Chapter 19

Aboagye stepped backwards, wishing he had never made such a move. Was it prudent to cower in the face of challenges like these? Was it not time to prove himself to Adobea's father that he was not the man he thought he was? Too much bad blood had gone on between the two of them. The two eyes met with horror. Memories of the past came rushing through their minds.

"Young man," said Adobea's father, choosing his words carefully. "I thought I asked you to stay away from my daughter?"

"Yes, you rightly did so," he replied. "I thought she needed me." Adobea's father's eyes run wild. He almost moved forward to do something against his will yet, stopped in his tracks.

"Young man. She has a family who loves her and can take care of her," he said, restraining himself.

"I understand and respect that; but you would think otherwise if you received such a message," replied Aboagye, holding out his phone and showing Adobea's father the SOS message someone had sent him.

"Hm!" he sighed. "And who, if I may ask, sent you this?" he asked suspiciously. Aboagye's eyes turned towards Baafour.

"Don't tell me it was you! I expected something much better from you, my son."

"I know nothing about this, Dad," he said, lying through his teeth.

"I know it when you're telling lies, Baafour. Change your ways. It won't help you!" Aboagye could hardly restrain himself from laughing. Why would Baafour deny? "Adobea!" he yelled. "Look at me straight in the eye and tell me you know nothing about this."

"Much as I would like to, I'm as confused as you are, Dad," she replied.

"Then I'm going to send this young man out of my house with immediate effect."

Baafour, Adobea and Aboagye gawked at each other. All of them would lose if Aboagye was sent away.

"Dad, consider our situation. You never know if he wants to donate something to our cause," said Adobea, trying to convince her father.

"I'm not a child, Adobea. I know this is not true."

"How will you know if you haven't even allowed him to explain himself?" Mr Agyei began to reconsider his stance and loosened up a little bit.

"Make it snappy then, young man."