Episode 14 – Blurred Lines

Hi Guys! So its been a while since I put up an episode of Bitter Honey🙈. I promise to be good from this week on… Here’s a brief description of the series, and the newest episode in the series. 

Bitter Honey is a Ghanaian-based series, centered around the Quartey family. Kojo Quartey; a taxi driver, his wife Aba; who runs a bank’s canteen, and their three children; Kuku, Abena and Maama live through a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. The Bitter Honey series tells the story of different bittersweet experiences that build their characters and teach them life lessons. Enjoy.

Aba had been working as a canteen manager about nine months. She looked forward to peak times at the canteen, and made good use of the free times between them. She found that a lot of the ‘top’ executives loved to come into the canteen when it was mostly empty, just to sit by themselves and play with their food. They seemed like a lonely bunch. In direct contrast, the younger workers were all noise and laughter before during and after meals.

Being a good listener, she would usually start a conversation with one or two when they come in, to encourage them to share the burdens on their minds. For most, she was welcomed and appreciated. For a few, she immediately advised herself to keep her distance. Most days, she would pray silently that she will never find herself doing something that she wasn’t passionate about.

Aba enjoyed Mr. Amoah’s company a lot. A little too much that it made her feel uncomfortable. She always comforted herself with the words, ‘I’ll tell Kojo all about this conversation when I get home, so its fine.’ Mr. Amoah usually came in when the canteen was empty. It was like clockwork. Either all other workers knew he was on his way, or he waited till all other workers had left the canteen.

Today, he was talking about his wife for the first time. He looked like a different person altogether. As he poured out bitter emotion with his words, deep wrinkles marked his face. He looked years older than he actually was.

“David”, Aba touched his arm, offering comfort the best way she could. He looked up and shook off the heaviness, “But that’s a topic for another day!” He quickly changed the subject, trying not to make the situation pitiful. It was a little too late, Aba was worried about him – he was deeply troubled.

They went on to talk about everything for the next twenty-five minutes, “I would like to meet your husband,” David announced. Aba laughed at the unexpected declaration. “That can be arranged. I have to get back to work now, my kitchen needs me,” with that she said goodbye.

The only thing that kept running across her mind, was the look on David’s face when he spoke about his wife. She wasn’t looking forward to discussing this with Kojo at home.

As the bank driver drove into the compound of the company apartments, she was thinking through her conversation with David.  ‘Maybe he doesn’t need to know this, it seems very personal,’ she thought to herself as she politely greeted her neighbors who were sitting in groups on the compound, picked up her children from the opposite apartment, and started getting dinner ready. While she worked in the kitchen she asked Abena and Maama about school and enjoyed the countless stories that came from that single question.

Maama and Abena had just finished eating when Kojo got home. He looked tired, but suddenly lit up with energy when Maama and Abena pounced on him in excitement. Aba smiled and dished out her husband’s food. Eventually, when the children had settled behind the television, Kojo turned his attention to his wife and embraced her.

She watched him eat, and listened to the various stories he had to tell about his day. His line of work made him interact with the most interesting people – in both good and bad ways. Aba enjoyed listening to his stories. He spoke extensively about how angry some people made him and how pleasantly he was treated by others. As they washed the dishes together, Aba would ask questions, intrigued by how much he was able to notice from some very short interactions with certain customers.

“How was your day?” Kojo asked Aba. She smiled as she wiped her hands on a kitchen napkin. “More or less uneventful…” she was rethinking her answer when Kojo responded, “I’ll be going out soon. A lady took my number. She said she will call me to come and pick her up,” Aba nodded, assuring herself that nothing really happened during her day that was worthy of conversation. “What time did she say you should come and pick her?” She asked him,

“She didn’t say when, she said she will call me so I will have to wait for her call,” with that, he walked out of the kitchen and into the hall.

***To be Continued***