“Are you serious??”

“Becky, I’m telling you. That girl is shameless, eh! She only called to find out if I’d gotten a job. As soon as I said no, she just said ahh okay, then bye-bye. Such rubbish!”

“What a shameless bitch! After walking out on you during your tough time, she’s got the audacity to be checking up on you to see if you’ve got a job? What in the manipulative, opportunistic selfishness is that?”

Clarence sighed and shook his head. “I wonder sef. Me, I hate foolishness. So as she said that, my response was simple. ‘Oh, so that’s why you called, eh? Alright. Please make sure this is the last time you ever call me, okay?’. As she dey come talk ein foolish nibbies wey I end the call kraaa. Very stupid girl.”

“Extremely stupid girl.”

After receiving an insulting check-up call from his ex-girlfriend Veronica, who decided to walk out on him after suffering the misfortune of losing his job, with a line of questioning that clearly suggested she was only open to rekindling the relationship once he was gainfully employed, he called Becky and told her about it.

That ex-girlfriend of his had never been liked by the squad, especially the ladies. Becky, Nana Asor and Delasi had made it clear to him on a number of occasions that she was not a trustworthy person. He liked her too much to hear them out, unfortunately, and had had to learn for it the hard way when he got a blunt break-up message from her only a week after the news of his release from the bank.

“Hmmmm… now I understand why you ladies didn’t like her. I remember that one time she joined us at Cues Corner. The look on Delasi’s face whenever she spoke… as if the girl get toilet scent for ein body. The way I was hurt, eh. Ei, how love can make a gyimi-gyimi out of a man.”

Becky’s laughter followed. “Na you, Clay, if you know the way she, Asor and I were insulting you when we left there, eh. We were like, so can’t you see this girl is one of those opportunistic bitches who is no good? Chale, we really blast you that day. We, we want the best for you guys. Bruce is with Asor, so that’s settled. Didayy is with that girl… what’s her name again… Olivia, and she’s a great girl, so for you, chale, we only want a correct girl in your life, and that girl was nowhere near the best. But well, at least it’s over, so we thank God for that.”

Clarence sighed. “Yeah. And chale, as it stands, no space for relationships until I get myself in order, coz Becky, this state of unemployment is hellllll! E no be funny kraaa. I really need to get myself in a good place.”

“Hmmm. Yeah, true. Any interviews for this week, by the way?”

“Yeah. On Thursday. Just praying for the best.”

“Chale, all the best, Clay. I know it’s difficult. Even with a job sef, we dey struggle, how much more if you nothing dey. But you’ll get something. I believe it. I’m keeping my ears to the ground as well, in case of anything.”

“Thanks, thanks. I appreciate… oh, and speaking of relationships, abi you know sey we too, we dey wait for you. You and Delasi.”

“Hmmm, Clarence, honestly, as for that part of life, I’m not thinking about it. After my own wahala with that f**king idiot who calls himself Regal, I’m not focusing on that for now. If it comes my way, fine, but for now, I’m thinking about myself, my work, my sisters… getting that Margot Robbie shape…”

Clarence rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed ‘mtcheww’. For some reason, Becky loved to insist to her people that she wanted to shed her eye-catching curves and get as slim as the famous actress, and they all hated it.

“Massa, massa, massa, stop that thing. Ah! Margot Robbie shape sɛ sen?”

“Ah, but if I say I wanna be sexy like Margot Robbie, what’s your beef?”

“My beef is that you are not Margot Robbie. You are not a blond-haired Australian geh. You are Rebecca Maayaa Owusu-Bempong, and you get body wey dey make niggas craze pass! You be sexy in your own right, so shun that nonsense! Hwɛ, na you, if Margot Robbie get sef, like she get your ass some. That nigga I spy for the corner last week as you were breaking your waist to that Shy Guy song, you figure sey if you get Margot Robbie shape, he go watch you like he make ready sey he go empty ein accounts all for your top? My friend!”

He smirked as Becky chuckled over the phone. “Oh Lord. You, eh. Hmm…”

***

“Look, gentleman, I’m telling you, football is a creation of the devil. It’s demonic to the very core. And until you repent and forsake that game, I’m sorry to tell you, but you are going straight to hell! No curve, no bend!”

“Ahh, are you serious? How well do you know me that you’re saying I’m going to hell?”

“Listen, Mister Man, I don’t need to know your history to know where your soul is headed if you’re just like all the lost souls obsessed with that tool of the devil. You people are so deceived, yet you don’t see it-“

“No, no, no, wait, wait, wait. So even if what you are saying is true, the way you’re saying it, do you think it’s right?”

“It doesn’t matter! What matters is that I’m doing my duty as a servant of Jehovah to tell you the truth-“

“Seriously? You come to my house and talk to me basabasa, and you think it’s fine coz you’re telling me some so-called truth?”

“Massa, I care about your soul more than your feelings ooo! The Bible never said we should be worried about people’s feelings when we snatch them from the fire. So please, spare me that sentimental nonsense…”

Delasi shook her head as that unpleasant memory replayed in her mind.

The memory of Dina brashly confronting her twin brother Deladem about his job as a sports journalist and practically condemning him to hell.

She had known Dina had that opinion of football long before inviting her to the house. She had also known Dina could be very confrontational when it came to her interesting beliefs. But she had not expected she would let loose on Deladem like that. The guy had been in his corner, innocently watching highlights of a Chelsea match when Dina suddenly pounced on him and castigated him for taking delight in ‘a trap of the devil’.

It had been one ugly exchange, with Deladem absolutely livid at being told he was a candidate for hell just because he liked football, and Dina unrelenting in propagating her gospel. Delasi was left aghast and horrified by it all; it took a while before the two could be separated.

And both parties were upset with her afterwards. While her brother’s mood made it clear how angry he was with her for bringing the strange girl around, Dina furiously demanded of her why she did not support her, and that her refusal to do so was akin to ‘betraying the Kingdom’. It was at that point that their relationship grew strained, with Dina refusing to walk or talk with her, until she disappeared totally from town.

At that point, Delasi couldn’t be bothered; this clearly was not someone worth keeping in her life. Her zeal for the wrong ideas was harmful, and her aggressive ways of pushing those ideas were even more harmful. She certainly belonged in her past and didn’t deserve a call back.

But in all this, a bigger problem remained: her fractured relationship with Deladem.

The truth was, they may have been twins, but they couldn’t be more different. From their early days, it was clear that Deladem, the older of the two, was an extrovert, while Delasi was more introverted in nature. As the children of an Ewe man and a Ga woman, Deladem could speak his father’s language fluently, while Delasi was more proficient in Ga.

They weren’t the tightest of friends growing up, but they did have a good bond where they talked about so many things, including entertainment-related issues and general life matters. Since Delasi became a committed Christian and a chorister at Shalom Temple, however, those chats had decreased substantially, as she no longer listened to the type of music or followed the type of news they used to chat about on the regular. Their bond had grown weaker, but it was still there, regardless.

After the arrogant show of religiosity by Dina, though, she wasn’t wrong to assume that it was now ruined. He might have acknowledged her rather weak, trembling apology when she returned from seeing Dina off, but the subsequent stiff and rather cold formality with which he addressed her made it obvious: the guy was still very much hurt over what had happened.

Amends needed to made soon. And soon enough.

***

5 p.m. was the time, and Deladem, who had completed his assignments at work for the day, was in the house of the Forsons, spending the afternoon with his beautiful girlfriend, Olivia.

The last born of three breathtaking daughters of Mr. Nigel Forson, she and Deladem had been in a relationship for about a year, and they were as happy as could be, with plans of making her Mrs. Fugah well advanced in Deladem’s mind. It had been a simple matter of sliding into the DM of the ridiculously beautiful lady with enchanting eyes who complimented one of his numerous posts on Instagram that had brought him this far, and he couldn’t be happier.

Aside her beauty and those soul-piercing eyes that seemed to strip him of any ability to deceive her, he had discovered her kind-hearted nature, her deep love for the things of God…

…and her insanely hilarious disposition.

She was an absolutely crazy character who loved clowning about and deliberately infuriating those closest to her with silly statements, the worst victims being her older sisters, Estella and Aretha, a soldier and a police officer respectively. If Deladem could count the number of times she had been chased around the house by them and threatened with handcuffs for being the goofball she was, he’d grow tired of numbers altogether.

That afternoon, however, was not for laughs or comedy. As the two remained seated in the chairs on the balcony, the infamous clash between him and Delasi’s friend was still heavy on his mind. Especially since he got to know not too long ago that the girl was notorious for believing in and spreading these weird beliefs.

“So she was that bad?” Olivia asked, crossing her long legs and staring her boyfriend in the face.

“Apparently. From what I heard, she was clashing with a lot of people in church. Even Bishop Gordo. Like, it really bosts my mind, you know,” he commented while pouring out the groundnuts from the bottle in his hand and popping them into his mouth. “The one that freaked me kraaa was one claim you’ll not like to hear. According to her, becoming a police officer or a soldier qualifies you for hell, because they represent demons in dreams.”

Olivia jerked back in her seat, her deep brown eyes popping wide in surprise. “Seriously?”

Deladem couldn’t help but chuckle. “When I heard it, I was like, this one diɛɛ, if Livi hears it, she go bore pass. As far as this girl is concerned, your sisters are in trouble.”

Olivia shook her head. “But that’s so… not correct. Where in the Bible did it ever claim that police officers and soldiers are evil?”

Deladem shrugged. “That girl is clearly unhinged. If you’re clashing with everyone in church, including the head pastor mpo, then your matter be something else. As to why you’ll overlook all that and befriend such a person too, I dey wonder.”

“Mmmm,” was all Olivia could muster, watching on as his face darkened while he spoke on.

“And it’s not like you don’t know the kind of things she believes in, you know paaa, you know. Yet you’re moving about with her. Spending time with her. Even to the extent that you bring her to your house, knowing damn well your brother, who is a freaking football fan and a sports journo, is at home watching a football match…”

“Dela…”

“… and when she comes and shows no respect for your family, just barges into the living room and starts attacking your brother, spewing religious rubbish that doesn’t even make sense, you just stand there and keep mute. Watching on as some divisive stranger talks by heart to your twin. It doesn’t even occur to you to defend your brother. I mean, seriously?”

“Dela, please,” Olivia pleaded, his rising voice making her uncomfortable.

“Nahh, seriously, Olivia, it baffles me, it really does. You know the kind of person you are bringing to your house and what she’s capable of. You know she can just explode and do offensive s**t, but for whatever reason, you just do yourself ‘I-don’t-care’ and you bring her home. To what end? Huh? Or is this what she wanted? Was it her plan all along? Because if it was, chale, it worked. It worked to perfection. At least, some of us know where we’re going. Now we know. And we’re okay with it.”

He leaned back in his seat, that ominous countenance as dark as could be.

Olivia shook her head and reached for his hand, a bothered look on her face. “Dela? Dela, look at me.”

Deladem hesitantly looked at her, immediately feeling the piercing gaze of her eyes.

“Dela, please, I know what happened was hurtful. I understand. Obviously, the girl is crazy, and she’s dead wrong. None of what she said lines up with scripture, so she’s wrong. But please, Dela, don’t let this stay grounded in your heart. Please. Coz it’s clear it still hurts, and you’re still really angry with Delasi, and I’m not comfortable with that…”

Deladem’s look turned from annoyance to surprise. He shook his head vehemently. “Angry? Oh, no ooo, I’m not angry with her. Abi she apologized afterwards. A pretty weak apology, but chale, an apology still. She’s sorry, so that’s that. I’m not angry with her, no, not at all. If I was angry for real, anka I’ll treat her like she doesn’t exist sef. But ask her yourself, we still talk. I’m not angry with her, it’s just… the memory and all still dey bost my mind, that’s all. Nothing more than that. Honestly.”

Olivia kept her pleading gaze on him, refusing to speak and just letting her eyes do the talking.

Deladem cracked a grin and rubbed her knee. “Babe, I’m serious. I’m not keeping any anger in my system. I know it ain’t worth it. I’m fine. I promise. Now can we take that walk?”

Olivia sighed, then nodded. “Sure, sure.”

As they rose to their feet, the look on Olivia’s face was far from satisfactory. Yes, Deladem might have insisted that all was well, but she knew better than to believe that. It was very clear that he still held a grudge against his twin sister for her part in that infamous fracas.

And that worried her. A lot.

She dearly loved her boyfriend, and one of the things that brought her joy was to see him doing well in all areas. And it was clear he wasn’t doing well in this area.

He needed to heal. As soon as practicable.

***

It was about 8:38 pm when Deladem returned to the Fugah residence. The five-bedroom house that belonged to his parents and he, Delasi and their younger brother Delali had known since their childhood.

Delasi, who was seated in the dining room, immersed in the book ‘Woman Evolve’ by Sarah Jakes Roberts, felt her heartbeat increase just a little more when she saw Delali step outside to go and open the gate for the firstborn. That reaction had become a constant whenever she was about to have an encounter with him. And it was also a constant that that encounter would not be a friendly one. It would be stiff and formal.

A few minutes later, the front door opened, and in walked Delali and Deladem, the latter with a big grin on his face as he greeted their parents who were seated in the living room. Delasi quietly observed as he chatted with their father and mother for a few minutes while Delali departed. He was his usual hearty self, cracking a joke here and there.

Then he left the living room, the smile still on his face. He passed by the dining room and saw her.

She waved at him. “Good evening, Dela!” she cheerily greeted.

The bright look on his face almost immediately evaporated. In its place was a bland, dry look.

“Yeah, good evening,” he replied formally.

The discomfort in her belly immediately rose to the fore. There it was again, that formal vibe he gave her since the apology.

“Umm… h-how was your day?” she asked further.

Deladem shrugged. “It was cool. Nothing to complain about. Just tired, so I’m going to my room now.”

“Oh, okay, okay,” Delasi murmured softly as he walked away as quickly as he could. She shook her head sadly.

Same old same old. His cheerfulness dissipated the moment he saw her. It was obvious he was still reminded of that day’s events whenever he saw her. He might have claimed he was over it, but with actions like this, it was crystal clear he was not.

God, I wish I had never brought that girl to this house in the first place…

Mmmm… well, Delasi certainly erred in letting the girl come around, but it doesn’t look like her brother’s fully over it, despite what he claims…