“REDEEMED HEARTS”
Episode 8
The following Sunday, Tife attended her parents’ church, and when the altar call was made, she stepped forward and surrendered her life to Jesus. She realized that if God could transform her stepmother’s life and give her a fresh start, He could do the same for her. Her father and Reverend Dolapo were overjoyed, and for the first time, Tife shared a meal with them in their home.
Meanwhile, Arinze was in despair, he felt lost and hopeless, convinced that he couldn’t marry a woman who couldn’t bear children. Yet, every day, he longed for Tife deeply. Arinze’s life was upside down; he couldn’t concentrate at work and had become a mere shadow of himself. He also continued to distance himself from his parents. In this difficult moment, his friend Chachi emerged again as a guiding light, offering a different perspective.
“Arinze, do you know there are many women who are medically okay but still can’t have children,” Chachi remarked. “I mean, they have a womb, they are fertile, but for some reason, they can’t conceive, or their womb can’t carry pregnancy to full term. Let’s say you had married Adanna as initially planned, and after years of marriage, it was discovered that you couldn’t father a child or that Adanna couldn’t conceive. What would you do?”
“Maybe we’ll go for adoption,” Arinze mumbled, deep in thought.
Chachi continued, “Yes, adoption is an option, but have you considered surrogacy?”
“Surrogacy?” Arinze turned to his friend, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Yes, think about it. It’s only her womb that’s been damaged, right?”
Arinze had an epiphany. “Oh my God, why didn’t I think of that before?” He immediately got up and started searching for his car keys.
“Where are you going?” Chachi asked.
“I’m going to see Tife,” Arinze replied urgently.
Chachi chuckled. “Not like this, bro, please take a shower and shave. You don’t want Tife to mistake you for craze man.” He chuckled.
Tife began her journey with God, expressing gratitude for the change He had brought into her life. She thanked Him for forgiving her, cleansing her from her past, and making her a new creation. As Reverend Dolapo had said, once she gave her life to Christ, her past was wiped away, and she became a new person just as the Bible says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old thing are passed away; behold, all things are become new” and she believed it. Tife felt lighter and was filled with hope for the future. Although she missed Arinze deeply, she believed that their separation was for the best.
Arinze located Tife at her parents’ house, where he received a warm welcome from her family. This visit marked his first meeting with Gbenga, Tife’s father. After the initial introductions and exchange of pleasantries, the parents graciously excused themselves, leaving Arinze and Tife alone.
“How have you been, my love?” Arinze inquired with genuine concern.
“I’m okay,” Tife replied, her face lighting up. “I finally accepted Jesus into my life.”
“You did?” Arinze raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said that wasn’t for you.”
“Yes, that was then,” Tife explained, “but now I realize I need Him. Ever since, I’ve found peace and joy.”
Arinze nodded, his gaze softening. “Yeah, I can see something has changed about you. I’ve never seen you this relaxed.”
Tife’s expression grew earnest as she continued, “You don’t look good, Arinze. I’m sorry if I caused you so much trouble.”
Arinze shook his head gently. “I’m also sorry for abandoning you when I found out about your condition. My love for you should have been unconditional, in good and bad times.”
Tife’s eyes glistened with emotion. “I don’t blame you; I understand.”
Arinze then shared an exciting revelation, “I think I’ve found a way we can have children when we are married.”
Tife’s curiosity was piqued. “How?”
“Surrogate,” Arinze replied confidently. “I was talking with Chachi, and he mentioned it. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.”
“Surrogate? Are you sure about this?” Tife asked, her heart filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
Arinze nodded; his determination unwavering. “Yes, Tife. I’m sure. I can’t imagine my life without you, and whether the surrogate works or not, you and I are meant to be together forever.”
Touched by his words, Tife moved into his embrace, and they held each other tightly. Arinze leaned in, and they shared a heartfelt kiss, sealing their commitment to each other.
As they continued discussing their future together, the only significant obstacle in their path was Arinze’s parents. While they were still deliberating on how to tackle this challenge, Tife’s parents entered the room and made a heartfelt offer. They proposed to meet with Arinze’s parents and try to convince them to allow the young couple to get married. Arinze and Tife were overjoyed by this gesture, and hope began to shine brightly on the horizon of their love story.
Arinze arranged an appointment with his parents on a specific day, keeping the purpose of the visit a secret. When he arrived at his parents’ house, he found them waiting in the living room. The moment his father laid eyes on Tife, he erupted in anger.
“I thought I warned you not to bring this woman into my home again,” his father fumed. “There is nothing anyone will say or do that will make me change my mind. You are my only son and the heir to my legacy. I will not allow you to throw away your life this way.”
“Ikechukwu Ejiofor,” Arinze’s father paused when he heard his name and turned to see that there were other people with Arinze.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
Arinze’s guest, Pastor Gbenga, couldn’t contain his gratitude. “God, you are indeed a wonderful God. I have waited so long for this day, and here it is. Thank you, Lord,” he exclaimed. Everyone was looking at him weirdly.
Ikechukwu, perplexed, responded arrogantly, “Do I know you?”
Tife, curious about the situation, turned to her father and asked, “What’s going on, Dad? Do you know him?” This marked the first time she had referred to him as “Dad” since they reconnected.
Her father turned to her and said, “Today, you will find out why I walked away from my family.”
Thanks for reading,
To be continued.
Jumie Naths
