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TALITHA CUMI......EPISODE 1

He was directly in front of me!

His eyes bored into mine so much so that I trembled greatly.

Then, he squinted as if the sight of me gave him a bad headache and I ran mad deep in me.

He shook his head.

After which he turned around to check me out while I supported my shoulders with my arms crossed as I shook from within.

“Girl!” He called out slowly, facing me again.

But what audacity did I have to answer?

He called me ‘girl’

He called me a generic name instead of the special name he called me.

The precious name he christened me!

I could only shiver and hope that all turned out well.

“I regret the day you were born to this world. I regret! Oh Lord, I regret!” He cried slowly but strongly, his lips shivering as tears ran down his face

I was shocked!
I was broken!
If wind had blown at that minute, I would have fizzled away in the wind!
Did he mean it?

But….

He could never hurt an ant!

He could never speak aloud talkless of shout!

He was always a pride of all women!

Few weeks after we lost my mum in a motor accident, many widows and single ladies in our church came to our house to help him do this or that!

Well, he understood their schemes and since he was always particular about not hurting other people’s feelings, he couldn’t chase them away but he had and held me close to his heart!

He pulled me close and called me his wife till the affection so grew and my reaction to those women chased them all away.

Even if my dad would marry any of them, it had to be someone who would compliment him- someone who would try hard to replace my irreplaceable mother!
My peaceful dad deserved the best!

But…

Did he just say those heavy words?

Did he?

My lower lip shook in great shock as I tried to find my legs- they had gone stiff!

“Now, out of my house!” He still said calmly

I looked into his eyes till one tear, then the next dropped in quick succession down my face!

It is just a dream!…A bad dream!

“Out!” He said again, and as I locked my eyes into his, I saw such redness that described hell!

“Daddy, it is me….it’s me Tali…” I was saying, trying to hold his shoulders, to tell him to check me out well….

That I was his one and only.

His one and only in the whole wide world.

The look on his face as my hands almost touched him made me withdraw and I sighed as if I had just been saved from running into hot fire!

“Erm….” I tried to find my voice when he grabbed my neck and looked deep into my eyes scarily for the first time since I was born.

No one dared to hold me like that.

There was a time back in my secondary school days, someone pulled at my cloth till I fell down and though I had told him it was over and that the matter had been settled, he still went down to school to scold the child and reported him to the school authority for further questioning.

Then, he was holding my neck till I choked?

Really!

I was heartbroken!

If he could do this to me, then I could as well go and die!
“I hate you!” He said calmly as his tears dropped on the front of my silky shirt.

“Ah!” I could only say, my heart really constipated.

“You suck!” He exclaimed finally as he spat into my face.
It was unannounced!

I was not expecting it and the fluid really did reach the whole parts of my face.

It entered my eyes, my nostrils and my mouth!

It was sprinkled like water from a tiny hole in a hose!

“Out of my house!” He shouted eventually, pushed me to the door till I fell flat!

“Dad!” I screamed so painfully.

My bombom had landed on a piece of nail that was in the wall and the injection was so maddening.

But he was unconcerned

“Out I say!” He screamed the more.

I cried so well as everything dawned on me really!
I had disappointed him!

I had brought only shame and shame into his perfect life!

And if I should leave his house now, I would never be able to find peace!

I had been his wife
his love
his girlfriend
his companion
his cook
his consolation
his congregation
his joy
his pride
HIS DAUGHTER!

The tears that flowed down my face could make a fountain!

My heart was bleeding raw!

If someone could wake me up that instant from the bad dream it was, I would have gifted such person a million dollar even if it meant selling all my teeth to get it!

Then, as I pulled towards him and made to touch his feet- the feet I had helped massage during the cold season, I felt his firm hands pull at my huge hair!

I screamed as my dad dragged me on and on till like a bag of bad potatoes, he threw me out and I landed under the staircase leading to Mr. Robinson’s quarters!

I moaned in pain!

I couldn’t get myself anymore especially as I heard him banged the front door!

Asides Mr. Bode-Davies, my dad, I don’t think there has been anyone who has shown me the true meaning of love and life!

But….

…he was showing me the meaning of cruelty and hatred also!

Could it be that easy to switch between evil and good, dad?

I wept the more as I held my tummy which tingled in pain.

Hunger?

I had not had any good breakfast since I came back from school during the midnight.

I was serving the rice and bean concoction with some coconut servings I had made before going for night class when my phone rang

“Guess it’s your dad” Happiness, my roommate announced

“Daddy ke! He can’t be the one jhur. Its past 11pm and he definitely would be sleeping now. I trust him” I said, my hands outstretched to get the phone from Happie…

But it was him!

Why would he be calling so late in the night?

“Hey dad, my sweet mirror, my…” I chanted on, happily, though shocked it was him.

“I am in front of Amina Hall. Come down now” The cold voice had said and I was shocked.

Never had my dad spoken in that manner before- not even when he was having a little quarrel with my mum!

I lost appetite immediately as my tummy started drumming some satirical notes.

I ran downstairs almost immediately, draping a tight cap over the hair I had just recently made!

I looked around the hostel but couldn’t find him- then I sighted a familiar figure beside a car

“My dad has bought a car?” I asked myself as I hastened excitedly to his side.

I hugged him happily but he was cold

“Get into the car. We have to go somewhere tonight”

“Daddy, where?” I asked, so shocked as I checked out the simple silky shirt and skirt I was wearing.

“There is no time to waste time! This car is 5000 naira for 1 hour and the hour is almost exhausted. Get in now!”

“But dad, why are you….” I was still saying, still not used to the coldness in his voice when he gave me the baddest look I had ever received.

I smelt evil!

Quickly without any hesitation, I jumped into the car and he sped off like he was in a racing competition!

It was my worst ride ever!
It was piercingly silent!
I tried holding my breath so my dad wouldn’t feel offended by the sound of my wheezing breathing- another asthma fit was almost starting.

Well, he didn’t seem to care until I saw the direction where the car turned to!

“Is someone sick? Don’t worry about the asthma dad, I will be fine” I said as the wheezing increased

He stopped, a nurse came close to the car and helped me into the clinic- she was obviously not ready to answer my questions

I woke up at dawn- beside my father- in our compound- in that same car!

As my eyes cleared, I looked into his face carefully and wondered what caused the tears streaming down his hairy face.

And my dad must be in serious debt, seeing that we were still in the same borrowed car for hours!

“I saw you yesterday with Chris” He eventually spoke to me and I jumped up from my sleeping position, my eyes wide open, my ears standing erect!

That was the worst news ever from my dad!

He saw me!…Ah!

He must have seen me in that revealing jump suit I was wearing- oh gosh! And I wouldn’t have loved him to see me in that!

And oh the hairstyle was crazy!…Ah! He shouldn’t have seen me!

Then he saw me with Chris…someone every parents in church had warned their children not to walk with because he was into pop music, he had baby mamas and all of that!

How could daddy see me with Chris?

But what was he doing in Sheraton that day? Chai!
He dropped a paper on my laps and opened the car door and I watched as he staggered inside the house with a sorrow laden heart!

I opened the letter and another paper fell.

I picked it too.

I unfolded the first and my eyes caught it – Virginity Test, negative!

Tears ran down my face at this!

Ah!

What could have drawn my dad to have me examined for virginity?

What could have caused the suspicion?

“My dad already knows…He knows….” I repeated as tears cascaded down my face.

I squeezed the two papers and hid inside my blouse- No one should see it!…No one!

I cried and cried to no avail till afternoon when I summoned courage to go and meet him inside, at least so he could go and return the car he had borrowed!

As it dawned on me that the secret I had so kept from my dad had eventually gotten to his ears and he had confirmed it himself, I shook with fear!

I had lied to him!
I had made him believe he had an angel for a daughter!
I had made him believe that I was so flawless!
I should have opened up to him!

I should have told him it was just with a guy and that it was just because I couldn’t control myself again!

I was madly in love!

——–

When I got to school, I met Happiness who happened to be a ‘Big girl’ daughter of a popular model.

It was a fateful day while I sat down before the portal at the business centre after I had gone to pay my school fees to access the portal and click for accommodation.

I waited and waited until I learnt that all the rooms were occupied

I was frustrated!

How do I secure accommodation?

I heard some ladies jubilating over the fact that they eventually clicked rooms and my tummy flickered with envy!

Houses off campus were very expensive!

My dad was a full time pastor!

My sponsor, Dr. T. Donald, who happened to be my mum’s step brother seemed to be tired of taking up my responsibilities as he took over a month before he sent me my school fees despite having informed him about it five months back!

Who do I turn to now?

I rested my head on the table before me as the allocated time I had paid for to browse had been exhausted.

Something fell on my back and before I could turn to check what it was, this beautiful girl fell over me, knocking off the desktop before me with a thud!

She screamed and gathering momentum, though my back made some crack sounds, I helped her up, straighten her hair and picked the Iphone which had fallen on my back which she must have been guiding from falling.

“Thanks” She said so sweetly and I nodded as I helped her put her beautiful high-heeled shoes in place.

“Be careful with heels” I said and she nodded, pouting in a babyish manner

“Thanks big sis. I must have missed my steps” She said cooly.

What!

Did I look that old or was it because of the scarf I was tying?

Big sister to this biggie?…Nah!

The operators of the business centre came around to check the broken desktop and this biggie stood up sharply.

“How much is the desktop? I will replace it. I am so sorry” She said hurriedly as she reached into her purse.

What!

Did the guys ask for a replacement?

What a spoilt, wasteful child!

“Excuse me sir. We are very sorry. She missed her steps.

Please, forgive us. It was an accident” I tried to cover up her last statement and one of the men smiled, shaking his head

“You are well mannered! Girls like this spoilt one are nothing to worry about! They prefer to buy their ways in and out with money instead of saying a simple sorry!”

One of the operators said and my biggie stood up to talk
“I just wanted to avoid embarrassment! I hate destroying things” she said with a shaky voice.

“Well, even if it was a monster you met here, didn’t he see that it was an accident? Would it have been bad to say sorry? Wouldn’t even the monster have bulged?”

Another operator charged at her and when she couldn’t hold it, she burst out crying.

I had to intervene, settled the whole matter and that was how we became friends!

She had secured a personal executive room in the hostel and gladly offered to take me in!

She introduced me to her Uncle too at the college of medicine, Physiotherapy, exactly my department and he had been of great help to me!

One day, as I weaved her hair into few corn rows after I had deep conditioned it for her, I remembered the big sis thing she said and laughed out

“What’s that?” She asked, looking at me from the mirror she was holding

“The first day you met me at the cafe, why did you call me big sis?” I asked and it was her chance to laugh out.

Her laughter was so great that it sounded like the roaring of a lion as she beat her laps and coughed out loud and unrestrictedly!

I waited patiently till she landed and she wiped her tears off her face

“What is so funny?” I asked

“You really looked like a mama that day!” she said and a surge of embarrassment ran through my nerves.

“What!” I exclaimed, almost irritatedly.

“If not that we had lived together for a while and I had seen the real, young, milky you, I would still have called you big sis”.

“How old her you?” I asked, trying hard to hide to embarrassment.

“I will be 20 in June. And you?” she replied, her dimples deepened as she smiled.

“I will be 18 in April” I replied and she jumped up, excitedly.

“I am even the big sis!” She exclaimed and I frowned
“You see now?” I raised my nose at her and she knitted her brows into a frown too.

“I see what? Can we go and ask a hundred people who looks older between us? A ninety nine and one people would choose you!” She said and I was covered up with heat that instant!

She moved to the rack where I hung my bag, she threw it down, then my only shoe too was thrown down!

She moved closed to me and tugged at the cap covering my hair.

“Thank God you are bringing this up now Tally! Thank God! That is no bag, even my nanny at home doesn’t use that crap to take food home to her dogs! And that pair of shoe?…So, people really do have one pair? Really! I wouldn’t give that to Missy, my cat! And this cap you use in covering your head every time as if you had just come out of widowhood, oh my, it’s old! It’s odd! It’s weird! It’s crap!” She said as if she was rioting over the unpaid salary of her close pal and I could only watch on.

“Well, I know good things too and I would love them but my dad can’t afford it! My dad is a pastor! He is a full time pastor!” I said as tears tried to invade the territory of my eyes but I fought them.

Never had I regretted my dad’s occupation till that time!
Till when I looked at what I was wearing really and my mum’s old bag and all I had and I spited them all as rags!
“See, I will take you out for shopping tomorrow and I will choose what fits you! You are a princess and you should dress in the regalia of a princess!” she said with authority and seeing a sponsor from the blues, who was I to say no?

I jumped at the offer and off we travelled to Ceddi Plaza, in Uncle Jeff’s car…Oh my!…Riches at the highest level!

“This is just a small mall compared to others we have in Nigeria” Happiness said and I looked on, dumbfounded
The day was fun-filled especially with Uncle Jeff around. He cracked us up with different jokes and bought us very nicely flavoured ice-cream.

I had never tasted Ice-cream before though I had grown up enjoying the cheap ten naira cone filled sugar surnamed ice-cream!

When it was time to choose clothes, there was war as I kept saying no to all the clothes she selected for me!

She was mad as she left me in the dressing room to report to her uncle. I joined them and Uncle Jeff encouraged me to wear one and come to show him so he could tell me how it looked.

As he lifted his eyes to survey me from head to toes in a very short, revealing but classy gown, his face broke out into a large wow!

“You look gorgeous! You look like a royal damsel! You look….” He kept on saying when Happiness covered his mouth.

“I hope it is not like you have fallen for my friend.”

“I guess I have” He said, covering his face and Happiness laughed.

“Don’t mind him. We have told him severally to go and get married o but he is doing fine boy around” She said and I smiled.

“But, I guess I am in love now” He said and excitedly, Happiness pulled at his arm.

“Tell me about it. I promise not to tell anyone, not Aunty Tessie, Not my mum, it will be a secret!” she said, excitedly.

As he bent to whisper in her ears, all the parts of me heard, though whispered, very loudly in my ears- Talitha!

My name!

My whole body stood at this junction!

This well certified, handsome, young, medical personnel and lecturer is in love with me? Poor me?

He winked at me and all didn’t matter anymore!

My heart gave in straight away!

I fell in love too!

That was the beginning of our relationship, although we kept it a secret from Happiness for a while because she felt I was too young for her thirty one year old uncle.

I would spend long hours in his office, we would gist and go on dates, he bought me more fanciful things and gave me rides round the school, he made me feel a kind of love, very very different from the one my dad and I shared!

His touches sent signals into my head that scatters the arrangement of flesh, blood and bones up there!

His smiles too were killing!

I remembered that I should keep myself until marriage and should not get myself defiled along the way but what could I do when my flesh wouldn’t agree with me?

I was just too close to him for nothing not to happen!
It was a Valentine’s day and I visited his Garki Apartment- He was glad to see me really and I was glad to see him too, in a relaxed, tee shirt manner instead of suits all the time!

As he presented a chocolate cake before me, my heart longed for him. My heart longed to be wrapped round him and feeling so bad that I could not reciprocate his gifts, though I got him some cufflinks and ties, I started to warm up against him and though he tried to pull away, I pushed nearer to him till he couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Tally darling, I love you so much that I would also want you in my arms. That’s how I feel too but you, are you sure about this?” He asked, pulling away.

“Yes I am sure. Take me to bed!” I said, coarsely, my real voice submerged in lust!

And that was it!

After the body to body encounter, I wanted more and more of him though he never gave me again!

“Talitha, I feel ashamed to have pulled such an innocent lady into this mess. You were a virgin Tally! I feel shameful to have cheated a young girl like you. Forgive me!” He went on his knees to say sorry to me and I still stood up to hug him.

He pulled away and tried to cover me up.

“Talitha, I vow not to touch you ever again until I take you to the altar! Please, don’t let’s do this again. Please” he begged and that was when my sanity returned a bit.

That was the only one time I had sexual intercourse!
I was with Chris the day before at Sheraton Hotel but we were there for a departmental assignment not for anything!

Could I even afford it?

——-

“Talitha, what are you doing under the staircase?”

I heard that voice and knew it was Mr. Robinson, our american neighbor and church member.

I tried to sit down from the sleeping position I had met myself, my face dry from my tear stains.

“Is your dad in?” He asked and I knew what was next.

I quickly jumped up to pull Mr. Robinson back from knocking at our door.

My buttocks hurt from the nail injection earlier and I leaped forward and fell.

“Hey, sorry darling. You don’t want your dad to know about you? You don’t look good” He said again and I shook my head.

“I offended him. He is still mad at me. Calling him now will worsen matters” I said as he tried to pull me up
“Oh! Why not try The Fakunle’s house then?” He asked and I nodded.

That was just the best place to go and hide my head!

Mrs. Fakunle was my mum’s very best friend from childhood till she died- she was even my mum’s Chief Bridesmaid!

We had been family friends and they lived across the street.

“Can I drop you off?” Mr. Robinson asked and I shook my head!

“Never mind, Mr. Robinson. I will be fine” I said as I dragged myself down to the gate and off the street.

I couldn’t bring myself to believe that my dad had thrown me outside our home- the two room Boys’ Quarters where we had lived for ten years after mum died.

“My dad threw me out?” I asked myself continually even as my voice competed with my uncontrollable sobs

********

“Just sit down outside while Sofia clears the store for you or can you manage to sleep on a mat on the Veranda?” Mrs. Fakunle asked and I couldn’t believe my ears.

“But mom, why can’t she share my room? She always does when she visits” Sofia said to her and the look her mum gave her sent her running up the stairs.

“Just stay outside. I will tell you when to come in Talitha” She repeated and I gently went outside as tears rose up from my tummy and poured out through my eyes and nose and mouth!

First, it was my dad calling me child instead of Queen Talitha and now this beloved mummy of mine who would lovingly call me Princess Tally threw my name in my face!

Why?
Why am I being treated badly?
Why is everyone pushing me away?

As I fell over the stool, something pushed against my chest and I remembered the papers I had squeezed and hid there.

I sat on the floor dejectedly and heard some footsteps from inside.

“See her! She is sitting on the floor. See her now!” I heard Sammy and Bright, Sofia’s sisters arguing at the window side from inside.

It was disheartening!

These were children that would have ran to hold me, admired my long hair and asked that I gist them about school life but immediately they sighted me, they just ran inside as if I was a plague!

My heart bled!
What exactly was my sin?
Or did I have poo smeared across my face?

Daddy is angry that I wasn’t a virgin though I had pretended to be one- that’s justifiable to an extent

But what do these people know?
Why were they treating me like shit?
What could I have done wrong?

Why couldn’t I sleep in the same room with the friend of mine whose room I had always shared?

“Devotion time is 5am tomorrow. When the bell is rung, come downstairs. You can go to the store now, it is cleared. Pass the back door. Here’s the key. Goodnight” Mrs. Fakunle said as she threw the key at me.

As I looked at the key, I felt like dying!

The cry that was about to elope my mouth would be so disastrous, so I stuffed the papers in my mouth to avoid the sound while tears cascaded my face, my heart peppered with pain!

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Deraconteur:
You're all invited



Biko, make una do well by inviting others also.

Thank You!

Deraconteur:
You're all invited



Biko, make una do well by inviting others also.

Thank You!

Caylia:
Thanks for the invite.. Nice story, but why haven't you updated na?

I dug my sharp, long nails into my cap as I saw Joe smiling at me from the choir stand where he sat.



I couldn’t smile back!



My heart was heavy, my eyes ached and I felt ashamed as if I had just been removed from a soak-away all submerged in shit!



I couldn’t believe it was me actually sitting down with a casual wear on a Sunday morning looking unkempt- I had not had a change of cloth since the Friday dad came to pick me up in school



My phone beeped and I checked the message



‘Is that my Tally? Don’t tell me it’s you’



It was from Joe!



Joe was the second child of the general overseer of Maranatha Revival Church where I attended.



Why would he be sending me messages in the church while the service was on?



Chai!



He had just returned from Ukraine where he had gone for his first degree and before he left, he told me he liked me and if I could keep myself for a while till he is ready and I am, he would want to marry me.



He said it jokingly at that time but while he was away, he really kept in touch, chatting, skyping and all and I had always thought it was going to be him until I met Uncle Jeff!



I looked towards the choir stand and nodded, smiling faintly, my heart feeling dead.



Woris stronging you?



He sent again and I smiled for the first time since Friday night.



That was the way we both normally communicated while we were still very close. I looked towards him and shook my head again!



I was just too exhausted to type!



If I had had my way in the morning, I wouldn’t be in the church because of the things that happened at home!



Could I call the Fakunle’s place home again?



No! It was just a cover!



I never would be able to stay in that house- never!



When I got to the store room that very night, I felt so horrible!



No, my dad wasn’t rich, but we still stayed neat and fine!



As much as the store was cleaned, my head was baptized with cobwebs as I moved in and with the papers still stuffed in my mouth, I fell to the mattress which was placed on the floor and cried well!



It was when I could hear so loudly in my ears the thumping of the stubborn veins in my forehead that I stopped crying and started removing the cobwebs from my forehead.



Even as I sniffed wetly, all my facial veins stood up strong as if declaring war against me!



I spat out the papers in my mouth which had become wet and carressed my stressed cheeks for a while.



I paused to look around me.



There was a lightly lit lantern at a corner and I could perceive the smell of rotten onions and egusi



Sleeping in the store room, Talitha?…wow!



I wasn’t having enough credit on my phone, neither was I having subscription to chat and truth be told, Uncle Jeff and I had not seen each other since three weeks ago when we met for the Valentine’s day celebration. He still called me sometimes anyways but I missed him so much!



Who was I supposed to call?



Who was I supposed to run to?



I knew from when my dad had sent me out of our house that things would never be the same anymore for me and really, it was that way!



I heard some crawling movement not far away and pulled my legs to my chest in fear. I was so close to tears again



Just then, my phone rang



I picked it up and my heart jolted in me



Happie!



“Tally, I miss you What’s up? I have been trying to reach you since Friday” She said, anxiety in her voice



“Thanks” I said, I was too excited that I could not speak further



I was excited that there was at least someone out there who could at least hear me out!



Someone who could be scared for me!



Someone who could miss me still!



“What’s wrong? How are you? Where are you? How is daddy too?” she asked, so scared.



I was touched so much that tears rushed to my eyes again and I sniffed



“Are you crying Tally?” She asked, her voice sounding as if she stood up with shock from a chair



“Let me talk to her. What’s making her cry?” I heard that voice and my heart stopped working!



Uncle Jeff!



“Hello Tally Mine, what’s up? How are you doing?”



“Fine” I whispered, quietly because I didn’t know if Mummy Sofia would shout from inside that I should keep quiet!



“Why are you whispering?” He asked and magically it worked!



What I was not able to tell Happie, I told him.



“Dad sent me packing from our house. I am in a neighbor’s house now but I was made to stay in a store-room” I said and started crying



“What the heck! Why would daddy do that? What happened?” he asked, obviously angry



“Its a long….” I had not ended that statement when I heard a loud bang at the door



“Madam, you are disturbing the whole house ma and we need to sleep because tomorrow is Sunday. Suspend all calls please” Mummy Sofia said



“Okay ma. Sorry ma”



“Be sorry for yourself” She replied and my mouth remained suspended in shock



“I’ve got to go now Jay.” I whispered and he sighed



“Oh my! Do you want me to come pick you up tomorrow? Are you in Abuja?” He asked and I nodded as if he could see me over the phone



“Stay strong baby. Be strong please. I love you” He said and though it calmed me a bit, I knew something must be wrong!



As I dropped the call, I clung to my phone for life and wept bitterly!



Why am I being treated so callously?



What happened to this woman?



Sorry for myself?…ah ah!



I couldn’t think straight anymore.

Just then, I heard some crawling and then dragging and then pulling movement and my heart started racing again!



I switched on the torch from my phone and flashed it at where the sound was coming from.



All I could see were catering materials, large stoves and cookers including huge dusty shelves, different sacks and some planks



I heard the sound again and pointed the torch towards the place.



Just then, I saw that black thing under a shelf not far away.



My heart jumped into my mouth!



Is that a snake?



I stood up suddenly and looked around for an object that I could throw at that area. I found a small stick which I threw and suddenly, there was a movement!



What!



It could be a snake ooo…



As my heart quaked, I got myself a long pipe which I would use to smash the head of any approaching reptile or rodent!



I couldn’t believe it was me having a tough time really but it was me- Talitha!



Just as I was about to sit again, my leg hit something wet and I jumped up



“Snake!” I yelled



Then, I looked at my leg side and found the papers that had been stuck to my mouth



“You these papers, what exactly is it with you? What?” I asked sadly as I picked them up.



I fell to the bed and pursed my lips as my head ached seriously



My eyes were madly heavy!



I looked at the reason I was kicked out of the house, the reason why I was being stigmatized- The paper!



I started unfolding again and laid the papers on the bed



As I unfolded the second paper, I realized I had not opened it at all before



It was somehow colourful unlike the one I had opened



“What’s in this one again o?” I asked myself and fully unfolded it.



As I looked into the paper and my eyes caught what was inside, I knew it immediately!



The reason for the strange behaviour of these people



My stomach dropped!



My eyes started spinning!



I dropped the pipe I was holding and relaxed against the wall dejectedly, holding my head in my hands



I couldn’t cry!



I was in that position till morning, just blinking and staring into space, sometimes, tears would flow, dry up, flow, dry up of its own volition!



I couldn’t feel again for those hours!



I was psychologically unstable at that moment!



Then, I heard the bell for devotion ring from inside but I couldn’t stand up to answer!



All my strength was gone!



“Go and wake that girl up, Sofia” I heard Mummy Sofia say



“Okay mum” Sofia responded and then I heard a knock at the door.



The door opened and then Sofia, still in her nightie, looking worried ran towards me and hugged me



“Just wake her up and come back here ni o Sofia!” Mummy Sofia said again, stressing her daughter’s name.



“Yes mummy” She said, pecked my forehead and then squeezed something into my head as she went out.



She stayed at the door again and knocked



“Tally, it’s time for devotion” she said and I smiled a bit



“That girl can sleep on water. Better knock well. Maybe she doesn’t know we do devotion in our own house.” Mummy Sofia said on and on and I tried standing up



In fact, anyone could throw stones at me at the moment



I didn’t care anymore but to die!



“We don’t have any other orisa in our house that we worship o! Tally come out!” She kept on saying and I knew that if I didn’t move out very fast, the sorrowful tale would continue



The whole devotion was about me!



The whole family had to lay their hands on me to deliver me because I had eaten the forbidden fruit!



How did she know about it?



Exactly how did she know something so deep about me?



Did my dad tell her anything?



What does my dad even know?



Who could have gone to tell my dad something like that?



Who knew me so well to have known something so deep about me?



I pulled at my skirt and bit my lower lip as if to cut it off- I was shivering!



“Leave my skirt please. Hey, leave me omode yi” I heard that from afar and then, felt a tug at my hand and then, I became startled and opened my eyes



I had started dozing, lost in the world of what had happened the night before



I looked at the woman beside me and realized that while I bit at my lower lip, I was pulling at her skirt with all my might in my anxiety



“I am so sorry ma” I said and she straightened her rumpled skirt while she hissed and muttered some words beneath her breath as she did



I gasped in exhaustion



“So, this should serve as a lesson to all parents here. Bring up your children in the way of the Lord for the BIble says when he is old, he will not depart from it. Continue to pray for your children. Also. pray for Pastor Bode-Davies, that God should strengthen him. It is not easily to be relieved of one’s position in the church. Please pray for him”



I heard that and jumped to my feet!



Which Mr. Bode-Davies was the general overseer talking about?



It couldn’t be my father!



Why?



I looked towards the podium and saw my father on his knees before the whole church, his head bowed.



There was another man kneeling beside him- Mr. Abraham



The pastor lifted my dad’s head and removed the tag he wore on his neck and he wore it on Mr. Abraham’s neck



The whole church was silent!



But in my inside, there was a great noise!



My dad!



Being humiliated right before my eyes?



Impossible!



Was he the one that erred?



Was it not me?



Why should he be punished for me?



I knew that meant his salary would be stopped!



I knew he would probably die of grief!

Something strange happened in my heart- something so pure, so touching that I realized if I didn’t do something at that instant, my dad would never ever forgive me!



“My dad can’t be suspended! He didn’t err! I did!” I shouted loud and clear and there arose a very loud murmuring in the church.



The woman seated beside me pulled me to my seat



“What are you doing?” She asked sharply, looking fierce



“Yes, look at me with what eyes! I don’t care! I just can’t watch my dad being thrown away from where he had served for a whole thirty years. Why? For his daughter’s sins…no! Its not reasonable



“You should have thought of that when you were busy flirting around” The woman said and I became quiet suddenly



The whole church already knew?



Wow!



“Miss Talitha Bode-Davies, could you please rise” Pastor Adameji, Joe’s father and the general overseer said and I stood up



“Was it a crime that your father sent you to school?” he asked and all eyes was on me



“No!” I replied silently



“What wrong has the poor man done to you?” He asked on but there was no more reply in my mouth to give



“Exactly why are you repaying him this way?”



“A reliable source brought the news to my ears last week but I said no! I had to do my understudy, many of your pictures were sent to me to show how wildly you now dress. I had to call your dad on Friday to run some tests on you! I couldn’t believe my little Tally had become a wild girl but see it before my face- you were wild!” Pastor Adameji said and I gasped



Well, tears would have started strolling down my face but no!



My heart could no long shed tears



My inside could bake a cake to a good cook with the hotness going inside anyways!



“Was it for the love of your dad that you were screaming that way Talitha? Why didn’t you think about this humiliation before defiling yourself? Why?” The pastor was almost crying and my dad was there lying on his face!



I had never seen him that way before- so broken!



“Anyways, I didn’t discipline your dad. Your dad asked to be suspended for a while till he settle things with God. May God have mercy on your soul Talitha!” The pastor said, heaving loudly in the mic



“Amen!” The church echoed and I looked around at the whole congregation as I sank in my seat again.



My eyes caught Joe where he was seated and his head was bent. He shook his head in intervals.



I remained mute till the service ended.



It felt as if even my heart stopped beating



When I became sane again, I looked around me in the church to see empty pews



So people actually left me here without even saying hi?



Wow!



On a norm, many children would have jumped to my side, many youth choristers would have come to say hello but no youth, no child, no adult even cared to say hello?…really!



As I tried to rub my hands together because I had started sweating in there, I realized that I was holding something in my palm- what Sofia had squeezed in my palm when she came to wake me up.



It was a paper- and as I unfolded it, two thousand naira notes fell off.



I picked them and checked out the paper



“I know how you feel Tally and though I am shocked myself, I feel sorry for you. You can’t be fine as long as you stay in our house. Just take that money and leave the house.Run away. Go back to school! We will chat later”



That was the content and I smiled!



Sofia had been my childhood friend and I was older than her by six months but she knew all about me!



I told her the in and out of everything about me but never did I mention my recent love escapades with Uncle Jeff.



I couldn’t tell her even though she told me all about hers.



I remembered the first time Sofia was intimate with a guy- it was with Peter, one of our elder’s son and she was telling me, very excitedly



“It isn’t as painful as mummy said it would be.” she had told me and I had frowned at it very seriously.



Now, it was my turn!



My turn to be advised and counselled but there was no one!



No one could wait behind to counsel me- to tell me that I had made a mistake but that shouldn’t be the end and that God still loved me?



Or could it be that God now hates me?



I stood up and started going to the door, dejectedly.



I didn’t know exactly what to do again.



It would be best to go back to school which would definitely be a safe haven for me but would that be the end of my relationship with my dad?



As I descended from the stairs, I looked afar and saw my dad on his bike, two women talking to him, his head bent.



What were they telling him?



My heart started racing and I felt like I could be swallowed up from earth, so I would be fine and free from the black guilt that hung upon me so greatly.



I walked slowly towards him and when I got beside him, I knelt beside his bike and tried to touch his sandalled foot.



As he turned to look at me, I saw beyond the helmet on his head that covered his face- the dark circles underneath his eyes and the blood-red eyes themselves



My heart cracked into pain the more!



My dad had been sore!



He pushed my hand off him and I fell backwards.



He pedalled his bike and as I tried to gather myself together and sit up, I saw him waving at the two women discussing with him earlier



“Thanks to you Mrs Tade and Mrs. Abraham. I will see you later” He said and I buried my face in my hands again as I wept eventually!



My dad was not the normal happy, gentle man again!



As I raised my head thinking the two women were still around trying to counsel me, I found the duo entering their different cars and driving away.



I was shocked!



Was this the definition of the church?



Just being trampled under feet and left there to rottenness?



Really!



I looked up to the sky and shook my head as the meaning of everything going on really dawned on me!



I picked myself from the ground and dusted my skirt



“I can’t die now! I was blind in lust, oh yes! For a while, my young and fertile mind went astray especially when my lacks were met and I yielded to the flesh…yes! But what else should I do? What? I should go and die?” I asked myself as I walked out of the church premises.



I was pained in my heart that I had been ridiculed and had failed many people’s trust but I knew right inside me that I couldn’t die!



I’d got to survive anyway.

As I tried to wave a taxi down, a car stopped before me and on a closer look, it was Mrs. Tade.



“Come in dearie” She said, smiling brightly



I was shocked!



Was it that not this woman that had driven off few minutes ago after discussing with my dad?



I entered the car and sat in the front seat with her.



“How are you dear?”



“Fine” I responded. I was interested in listening to anything she had to discuss with me if she had anything new, anyways



“Ah, the service was hot today!” She exclaimed and I wondered if it was me she was actually talking to



Hot?



What made it hot?



My matter or what?



“You aren’t saying anything?” She asked and I chuckled



Wasn’t she being childish?



“Actually, anyone who had seen you close to Mr. Jeff Dantata would know this is what it will result into” she said and I shifted in my seat



I wanted more gist



I loved diarrheic mouths like hers- mouths that continually gives even when their listeners aren’t giving any!



“Actually, I am in Anatomy department and most times, I see you move in and out with him and I wondered if you were just close on the teacher-student level but from what happened today, I could see I had been wrong” She said and paused



I was uncomfortable at the silence in the car and I wanted her to tell me more but she was silent.



I saw as her snaked out and laid upon my tummy and winced



“How do you feel? Any nausea? Any pain? Any weakness?” She asked and that was when I remembered



Pregnancy Test- Positive- Three weeks old



That was what the other wet paper contained when I checked the night before



But how could I have believed such news?



How could the first sexual encounter result to pregnancy?



Also, I watched in movies that when one takes in, it would come with vomiting and weakness and lack of appetite but I didn’t vomit, neither was I weak and my appetite for food and junks had skyrocketed



So, I disregarded the news!



I had heard that lab attendants make mistakes sometimes- mine must have been a mistake too.



It must have been!



“How are you feeling?” She asked again and I smiled



I could feel the flow of Mrs. Tade’s discussion and I was ready to disappoint her



She was the kind of women that would want you to say something- something that would make the headline at their next Gossiping Women Association!



“Also, at this stage, you would have to change your brasserie dear. Your breasts are becoming massive and ….” she was saying about to touch them with her hand.



I threw her hands away, very angry



“What is that ma?” I still tried to be polite



“What is that? You these children ehn! If it is your mum that wants to touch you, you would be aggressive about it but if it were to be a man, you would be laughing sheepishly, right?” She said and I was irritated



What did this woman take me for?



A bitch?



“Ma, yes, if guys touch me, why won’t I laugh? Its interesting when they do. Tell me a reason why I should be aggressive with the guy” I said, my heart racing in anger



I was mad!



She clapped her hands together and quickly returned her hand to steer the wheel



“I knew it! That was exactly what I told Mrs. Fakunle! I knew it was not a mistake at all! She had just become a flirt! I said it!…Ah ah!” She said again, excitedly, a huge smile on her face



A look that told me she was happy that she had something to take back to her circle of gossips!



But I had my point to hold on to as well!



She saw me with Uncle Jeff on many occasions, she told Mrs. Fakunle about it. Then, the latter said it couldn’t be true! She had to get many proves and probably got me monitored.



“I told her to monitor the girl and see how robust she had become. I was right! I was so right! The jezebel spirit has entered our children. What is your church becoming Lord? Oh when men slept. Oh when men slept!” She lamented on and I couldn’t but watch on



I was so dazed!



How could a woman switch between smiling very brightly that she was right and weeping her eyes out now about the church of God?



I was very amazed



“So, have you told the guy? Has his parents been informed?” She asked, her eyes filled with tears.



And my dear heart, I was furious!



“Could you stop the car ma?” I asked as politely as I could ask, my whole frame shaking with anger



“What? You can’t run away from you shadow no matter how you…” she was saying when I took my hand to pull the door lever



Her eyes shone



“Are you going to open the door even while I am driving? Are you that…” She was still saying and with my hands covering my ears, I screamed!



“Stop this car now!” I screamed in a deafening way that after she had brought the car to a stop, she slapped my shoulder, shocked



“You need Jesus you this girl!” She exclaimed, obviously still shocked



“Yes ma. I need Jesus. You need Him more!” I shouted into her face and she paused to look into my face, embarrassed



I calmed down a bit



“My dad didn’t teach me to disrespect elders ma. But if you want to be a gossip, be one! If you want to be a christian ma, please be one!” I exclaimed again and with her mouth suspended, she raised her index finger to touch her chest



“I am a gossip?” She asked, her lips shaking



“You ma’am!” I exclaimed and bowed my head. I raised it up immediately to finish delivering my hot lecture



“The moment you sense something wrong with a youth, you wouldn’t even call the person to caution him or her. Instead, you would start perching around, looking for some ills here, some faults there. Once you find it, you jump up and say, you said it!” I said again, my heart boiling really hot



“What!” She said, real tears rushing into her eyes



But I was not not done yet



“You are not different from Nigerians. Celebrities get married and Nigerians hear about it and they would start tweeting that the marriage would fail and for real, few months after, there would be cracks and they would gladly and excitedly jump around saying, I said it! Tell your fellow gossips ma, that unna try wella! You guessed right and the angelic, almost faultless Talitha is reportedly pregnant! Tell them more!” I said and opened the door, hissing very loudly, my hands cold and shaking



“This was not how your dad brought you up Talitha” Mrs. Tade shivered on as she wasn’t expecting the kind of effrontery with which I had challenged her.



I bent to look back into her face through the car window



“This was not how Jesus brought you up Mrs. Tade. Grow up!” I said calmly too, giving her a smile that I knew scattered the molecules stored up in her brain



I hissed and joined the queue waiting for the commuter buses.



I looked back to see the car still parked on the spot



I had been brutally disrespectful I know but kai, I was hurt!



Why wasn’t anyone thinking of the repercussion of their actions on my poor heart?



Why?



As tears rushed to my eyes again, I remembered that Uncle Jeff had promised to come pick me up.



Why hadn’t he called then?



A bus came and as people struggled to get in, I knew I couldn’t!



I waited back and then my phone rang



Happie!



“Hello Happie!” I said as I sniffed slightly



“Who told you?” She asked, sniffing too. I was confused



“Told me what?” I asked and she started crying



“I am on my way to Abuja. Just go and stay in Aunty Tessie’s place in Maitama. I will send her address to you now”



“What is the problem?” I asked again, my heart racing



“Tally!” She exclaimed again and started crying again and the beeper went off.



I was shocked!



I was confused!



I was mad!



Was there problem in school?



Was our hostel on fire?



Had she heard that I was pregnant and then she wanted it aborted?



What could be wrong oh Lord?



As I awaited the arrival of her message, I waved down a taxi and hopped in with all my problems, pain and sorrow



As we drove past the road, I saw still on the same spot- Mrs. Tade’s car!



Was she that shaken?

Caylia:
Tanx so much 4 d update. More mb 2 ur phone.

EPISODE 3


As I swallowed the very soft pounded yam well wrapped in rich egusi soup, it felt like a huge stone in my throat that wouldn’t go down!



I coughed and mum quickly handed me a cup of cold, richly hand squeezed orange juice which I used to forcefully let it sink.



Even as mum handed me the cup, she wasn’t looking at my face as she was so engrossed in the discussion going on.



I cleared my throat a number of times just to get someone’s attention but they wouldn’t even give it to me.



Well, I stood up, moved to the washing hand basin and gently scrubbed my hands. It was the raining sound of the tap that made them realize that someone had stood up from the dining table.



“My Prince, what’s wrong? You are not done eating your food” Mummy said with so much worry and I turned to look at her.



“I am done mum” I said but she wasn’t convinced



“Daddy, talk to this boy o. Why would he waste my food when he was the one that asked me to pound the yam? Ehn” She started complaining and I smiled.



“Son, what’s up?” Dad asked in a manly way and I smiled



“I suddenly lost my appetite dad. It felt as if I was swallowing stones” I said and they all looked at me with different funny looks



Joe with those teary red eyes of his gave me a ‘You must be kidding me’ kinda look;



Daddy looked at me with a shocked ‘My wife’s food? What are you talking about?’ kinda look.



And my mum’s look….



Oh my!



It burnt with fire!



If there was anyone who appreciated mum’s food so well and expressed it in kind, it was me.



After each meal, I would normally sing praises of the virtuous woman mum was and give her a sweet, tight hug that would send daddy running to take his queen away from me.



It definitely must have pained my mum so well that the same me that sang ‘Hosanna!’ was also chanting ‘Crucify him!’



That was exactly what I wanted!



A perfect silence, especially today!



“I am so sorry mum! I know you put in so much to get this prepared and then, this your prince doesn’t even wanna understand.” I said and looked into their faces still.



The looks grew from bad to worse



“Son, what is the matter? Have you taste buds suddenly…” My dad was asking when I clapped dramatically



“Oh yes dad! That’s the word! My taste buds are dead. They aren’t even responsive no more!” I said again and their expressions grew a bit less than bad



“What is wrong with you my prince? When did it start?” My mum asked again, looking worried.



I smiled



I knew she loved me dearly.



Though she tried her best to love Joe and I equally, I still know that I was just so dear to her heart!



I wondered often how she would cope when a woman eventually takes a tight hold of my heart. The jealousy tho!



“It started while we were in the car, it grew worse as I watched mum and Joe pound the yam and it grew worst as we started eating” I said and they all looked puzzled



Mummy tried standing up to come and meet me but daddy held her down with one of his hands on her shoulder



I looked at dad’s face



I saw confusion and a zeal to get to the root of the matter!



The intelligent chap!



As his eyes ran through my face succinctly, I knew he was trying to relate what I said was wrong with me with the look on my face.



“Son, I still see you salivating. Your adam’s apple are really moving! Also, the expression on your face is showing you are really happy seeing us bothering so much about you. Am I right son?” He said and I smiled as my heart clapped for him



He obviously had the Holy Spirit in him



I scratched my head and thought for a while



“Or, could it be heartburn?” I asked them and Joe hissed, resuming his food



“He sounds pranky!” Joe said, his mouth food-ful



“My prince, is it heartburn or dead taste buds?” Mummy asked, confused



“And what caused it in the car, when we got home and now?” Dad asked too and I nodded



Exactly the questions I wanted them to ask so badly



“The cause…” I seemed to think about it carefully



“I guess the words! The words we’ve been saying, especially Joe, they were unkind! I am very allergic to those kinds of words!” I said and mum still looked puzzled.



Dad nodded slowly and smiled as he gave me a kinda appreciative look, telling me he knew my destination already.



Joe paused to look at me then



“I don’t get” He said and I cleared my throat, trying to put it in a way they would understand.



“Thoughts gives birth to words, shae? The Bible says we should think on words that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, those that have virtues and brings forth praise to God. I guess if we think those kinda thoughts, we shall have beautiful words!” I explained and mummy relaxed in her chair, blinking hard



“So, what are you saying exactly?” She asked



It was time to face the fact!



“The same way you all felt as I talked about mum’s food in a negative way is the same or worst way Pastor Bode-Davies’ daughter will feel if she hear her pastor’s family deliberating about her matter and crucifying her the more!”



I looked at them for their reaction but daddy was enjoying me so I continued



“Yes, the poor girl was embarrassed in church today and no one talked about praying for her or waiting after service to counsel her. I asked you mummy, to show me the girl, you said there was no need and we left her that way and the next thing, everyone started talking about her from the car till we reached home.”



As I spoke, my heart boiled so much that I wished they could all see how I felt.



“Even as you and Joe pounded, the gist still continued, we were still set to start eating and then, no one could even realize that I was choking, the gist continued! Ah ah! I wonder what the members too are doing in their various houses if this is what entails in the pastor’s house”



With this said, everyone kept so silent and even though mum wanted to reply me, daddy held her down on the shoulder once more.



Afterwards, I sat close to her at the table and carefully consumed and enjoyed my pounded yam while they watched for a while before they resumed theirs too.



The whole house was so quiet from that time till I picked up my suit and briefcase and decided that I was moving back to my station in Ibadan



I did go home in Abuja once in a month because I worked as an On-Air Personality in GTV, Lagos, an international television organization.



As Joe placed my travelling bag in the boot, mum came out with my briefcase which she placed at the back seat. She hugged me briefly and went to stay beside her husband



“I hope you carried you egusi” She asked and I nodded, smiling slightly



“Make sure you open your onions to the air so that they wouldn’t get rotten soon o” She said and I smiled



My typical mum!



That was the first full statement I had heard her said since the dining incidence.



“Alright Maami” I decided to respond in the Ibadan way and she smiled



“Eat very well o. I don’t like the way your collar bones are showing. No, not at all!” She said again and daddy laughed as he pulled her close to her



“Iyawo mi atata, which collarbones?” He laughed on but she was serious and I had to nod well so she could feel well.



“Don’t worry mum. I will start eating well ma. It’s just the time, but I will try, shae you hear?” I asked and she frowned a bit



“That’s why you should go and marry, hmmm” She sighed and I sighed too.



As if I knew it would go in that direction



I jumped into the driver’s seat and peeped outside for a while



“Joe seems to be ready already. Tell him to tell her to hasten up, mum” I said and looked into mum’s face.



“Who is the her?” She asked, irritation on her face



“Pastor Bode-Da….” I was saying when Joe suddenly snapped my door shut



“Just go now. You have said enough. In the multitude of words, there wanteth no sin” Joe quoted for me and I found in mom’s face that she agreed with him.



The look on dad’s face was of confusion as to who to really support- the majority or the minority!



I sighed deeply and turned the ignition key.



“May God help us all.” I said



“Amin!” Mummy said quickly, swinging her hands and raising her nose at me. I smiled



“Alright son, have a nice drive. If it gets too late, please have a stop over at Lokoja or Ibillo because you are going so late now” Daddy said



“Thanks dad, take care of your wifey” I said and she blushed



“She is my responsibility, I know what to do. Ese” Daddy said, giving me a ‘Don’t teach me what to do’ kinda look



“Mum, stay strong!” I said as I blew her a kiss with my hand



“Ose oko mi” she said caringly with her sweet Yoruba intonation



I loved the way she said that so sweetly that I had always wished my wife would call me that often in the future, hehehehe



“Bro, love yah!” I said, facing Joe and his red eyes greeted me again



“Bye!” He said as if he couldn’t even wait to see me go!



And I did go!

CONTD....

*********



Joe was adopted by my parents when he was barely one. He had just lost his parents in a fatal motor accident. They adopted him when they realized mum couldn’t give birth to anymore child.



I was ten years old then.



Well, with the relationship with him and the way he was brought up by my parents, no one would know she didn’t give birth to him!



She loved him like her son!



We grew up like brothers and were like inseparable friends until I travelled to Canada for my post graduate studies.



Even till then, we were always talking.



I remembered how well he had told me about one Talitha who I barely knew because she was always at the children’s church while I was in Abuja- but I knew her parents well.



He had told me about having feelings for her, loving her and caring for her so tightly. I told him then to pray about the issue so well and get back to me. He came back with convictions that made me know for sure that it was God’s will



He told our parents and they were happy about the whole thing saying she was a good girl, well mannered, well-brought up and beautiful



I was happy about the development and he was even saying he would show her to me after service until events turned to worse at the service.



While in church, I suddenly realized that he had left the choir stand through the back door hurriedly as Pastor Bode-Davies was suspended and I felt he must be very heartbroken.



From the gallery where I was, I went downstairs to meet him.



He was in tears- his eyes were red and as he saw me, he backed me as he fell into another fit of tears.



I didn’t know what to do at that point because I had not even fallen in love before.



I had always seen the real love he had for the girl!



“Bro, it is well” I managed to say and he came close to me and fell on my chest, hanging his head across my shoulder, weeping profusely



After some minutes, he stopped to sit down and I bent before him, looking into his red eyes



“How do you feel now?” I asked and he shook his head



“I feel so miserable bro! I feel so mise…” He started crying again and I was touched.



“Oh my!” I exclaimed as I patted him on the back



He had been nursing the feeling for close to six years and he had planned that as soon as he earned some more money and she graduated from the university, he would marry her straightaway!



“She wasn’t mine after all” He said and I lost balance



“What!” I exclaimed, shocked



“Yes bro! Can’t you hear the charge against her? She is pregnant! Pregant for God knows who” He cried on defiantly



“Yeah bro, but sit her down and talk to her. She didn’t even know there was a guy here waiting for her, did she?” I asked and he looked into my face



“I told her before travelling to Ukraine. I told her. But wait, talk to her about what?” He asked, looking pale as if stung by a bee



“Yeah, because it was just an allegation. It would be nice to hear from the horse’s mouth” I said and he stood up abruptly!



“I can’t sit down and have you feed me with craps like this bro! I can’t!” He was almost screaming, moving close to the door when I pulled him back



“I said someone cheated on me! She cheated on me big time! And you are here, telling me to hear from her? Impossible!



“As a good communicator, I know that communication is key in all relationships!”



“Well, it was never a relationship and never will be!” He exclaimed and I was shocked



“You don’t mean it bro! You really waited!”



“Yes I waited! I kept myself! I didn’t mess up even in a strange land. Small porn, I didn’t watch because I feared addiction and dreaded having to make such horrible, dirty confession to my chaste Talitha! I was wrong!….”



“So, are you…..” I was saying when he cut me short



“Don’t tell me you are actually encouraging me to go into a relationship with a mother. I will marry her and marry some kind of baby? No way! Do I even know if she intends getting married to the father of the child? Chai! I wouldn’t have believed her to be this cheap mhen!”



“You really waited bro! Can’t you wait a bit longer?”



“Bro, can you hear yourself? See, the Bible says, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Though painful, I have moved on nitemi” He said and left me there thinking so hard about how the feelings had just evaporated into thin air.



I had always envisaged their marriage! I really did watch out for them both!



All the way home, as mum lamented that she was shocked about the news and how ladies of nowadays fall for cheap stuffs, he kept calling her dirty names like bitch, sinner, pig, disgrace to humanity and as much as I tried to tell him to stop, mum kept pampering her baby and patting him on the back.



I was irritated and I had to tell them my mind



I made up my mind to still call him when he has cooled down to have a bro-to-bro hearty chat!



********

I couldn’t believe a dot out of everything Happie was saying.



My head couldn’t comprehend it at all!



She was toiling with my heart really!



“I shouldn’t have met you!” I started crying really hard, falling on the chair and shaking with so much violence



Happie was in tears!



I looked around and saw Aunty Tessie, her hands supporting her chin



“Tally, think about me too. I am so sad as well. It was good we met really but we meet to part and we part to meet” She said, coming close to me and holding my shoulders but I broke free



“Think of the hell I am about to go and go through too” She said and only then did I pause to think



I was being selfish!



As much as I didn’t want her to go because I would miss her, I cried harder because I would miss Uncle Jeff!



Because Uncle Jeff meant a lot to me really!



But I was so selfish not to have thought about the emotional trauma she was about going through too



I met a very tensed up Aunty Tessie when I got to her place in Maitama.



She welcomed me, made me shower, gave me a change of clothes and served me some fried Irish potatoes and Fanta as she smoked her cigar, blues music playing at the background.



Happie came around the house few minutes later and told me to help her start packing her stuffs as she was traveling



“My dad is causing some big problem with my mum in the US and I am needed to come over” She said in a shaky voice



I didn’t understand



“He had not been there for me all my life and now he says he wants to take custody of me. He is just a fool!” She said again as she folded some undies in her panty bag.



“How on earth would you drag my mum to the court for me who you never really cared for? Then he is lying to the media that my mum has sold me to some herbalists and that she should prove him wrong by bringing me before a press conference. Imagine that! He only wants to spoil her career mhen” She exclaimed again, zipped her bag and gave a very long hiss.



“My mum hates to bring him before those fucking cameras! She hated the fact that microphones had to be pushed close to me all in the bid of getting my voice. She hated this so much that she had suffered in silence. Oh my! But her contracts are being withdrawn because of this scandalous allegations!” She exclaimed again and tears ran down her face.



“Stop those freaking tears girl!” Aunty Tessie said as she released the tobacco smoke from her mouth, her eyes becoming red in the process.



Happie wiped her tears and smiled at me lovingly as if nothing had happened



“I have to be strong for my mum! Celebrities live in front of the camera mhen!” She exclaimed as she slammed her box and started dragging it to the door.



As I was about following her, I noticed her phone was on the bed and picked it for her. It started ringing.



Uncle Jeff!



I went after her and gave the phone to her.



“Hello Uncle…I am ready….yes….I will be on my way right now.” She dropped the phone in her bag and came close to me



“Uncle Jeff isn’t coming around?” I asked, unable to hide my desire to see him



“No. He is already in the airport and it’s about time I am checked in. I need to go now. I will miss you so much” She said and I nodded as tears ran down my face



The thought that I wasn’t really going to see Uncle Jeff before he travelled clouded my heart and I fell into fresh fits of tears.



Happie also started crying as she hugged me



But my heart was far away.



As I sobbed and helped her drag the box to the park, my heart throbbed impatiently.



“But what about his job?” I asked, pretending to be nonchalant. I didn’t want her to realize that I was really bothered about his leaving than hers



“My dad?” She asked, raising her teary eyes at me.



“I mean your uncle.” I said and she nodded



“We have that under control already. His job will be fine till he comes back”



That was indefinite.



I needed an answer that would cast my fears out!



I needed to know when he would be back;



How he would react to the news of the pregnancy (If there was really any);



I needed to ask millions of questions which by asking Happie would only land her into more emotional trauma.



When we got to the airport, the checking in was almost over as the announcer was already saying it was about time the Arik Airline moved.



As she passed her bags under the slider of the X-ray machines, she walked through the metal detectors and we stayed behind the red line.



Worried Uncle Jeff was seen pacing to and fro the departure lounge, fixing his gaze on his phone without drifting.



As soon as he sighted Happie, he hurriedly ran towards her as if he had not seen her in days.



A pang of jealousy took a hold of me.



I watched on still until I saw…



I needed a clearer view I felt…



But he was not running to meet her as he ran past her, his face looking so worried.



Was he looking at someone behind me, I seemed to ask myself as I looked back until with just the red rope between us, he pulled me into a warm embrace



It was a kind of embrace that cast out fears, doubts and all negativity



He loved me really!



I was so swept off my feet that I burst into a hot round of tears.



“I will miss you dearly my dear. Stay strong!” He said and disengaged from me almost immediately.



He bowed a bit before his sister- Aunty Tessie and off through the lounge he passed into the terminal and my eyes followed him until clouded with tears, my eyes could see no more!



My heart quaked in great fears of uncertainty and loneliness.



I wiped my tears and looked towards Auntie Tessie who was looking into my eyes very intently.

CONTD...


There were many questions on her face as she looked at me from head the toes.



Questions which I could not decipher at all.



She smiled all of a sudden and patted my shoulder



“Let’s go home” She said calmly as she turned towards where the car was parked. I followed almost immediately even though my legs were still shaking seriously.



I couldn’t believe that I was actually left alone in the whole wide world!



No father; No church; No family friend; No happie; No Uncle Jeff!



I was all alone



I felt cold in my bones of a sudden.



As we entered the jeep, Aunty Tessy fastened the seat belt and being weak to do anything, she stretched her hands and fixed mine too



“Thank you ma” I managed to say



“Hmm” She replied with her nose.



She paused for a while, pushed her head backwards on the headrest and forward again.



She later reached for the vault and brought out a cigar stick.



“Could you pass….oh, never mind” She said and I was confused as I felt uncomfortable



Why was she finding it hard to send me to help her do something since we left the lounge?



What could have happened?



Could it be because her brother hugged me tight and I was crying?



Oh my!



She bent forward towards the glove box and opened it. It hit my leg and she flinched



“I am so sorry” She said, looking very mad at herself



I smiled



“It didn’t hurt ma’am” I said.



She picked a lighter and closed the glove box again.



“I am sorry dear” She said again, her eyes looking dilated



I smiled again



Well, she was just a kind of weird woman anyone could meet anywhere,-that was how Happie had described her to me- but what made her go so weirder was what I was yet to construe.



She lighted the cigar and inhaled for a while, her eyes closed firmly.



I watched her with the side of my eyes as she exhaled the smoke through the window probably so the smell would not permeate the whole car.



She looked at me afterwards and I saw her red eyes.



I sat up and looked shocked



“You were crying ma?” I asked and she smiled



“Not at all. Don’t mind the tears dearie. I let them flow” She said and gave a sad smile.



I was very shocked at the fact that I was just seeing how sad and lonely she looked.



I saw how withdrawn from life she was and my heart clicked that she was very forsaken



“Baby, are you sick?” She asked me. Her voice was very loving and concerned



But that was the wrong question to ask because I was even the one meaning to ask her if all was well with her spirit, soul and body



“I am fine ma” I said



“Drop the formalities and call me Tessie” She said and my eyes shone in shock



“Ma!” I exclaimed and she smiled



“I am Happie’s mum elder sister right? No doubt about that. Call me Tessie still. I like you as a friend” She said again and my heart skipped up the rope like a hundred times before it started somersaulting



“What! You are like a mother to me ma” I said again, feeling so awkward.



She inhaled more smoke, shook her mouth as if to let the smoke circulate well before throwing the smoke residue out of the window.



“I will be 45 next month, you?” That was what she asked when she eventually looked at me.



Well, I was finding the whole situation absurd and I needed to tell this woman to stop joking!



“Ma, my mum would be 40 this year if she was alive. You are even older than…” I said and her eyes shone brightly as the tears rushed into her eyes the more.



She took my two hands suddenly and put her face in-between my hands.



Her face felt warm.



She started kissing my hands as she wept profusely.



“No wonder you look sad! Oh my! My pumpkin doesn’t even have a mum. Oh, no wonder she looks sad. She doesn’t have a…” She continued crying so much that my eyes couldn’t resist the onions of her tears.



I started crying too.



She stopped abruptly again and threw her half cigar tub away though the window.



She opened the vault and brought out a perf bottle which she sprayed before winding up the windows and switching on the air conditioner.



There was silence all the way home and there was a raging storm in my head as I thought about the whole thing.



Was this not the woman who had just been dramatic few minutes ago?



She drove into a hospital environment and smiled at me for a while, then raised a finger before her face to probably ask for an excuse to go out



But Happie never told me the Aunty Tessie was actually a psychologically sick person!



She came back in, gave me a careful hug and pecked my forehead before starting the drive home.



I felt uneasy



Was she a lesbian?



When we got home, she turned the ignition key and paused a while



“Are you okay ma?” I asked, summoning courage to touch her shoulder.



She looked shocked as she looked from my hand on her shoulder to my face and back.



I withdrew my hand and smiled sheepishly



She unfastened her belt and came close to me.



She hugged me suddenly and muttered something beneath her breath and she wept again



“Thanks” I thought I heard her say



I remained calm in her embrace.



I was feeling that something was wrong and she needed to feel loved, so I maintained my cool.



But I loved it as my head rested on her chest.



It felt like that was where I was meant to be.



My brain started calculating and I travelled down memory lane in a short while



I started feeling and imagining as my mum cuddled me even on her sick bed, shortly before she kicked the bucket



“Mum!” I exclaimed from my dreamland and I felt as Aunty Tessie’s heartbeat increased.



She broke free from the embrace and I opened my eyes from the dreamland where I was.



Her eyes were filled with tears



Her nose had become red as she sniffed continuously to pull back the mucus that was trying to escape.



Even her cheeks were pink.



“You called me mum?” She asked and I didn’t know what I should say



I was just lost in my thoughts that I muttered ‘mum!’, if I told her that, how would she feel?



Did she feel offended that she heard me call her that because she had no daughter of hers?



Or, did she feel so good that she blushed?



I was confused.



“You don’t like it ma?” I asked and she slapped me slightly across the shoulder as she started another round of tears.



“No ma here! Mum feels good. It feels really good! That feels good. It feels really good” She sang on, picked her handbag and opened the door to alight..



I felt good that she felt good but I felt bad that I was feeling bad about the whole thing.



Why was she behaving like that.



The door leading to my seat opened and she unfastened my belt and helped lift my legs as I alighted too



I was shocked



I just couldn’t bring myself to understand what was happening.



“Take it easy my pumpkin. You will be fine” She said as she led me inside as if I was having some leg issues.



Anyways, I allowed her do all that if they would give her joy!



********

I closed my eyes firmly



I opened again



I closed them again



I opened my eyes again!



I sat up suddenly and looked all around me, my mouth suspended.



“Am I in paradise?” I asked myself as I was seriously dazed



The room was all pink with different girlie toys and barbie dolls carefully arranged in shelves and in the princess cots that were strategically placed in the room.



The centre rug was slightly pink but richly furry on the whitish-pink tiles that covered the small, snuggy room



I lay back in bed again and rolled on my side to the left and to the right and backwards again.



I jumped up again and did ‘Nepa’ for a while with my eyes before eventually opening my eyes wide.



When we came back, Auntie Tessie made me some chicken and chips and some juice to wash it down while she went inside to do God-knows-what.



She came back inside and told me that she wanted to show me into my room and I went with her.



She brought me into the best room I had ever seen in my entire life.



It was so beautiful and well kept that I wondered since when the room had been set up and what stress she engaged herself in to ensure the cleanliness.



I couldn’t imagine me in a princess room like the one I was.



It was just a day after sleeping in a store room!



Tears started to gather in my eyes again!



I saw as my dad knelt before the church and how the pastor had removed his tag off his neck before everyone!



Then, I saw in the television of my mind and eyes how my dad had pushed me against the wall and I had fallen against the wall on a nail…



How he threw me out of the house like a bag of potatoes;



How Mrs. Tade said some dirty stuffs to me…



When I realized that the television of my mind didn’t want to stop transmitting what brought me more heartbreak, I picked up a pillow and forced my face into it, so everything could be calm and cool again!



I felt a very soft, warm hand pulling gently at the pillow and my hand.



“Don’t suffocate yourself baby” I heard her voice and quickly removed the pillow.



I shot her a look that said ‘I am fine mum’ with a smile that was trying to balance between happiness and sorrow.



“Your eyes are red!” She exclaimed with so much care that I quickly hugged her



If in all the problem I was going through, with no family or friend, a cigar smoking woman would care to take me inside her home and feel concerned for me, I was just ready!



I was ready to be her daughter!



“I shall be free from all church problems and hypocrisy!” I was saying to myself, not knowing I had spoken aloud



She looked into my face



“You have faced church problems too? You have had to face the committee to recount the tales of your past? You have paid your whole earnings as tithe yet the pastor doesn’t even care? You hate church too? You do?” She asked so expectantly, her face shining with such glee.



How did I want to tell her that that was not exactly how the church is?



Or at least that was not what it was meant to be?



What proof did I have to tell her that God exists but that I was as confused as her as to know exactly where those who practise the religion had gotten it all wrong?



How do I tell her?



“You do too?” She asked again, shaking my shoulders slightly and I smiled slowly as I nodded foolishly.



But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.



Those words that I had always heard my dad preach rang in my head and my heart became heavy but I didn’t know what to do.



I didn’t want to break her heart



“But there is God” I tried to say and she smiled sadly



“I wish I know where he lives” She said as she buried her head in her hands.



I knew deep down that there is God and that He is the All powerful God but I just didn’t know how to tell her.



“Who told you about God most?” She asked suddenly and without thinking I said the truth



“My dad!”



“Where is he now?” She asked



“In his house” I said, somehow feeling embittered



“In this Abuja?” She asked again and I nodded



“What does he do?”



“He is a pastor” I said and her eyes shone in shock



“So, why are you not at home with him?” She asked again and I felt irritated in the trachea



“I erred” I managed to still say as my throat turned sour



“And you were chased out of the house? No one to cater for you, no friend, no one and he is a pastor, right? And you tell me this christianity is real? Huh?” Her voice was quite loud now and my ears were not hearing well anymore



All sounds were echoing in my ears like the screeching of a microphone.



I felt a sharp pain under my stomach and as I tried to block my ears and holding my tummy at the same time, my irritated, sour throat seemed to purge as I jumped up from the bed, covering my bulging, stressed mouth with my two hands.



I ran off to the toilet



“My pumpkin! Oh my! Oh my!” She exclaimed as she followed after me in a hurry.



As I tried to vomit in the washing basin, I felt a lumpy fluid in my pant



What was happening to me?



Aunty Tessie pulled at my undies as gradually I fell into her hands while she screamed in fear.



WATCH OUT FOR 4

Written By: Oyekunle Lizzy Oyebola

All rights reserved

Olajhidey22:
Keep it coming Lalasticlala come and read oh

mercyymai:
hahaha..... aunty y now? snc Monday no update

If I could just see her one more time!



My head swam a bit.



We walked out onto the tarmac and climbing the steps that had been wheeled over to the plane.



Heavy clouds passed over as we boarded the plane.



The doors were pulled closed and the flight attendant gave her safety lesson, the one most of us could even recite.



I was not thrilled at all. I was feeling so empty within



It began to rain.



The engines started up, the big propellers were becoming a blur, and the plane started moving. My heart pounded as I looked out through the window.



If I could just see her one more time!



I had a window seat and watched us head down the taxiway.



I looked out if someone was waving through the window of the terminal, but I couldn’t see through the glass, and besides, they must have turned around and headed for the jeep by the time we had checked through the gate.



We gathered speed and the rain ran in streams across my window. I was aware of myself gripping the armrests intensely, leaning forward, trying to remember the details of the safety talk just moments before.



The engines whined a pitch higher and then, we were off the ground.



My heart sank then!



I sat back now, still staring out through the tiny window as we climbed up into the rain. We flew into the darkness of the clouds themselves, and still I watched the window.



Suddenly, we came out above the clouds and the entire world was cast in a brilliant white.



But my mind was still very black- I felt so lonely and miserable inside!



When next?



I felt Happie’s head on my shoulder and that was when I remembered that she was near



“You will miss her, right?” She asked and I nodded with all sincerity



Tally had become a part of my life



Even though I had been a very bad influence to her and I had misguided the young heart, I loved her genuinely



“I want to marry her” I said and Happie looked into my face sharply



“You can’t be serious uncle” She said, I noticed the dark circles underneath her eyes and knew I shouldn’t be discussing something like that with someone who was going to pass through another round of trials soon but she had opened my mouth and I couldn’t close it anymore.



“Is she bad?” I asked and she shook her head, her eyes widened



“She is too good for you! That’s just it uncle” She said and I pinched her



She smiled a bit.



“But, she looks sick in a way” I said again and she nodded



“Even I noticed. She had been eating so much recently . Even the day her dad came to carry her from school, even though she had had dinner, she was still cooking some food. I felt her appetite had just awoken weirdly” She said and laughed



But it was not funny at all



My medical senses had woken up



“Did you notice she looks bigger and fuller now?” I asked again and she started laughing



“Definitely! Why won’t she be fuller when she is eating bowls of food?” She laughed again



But I was not convinced.



“Why did her dad come to pick her from school then?” I asked again and she shook her head



“I don’t know. But she was talking so silently while on phone saying we would see yesterday but I had even forgotten to ask her when we met” She said and my brain did some logical calculations.



“Or, could she be pregnant?” I asked and Happie looked into my face, very shocked



“She can’t be pregnant! She is a virgin! She has known no man before. Pregnant kwa! Chai, uncle! Except you slept with her anyways because it’s both of you that have been close in recent times”



“Oh!” I could say nothing any further



“Did you sleep with her?” She teased me on but I was not ready to tell her anything if Tally hadn’t told her herself.



“Leave me and sleep” I said and she started laughing



“I trust her though!”



“Its me you don’t trust ko?” I raised my nose at her and we laughed together but my mind wasn’t there.



While I hugged her at the lounge, she held on tightly to me but she was rounder. I could feel her curves had grown fuller



Oh my God!



Then, she was crying! Her eyes were very red



Her heart was beating so hard against my chest as if she had something to tell me



Could she be pregnant?



Or could she be going through hell because of me?



I sighed heavily and dropped my head backwards as my heart pumped more than expected blood.



I covered my face with my long-nailed hands and muttered



God, be with her please!



***********************************************



“Is Jeff aware?”



That was the first question Aunty Tessie asked me as I opened my eyes from the sleep I had suddenly fallen into.



I looked around to see that I was in the same pinky room that I had inherited as the newly found Aunty Tessie’s daughter.



There was a sweet smell that wafted into my nose and I close my eyes, widened my nostrils wide to enjoy the tactile sensation it had on my whole being.



Then, I felt her warm hands pressing my bare tummy with tenderness and I flung the windows of my eyes open.



I looked into her face and remembered what I felt just before I fainted.



The hot fluid I felt in my panties, in between my legs



Could I have been pregnant really?



Then, probably because of my falls and careless carriages of my weight, I might have lost the baby.



Right?



A sweet smile enveloped my face and Aunty Tessie smiled at me too as she placed a quick peck on my lips



“I know you love him” She said again and then I remembered she had asked a question at first.



“Is Jeff aware?”



Aware of what? I didn’t seem to understand



“I know you love him”



What was Aunty talking about? I didn’t seem to get it.



“The truth is that I understand feelings more than anyone else” She started and I eventually sat down to face her squarely, the pillow holding my back firmly.



I winced as I felt a sharp pain underneath my tummy and quickly held it to pacify the pain whatever the cause might be.



She saw that and rubbed my tummy gently and sweetly.



“Everyone sees me as weird, someone who needs divine intervention, someone with psychiatric problems and all but they don’t know that I know love, hate, jealousy, envy, I know feelings! I can recognize them when I see them” She said again, her face looking saltless



I swallowed as I listened to her beautiful speech



“As you saw Jeff probably approaching Happie at the airport, I saw envy in your eyes and when he turned to come towards you again, I saw joy unspeakable!” She said and looked into my eyes, her eyeballs moving steadily as they surveyed my face.



I blushed – she was very correct



“I saw frustration in your face as you asked Happie questions as regards Jeff. Wasn’t he coming? When would he come back? All those questions, I read frustration, unhappiness, fear, uncertainty in them and I wondered what could be happening” She continued and I couldn’t hide my embarrassment really!



This was a woman who could tell me almost exactly what I had in mind all those times.



“I wouldn’t see Happie off to the lounge on a norm because her mum calls me weird and insane and sick and bitch and I had sworn never to have anything to do with her and her family again because of that” She said with so much vibrancy, the veins in her head and neck gathering momentum and shooting out.



She looked really pained!



“But because I wanted to get to the root of the matter, I followed her to the lounge. Then I saw you and Jeff hugging so intimately. That brother of mine doesn’t show much affection in front of me but he did hug and said sweet things to you and then, I looked into your face and saw tears! I was speechless!” She said and just like a spell, I was covered from my head to toes with goosebumps and tears ran down my face hastily.



She really did watch me!



“Those tears had some elements of fear, uncertainty, sorrow and a lot of questions in them. You wanted to say some things that I really ached to hear but my impatient brother had turned away. I looked and watched and studied to get answers by myself” She said as she touched my forehead, wiping my sweat with such tenderness and gentility.



“I fixed your belt as you couldn’t move, the glove box hit your leg and I felt bad but you still smiled faintly, trying to tell me it was okay but I was not convinced baby. I looked into your eyes and saw what I felt it was and I smoked right into my head to calm some storms in my brains down. Tears gathered in my eyes and I allowed you see it” She said again and I relived those events in my head.



She had started explaining and giving answers to questions that ran through my mind as I saw her behave weirdly that day.



“You allowed me hug you, you called me mum, you looked tenderly into my face and when I smoked that I felt you would be irritated and disrespect me, you didn’t! It was the best day of my life!” She exclaimed as tears ran into her face.



“I have never given birth to any child myself” She said suddenly and I looked into her face to understand perfectly.



“My mother had just three of us. Mandy, Jeff and I. We were all wayward until I met a man who preached to me and I had to be a born again person. He married me and just four years into the marriage without kids, he started misbehaving.” She said and paused suddenly.



“Why am I telling you this?” She asked and smiled a bit



“I guess because I can see something similar about happening to you darling.” She said and I looked shocked



Happening to me?



What was she talking about?



“I thank God you hate religion!” She said with such firmness that made her jump up from the bed.



I wanted to tell her that it was not that I hated religion but it was just a temporary problem that shall soon pass that made me say those nasty words earlier but I couldn’t speak. I wanted her to land.



“Religion is a mistake! People hide behind religion with their baggage hung across their backs, weighing them down and lie that they are spiritual. That they have some power” She said again as she moved to the table and took a bottle of wine which she uncorked and started gulping down her throat.



I sat up, my heart thumping with so great fear!



She walked back to me and placed her hands on my chest almost immediately. She bent before me and looked deeply into my eyes



“Are you scared of me too?” She asked and I was shocked



“Scared? Scared of my mum? Nah!” I eventually said when I found my voice.



It did work like magic and she sat beside me on the bed, fumbling with my fingers.



“I was the only one of the three children of my mum that chose to practice Christianity. Mandy, Happie’s mum chose our mum’s modelling path and Jeff was just a nominal christian anyways. I was the one that was keen on taking on the real born again thing”



“You love Jeff, right?” She asked and as if being controlled by some extra-terrestrial powers I nodded and she smiled



“I loved Jerry just as you love Jeff” I watched her lips as she explained to me how she had married Jerry who later became a pastor.



How she was barren for four years and how she had caught Jerry in bed with her housemaid on an occasion and her friend on another occasion and how she had threatened to report to the church.



“But I couldn’t report him. I bore the pains inside of my heart. I was going to die in bitterness but I didn’t! I loved Jerry too much! He was the one who had led me to Christ. He was the one! How could he fall into adultery those times and not feel sorry? I was so sad”



Then, tears started running into her eyes and I was touched



“My parents asked me to divorce him but I had been taught never to do that. I endured it until I heard he was married with two kids to another woman. I was shocked! I confronted him and he denied until he realized I heard evidences”



“Oh men!” I exclaimed and she shook her head



“No! Oh Christians! That is the right thing to say!” She exclaimed and I was very shocked



“Christians are not that bad mum! Some weeds are among the wheat indeed but Jesus saves! He delivers!” I eventually spoke out



“Oh really! And that was why I went to eventually meet the church committee and they sent me for psychiatric test right?” She was getting really furious but I was eventually ready to speak for the Lord my God!



I was ready!



“Jerry lied that I was sick upstairs and they also believed. If Jesus saves, why didn’t He reveal to the church that I was innocent and Jerry was lying? Answer me” She said on top of her voice, fastening her eyes on mine so intently.



She moved to the table and grabbed the bottle again. Her throat made some guzzling sounds as the liquor sank deep.



“Everyone in the church started stigmatizing and looking at me one kind as a crazy person. If I was truly crazy, were they supposed to run away from me? Is the Jesus not a Jesus for everybody? Is Jesus for the sane alone? It was published in the media that I was insane and that if anyone finds me, such would be rewarded but pumpkin, I was seated in the couch at home watching as the news was being cast. Why couldn’t He save?” She had started crying and I just couldn’t watch on.



I imagined what she had gone through and the stigma and I knew beyond all reasonable doubts that they had chased a soul to hell!



“My popular family was stained! My family members turned their backs at me. My mum cursed me for going the Jesus’ way. And you tell me He saves really? I chose Him and He couldn’t defend His name, huh?” She asked me again, looking so furious



“I can understand mum” I had started crying too



“He left this country with his two children and wife to God knows where. I remained in here waiting for years. It was after a few years that the church realized that it was all a lie. Why? They chased me to drag me back into their lives of misery but never! I will rather sink in hell than sleep in an unfair heaven!” She said vehemently and I covered my mouth.



She had gone really deep!



I will rather sink in hell than sleep in an unfair heaven!

Oh my!



“But mum, it’s actually a life without Jesus that is full of misery” I said and she shook her head and looked into my face



“I actually thought you were free and you know the truth! I was wrong!” She said, looking disappointed



“Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life mum” I said as I made to bend beside her.



She shot me a dangerous look that made me retreat to the bed.



“OK mum, now without Jesus, are you any better? Are you fulfilled? Are you happy? Is everything…” I was saying when she threw the bottle at the wall.



The bottle shattered and broke into pieces.

She started weeping as she charged at me



“My life isn’t any better, no! I am miserable, tick! I am sick in all places, double yes! I am not happy, affirmed! But yes I know I don’t believe in some powers that will fail me. I smoke and drink and wait for the day I will die and finish! I am responsible for me! I am not committed to some incapable gods” She said as she pulled at my collar



“The Almighty God is the most capable God ever! He is the only true God! Nothing can give you joy asides Him. You don’t do Him any favor by accepting Him. You do yourself a favor.” As I spoke, she tightened her grip on my neck as her tears fell on my blouse.



I struggled to talk still as she released her grip on my neck gradually



“Mum, you just don’t smoke and drink and wait for the day you will die and finish! You can never finish! There is still life after death. Your reception to God in this life will determine His reception of you in the hereafter.” I said and she fell to the floor, wailing so loudly.



I adjusted my ruffled blouse and swallowed some spittle to moisturize my desert-throat.



“Mum, I love you and I care about you so much” I said and realized that she calmed down a bit though she still jerked intermittently between her sobs



I bent beside her and had her look into my face



She looked like a rain-soaked puppy who needed warmth



I wrapped my arms around her and patted her back with care as my heart emitted real love like I had never felt before.



“When you sat with me in the car and cared for me, I realized that you are someone lovable. I found my mum in you!” I said and she pushed me away from her and looked deep into my eyes



“Are you for real? You found your mum in me?” She asked as tears strolled down her face the more.



But I was very sincere!



“I did! I do!” I said and she hugged me again as she wept profusely



“Thank you! Thanks! I had never heard someone whisper in my ears that I am loved in ten years. Never! Not friends, not parents, not family, Not Happie, not Mandy, not Jeff, nobody! This means a lot to me Pumpkin, it does” She sobbed on



***************************

“Oh my my my my! With that beautiful song by Frank Edwards featuring Don Moen titled Ka Anyi Bulie, we have come to the end of this programme. I really know and I am sure that you have enjoyed the programme- Tango With Dove” I swallowed as I adjusted the headset and smiled into the mic



I loved my job so well!



“All thanks to God Almighty who has been the anchor so far. My producer Olotu Ifeoluwa, my audio assistant Don Mic himself, oh my! I so enjoy working with you” I said and the duo smiled at me through the glassy window



“All thanks to all who contributed too from home. Your responses make us really happy here and it gladdens our heart that you are always staying tuned. Thanks to all who called Somidipipe, Chidinma, Hassan, Tally erm sorry Tally..erm, sorry Sally.” I paused at this and then quickly resumed as my producer shot me a quick look.



“Till next week when I will be coming your way with a new edition of the show. I remain Bowen Adameji but my friends call me Dove. Have a wonderful day” I said and quickly drew up the red button before me.



I covered my face, muttered some words of prayer and then picked up my notebook and the bottle of water that was right in front of me.



Thank You Jesus!



I walked through towards the control room to say hello to my crew members.



“Nice job, Dove!” My producer said and shook my hands



“Another meritorious award this year!” The audio assistant said and I could only laugh.



If that happened, that would make the fifth award in less than two years!



“But, what’s with Tally?” My producer asked and I stopped in my tracks



“Tally?” I asked, so shocked



“Do you have a girlfriend now?” He asked, laughing so mischievously



“I don’t have but why Tally?” I wanted to know



The only Tally I knew was the one at home- Joe’s coveted but embattled jewel!



“Ah, I should ask you that question nah. You kept saying Tally when what you wanted to say was Sally. That wanted to spoil your beautiful presentation”



“Really! I didn’t even pay much attention to that” I said and he smiled



“This is the second time you are making that mistake since you came back from Abuja. Let’s see when next you make it. I will disturb your programme” He joked around



“Tally! Oh my…sorry, really?” I asked to be sure



“You just said it again now. Tally instead of really” He said again. They began to laugh so loud but I could only gasp



“What sort of a mistake is this Lord?” I asked myself as I swiped my ID card against the electronic door leading to my office.



The door opened and I went in.



Tally?



“What’s happening Lord?” I asked again



I picked my phone and dialed my mum’s number but it was not reachable- she must be at work!



I tried Joe’s number and he picked



We exchanged pleasantries and his voice was very much better compared to the last time we had left on a not so nice mood.



“So, how about Tally?” I asked and he gave me a long hiss



“Bros, I have moved on.” He said and I shook my head



“Thank God for you but have you tried getting across to her at all?”



“Nope! I don’t see any reason to” He said



“What of mum and dad? They didn’t call her too?” I asked



“Nope! The lady is under discipline for now”



“Discipline includes not making calls across to her also?”



“I don’t know bro. Please, let’s forget about that”



“No problem. Just make sure you tell mum to call me when you get home”



“Bro, Eric is presently taking me to the airport. I am going back to Ukraine for my Master’s” He said



“What! That’s so sudden! You weren’t planning on telling me?” I asked



“Sorry bro, I’ve got to go now. Talk to you when I get to Ukraine. Much love” He said and the line dropped



I was disturbed in my spirit



“What is God telling me? Is the lady troubled or sad or something?” I asked myself and I quickly went on my knees



I command peace to your spirit Talitha!



***************************



We held each other for a long time before we disengaged and sat in front of each other, staring on with sweet smiles



I had to break the silence when it was becoming awkward



“Mum, so, what are you saying about Jesus?” I asked and her smile waned



“Can I ask you some questions” She asked and I nodded



“Where does your father live?” She asked and I gasped a bit



“Abuja. Here in Abuja” I said and she nodded, smiling



“Why are you in Abuja now instead of being in school and why are you in a stranger’s house instead of your father’s house?” She asked and I knew exactly where she was going. My heart started skipping



Lord, how do I defend Your Name now?



I wasn’t confident that I wouldn’t fail God!



“I sinned. My father is a pastor and I had hidden it from him. The church found out and….”



“You were excommunicated from the church and your father disowned you, right?” She asked and I checked those words well



They were right



“I wasn’t totally excommunicated anyways” I said and she started laughing out loud as she stood up and walked to the bed. She picked my phone and brought it to me



“Call your father now” She said and I looked at her, very shocked



“Mum?” I called to be sure.



“You really can’t? You see!” she said and I gasped as I didn’t know what to say any further



But I couldn’t give up



“I sinned mum. I needed to be punished” I said and she shook her head as she smiled mockingly



“Is that how the God you serve is? He deals with you until you don’t even know the correct thing to do again? He beats and deals with you and like a banana peel throws you into the bin? Huh?” She asked and I smiled too as if I knew what exactly to say.



“I will be forgiven. I am very sure! When my dad gets over the shock, he will forgive me. To err is human and to forgive divine mum. I have erred and sincerely, I have to go back to Divinity to help me touch my dad to forgive me” I said and her face shone brightly at me.



“Really! You think so? Ok, let’s do it then pumpkin. Let’s do it” She said as she pulled closer to me and held my hands



“Do what mum?” I was clueless and she smiled on, grinning from ear to ear



“I accept the fact that I probably didn’t pray the right prayers and then I also accept that Jerry and his pastors and the church must have made a big mistake and then I didn’t do things right. Fine!” She smiled and I nodded as I looked into her face attentively



“Okay mum”



“Then you also have erred and then forgiveness is divine. So, what we will do is this baby girl. Pick up your phone and send what I will say to your dad” She said and I picked up the phone indeed



“Are you ready?” She asked and I nodded

Dad, I am very sad for my wrong doing. I have sinned against heaven and before you. But, could you still forgive me dad? I will be fasting for three days, eating at 8 every night to get back on the track with God. Could you reach out to me before that fasting period ends? Can you prove that truly to forgive is divine?”



I sent the message and looked into her face.



“We give him the three days starting from tomorrow to get back to you. If he gets back to you, I will give my life back to Jesus and assume that I met with the wrong set of christians at first. That all Christians are really not like that” She said and my eyes enlarged in realization of what she said



“What!” I exclaimed and she smiled beautifully



My heart started thumping at this



“And you are really going to fast and pray o. No food till 8pm daily. Ask God to touch his mind and let him reach out. I will give up to Jesus” She said again and my heart started drumming



I was very scared



It didn’t look as if my dad’s stony heart would be dissolved to forgive me in three days.



If after three days, he didn’t reach out to me, she would laugh at me! She will laugh at the Lord God!



My phone beeped and she picked it up.



As she pressed it, she shook her head and looked into my eyes sadly.



“Pumpkin, they are the same everywhere” She said, dropped my phone and stood up.



She started walking towards the door and I picked my phone.



It’s good you go back to God in prayer girl! Meanwhile, I am not your father. May God forgive your sins



Tears rushed to my eyes suddenly.



How I wish my dad knew it was a game of soul winning and he will stop joking around!



How I wish he will cooperate and let’s save this lost soul together!



“Yasss, give me your phone baby! No phone for the three days!” She said and I looked shocked the more



I was going to use the phone to constantly pester my dad to come over, if not for me, for Aunty Tessie’s soul but she collected it!



She took the phone from me and paused to look into my face.



“You are not supposed to be fasting this season. I forgot” She said as she scratched her head



“Why?” I asked and then she smiled as she looked at my tummy.



She pulled me up from where I was seated and guided me to the bed where I sat and she sat beside me



“How many months is it?” She asked



“What?” I asked, shocked. I traced her eyes and realized she was looking at my tummy



I started laughing



“I am not pregnant mum!”



“Really!”



“Yes. Those mummies in the church said because every parts of me are getting bigger and fuller that I have become pregnant but ma, in movies and story books, pregnancies are always accompanied by nausea and cold and vomit especially but me, I feel so strong o. I am sure it was just a mistake”



“Really!” She exclaimed again, looking speechless.



“Yes ma” I said confidently



“Have you had any pregnancy test conducted?” She asked and I shook my head



“Oh! But I guess my dad had one conducted on me without my consent anyways. He gave me the result and it said positive” I said and she nodded



“So, the hospital tests were wrong? Is that what you are saying?” She asked



“No mum. Who am I to say that?” I asked, smiling confidently. I held her hands and gave a touch of trust



“Mum, I only met with him…” I had not landed before she cut in



“Jeff right?” She asked expectantly and I nodded, quite shamefully



“He is the only guy that has ever climbed me. It was just once mum! I can’t be pregnant.” I said again and she shook her head



“How many days did it take before your egg in your mum’s womb become fertilized?” She asked and I smiled



I was just so confident that I was not pregnant or if I was mistakenly pregnant, I had lost it that time that I rushed to the bathroom



“The day you ran into the bathroom, what happened to you? Any nausea?” She asked and that was when my confidence started shaking.



“Yes. My throat was irritated and my stomach felt so empty and I felt heavily sticky in my pants” I said and she came close to me, holding my face in her hands



“How will you feel now if you discover you are pregnant?” She asked and I shook my head



“I can’t be pregnant! I can’t!” I exclaimed



“What if you are? I am not saying you are” She said and I tried to think of how it would be



Pregnant?



“Ah, it’s not possible ni mummy. No!” I exclaimed



“I suspected that something was wrong with you yesterday and I had been asking you but you covered your white face with pretty smiles. Well, I was determined to check it out myself if you are pregnant….” She was saying but I was becoming uneasy



“Its obvious on my face that I am pregnant? How is that possible?” I asked and she smiled ruefully as if she could read my despair.



“I have practiced nursing from my youth till now and even if no one has told you before, I am the chief matron at the state hospital. I know what I do” She said and I was aghast



“I don’t get ma” I still said as I was not just confused. My eyes had started swimming in hot tears



“You fell in my arms while you were in the bathroom last night and I had my opportunity of running severally tests on you. From the airport yesterday, you will notice I stopped at a chemist. It was then and there I bought a new rapid test kit which I used on you” She explained on and I started wheezing as my asthma started



“Wait, don’t say the result ma! Don’t!” I exclaimed as I tried to bring my chest to a calm



I just didn’t take the whole thing serious.



I was still playing around as if nothing had happened



How could I have been so clueless?



“Mum, there was something sticky between my legs. What was it? Blood?” I asked and she shook her head.



“It was feces”



“What!”



“You must have dropped some of that as the vomiting took you by surprise. The pressure of your tummy must have…”



“So, it’s really positive? I am pregnant?” I asked and she looked deep into my face



“You should be grateful pumpkin! I never had a baby. My womb is….” she was saying when I jumped up suddenly and started stamping my feet on the floor.



“It is a lie ooooo! Ah! My Father, this can’t be happening to me! Pregnant?” I asked myself on and on while Aunty Tessie could only watch on, tears rolling down her face as she shook her head in regrets.

***********

“How critical is her condition?” I asked, my lips jumping up in fear



“Are you her family member?”



“I am her daughter. No daddy, none at all, nobody is available here but me. Talk to me doctor.” I was so afraid.



“She can’t survive it!” He suddenly dropped and I jumped up in fear



“Ah! What happened? Why? Talk to me doc. I am a medical personnel myself. I can understand” I said, trying to brace myself up



“Its stage 4 glioblastoma”



“What!” I exclaimed with such deep voice as if I was in soup and I really was!



“Doc, brain cancer? Oh my God!” I exclaimed as I swallowed



“She was supposed to have had two surgeries and should have gone through series of radiation and chemo but she had always said no! None of her family members even came when we sent for them.” He said on and on and as much as I wanted to hold in my tears, I couldn’t



No wonder she was assumed to be a psychiatric patient!



No one could even come close to know how she really felt!



Ah, Lord God!



“We know there is no cure for this and life expectancy is less than 2 years. It has been 23 months now already” He said on and I knew the end was just so near



She couldn’t survive it!



No!



I started crying seriously



“Lord, why are you wicked? Why are you treating me like this Lord? I have offended you and I have said I am sorry. Even in my state, I still fasted and cried and prayed. What exactly do you want from me? Stop taking these dear ones from me to deal with me. Kill me and take my life but leave these innocent ones Lord! Ehn!”



I couldn’t control my tears anymore!



I had been weak over the days as I had cried and prayed and studied my Bible as if I had a professional exam on it for the past three days but heaven seemed shut against me!



A day had passed



Then the second



And then, the third!



My dad hadn’t called, neither had he returned my text!



“I thought You were a real God but it seems You have expired! Yes! I think You are sleeping or fainting or even dead! Yes!”As I spoke on, I shook with the realization of the blasphemous words coming from my mouth but I couldn’t caution them at all!



“First it was my mum, then, I strayed and You allowed me stray! Then, You took my dad, my family friends, the church from me but I still would have survived. You suddenly picked up Uncle Jeff and Happie my only friends as a hawk carries a chick with its claws. You are a ruthless God!”



I cried on and as much as the doctor tried to stop me, I couldn’t be stopped at all.



“The only one person that has been my Saviour since You stopped saving me, You are taking her away from me again? Ehn?” I cried on as if I was going to win some lottery if I cried harder



“Sir, Matron Tessie is gasping and calling for Tally” A nurse came around to tell the doctor and I widened my eyes in shock



“Gasp…gini?” I asked as I pulled at the doctor’s robe.



As we ran inside the ward, I heard the shouts of Eddie who had driven me to the hospital calling me from behind



“Sister, the phone” He called out but I couldn’t stop to answer him.



My mind was already shattered



Only if I could stop this soul from going to hell!



I still knew with the small piece of heart remaining in me that God exists



Only if He could prove it now!



You have just these few minutes Lord!



If You fail me now, I will be lost too! I will be lost Lord!



“Sister, phone!” Eric called again and something in his voice made me stop in my tracks suddenly



I had sent him to go and get the phone from home when the doctor asked me what could have been the cause of her sudden seizure



I was studying Isaiah 58 earlier in the day and asking for mercy when I suddenly heard her scream from the sitting room.



I ran out suddenly to see her clinging to her phone.



As I tried to take the phone from her, she struggled with me. She threw the phone on the floor and fell on it, probably trying to stop me from seeing whatever was inside.



She then started gasping and then became unresponsive.



In my bid of getting Eddie to help take her to the hospital, I had forgotten about the phone until the doctor interrogated me



Seeing Eddie screaming about the phone, I was scared



“What is it?” I called out suddenly, my voice enveloped in fears. He handed the phone over to me as he tried to catch his breath



I looked at the phone but my eyes had suddenly gone blurry!



“It can’t be!” I muttered as I looked into the phone again.



As the image got clearer, my eyes got blurrier!



“No!” I shouted as I fell on one of my knees suddenly with great trembling



“No!” I screamed again as the image in the phone stared at me



“No!” I screamed again as it looked so real.



I threw the phone at the wall suddenly and the pieces flew back to me



I rolled on the floor with great trembling as I couldn’t believe what was happening to me just recently



Ah, why? Why? I asked on



“Erm..” I heard the doctor’s voice and I jumped up



I wanted to be sure that there was still a bit of hope in this case



Even if it is one point of hope, I would be glad



But,



the doctor’s look!



And the nurses’ looks!



And the doctor’s shaking of head like he was a dangling piece of art!



And my failing heart



And my growing hatred for whoever God was!



I knew it….



-I had lost her!



I fell to the ground, my hands blocking my ears.



I let out a heart-rendering scream that made my bum bang on the floor again and again!

I had lost her!