The rainstorm was no less at the Airport Hills Estate. The only difference was the drainage; due to the good drainage system, there was no flood. President Marfo sighed. This was not the sort of drama he had bargained for even when he decided to seek the highest office of the land. And now, just when he was hoping for peaceful retirement, all kinds of drama were unfolding.
The Vice-President and the two soldiers had been served tea. The two soldiers were yet to touch their own. The Vice-President was sipping hers every now and then but had not touched the ginger biscuit served with it.
President Marfo told his guests he was sure the whole drama would come to an end in the next couple of hours after the instructions he had given Major-General Omari Duah to arrest the Speaker of Parliament. With that order, he was sure every soldier, including even those off duty, would be deployed to get the Speaker arrested quickly. He had directed the Army Commander to announce a reward of GH¢500,000 to anyone who would give information that would lead to the arrest of the Speaker of Parliament.
“Now, I am afraid my husband has to go to bed,” the First Lady announced. The three guests immediately got up. President Marfo got up too. He sensed his three guests would leave after he had taken leave of them.
“Gertrude, I hope you do not intend to leave here in this rainstorm”, he said to his Vice. “It is too risky for you to do that. We have more than enough rooms to accommodate all of you,” he said.
“And, the gentleman here is badly injured. It is just unfortunate we cannot call our doctors to come over to attend to him in this weather. I would get Dr. Adom to come over first thing in the morning to attend to you before you leave”, the First Lady added.
“Yes. The Lieutenant needs urgent attention. We would call our doctor to come over in the morning to treat him. We have a nurse living with us so once the doctor comes and attends to him, the nurse would do the rest before he leaves”, President Stephen Marfo said.
“It seems you are all forgetting something,” Gertrude Mensah said. All attention turned to her.
“What are we forgetting, Gertrude?” the President asked.
“That I am a medical doctor,” the Vice President said, smiling. Suddenly, everyone roared with laughter.
“Of course! Of course! It had escaped me. We are in need of a doctor while there is a doctor right seated in front of us” President Marfo said, laughing.
“I am not a quack. I am a qualified medical doctor from the Ghana Medical School and have been practicing for ten years” the Vice-President said, laughing. Despite the situation at hand, everybody broke out in laughter again.
“Then you have a patient to attend to, doctor” the President said. “We have first aid and kits in there so Linda would get them for you.” The President said. Then he left his guests
The Vice-President and the two soldiers sat down to finish their tea. Presently, the First Lady returned with a First Aid Kit and nurse Nancy who had been seconded to the President’s house to take care of him and so now lives with him. However, the Vice-President said she won’t need the nurse’s assistance.
“You go have your sleep, nurse. You would need it. I can handle this injury alone. It is not complicated” she said. The nurse did not leave; she stood by, ready to help, as the Vice-President dealt with the soldier’s wound. Soon, she was done.
“Nice and easy!” Lt. Baidoo said, admiring the way the Vice-President went handling the gunshot wound on his colleague’s shoulder. The nurse packed the medicines into the First Aid kit and left. The Vice-President and the two soldiers were discussing matters arising when the First Lady came in.
“Let me show you to your rooms, please, before I go to bed. You have had a long day, Getty. You deserve a good night’s sleep” she said as she took the hands of the Vice-President. Gertrude Mensah stood up and followed the First Lady. She led them upstairs and to their rooms.
The first room, which was the most spacious, was where the Vice-President would spend the night. The plush interior décor in shades of pink gave the room a demure romantic allure. The next room which was opposite that of the Vice-President’s was where Lt. Clotey would spend the night while adjacent to his was Lt. Badoo’s. The two soldiers told the First Lady they do not mind sharing one room. Linda Marfo would not hear of it.
“We have more than enough rooms here so why should we box two people into one. You must both have your privacy” she said. The Vice-President was delighted at her stance.