As the two women were getting out of their reveries, they both spotted, through the gates that were cracked open, Addae walking towards the house with his signature gait.
Ayikale usually joked lightheartedly that he belonged to the colonial era and that his mannerisms resembled those of a British Lord.
If her husband had any faults, one of them was his tendency to be overly prim and proper. He was the serious type.
Rarely would he be seen in the company of the boisterous men in their neighborhood, who loved to gather and share laughs over beers.
He always found a good excuse to escape their invitations to join them.
A thoughtful provider returns home
Addae walked into the house, each hand holding bags containing groceries and other basic necessities that neither woman thought about buying until they needed them.
He was good with that—a thoughtful man who always looked out for his family.
Ayikale immediately perked up when her husband walked in. She rushed to his side to help carry the bags he was holding.
Naa Koshie’s unnecessary reminder
“Go and help your husband,” Naa Koshie said unnecessarily, as her daughter was already well on her way to welcome her husband. Ayikale giggled a little at her mother’s very obvious suggestion.
She knew how awkward the older woman could be—a trait worsened by the death of her husband.
Therefore, she knew some of her utterances were sometimes spoken a few seconds too late.
Behind the awkwardness: A woman of wit
There were those who found Naa Koshie’s challenge funny and maybe heartwarming, and so they did not mind at all.
However, it came across to many others as Naa Koshie not being too sharp mentally. But they were mostly proved wrong a few minutes into having a conversation with her.
They would realize then that behind the awkwardness was a woman with incredible wit.
Warm greetings in Twi
“Akwaaba oo miba,” Naa Koshie said in Twi and immediately began walking back into her rooms.
“Yaa Me Na,” Addae laughed as he responded to Naa Koshie’s retreating back.
Humor in cultural exchange
His mother-in-law was the type who hardly spoke any other language but her own.
Her attempts to speak Akuapim Twi with Addae, since he was introduced to her and her late husband by Ayikale, had always been humorous.
Luckily, the young man could speak Ga quite fluently. A number of his customers were market women who sold smoked fish in the major markets of Accra.
Hope and excitement for the baby
“How are my babies doing?” Addae asked as he handed one bag to Ayikale and gave her a tight side hug with his free arm.
“Not so bad. She is treating me well today.”
“I see you are still very convinced that this baby is a girl. Would you be disappointed if it’s a boy?”
“There is no doubt in my heart that we will have a little princess running around here or wherever we will be when she arrives.”
Preparing for the Future
Addae smiled and walked slowly with his wife, his arm around her, into the kitchen. In a matter of weeks, they would have their hands full with the new addition to the family.
There was so much he wanted to do in preparation for her arrival.
It included a naming ceremony for the child that they would have to go back to Afram Plains for.
It was very important to him that his child, no matter how young, would go through the traditional outdooring rites of his hometown.
