I'm only going to do this for you because I trust that you're being responsible and I'm grateful for that. I haven't forgiven you for keeping your identity a secret though."

" What about the fact that I cannot show you off to others?"

" That one is a moral issue. I hope you don't repeat your mistakes." She will do it. She will do it for me. Ohene got excited beyond measure, embracing his daughter passionately.

" Stop it, man. We haven't gotten there yet. Don't pretend because I've accepted your offer, that everything is alright."