That was how I came to find myself in my wife's lawyers' chambers only to be told by him in the presence of my wife and his brother and in the presence of my lawyer that I was not the biological father of my two children, Peter and Pamela.
For me, it was unthinkable that anyone would suggest that the two kids were not my children. Yes, it is claimed often that “only mothers know the real fathers of their children”. However, as far as I was concerned, I did not need even my wife to tell me Peter and Pamela were my children.
Peter was my first born and was ten years old. Pamela was my second. Both children were the joy of my life. Determined to give them the best in life, I worked myself to death, sometimes coming home very late.
When Peter was born, often, I would wake up in the night and spend time just staring at him as he sleeps. Seeing him peacefully asleep were some of my special moments. I would stare at him as if I had not seen him before. Sometimes, I would spend at least thirty minutes by him, praying for him. I would sometimes pray until tears came to my eyes.
Often, at work, I will so much miss him that I rush home the moment I close in order to see him, hold him and cuddle him in my arms. I cried when he first learnt how to crawl. I cried again when I saw him take his first step.
At weekends, I would spend time playing with him till tired, he would fall asleep. I cried again, shedding tears of joy the first day he went to school. He was very enthusiastic about it. I told myself, as I walk him to school, that my son was about to begin his journey to greatness. Then Pamela too was born. She was so cute and so adorable that once, one would think she is a doll. In fact at night, after her mother had fed her, I would cuddle her in my arms till she falls asleep.
Pamela was a joy to behold and like her brother, grew rapidly. My wife and my children were the centre of my life. Sometimes, I took them to the beach to have fun. At other times, I would take the children to the playground and sit around to watch them play with other kids. I was determined to be a good father to them.
I watched as our two children grew, moving from class to class in their school. And, they were brilliant too. Anytime any of them came first in class, I will take them either to London, New York, Paris or Johannesburg for holidays. This encouraged them to keep on doing well. Now, my wife had not only shattered the joy of the family but also had the temerity to tell me Peter and Pamela were not my biological children.
Talking about my wife, Nora, I loved her with all my heart and did everything a husband should do to keep her comfortable and happy. She did not lack anything; she had two cars, had staggering amounts in her bank accounts and travelled at will to any country of her choice at my expense. She was the envy of her friends.
When it came to bedroom matters, as far as I could tell, she was having more than enough of me. On the average, we made love twice a week. And, from all indications, my performance was more than she could bargain for. I sometimes leave her shaking all over, ensuring she reaches her climax ending with powerful orgasms.
Once every year, she would organize a party for her friends. And, she never ceased to tell me how she appreciated all that I was doing for her. She often said I had made her the crown of her family. Nora and I ensured that we brought our children up according to Christian values. We attended church service every Sunday. My wife was a key member of the women’s fellowship while I was the treasurer in the men’s fellowship. Nora soon became a deaconess in our church.
In spite of all these Christian values we imbibed into ourselves and our children, Nora had no qualms about cheating on me with my best-friend, staining the sanctity of our matrimonial bed. She was now adding insult to injury by telling me I was not the biological father of our children.
Lying in bed, I reflected on how hard I had tried to make my family comfortable and happy.
It was so unbelievable that Nora would, in spite of all the love I had shown her, was capable of opening her legs for another man. In fact, if somebody had come to tell me that my wife was cheating on me, I would have told the person he or she was a blatant liar. But, I had had caught her myself in the act with my own friend in my house and on my bed!
I got up from bed and walked out of the room. All was quiet. It was drizzling outside. Hitherto, my house had been one full of activities and the laughter of children. Now, however, it was quiet.
I walked up to the children's room and opened the door. The beds of Peter and Pamela stood in the middle of the room. Their shoes were neatly arranged on the shoe rack. A story book lay on Peter's bed while a huge teddy bear which Pamela always went to bed with lay sadly on her bed. My heart was heavy. I had strived to bring up a very happy family but my wife, through her infidelity, had shattered everything. Now, she wanted to take away from me what I treasured most; my two children. With an aching heart, I returned to my bedroom and cried myself to sleep.
…………..to be continued…
EPISODE 9
I woke up very early the next morning, well determined to go to any length to take my children back from my wife. I swore that nothing was going to stop me from having them back.
After I had my bath, I skipped breakfast and got ready to go see my lawyer. I was driving out of my compound when a car drove up and pulled up beside mine. A young fellow got out and came up to me.
“Good morning sir”
“Good morning”
“Are you Mr. Ofori-Mensah?”
“Yes” I replied
“I have this for you,” the young man said, handing me a document. I recognized it immediately as a court summons. Immediately, I knew where it was coming from.
“So, Nora thinks she can get the courts to compel me to give her money, eh? We shall see”, I said as I opened the document. The young man, having already made me sign for the receipt of the document got back into his car and drove away while I read through the court summon. “Jesus Christ!” I found myself exclaiming. My estranged wife, Nora, was not out to compel the court to make me give her money. She was praying the court to subject our children to a DNA test which she said would prove I am not the biological father of the children.
I could hear my heart beating violently in my chest. I knew I had to calm down. I took some deep breaths and then reclined the seat of my back so I lay somewhat supine in it. Then I began to analyze the matter. Within seconds, I came to the conclusion that the DNA test my wife wants conducted was in my interest. It would establish beyond every reasonable doubt that I was the biological father of my two children.
Quickly, I phoned my lawyer and told him about the court summons. He said he will come over to the hospital during his lunch break to take the summons. With that agreed, I headed for the hospital, my workplace. I suddenly was in high spirits as I drove towards the hospital because I was more than confident the DNA test was my best chance to have my children back. Once the test proves they were my biological children, the courts will order my wife to return them to me.Even without the DNA, anyone who looks at them will see some resemblance to me though admittedly, they resembled their mother more.
In the afternoon, Carl Lomotey, my lawyer turned up and together, we poured over the court summons and my wife's demand. Carl said sooner than later, the saga will come to an end.
“I can tell that Nora is so confused; she does not know what she is doing,” he said. I nodded confidently. Then he left to begin preparing my defense.
We were in court two weeks after I received the suits against me.
I arrived in court that day with Carl Lomotey to find that Nora was already present. I took to the dock to the left of the judge while Nora stood in the one on the right. His brother, Nana Kweku, was present in court. So also were one of his sisters, two aunts and an uncle. Her lawyer, Prof. Solomon Laryea was also present. She, however, did not bring the children to the court.
Somehow, she looked very confident, and honestly, very beautiful.She also had a defiant look about her. However, neither her beauty nor her defiant expression had any effect on me. All I wanted was to have my children, Peter and Pamela, back. “Court rise!” a court clerk suddenly intoned. Everyone in the court room got up. A very slim man led the judge in to the court room. The court clerks and the lawyers in the court all bowed their heads to him before he took his seat. Then everybody sat down.
…………..to be continued…………
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