Seventeen

Three days later, Stephen went to see Emily late in the evening at his father's residence. Emily was very surprised to find him at her door and she said so. Stephen laughed and she noticed that the smile was back on his face accompanied by the usual care-free air that surrounded him. 

"May I enter?" he asked when Emily pulled the door open and saw him standing at her door step. "I'm not a ghost! Touch my hands, you'll find flesh and bones.' 

Emily stepped aside to give him way. 

'I'm still called Stephen Adams and my father still lives here. I've just been to see him and of course I can't leave without seeing you. Can I?" Emily was speechless. "Okay, if you have lost your voice, at least offer me something to drink!" he stated. Emily roused herself and moved towards the refrigerator, 'What would you like to drink?" she asked. 'Thank God you found your voice at last." Stephen teased. "You know what I like." Emily served him chilled fresh orange drink. 

"Now ask me why I've called on you at such a late hour," Stephen prompted as he continued to tease her. 'What brings you here?" Emily asked. "Good." Stephen remarked. "I miss you! Now ask me why I didn't call first to tell you I'd be coming." Emily picked a throw pillow from the sofa and hurled it at him. 

"Emily Akua Dua, you haven't changed in the least! Is that how you welcome your VIP guests?" 

After few more seconds of banter, the two began to chat just like old times. They talked about everything; from Stephen's new schedule as a general manager in the Human Resource Department of his company which meant more money to spend, to Emily's new hairdo which he said he found stimulating. Emily laughed. She had pulled her hair around her head and pinned it up as she always did before retiring to bed and was just about to pull a net over it, when Stephen knocked on her door. "You still look beautiful, don't worry," he remarked and they had both laughed when she craned her neck to look at her reflection in the mirror. 

After about an hour and a half, Stephen casually dropped the hint that he had completed furnishing his house and would like her to visit over the weekend. 

'Well, I tried to put it together not as a bachelor, but just the way I think you would like it. Throw pillows, teddy bears and chair backs to boot! You should see the kitchen!" 

They both laughed. "I have kept Bobby and Afia away from the house, " he disclosed.

"Why?" she asked with amusement. "Bobby would laugh at me," Stephen explained. "But if you come over and give your approval, I'll pretend I didn't know when you placed the chair backs and teddy bears and all the other feminine things there. That way Bobby and the other guys will not make fun of me.

Emily smiled. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. Does that suit you?" He asked. 

"That will be fine," she replied. When Emily stepped outside with him minutes later, she noticed Stephen had a new car. "When did you buy it?" she asked as she looked it over. 

"I did not buy it," he replied. "The company gave it to me. It's a duty car." "What have you done to the other car?" she asked. "It's in the garage, parked," he replied. "I'm wondering what to do with it. If you don't mind, you can help me out by driving it from time to time otherwise, the battery may run down." 

"Okay, if you say so," Emily replied. "Thanks," he stated with obvious relief. "Now I would not have to worry about that problem. Aren't you a darling!" With that, Stephen gave her a decorous kiss. 

Just then, Donald came out of his room and saw them. He cleared his throat noisily and when they turned, he hurried over to greet Stephen. 

"It's been along time, Master Stephen," Donald greeted him. "Goodnight," Emily whispered and then turned to walk away. "See you tomorrow," Stephen replied and waved. When Emily entered her room minutes later, Donald was still chatting with Stephen. Emily smiled. By tomorrow morning, all of the Adams household would know that Stephen had called at his father's residence late in the evening and he had kissed Emily. 

They would also know that she would be seeing the master's son that day. Emily smiled at the thought. She had successfully kept Donald at arm's length since she started driving the Black Volvo saloon car Mrs Adams gave her on her birthday ostensibly as her gift to Emily. Emily opened her wardrobe and looked through her clothes. She wanted to look her best when she appeared at Stephen's place the following morning. As she sorted through the numerous dresses hanged in the wardrobe, she settled on a pair of jeans and a white blouse. Stephen had always admired her in that outfit, she told herself with a smile. 

When she finally climbed into bed, Afia called her. 

"Are you in bed?" Afia asked. 

"Yes Afia," Emily replied. "I just crawled in." 

"Bobby and I have just returned from having dinner at his mother's place," Afia announced with excitement. 

"You don't say!" Emily exclaimed with surprise. "Don't tell me he has already introduced you to his mom!" 

"It was divinely ordained!" Afia squealed like a teenager. "We were driving home together after work when his mother called. You know my car is at the workshop for its routine maintenance and so he decided to pick me home. The old lady wanted him to eat dinner with her and he mentioned that he was with a friend. She asked him to bring the friend home and that is how we ended up at his mom's place. You should have seen the old lady's excitement when he introduced me as his special friend who is also a bank manager. She fussed so much over me that Bobby told her to wait till she hears the good news! Oh how I nearly swooned with joy! Girl, Bobby has just proposed love to me, but I told him to give me some time to think about it. You should have seen the surprised look on his face. I do love him to bits, girl, but from now on he must chase me. You know how it goes, don't you?" 

Emily laughed. "But don't stretch him too much else, he may lose courage." 

Just before they ended their conversation, Emily casually mentioned her upcoming visit to Stephen's house the following morning. 

"Please, do your best to make this thing work out so that we can perhaps plan a double wedding," Afia pleaded and Emily laughed. 

The following morning, Stephen picked her up from the house as the two had planned. Stephen had first gone over to the main house to see his father and for the first time since Emily met him, Maxwell Adams waited on the porch and waved as they drove away from the compound. 

"What is happening?" Emily asked with surprise. 

"I learnt Gloria has moved out of the house," Stephen announced. 

Emily was surprised. "I saw her yesterday," she remarked. 

"Yes, that is right," Stephen replied. "Dad says she moved out of the house this morning. Apparently, they had a serious row but as usual, the old man would not like to talk about it except to say that she may not be returning to the house!" 

Emily was stunned. "If that is the case, then he may want you to return to the house," Emily observed. 

"Well, I don't intend to do so," Stephen replied. "I intend to settle down as soon as possible and if I continue to live with my father, when can I organise myself to also raise my own family?" 

Emily remained silent at his words. 

"Young lady, if you were in my shoes what would you do?" he quizzed her. "Of course," Emily agreed. "I may also think along the same lines especially if I think I am growing old." 

Stephen turned and looked briefly at her. "Are you per chance suggesting that I'm growing old?" He asked. 

Emily laughed and Stephen smiled. He liked it so much when Emily laughed. 'Won't you ask me if I've found the woman I'll like to marry?" 

He asked. 

"No," she replied. "I don't want to know!" 

"Well, in that case I'll tell you," he continued. 

"I won'tlisten!" she replied and proceeded to cover her ears. 

"I thought we were friends?" he asked. 

"What has that got to do with what we were talking about?" she countered. 

"Everything," he replied. "If your best friend wants to marry, at least you must show some interest. When Bobby took Afia to meet his mother yesterday, he naturally called me to tell me about it." 

Emily turned to look at him with surprise. 

"You think you girls are the only ones who enjoy gossip!" He said with a smile. "The smart guy that he is, he made it seem as if it was unplanned. Please don't tell Afia! Bobby will skin me alive if he knows I told you. Please promise me you won't tell Afia." 

"She will be more delighted if she knows it was planned," Emily replied. "Does that mean you plan to tell her?" He asked her as he pulled up in front of his gate. 

"If you don't mind," she replied. 

"I do mind!" he exclaimed. "This should be just between the two of us, at least for now." 

"All right, if you say so," she agreed. 

"Yes, I say so," he repeated. 

As they entered the living room, Emily stopped dead in her tracks. "You don't say!" She exclaimed with amazement. 

Stephen was beside himself with joy at the effect his exquisitely furnished living room had on his companion. "I told you I had a surprise for you, didn't I?" 

"W-O-W!' Emily exclaimed as she turned to look around her at the tastefully furnished room. Having been to Kojo Ganyo's place, Emily wasn't expecting much and had psyched herself up for an average bachelor's room - a set of dull furniture with the odd music player boldly displayed, a television set and a refrigerator in a corner. Stephen had however gone several steps further. There were two large sofas, a settee, an arm chair, coffee tables, table lamps and a few more chairs. The curtains were hung professionally and Emily suspected he had sought the services of an interior designer. She kept the thought to herself as she looked around. 

"Let me show you around the rooms," He offered when he saw the sheer look of admiration on Emily's face. He took her first to the spacious kitchen, the bath rooms and then finally to his bedroom. 

'This room, you must be warned, will not always look so tidy. Today it is up for scrutiny and I want to impress you but ordinarily, one sock will be on the chair over there, the other will be on the dressing mirror and my necktie will hang on the mirror!' 

Emily laughed. 

"Do you like my new place?" He asked anxiously.

"Yes, it's so beautiful" she replied. 

Stephen hugged her. 

'Thank you," he stated. "I did it with you in mind so if you didn't like it, I'd have been so disappointed. Now, tell me, we are in my bedroom and I can become very violent if you displease me. Will you marry me?" 

Emily laughed. 

"Since I'm afraid of violent men, what can I say? No? And get assaulted by you? Well, Mr Adams," her smile disappeared as she continued. "I think I've thought it through carefully and I've prayed about it. I've sought counsel from more mature people and I have concluded, yes, I'll go along with your proposal." 

"Please, Emily, say it again!" Stephen pleaded with his arms bent toward his chest and hands fisted. "Will you take this poor boy, with no titles, with nothing to his name except his big mouth, as your lawfully wedded husband?" 

"Yes, I will," Emily replied with laughter. 

"For the last time, please say it again," Stephen exclaimed as he looked her straight in the eye.' 

"Yes, yes, yes! Don't ask again!" Emily feigned anger.

Stephen scooped her in his arms and danced around with her. "To God be the glory, great things he has done!" he sang happily, "But Emily, you have stretched me," he put her down as he spoke. "For over a year, you've kept me praying, hoping and fighting for your attention. W-h-a-a -t! Anyway, thank God I finally have the fair lady. All is well that ends well." 

Emily laughed as they returned to the living room holding hands. 

"Now that we have sorted things out, let's start making the necessary plans. We have lost precious time as it is. We can be sure that Mrs Gloria Adams will no longer pose any problems because she is out of the way. And Mr Maxwell Adams says he loves you to bits. Hmmm.... I wonder what he means by that anyway, but that's what he said last night when I discussed my plans with him. Now the major huddle will be your parents. Bobby told me that Dr Newman went to rehabilitate their family house." 

"How did he know about that?" Emily asked with surprise. 

"Bobby has his ears to the ground and I can assure you, he knows what Dr Newman does in his bedroom."

"I see," Emily said wondering what else Bobby knew. 

"He's told me that all the clothes Gloria bought for you, all the money she lavishes on you and even the Volvo she gave you recently as your birthday present all came from the old man. We have been watching him keenly and very soon, hopefully, you'll get to know who the old man really is. Anyway, we are not here to discuss him. It's about us and what we want to do with our future now that we have crossed the Rubicon, as they say. You must collect the list of items we would need to buy from your parents. When do you think we should fix the marriage ceremony?" Stephen asked. 

"Ho! La! La!' Bobby exclaimed and they turned. 

He had entered the living room while they were engrossed in conversation and the two had not heard him. He was looking around the tastefully furnished living room with surprise. 

"I see where the wind is blowing! I see... I see... Anyway, I hate to spoil your party but I bring bad news! Our Ladies' Man, the most popular Dr Newman, was picked up by the police this morning for questioning." 

"What?" Emily exclaimed with shock. 

'The police are interrogating him but I'm told he may be released on bail today as his lawyers are working frantically around the clock to secure his release." 

Emily slumped in the sofa before asking the question uppermost on her mind. 

"What has he done?" Emily and Stephen turned to Kojo Ganyo, alias Bobby for answers.