Little Matters

“He’s only a friend!” screamed Enam, “How many times will I have to explain this to you Judah? I can’t suddenly stop seeing my friends just because I am getting married to you!”

” Look, I know he is your friend. But how many of your friends call and text you at least ten times in a day?” Judah enquired, calmly. She wasn’t even looking at him. Her anger had driven her small eyes into a near squint as she stared at the cream ceramic floor tiles, and tiny beads of sweat had begun to form on her light-skinned pimpled forehead. She wasn’t listening. It annoyed him when she didn’t pay attention to him and she knew it.

“I call you up at lunch and you are on the phone. An hour after lunch, you’re still on the phone! Judah continued, his calmness quickly dissipating, revealing his pent-up frustration.  “Two hours after lunch, you’re still on the phone! Tell me what you want me to think!” He bellowed.

Enam’s anger sent violent spasms through her little body, the tiny beads of sweat that formed on her forehead were now drawing little stream paths down her face. Her lips were tightly pressed together as though she was trying to prevent her words from pouring out.  But Judah would not stop talking and that sent her brain reeling and her senses out the door.

” You really want me to tell you what to think? Ehnn?  Think about this Twum, think about the facts that you practically blackmailed me into accepting your proposal, that you were not man enough to ask me in private because you were scared of rejection, and so you chose your family as the audience! And how could I say no at such a performance? Think Twum, think about the fact that your ego and jealousy will end this marriage even before it begins!”

Enam knew her words would hurt Judah deeply, but she couldn’t stop herself from getting her pain off her chest. It was selfish, she knew that, but she could not help it. And now a giant wave of painful relief washed over her forcing tears to her eyes. She stopped pacing around Judah’s plush Villagio living room and muttered her apology. “I am sorry Twum,” she said.

Judah was not listening, or was he? He wasn’t sure he had heard Enam. Did she just say he blackmailed her? He saw her tears. He could never think straight when she cried. Her tears just broke something in him so that he could not think right.  He walked to her and held her hands. Enam tried to get away from him but he held her more tightly and pulled her to his chest.  And they just stood in a silent embrace, Enam quietly sobbing and Judah trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Enam was the first to hear her phone ring, she could tell who it was even without getting to the phone because she had assigned special ringtones to some of her contacts. Actually, only two of her contacts, Judah and Percy- the cause of this argument.

“Well, aren’t you going to pick up?” Judah said, pulling away from their embrace. “It’s him again, isn’t it?

“How does that concern you?,”  retorted Enam, “You always have to ruin everything!”

Judah’s eyes widened at her accusation, but he said nothing. He simply folded his arms across his chest and leaned on the door frame to the dining area and watched her.

Enam fidgeted a little, as she rummaged through charger cables, the case for her glasses, her glasses, key holders and ID cards while looking for the phone, which was still ringing, in her bag. Just when she reached it, it stopped ringing. Enam almost breathed a sigh of relief. She could feel Judah’s stare burning through the back of her head. He was watching her every move. She was glad she didn’t have to answer the call or give him the satisfaction that his suspicion had any credibility.

But the phone rang again.

“Enam won’t you answer your call?”

“ Leave me alone Judah.”

“I know it’s him again, you’ve been here for two hours and that’s the fifth time your phone is ringing.”

Enam threw him an angry glance.

“Yes, I’ve been counting Enam, if that means I am jealous and overprotective, then so be it!” Judah walked to the couch where Enam sat. He had left his jacket there earlier. He picked it up and turned to head towards his bedroom.

“Hello?” Enam answered the call. “Hello”

“Oh so now it’s poor network?” Judah scorned. “At least be original dear!”

“Judah, do you mind? I am trying to have a conversation here.”

Judah just sighed exasperatedly and headed for the bedroom. He could still hear what she was saying on the phone. Single worded responses to whatever he was saying at the other end of the line.

“Yes… I understand… Ok… Bye”

Judah picked his car keys from the bedside table and came back to the living room.
“ Are you ready to leave now?”

It wasn’t a question. Enam knew that he was asking her to leave. She deserved it.

“Yes,” she mumbled and headed out to the car ahead of him.

They drove in absolute silence to Enam’s Hostel, The Green Leaf.  Even the radio was off, the only sound in the car was the soft hum of Judah’s Audi A4 engine and their inhale and exhale of breath. Judah would periodically let out a loud sigh. Enam knew what his sighs meant. He was hurting.  She fought the tears that were stinging her eyes willing them not to fall as she stared out at the streets of Osu.

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Don’t go yet, read Little Matters 2