Chapter 12
November 5, Toronto, Canada
Phillip Arthur-Beck walked slowly down the stairs. He was already beginning to feel like all was not lost as he held onto the banisters to keep from falling. His jaw felt stronger and this had helped him graduate from the baby food he’d had to eat for the past couple of months. Auntie Maggie made sure they always had a plentiful supply of her magical herbs and a few sprinkles over oatmeal seemed to make him feel so much better.
Sarah was also the picture of health. She’d announced to Philip that she’d become pregnant just before he went downhill and Phil’s joy knew no bounds. Finally, they were going to have a baby to call their own and Sarah would finally feel fulfilled. He tried to think back to when they’d made love but couldn’t quite remember. Maybe it was the drugs, he thought. But boy was he glad he’d been up to the job! Margaret told Philip that she’d be back in Canada at the end of January to see Sarah through ‘her last difficult month’ of the pregnancy. Philip was so grateful for that. In just five months, they would have their bundle of joy with them. If only Jason were here.
Jason had left them in early October to return to his job in Ghana and they hadn’t heard from him since. They’d dialed his number over and over again, using skype, phone cards, direct dialing…nothing worked. He called the KM Gas office in Takoradi but the phone just rang and rang. Then he called the Canadian office of KM Gas and got an answering machine.
“Thank you for calling KM Gas – the leader in gold exploration. We are currently experiencing a large volume of calls so please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.”
How exasperating! He’d heard that family members of expatriates in the Middle East and Asia heard similar messages whenever there was a crisis of some sort. He calmed himself down, well aware that in his condition, he shouldn’t be stressing himself out and then a thought occurred to him. Of course - Canada had an embassy in Ghana; of course they would know what was going on.
Brrrrr, Brrrrr, Brrrrrr. It went to a machine after the tenth ring.
“You have reached the Canadian Embassy in Accra. We are experiencing a crisis in the country and are currently unable to take personal calls. Please check our website for updated information on your loved ones. We are sorry for this inconvenience.”
Philip fell like a heap of potatoes onto the couch. The website? He quickly logged onto the Internet through his old laptop and connected to the site. There on the Embassy’s homepage was a message reading:
“There has been a military crackdown on armed robbers and other armed insurgents on the coast of Ghana. Several of these suspected insurgents have been tied to foreign governments and oil companies and as such, the country of Ghana is refusing to let anyone leave the country. If your loved one registered with the Embassy on arrival in Ghana, please be assured that should a time arrive when evacuation is necessary, they will be airlifted to safety. We are sorry for this inconvenience.”
He scratched his head several times wondering what to do next. They’d camped as children and had been taught several wilderness tactics. No doubt they’d all come in handy if Jason found himself in such a spot. He was bound to be all right, Phil assured himself. He just had to be. He reached over for the phone to try again.
“011 233 243 334 909” he said to no one in particular. He held on as it rang and rang.
“Honey?”
He turned abruptly to see Sarah glowing in the joy of her pregnancy. She mouthed ‘oops’ and proceeded to stroke his hair as he remained on the phone. Finally, he let out a sigh and put the phone down.
“I still can’t get through to anyone.”
“Oh dear - - - there’s got to be someone who knows where he is.”
“Did you ask your mother and father?”
“Yes I did and mother says they heard from him just last week. Remember, I told you?”
Philip shook his head. He could hardly count on his memory these days.
“So he’s okay?”
“I think so. Mother said he sounded fine but she hasn’t spoken to him in a few weeks. Maybe they’re on the oil rigs out at sea eh?”
“Yeah,” he murmured. Sarah was probably right. Work could get so tedious and Jason was probably thinking they’d know he was okay. He was definitely not an insurgent so there was nothing to worry about there.
“What are we going to do Sarah?”
She sighed deeply while rubbing her growing belly.
“I have no idea sweetheart but we’ve got to be realistic. If he was not alive, KM Gas would have contacted us, don’t you think? Our names are listed as his next-of-kin”
Philip just sat on the sofa like a stone. Jason was not dead. He could just feel it in his bones. Jason was still alive and he was going to look for him as soon as he was well. He’d not tell Sarah. He didn’t want anything to upset her and cause a miscarriage.
He smiled at her.
“You’re right. Jay will be fine – he’s a survivor.”
“That’s my man,” Sarah whispered in his ear.
Philip smiled as his head lay on Sarah’s bosom. Sarah’s mind was far away, mulling over the message she’d received from her mother that Jason was probably dead.
Chapter 13
May 6th, Oakville, Ontario