Chapter 10
Odartey was set to leave early the next morning to Australia for further treatment just as the doctor said. Koshie and the whole community were there to see him off. The District Assembly paid for all expenses. The Minister of Parliament also contributed towards his surgery. Odartey waved Koshie and the others goodbye as his oxygen mask and cylinder sat beside him. It could have been Koshie in that position instead. Koshie was afraid Odartey was going to die.
"Don't be so sad," he said. "I will come back again for you. I promise." He touched his heart to show how genuine he was. At least, he could talk.
Koshie could not help sobbing. Everybody said a final goodbye and Odartey was soon airborne, going for treatment.
"Mum, why couldn't he be treated here?" Koshie asked.
"We do not have the required technology to do that here," she explained." I know you would have loved him to stay here, but he would be taken care of where is going."
"Okay, I just didn't want him to leave me," she said.
"I understand."
It was a long, painful, and uncomfortable wait for a loved one who could neither send word nor come in person. He was bedridden and there was no inkling of hope of ever seeing him in a light year. Koshie kept encircling the dates on her calendar to show how many days had passed since he left.
"Koshie, what are you doing?" her mother asked.
"Hoping and waiting," she replied.
"Are you still keeping hope alive?" Koshie was distressed.
"How could you say something like that, Mummy?"
"I'm sorry,"
"You were the one who interpreted his last words as keeping hope alive. Do you perchance believe in something else?"
"I didn't know for sure. It was my interpretation of prayer. Perhaps we should find out more about that."
"I found out what that means," she said. "I'll tell you how. We can begin by going to church"
"Not again?" Koshie's mother was afraid of indoctrination. She loved to be free. "You can do that right in your room, my dear."
"You never told me that, Mum. Isn't there a quiet chapel I can go and make my petition?" Koshie's mother saw how determined her daughter was and said:
"There is a community chapel a few streets away, but I might have to go with you."
"What about the one we visited on Sunday?"
"It's too far from home"
No problem, Mummy. Just take me to the small community chapel close by." After school, Koshie and her mother went into the community chapel, paid homage to the Reverend Minister on duty, and knelt to pray. She placed her prayer requests in a bowl placed at the corner of the chapel for that particular purpose. She did that every day.
"We all want Odartey to get well," said the Reverend Minister, filled with hope "He will."
It was a bright Saturday morning and Koshie was getting ready to go to the community playground to play basketball with her friends. She was ten years old now, growing taller by the day and practicing feverishly. She spotted her usual gear and got ready for her friends to knock on her door as usual. As she was waiting, she saw a truck park in front of the empty house. It brought back memories of Odartey and his family. Could it be Odartey coming back to stay for good? It would have been great to have him back. Did he still remember her? If he was the one, would he still remember her? She had been waiting so long for him to come back. She glanced for a long while through the window to see any signs of him, but there was none. She was disheartened. The moving truck had only furniture and a few possessions
What would it be like to have new friends? She asked herself. She did not even want to think about it.
Thoughts of Odartey rushed through her mind once again as if he was protesting her change of mind. How would he look like now? Would he be as tall as she is? She missed him so much and wished there was a way of communicating with him. It seemed like he did not want anyone to replace him. Suddenly, a four-wheeled drive pulled up in front of the empty house. It was full of energetic and excited youth and a few adults chatting along as they alighted from the vehicle and surveyed the house. They seemed pleased with what they saw. Koshie was not surprised at all. Odartey and his parents had done most of the job and had left it unoccupied for these five years. It was a beautiful edifice filled with mysterious hideouts. Was she ready for new neighbours? Koshie stepped out of her house to acquaint herself with them but, as if by divine design, her friends suddenly showed up. She was lost in hugs and high fives that she soon lost track of the people she had just seen.
"I want to check out something next door," she told them.
"Are you still thinking about Odartey?" they said.
"I saw a few signs over there and I want to go and check up on it."
"You'll go mad, Koshie," they said. "Let him be." Before she could open her mouth to explain, her friends had snatched her away from the scene. She was so filled with chagrin that she was not herself throughout the training session. She was still trying to figure out what she saw whilst training and even made a few mistakes because of that.
"Koshie," said her friend Odarley. "Are you alright?" She peered at Odarley. Her name sounded just like Odartey. She reminded her so much of him.
"Yes I am," she answered. "Why do you ask?"
"You do not seem to be at your best today," she said.
"It happens sometimes, Odarley," she explained. "Perhaps, I'll fare better next time."
"Are you sure you're still not thinking about Odartey?" she asked.
"What if I was? You were not of much help to me when I was trying to explain."
"We weren't aware. Please forgive us." When she returned home, the happy family had already come to acquaint themselves with her mother. It seemed they were new neighbours after all. She felt so disappointed, but believed she would have another opportunity and much more to come to know them better.