A child that will be her salvation. Hmmm!! Thank for the updates

*CONTINUED*
"God forbid,Tonye you will live longer than mama"she patted him.
The same man who said the grandma was a witch came again and touched Clara.
"Hey please stop all these drama and take this dirty thing out of my house"he hoarsed.Clara got up and gave him a slap and he fell to the floor.The little crowd screamed in suprise.
"You call this fowl pen a house you bastard.If you dont get your dirty self out of here i will make sure i strangle you here"she spat in anger.Tonye held her hands.
"Aunty Clara leave him alone,i beg you"his gentle voice pleaded.His voice softened her heart immediately.
The man gently got up and left the room quietly.
Some minutes later some clergymen from grandma's church came to bury her immediately.Tonye was quiet through out the burial rite.
It was already night,So Clara picked up her handbag and ask Tonye to pick little of his essential effect and they left.
When she got home,Bros T was not home,so she bathed Tonye and gave him a good pyjamas to put on and she fed him well.

God bless Clara

*CONTINUED*
Bros T came home drunk as usual so she could not tell him about Tonye.The next morning he was suprised to see Clara dressing a boy for school.
"Who is this"he asked.
"I dont have time now Bros,i wanted to tell you about it yesternight but you came home drunk.I always tell you about the danger of driving drunk"Clara said as she brushed Tonye hair.She touched his cheeks playfully and he smiled,his dimples made him more cute.
"Hmm,dont tell me you wont tell me where this boy came from"Bros T threathened.Clara took time to explain to him,he agreed.
Soon they changed his school to one of the biggest school at Bonny Island.
Clara noticed Tonye was prayerful and was a good christian who at times preached to her.
Tonye was super intelligent and acted very matured.Perhaps life made him that way.
A year for her service elapsed so she decided not to go back instead bought a bungalow duplex at Romuola,she also built her studio and was now ready to expand her horizons in music.
She started as a gospel artiste

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Clara was in her studio with some of her crews when a handsome man entered.She turned and screamed.It was Derek,his two body builders were over him.They hugged lightly and she offered him a seat.
After much rocking rigmarole,they plunged into the real discussion.
"I am the owner of Drekk Record,i want to expand my horizon so i have been visiting one studio to another to find a good one to merge with them and spread my wing.I dont know you own this studio"Derek started.
Clara nodded.
"But i am a gospel artiste,i dont sing secular songs"Clara replied.Derek bursted into laughter.
"That wont fetch you good money or fame you deserve.You can switch over and watch how money rolls in"Derek said.
"I will be offering you 450,000 dollars to buy your studio label"Derek offered.
"Thats a mouth watering offer"Clara replied.She was already enticed.She quickly signed up her deals with Derek and sold out her meagre label,she went to work under Derek label because she felt she will turn a celebrity soon.

Wow...thanks op for the lengthy update.

Never miss business with pleasure I guess

Thanks for the lengthy update OP.

Clara, you're deviating bit by bit.

*CONTINUED*
~~~~~
She came out of her room and saw Tonye on the keyboard.He was singing while playing,his voice was encapsulating.She paused behind him and listen.
Amazing Grace,how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I was once lost but now am found
Was blind but now i see.
His hands were moving professionally on the keys as he sang.He felt someone presence so he turned to see Clara standing behind him still on her pyjamas.Tears was on his face so he rushed to rub it off.
"Good morning Mummy"He greeted and rose up.Clara had told him to call her mummy.
"Tonye you are crying"Clara replied and hugged him.She bent to his height and kissed him.
"I am missing grandma"He replied.
"Its okay,she is fine where she is.I will make you forget her.I will be here for you.But who taught yoy how to play the keyboard"she asked carrying him up like a baby,she kissed him again.
"Grandma did.She was the choir mistress in our church,she plays the keyboard and violin like you do"Tonye replied and sat on the piano stand.

*CONTINUED*
"Wow"Clara exclaimed.
"Our house was very closer to the church so during our leisure time grandma will take me there to practise"Tonye continued.
"Grandma must be nice person then"
"Yes she was.She always sing me a lullaby to lure me to sleep but now nobody does that,Grandma will ask me what i wanted to eat and she will provide it,she will play ludo with me.she always sing my praise most of the time.i dont think i can ever forget her till i die"Tonye said close to tears.Grandma died six months back.
Clara patted him.
"I will make sure i do all those things grandma did to you.i will sing you lullaby,i will play games with you,i will teach you to play both the guitar and saxophone,from now on you will decide what we will eat each day"Clara said,Tony face brightened.He immediately sprang up and hug Clara.
"You will do all these for me"He asked.
"I promise i will"Clara replied and hug him tighter."I am beginning to love you like i loved grandma"He said.
"Tomorrow is my birthday,i will be twelve"

*CONTINUED*
"Really?September 23rd is your birthday?"Clara asked,she was now rubbing his head soothingly.
"Yes,i celebrated my eleventh birthday at church.People loved grandma and I,so some members helped us"
"So what do you want as a birthday gift.name anything on this earth,i will get it"
Tonye smiled"I need three things from you"he said.Clara sat up to listen.
"Speak up"she urged.
"Firstly,i want your love because since i was born i have never experienced a motherly love"he said.Clara marveled at his intelligence.
"Noted,you got it"she nodded.
"Secondly i want to answer your surname,bearing my surname Belema will still remind me of mama"He said.Clara held her breath,she only nodded.
"Lastly,i want to be a doctor,just promise me you will sponsor me to acheive that dream of mine"Tonye finalised.
"Is that all?Consider it done"She replied.Tonye jumped on her in happiness.
Clara quickly prepared him a delicious breakfast.After he was through she drove him out to visit Bros T who for sure will buy him goodies.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
As soon as they drove into Bros T compound,Clara saw another car which she knew wasn't for Bros packed in the gangway.She alighted with Tonye who was wearing a blue shirt and jean matchup complimented with white canvass.
They pressed the bell and Bros T came to open the door and ushered them in.Bros T carried Tonye in his arm like a baby while Clara followed.
In the large sitting room was Mrs Beecroft sitting on one of the Sofa.Clara was suprised too see her mother.
"Mummy"she screamed and rushed to hug her.
"Omo mi,bawo ni,i just arrived yesternight"Mrs Beecroft said.
"Mum you are looking younger,tell me the secret"Clara teased and turned to Tonye,she nudged him forward.He came forward and prostrated to greet.
"Mummy this is Emmanuel Tonye,this is the boy i told you on phone,he lives with me.Tonye this is my mum"Clara said as she cuddled Tonye.
"Nice to meet you ma"Tonye said innocently.
"Come,let me hug my little angel.I heard all about you.God is in control"Mrs Beecroft said and hugged.

*CONTINUED*
After much pleasantries,mrs Beecroft countenance changed.
"Clara why did you not tell me Tunde your brother now live a reckless life?I came to see him to discuss about his marriage but i met him and some unresponsible young men drinking and smoking"Mrs Beecroft lamented in pains.Bros T was quiet and calm.
"Mum,you cant just blame me.Bros T is my elder brother,he is off age who can distinguish his right and left,besides if i tell you,do you want to use cane on him?"Clara defended.
"He was not this way before,he changed of recently precisely after father died"Clara added.
"Is that so Omotunde"?Mrs Beecroft inquired.
"No,i was drinking and smoking right from the university but i hid it from you and dad"Tunde said quietly.
"Yeeeh,tèmi bàmi"Mrs Beecroft exclaimed.
"You see,i must confess now that i was never a born again,i was pretending so as not to incure dad wrath.I dont believe in God or Jesus or Yeshua or Jah or Jehovah.I am an atheist since fifteen years when i entered the university"Tunde said

*CONTINUED*
Clara was out of place with shock.Their mother was already crying.Clara understood-Tunde was her favourite son.She was always advocating for him whenever he flouted his father's rule.
"Mum i am sorry,i was waiting for the right time to tell you and dad but since he is dead,no problem.I read a lot of books and made a lot of research about this God.He is just one of those mere fiction that exists in only our imagination.You wont blame me.I was curious to know more,If this God actually exists then why did he created such an imperfect world with inhumanity?If he is omniscient like Christian freaks say,why didnt he know Lucifer will betray him..Why didnt he envisaged such wickedness will be happening in our time.Mind you i dont hate God that is if he actually exists but all i am saying is that humans should stop living in bondage all in the name of serving an imaginary reminisce.My crave for more knowledge made me dabbled into spiritism"
"What!!"Mrs Beecroft exclaimed."Tunde is mad ohh"she added

*CONTINUED*
Clara felt goose pimples,she was totally berserked.
"Mum i am not mad.Spiritism made me who i am today.You guys claimed that God gave human free wills yet he allows us to be tempted and when we fall,we will be sentenced to hell fire.Funny folktales.Life ends here on earth.No life after death.In your Bible when Lazarus died for four days and when he was resurrected,he never bared record of heaven or hell.Then why will all these sorethroat deceivers keep deceiving us with hell and heaven.Father made me hated christanity because whenever we do something bad,he will tke us to the bathroom and pour us over boiled water on our legs,when we wail he will tell us hell is much more hotter than this.Mum you supported him,you did nothing to stop him fron doing that.Those days in the church if we were singing in full concentration,we will connect our mind to an unexisting aura then our heart will be lightened,then we will start shouting,i feel his presence i feel his presence"Tunde said and lit a cigarette.

*CONTINUED*
"What do you have to say concerning miracles performed in Jesus name"Clara managed to ask.Mrs Beecroft was crying.
Tunde smiled"in most cases Magic does the work.In spiritism we were taught to work by faith-there is power in the tongue that once you utter something,it will be done.Jesus is a human like us and he never died.The Bible formulated all those fallacies"he replied calmly puffing his cigarette.
"Tunde why do you did this to yourself"Mrs Beecroft kept wailing.Tunde was unmoved.
"I did nothing to myself.I am just having the sickness of knowledge"
"Such knowledge is foolishness to God.The Bible says that A natural man cannot understand spiritual things because they are mysteries he cant unravel"Mrs Beecroft said.
"Yes i know,this is not the Tunde you know,this is a transformed Tunde.Like i said before that out of my curiousity to understand mysteries i dabbled into spiritism to aid easy decipering of coded mysteries.And please dont quote your bible never again to me"Tunde hoarsed and left.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A week later,Mrs Beecroft returbed to Lagos after her inability to convince Tunde.She left heartbroken.
Folarin who was now married came a week after Mum left.Tunde refused to let him in the house,he threw him out.Folarin called Clara who came to pick him up since he did not know anywhere in Port Hacourt.Despite all Tunde did,she did not stop visiting him and listening to his different views.Folarin spent two weeks with Clara before he returned to Abuja where he was newly transferred on a missionary assignment.
Clara was shocked that Tunde did not invite any of his families and relative to his wedding,not even their mother.Clara was the only one invited so she attended.Tunde married an ijaw woman by name Tamunopriye.Clara decided to become close to Tunde newly wedded wife who was a lawyer like he was but she noticed Priye was giving her attitudes so she decided to steer clear from Tunde family and Tunde never bothered to ask.When they gave birth,Tunde did not tell her And Clara never cared

TWO YEARS LATER

Clara was now a face in the entertainment industry through Derek influence.Money was rolling in and her empire but what remained was MARRIAGE.She was twenty three and needed to walk down the aisle with a man to be called her husband.
Derek was just the right man for her.He cared for her but she just couldn't fathom the reason Derek kept forcing her for sex.
"Derek,what is holding us from getting wedded?I can have sex outside marriage"she told Derek.
"Thats an old fashioned belief.we are in the jet age,we can give birth before marriage"Derek finally persuaded her.It was a shock to Clara then when she confirmed she was pregnant,Derek asked her to abort it.
"But why?"Clara asked.
"I want our marriage to be a grand one,i dont want a baby bump to be seen"Derek said.
"But when will we marry"
"Just abort this baby for now then we will marry"Derek said.
Clara succumb reluctantly and went for abortion.It was a painful one and she bleeded for two days.
Derek hid the result of the abortion from her.

Thanks for the steady update

Clara!! What profit a man to gain the whole world but loses his soul. Op thanks for the updates

*CONTINUED*
~~~~
It was sunday morning,Clara woke up,she met Tonye at the door already dressed up.
"Good morning mummy"He greeted.
"What are you doing here dressed up already"she asked in suprise.She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"Today is sunday,i came to tell you to dress up so we can go to church.Its being a long time you went"Tonye replied.
"Tonye i have told you before that the church is in the heart not building.You can go to church but i will be fine"
"Mum,but the Bible chastened us that we should always go for the gathering of believers"
"Tonye hurry up or you will be late"Clara said and turned to go back inside her room.
"Mum"
Clara turned."I wont eat your food anylonger if you dont follow me to church"Tonye said.Clara opened her mouth agape."Yes i mean it"Tonye said.
"Are you for real"?Clara asked.
Tonye turned to go but was stopped by Clara.
"Okay i will follow you,let me freshen up"Clara said.She saw Tonye smiled broadly,he turned to go.
"Give me few minutes"she replied and went into her room.

*CONTINUED*
Clara drove her and Tonye to church.She stopped attending services since she noticed the pastor incessant demand of money from her.She hated publicity but she was already in the spotlight and could not hide it.
She was biting her lips in silence.
"Mummy are you born again"Tonye abrupted her thought with the question.
"I was"Clara replied but was shocked at his question.She noticed Tonye behaved more maturedly than his age.
"So why did you stop attending church"?he asked.
"Nothing i just does not fathom the need.Churches are where poor people go to,so that they can pray and ask God to bless them.The church is not meant for rich people like us"
"You get it wrong mum.There are several rich people in the church"Tonye replied.
"You will say only a handful of them"
"I disagree mum.What of rich men of God"Tonye said.Clara smiled.
"Those thieves feed on people tithes and offering"She said.
"God commanded us to pay our tithes and offering but he wont come down and collect it himself"Tonye daid and heaved

*CONTINUED*
"So does that gives the pastor the temerity to loot the money?"Clara asked.Tonye smiled.
"Mum,we were asked not to judge anointed men of God.Let God who appointed them judge them himself.Besides your own duty is to obey God command then forget about those people who loots the Lord Treasury"Tonye replied maturedly.
"God commanded us to pay our tithes to the needy and build the house of God and not pay it as a tax to those thieves who call themselves pastor"Clara replied and drove into the church garage and killed the engine.
"I think i have an idea mum;Ask for God address and then pay your tithes to him"Tonye teased and Clara laughed.
They alighted from the vehicle,a lot of church ushers recognised her so they treated her like a god and gave her a special reserved seat.Many of the congregation recognised her.She heard a child of ten called her stage name"Clara B".She simply waved.
As soon as the service ended,she quickly picked Tonye from teenage fellowship and immediately slipped away.

When we have offended God, we shy away from his presence forgetting that the voice of Conscience is the gentle reminder from God that we have sinned

Thanks op; this story is more than just about love or lust as the main theme, but about our everyday struggle as human, working towards our salvation.

Lakesc:
Thanks op; this story is more than just about love or lust as the main theme, but about our everyday struggle as human, working towards our salvation.

Yes Bro,God is giving me the inspiration to write even what i never thought i knew about.

PRE4:


Yes Bro,God is giving me the inspiration to write even what i never thought i knew about.

The Lord is good..

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Their marriage was a low-keyed one.Clara insisted that they did should not throw any lavish party.The hall was just a small one with only hundred people in attendance,the media was not allowed in the arena.
All Clara elder brothers with their respective wives and children were in attance except their mother who refused to attend the wedding on the ground that she deviated from the way she was brought up.First of all she now sing the secular song known as hip hop and secondly married the same man they all warned her not to marry.Clara immediately developed hatred for her mother immediately.
She saw disappointment written on all her sibling faces but she wasn't bothered.This Derek was a man who made her who she was,he connected her to sign a lot of endorsement deals worth millions of naira,the contract to supply the whole Lagos state general hospital was awarded to Lanre because of the strings Derek pulled and yet they expected her to dump him.She defiantly disagreed and called the wedding.

*CONTINUED*
Derek proved to be a good husband to Clara and a good father to Tonye,infact Derek and Tonye became friends.The only thing they disagreed on was Discussions pertaining to God.Whenever such topic is raised he quickly gets upset and would shun don whosoever anchored the Topic,this was exactly what Tonye wont hear of.The more he shunned Tonye-the more Tonye raised the topic.But all the same Derek was a good man who really cared for their family.He once opted to send Tonye to school abroad but Clara would not hear of such,she quickly opposed it.
Clara and Derek continued expanding their career.They soon started signing popular musicians in their label and this paid off.
Derek owed a lot of oil well in Bonny Island,he also owned the Drekk Group of companies.His father was the former governor of Rivers state while his mother was currently the Minister of states For education to the Rivers state governor.
Barely two years of their marriage,Derek mother came to visit and know if something was wrong.

I believe the abortion has affected Clara's womb
Thanks for the update

Ann2012:
I believe the abortion has affected Clara's womb
Thanks for the update

And then tonye get to be the person that fixes the womb..
Let's see how it goes Sha..

*CONTINUED*
Derek mother was an headache through out her two weeks stay with them.Always complaining of every little thing Clara did but Clara made sure she tolerated.Derek mother was an iron lady with a dominant streak who made sure all allies and foes succumb to her wish.She once confronted Clara of her childness and threathened her that her son will find a fertile woman for her son and Clara confronted her.
"I was not barren before i met your son.I did an abortion for him"she said.
"You are not the first person to do that before,i aborted twice before i and my husband settled for marriage.I gave birth to Derek elder sister and him.So why cant you"Mrs Lawson lashed out.
"I am not barren mama,i just believe in due time i will give birth"
"You are not serious.Who will wait till then when there are other fertile girls outside there who can bear me grandchildren and besides i can allow my son to marry another fellow man as a wife"Mrs Lawson said maliciously and stormed out of the sitting room.Clara cried out.