As the weeks grew longer and longer and my friends began preparing for the university, I got so bored I didn’t know what to do with myself.

I jogged in the mornings and went for a swim each afternoon. I wished Mantse would suggest we go for driving lessons in the Mona Lisa, but he continuously ignored me. I didn’t see much of Pope, and Naadu kept out of my way. Her abdomen was swelling by the day. I grew irritable. Seeing her just made my blood boil. It wasn’t just her I was angry with. Nyewayo had become a frequent visitor to the house and I hated seeing the two of them together. Nyewayo got along well with Naadu. When Mama was alive, Nyewayo had always criticized her. Nyewayo didn’t have one bad word to say about Naadu. I couldn’t hide my joy when Nyewayo said she was going to spend a month with her sister in Kumasi.

Aseye called me early one morning to tell me her admission letter had finally come. I was jealous of her but I pretended to be happy. When she hung up I went out for a swim. I came home to find out that Naadu had had new living room furniture delivered and she and Mantse were arranging them. Our old furniture had been sent to the garage.

“You can’t do that.”

“Buerki, please. Don’t make a scene. Those chairs were worn out. I know your mom picked them out, but it’s time to get new furniture.”

“You don’t have the right.” I grabbed two Woodin throw pillows and threw them out of the door and onto the sand. I grabbed the third one at the same time as Naadu. I tried to pull it away from her. She wouldn’t let it go. Mantse grabbed me and tried to pull me away from Naadu. I let go of the pillow and Naadu went tumbling down.

She hit her abdomen on the arm rest of one of the chairs. She doubled over in pain. Mantse helped her gently into the new sofa.

Then he turned to me, “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you? With all of you? You all act like she’s the best thing that happened to you. I hate her! And the baby! I hate her and the baby! I wish I’d never asked Pope for fresh flowers for Mama’s grave!”

We were still shouting when Pope came in followed by Nene. Pope tried to calm us both down, but all the anger and disappointment I felt for failing my WASSCE came pouring out of me. Nene ran up to his room and shut the door.

I wanted to hurt someone the same way I was hurting. I screamed. I ranted. I raved. None of us noticed when Naadu disappeared until she came downstairs carrying a small suitcase. There were tears pouring down her cheeks.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Naadu, please. Just give her time.” Pope blocked her path and tried to take the suitcase from her hand.

“It’s not just her. You’re avoiding me too, aren’t you? Since those phone calls started you’ve just treated me like I’ve done something wrong.”

“Naadu, let’s talk about this please.”

“It’s getting worse, can’t you see. One of us has got to leave. She belongs here. I don’t. My blood pressure’s up all the time. The doctors fear I’ll lose the baby if it keeps going up. I can’t live like this. I tried but I can’t.”

“We’ll work it out.”

“It will never work out, Pope. Let me go, please.”

Pope had managed to get a firm grip on the handle of her suitcase.

“It’s late. It’s not safe for you to be driving, especially, not at this time of the night.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, but spend the night. If you still insist on going tomorrow morning, I’ll take you there myself.”

“I can’t do this anymore.” She let go of the suitcase handle and I was surprised to see she was still crying. I should have felt happy but for some unexplainable reason I actually felt sad for her. I shook the feeling away and gloated in the fact that all my hard work had finally paid off. Naadu gripped her handbag and walked out the door. Pope left the suitcase and followed her out.

I turned and was about to climb up to my room when I saw a shadow dart past the landing and heard Nene’s door close softly but not before I’d seen the sad look in his eyes. There was a slight twinge in my heart but I shook that away as well. He’d get over it soon enough and we’d be fine. All three of us. Just like we had been before.

Naadu left that night. For the first time in a long while I slept soundly.