Relationships comes in different forms or types as we all know. Examples being Family, *Friendship and Romantic Relationships..
What I am writing about today is a True Short Story about FRIENDSHIP.
There are some friendships that can go on for decades and end up becoming brotherly Or sisterly. Sometimes both families can bond so well that the two family become one irrespective of where one is originally from, religion or race..
STORY ~
THE MAN HE NEVER KNEW
Adu is related to my father. He was named after my father who was a prominent and highly successful nobleman. As such he was sponsored by my father which allowed him to attend the best schools and live a luxurious life from when he was born and until he completed his University education.
He receives his enrolment from a University in the UK and is excited to further his studies and to also have the experiences of travelling outside his home country and Africa.
Part of his aims is to travel to as many different countries as is possible.
He had completed his initial University studies at UST and had been working for four years with an American company.
He’d been divorced for about a year.
According to mother who had had a hand in raising him. He had been happily married for three years to a childhood sweetheart whom he had dated for seven years from the last year at high school.
But a year before his marriage ended he had began dating another woman he’d met and become friends with during his last year at university. Their friendship grew and even though she knew his wife, Dorcas having developed stronger feelings for Adu and knowing his potential stemming from his background had desperately wanted him to be her man.
Dorcas eventually managed to breakup his marriage and was now engaged to him and was going to travel abroad with him leaving behind his ex wife and two children. The day came for them to travel and they were seen off in the capital.
This was the 1970’s not many had realised or noticed that some women from a particular tribe were good at taking husbands away from their marriages or with a new age of marriage and family what is said to be a nuclear family and what the modern day African man wanted his family to be would be thrown away for another woman.
On arrival to the UK all is well.
On the first day at University he meets an old schoolmate Kofi with whom he had a very good friendship with but had lost touch as he’d been employed in the capital.
They were both extremely pleasantly surprised.
When the day ended they spent an hour catching up and planned to meet the coming weekend....
Within a year Adu and Dorcas purchased a property in an affluent neighbourhood. This property was acquired because Dorcas had a very good job as such making it easier to afford. The love they had for each other became an extraordinary partnership as the moment anyone met them it was incredibly obvious. It was like a teenage first love.
In the meantime as everything flourished for this couple there were many things happening in their home country in Africa.
Adu's ex-wife had been ill since he departed and the illness had become progressively worse.... Her family were informed by doctors after all that could be done had been done that she had at most a year to live. Within ten months she passed away.
All letters sent to Adu had been completely ignored. It's as if he'd entered into a new world and had completely cut himself off from his children and most family members..
His ex-wife's sister with one daughter steps in and takes the role of a mother for Adu's children who were six and a half and five years old.
The years roll-by and its seven years after their arrival.
All natural attempts for Adu and Dorcas to have children had failed so they looked into fertility treatments and the costs involved. Then decided to speak to their local doctor or general practitioner(GP).
Those early days and years fertility treatments had just began and a couple only qualified after three years of trying to conceive naturally.
The GP's duties involves asking a couple to take some tests including blood tests. After the results an appointment is booked at the fertility clinic in the main hospital where the man or male is asked to instantly produce his sperm and the woman or female is given a Hysterosalpingography, or HSG, which is an X-ray test to outline the internal shape of the uterus and show whether the Fallopian tubes are blocked. In HSG, a thin tube is threaded through the vagina and cervix. A substance known as contrast material is injected into the uterus.
They were informed that there were no blockages in her Fallopian tubes and he had a good sperm count. Both were in good shape and healthy but would be given a boost which consists of Folic Acid with the other B vitamins for her and him vitamin B12....
Unfortunately after a year of trying they were not successful so they were scheduled for In-Vitro fertilisation (IVF).
The years rolled by and and they realised that they were not getting anywhere with any of the treatments. Traditional medicines hadn't worked either.
A home that was full of laughter and joy began to slowly grow cold and miserable.
In those days many people did not seek help for depression or anxiety. One day just like most mornings she woke up got the coffee percolating to fix a mug for herself and Adu. When she tried to drink hers' she felt nauseated by the smell. This was an odd experience. Then suddenly she had to go to the bathroom and she immediately became sick. She thought it was a bug but after the third time she made an arrangement to see her doctor.
After a number of questions it dawned on her that she might be pregnant.
Her urine sample was sent off to the hospital. She did not want to inform Adu till the results was known. She just said to him that she had taken a number of tests and that they'd have to wait for the tests. She prayed and prayed some more for the test to be positive. At night she would wake up and imagine how things would turnout if she is pregnant.
Three weeks later her doctor(GP) called her and gave her the most exciting news. She couldn't wait for Adu to come home from work. She made the best evening meal and waited. She'd planned to wait till after supper.
As soon as the front door opened Dorcas threw her arms around Adu and announced that they are expecting.
Adu dropped his briefcase in excitement. Everything Dorcas had planned had been forgotten. They were both overexcited and in tears. They both decided to relax more and stay prayerful.
Three months later a letter came for them to go for a scan at the main hospital. They had planned that after five months they would begin to buy baby clothes. After seven months they'd decorate the nursery. All seemed well when she had the scan which allowed them to be more happier.
The days and weeks came and went until one day Dorcas felt incredible abdomen pains which woke her up. She felt that she had urinated then another pain felt like she was having her menstrual cycle but cramps were getting stronger and severe. She immediately sensed that something was seriously she checked her underwear to find some blood. When she got up she saw more blood on her bed. She immediately called Adu who called for an ambulance.
Sadly she had miscarried. This led to mourning and heartbreak despite the positive comments given by the doctors. She was given new medication to help and improve chances of producing fertile eggs… And they still had planned IVF treatments. But this miscarriage had hit her so incredibly hard. She couldn’t pull herself together.
Sadly she had miscarried. This led to mourning and heartbreak despite the positive comments given by the doctors. She was given new medication to help and improve chances of producing fertile eggs… And they still had planned IVF treatments. But this miscarriage had hit her so incredibly hard. She couldn’t pull herself together.
Family and friends rushed to their side to give all of their support. Kofi who Adu had met again after some years of being apart visited with his wife and they stayed for two weekends. This brought a lot of comfort to Dorcas and Adu.
Adu and Kofi talked for hours about their youthful days. They made calls to family in Africa which caused both families to be reconnected.
The friendship and brotherhood had been rekindled. Whenever either needed the other they'd give total support. But they were now closer than ever before....
For Adu, Kofi had become the only brother who he could talk to about everything. Now in such times their presence had significantly reduced their grieve as Kofi and his wife had had similar experiences and despite all that his wife went through she has three grown-up children.
The weeks and months ahead became much bearable as Adu and Dorcas were surrounded with so much love and ongoing visits.
After a year most people had returned to their old routines and Adu and Dorcas were already back to work. However unknown to Adu and the rest of their family and friends Dorcas had sunk into depression and now a couple of years later it'd become severe.
She had hidden it very well. Adu had not thought about her reduced working hours which had come about because she said lesser hours will allow her to spend more time on herself. The reality was that she couldn't handle what was going on in her thoughts, personal responsibilities which comes with looking after their home. Including the day to day running of a house and then adding on her incredibly demanding profession or job as a nurse.
As the years went by Dorcas sunk slowly into another world. She would get up like how most people did. Get ready for work. Somehow survived at work.
There were days or weekends for family, friends and workmates occasions that would come and go. She tried to be brave through all as she would see parents and their children come and have fun at these occasions…
There were days and weekends that Kofi and his family would spend their holidays with Adu and Dorcas. Their presence gave Dorcas a lot of hope and Adu could see Dorcas looking happy and radiant. She cherished these moments. Many weeks after this visit Adu and Dorcas’s home becomes a lively and joyful places to be.
But after a while such visits began to have less positive effects and Dorcas’s even though her medications were changed to the right levels to help her. The depression and anxiety was getting worse. Her hours significantly reduced. After another three years Dorcas's depression became severe and after assessments she was asked to stay home. A few months later she fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalised. After about three days in hospital her temperature was stabilised and the severe abdominal pains had reduced. But after many tests and examinations. Doctors found out that she had a serious form of fibroids.
But after a while such visits began to have less positive effects and Dorcas’s even though her medications were changed to the right levels to help her. The depression and anxiety was getting worse. Her hours significantly reduced. After another three years Dorcas's depression became severe and after assessments she was asked to stay home. A few months later she fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalised. After about three days in hospital her temperature was stabilised and the severe abdominal pains had reduced. But after many tests and examinations. Doctors found out that she had a serious form of fibroids.
One of the solutions was to have the fibroids that would affect her chances for conception removed.
After the operation Dorcas walked around and lived like a zombie.
One day as Adu was about to leave home for work he heard Dorcas screaming in pain and sadness. She wasn’t pregnant but was profusely bleeding. She taken to the emergency room, stabilised and given a private room. Adu was at his wits end and couldn’t understand what was happening.
The weeks turned into months then a couple of years. One day Adu and Dorcas had an appointment to see a fertility specialist. After taking a shower he called Dorcas a couple of times but there was no response. He went to give her a kiss and wake her up but she wasn’t responding. He shook her in a playful manner but there was no response. He immediately sensed that there’s something seriously wrong so he checked her pulse but she didn’t have a pulse. He immediately called the emergency services and begun CPR till she was taken away. Adu followed the ambulance to the hospital.
Her vital signs were better and improving but after a week she went into a coma and never regained consciousness.
Adu bought side by side graves. He’d said that when his time comes he wants to be buried beside his true love.
A few family members were informed about the funeral.
Lydia who is Adu’s niece only got to know the story about Dorcas after she had passed. Family members had informed her. There were rumours that Adu had hit rock bottom but his friend Kofi spent every other weekend with him and this kept him afloat.
Three years after Dorcas had passed Adu began dating. As Lydia was shopping on the Walworth Rd in Camberwell. She stood aside as people got off buses from Croydon and other places. To her surprise she saw Adu come off one of the buses with a young lady. They both hugged and Adu introduced this new woman in his life. Lydia was so happy for her uncle. They talked for a while and separated. They’d promised to keep in touch.
As always everyone goes back to their daily routines and life.
As always everyone goes back to their daily routines and life.
One day Lydia, Adu’s niece’s mother comes over from Africa for a visit. Lydia’s mum lived in England in the early 1960’s and often travels to England and Europe including the USA and Canada. She was going to stay for a couple of years to look after her first grandchild. She as always called Adu and chatted for what seemed like forever. After she got off the phone she had a huge smile on her face and then she said, “I’m so happy that Adu is doing very well!” Adu came down from Yorkshire a number of times and every time they all had a mini party and celebrated family and life… This gave Lydia tha opportunity to catch-up.
She never brought up anything about Dorcas as her death even after a number of years had become a very sensitive subject…
She never brought up anything about Dorcas as her death even after a number of years had become a very sensitive subject…
