The First Lady could also not guess what her husband was about to say and hoped he would not say anything that would sound outrageous.
“I have made a lot of mistakes in life. However, there are two decisions that I am proud of, two decisions I know are the best decisions ever in my life. The first is the woman I chose to be my wife and the second, the person I chose to be my running mate,” he said.
A rapturous applause greeted this comment. Linda Marfo leaned over and kissed her husband. Vice-President Gertrude Mensah beamed with a smile.
“Thank you sir” she said, almost in a whisper as she once again struggled to fight back the tears that were forming. Just then, the door opened and a nurse’s head popped up. It was a nurse’s head. She signaled Dr. Odame and Dr.Inusah.
“Time is up, Madam. My patient has to take his medicines and rest,” Dr Odame announced, effectively ending the meeting. The Chief of Defense Staff and the Inspector General of Police all immediately saluted Stephen Marfo. Then they turned to Gertrude Mensah and saluted her too before filing out of the room with the Speaker of Parliament, the Majority Leader and the Chief of Staff Gertrude Mensah remaining to be with her boss, his wife and the two doctors.
“Thank you for being a wonderful Vice-President. I have enjoyed working with you. I thank those who advised me to choose you as my Running mate for their good advice. Now, you are going to be the President. I am sure it is your destiny. You did not see it coming. Often, that is how destiny is; we get what we may not have strived for because God has ordained that it be ours” the outgoing President told his would-be successor.
Gertrude Mensah was quiet. Indeed, she had never thought of becoming President. Then unexpectedly, she was. She realized it was no longer necessary for her to report the attempt by the Deputy National Security Coordinator, Rex Yamoah, to assassinate her and demand his arrest. She was now the de facto President of Ghana. She has the Ultimate power. She only has to give the order and they will bring Rex Yamoah in for questioning and arrest him if the charges levelled against him are true.
“Thank you too for giving me the chance to serve this country” she said. He reminded her off her first duty as Acting President of Ghana; to welcome President Putin to Ghana in a couple of hours’ time. She smiled, said she would be at the airport and then took leave of him after hugging the First Lady.
Outside the ward, the Vice-President found the CDS and co she had come with to the hospital waiting for her.
“Congratulations, Your Excellency” the CDS said, shaking hands with the now Acting President. The rest all congratulated her again after which they waited for instructions on what to do next.
“I believe we all have enough time to be at the airport to welcome President Putin”, she said.
“Madam, there has been a slight change, please. Instead of President Putin, Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev is the one coming to pay a visit. They informed me just before we all came here. I was to brief President Marfo about the change after the meeting but with the status quo changing, it is you I had to brief,” the National Security Coordinator said.
“Why is he no longer the one coming?” the Acting President asked.
“The official excuse is that he has to hold an emergency meeting with his cabinet about Chechnya. A situation is cropping up there. However, our man there says Putin broke his toe yesterday evening while practicing judo hence cannot make the trip” Ian Sackey said.
“I see. Strong man” the Acting President said.
“I am told he will be calling you before his Prime Minister arrives,” the National Security Coordinator added. The brief meeting ended. They were to meet at the airport in an hour’s time to welcome Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev.
“Excuse me, Ian. I need to have a word with you,” the Acting President said. The National Security Coordinator who was leaving immediately stopped and came back to the Acting President who signaled Lt. Clottey, standing about twenty metres away, to come over. . He complied, walking briskly up to her and the Security capo. The security capo wondered what the matter was.