CHAPTER 2

"May his soul rest in perfect peace," the Reverend father said, his solemn words echoing through the cemetery. Tears welled up in my eyes as I slowly poured the sand over my father's casket.

"Take it easy, don't cry, okay?" Brenda's voice broke through my sorrow as she gently patted my shoulder. Despite her efforts to console me, the tears flowed freely, unstoppable in their descent.

"The only man left for me was strangled to death. I was in so much pain. After the incident, they still went ahead and killed him," I confided, my voice heavy with grief and anger.

*****

Seated in the somber silence of the sitting room, I gazed at the framed photograph of my father, wiping away the tears that continuously streamed down my cheeks.

"Sorry, Ariana, it's over. We just need you to get to safety first," Brenda offered, extending a cold glass of water to me.

"You don't get it. That man is everything to me. I don't understand why the man that assaulted me kept talking about my father in that manner," I lamented, my heart heavy with sorrow.

"Maybe a transaction occurred," Brenda suggested, her hand resting comfortingly on my shoulder.

Following my discharge from the hospital, I felt a gnawing sense of urgency to retrieve my phone. Venturing to the bar where I had last seen it, I was relieved to find it intact.

"Did you find anything?" Brenda inquired, concern etched in her features.

"I tried calling my dad, but his phone was switched off. Something doesn't feel right," I admitted, anxiety gnawing at my insides.

"He hasn't seen you for three days. He would have called; it was so usual of him," Brenda remarked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Brenda, I really need to go home. I don't understand this strange feeling. Ever since that unknown guy said he punished me because of my dad," I declared, urgency creeping into my tone as I hailed a taxi.

"Street 89, Lome," I instructed the driver, my mind consumed with thoughts of my father's safety.

"Okay, ma," the driver acknowledged before setting off towards our destination. Arriving home, I was met with an unsettling sight—the door was unlocked, and the house was in disarray.

Brenda followed closely behind me as I ventured into my father's room, and what I saw there left me reeling in shock and disbelief.

*****

As the police conducted their investigation, I observed with a mixture of despair and frustration. The discovery of a cryptic note only added to the mystery surrounding my father's death.

"I'm sorry, Miss Arianna, for the loss. We will try our best to find the culprit," the officer assured me, his tone earnest.

"I would like us to discuss further on the investigation and tell us what you know. We will also be carrying his corpse for an autopsy," he continued, his words weighted with solemnity.

"No, I do not want any instruments to touch my father. I want him to be…" I started to protest before being interrupted by the officer.

"But this is how we can find out what really killed him," he reasoned, his tone pleading.

"Look over there," I directed his attention to my father's body, "Can you see the marks of being strangled on his neck? That is enough evidence," I asserted firmly, my resolve unwavering.

He attempted to persuade me once more, but I remained steadfast in my decision.

"I said I don't want to conduct any autopsy. We all know what killed him. I want him to be buried like a normal man, not when his body has been disorganized," I insisted, my voice quivering with emotion.

As the officer and his team departed, leaving me to grapple with my grief, Brenda offered her support, her presence a source of comfort in the midst of chaos.

*****

In the weeks that followed, as I prepared to leave the country, Brenda remained by my side, offering assistance and solace.

"I want you to go there and get better, okay," she urged, her voice filled with concern and affection.

"Thank you, dear," I murmured, my gratitude tinged with sadness as I folded my clothes with trembling hands.

"Isn't it suspicious the way the police officer increased the money for the investigation?" I questioned, my frustration simmering beneath the surface.

"Hmm, I actually don't want us to talk about this. Just get well," Brenda deflected, her words tinged with apprehension.

"It's alright, friend," I acquiesced, though the unease in my heart remained unresolved.

But as we continued our conversation, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, leaving me breathless and disoriented.

"Are you okay?" Brenda's voice cut through the haze of my confusion, her concern palpable.

"Yes, I'm okay," I reassured her, though the truth was far from comforting.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, I found myself rushing to the bathroom, overwhelmed by a sudden bout of nausea.

"Tell me, when was the last time you saw your period, girl?" Brenda's question cut through the silence, her words laden with implication.

Realization dawned on me in that moment, my mind reeling with shock and disbelief.

"OMG! Tell me it's a lie!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with fear and disbelief as I scattered the neatly folded clothes onto the floor.

"Calm down," Brenda urged, her voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. She reached out, attempting to console me, but I recoiled, overwhelmed by the weight of my newfound reality.

"I'm just guessing. Let's go get a pregnancy test," she suggested, her words offering a glimmer of hope amidst the turmoil.

"Alright," I murmured, my thoughts racing as we made our way to a nearby store.

"Sorry, can you please sell a pregnancy test for us?" Brenda's voice was strained as she addressed the cashier, her demeanor betraying the tension that hung heavy in the air.

"Here, take," she said, passing the test to me as I stood there, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty.

"Let's go," Brenda urged, her voice gentle yet firm as she guided me back home.

*****

"Go in, girl, and tell me," Brenda instructed, her voice filled with a mixture of apprehension and concern as she stood outside the bathroom door.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever the test might reveal, and entered the bathroom. With trembling hands, I followed the instructions, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for the results.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally mustered the courage to look at the test. The room seemed to spin around me as I took in the result, my mind struggling to comprehend the implications of those two simple lines.

"No, it can't be," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sound of my own racing heartbeat.

Brenda rushed into the bathroom, her eyes widening in shock as she took in the result. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the weight of the revelation hanging heavy in the air between us.

"You should have terminated it," Brenda's words cut through the silence like a knife, her voice laced with a mixture of fear and desperation.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to process the enormity of what lay before me. In that moment, the future felt uncertain and overwhelming, a daunting prospect that I was ill-prepared to face alone.

But amidst the fear and uncertainty, one thing remained

clear—I would need Brenda's unwavering support now more than ever as I navigated the turbulent waters ahead.