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Jumoke’s thoughts ran wild as she drove away from her house. She asked herself where she was headed and what she was going to do. Before leaving the house, her mind was set on finding out about Kola’s relationship to Deaconess, but now, she began to have some doubts. What if she’s all together wrong? What if Kola was just feeling bad about the church action because of his closeness to Deaconess before now?Though she had put to rest all thoughts about their unusual closeness for a while, Kola’s reaction to what happened at the church today had resurrected her uncertainties.
As Jumoke drove forward, she felt a familiar pain at her chest region. Holding to the steering with one hand, she opened the glove compartment with the other. Then, she retrieved a white drug envelope, opened and poured 4 tabs of antacid into her mouth. Afterwards, she set her face forward and increased the car speed.
—–
Deaconess sat in front of the TV absentmindedly. It was exactly two hours after returning from church and everything that happened there was still playing around her head like a bad movie. She has never faced such kind of humiliation in her life. And to think that she would be suffering alone. She wished she had the courage to throw caution to the wind and expose Kola. Why must she be the only one to suffer for the sin that both of them committed? It would be disheartening to see Kola going about and behaving like an innocent being. To the church, she has become the worst sinner. To Kola’s wife, their escapade might remain hidden forever, except she decides to voice out or Kola has a change of heart and willingly confess to her.
Deaconess stood up in order to go into the room to have a nap. Just at the door to her room, she heard a car drive into her compound. She wondered at who the visitor could be; maybe the pastor. It is only him and his wife that will remain with her now, course she has become a pariah to the others.
A car door closed. Sound of rushing feet moving towards her house. A loud knock on the door. Deaconess moved to the door and opened.
She came face-to-face with Kola’s wife. Deaconess’ heart missed a beat. They looked into each other’s eyes and deaconess moved aside for her to enter. No greeting was exchanged.
Jumoke moved to the center of the livingroom and stood with her arms akimbo. She continued to look at deaconess directly in the eyes until the latter got embarrassed and dropped her eyes.
Jumoke got a hint. The picture of that face connoted guilt. Nothing but pure guilt.
Deaconess knew that Jumoke was there for something. Her own conscience was hitting her hard.
Jumoke moved closer to her and asked. ” What is between you and my husband?”
Deaconess sighed deeply and dropped into a sofa with her forehead in her palms.
Jumoke moved to her front and repeated the question in a louder voice. ” What is between you and my husband?”
” Jesus.” Deaconess whispered and stood up.
“Ohhhh. Guilty as presumed. You are guilty abi? You have been sleeping with him, right? Now you are ashame. ” She screamed. ” You’ve been sleeping with all sorts of men including my husband. Who gave you that thing in your tummy? You must have lured my husband into your house, you shameless woman. You seduced him into your bed. Where did you do it? Wh@re!” Jumoke gesticulated wildly. ” Tell me where you did it. On the floor? On the sofa? On the table? In the bedroom? Where?”
She moved closer to her. “Tell me shameless woman, where did you do it?”
Jumoke knew that she could be in trouble if her allegation was wrong. Though, she was almost sure that she couldn’t be wrong. Deaconess is as guilty as charged. Kola had inadvertently given himself out by his reactions and deaconess is equally confirming that with her own reactions too. Jumoke wished she was sleeping and would wake up to see what was happening as a frightening nightmare. She still didn’t want to believe that Kola could be responsible for Deaconess’ pregnancy. That would be going too far. She presumed that Deaconess must have been doing it with several men, hence the inability to pinpoint the father of her baby. So why is she here?
She drew back a little.
To confirm if she had indeed slept with Kola? Or to warn her to stay away from him. Either way, she had an immediate need to find out and give Deaconess a piece of her mind.
Jumoke moved closer.
Deaconess took two steps back and raised her hands up. ” I can explain. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Please sit down let’s talk.”
” No.” Jumoke shook her head. ” Just tell me about what happened between you and Kola. Why does he always turn defensive whenever your name is mentioned? Why do I always feel like there’s a secret between the two of you? What is he hiding from me?”
” As I said, I am sorry,” Deaconess said in a sober tone. ” I regret
all…”
Jumoke raised a hand. ” Keep your regret to yourself. Tell me what I want to hear.”
” What else? Yes, we slept together. It happened only once.” Deaconess bowed her head in shame.”
” What happened only once?” Jumoke shouted and held Deaconess by the shoulder. ” What happened only once? Kola slept with you? Is that what you are telling me?”
” Is that not what you want to hear? Now you know. I am sorry.”
Jumoke exhaled loudly and began to cry. ” Kola is a good man. He has never cheated on me. He always tells me of every enticement, temptations and s@xual suggestions he gets from females. He was faithful to the core until you came around him. What did you do to him? What did you use on him?”
” I’m very sorry. I did not use anything on him. We never planned for it to happen. One moment we were working and the next moment we were tearing at each other like animals. It is a mistake that I will regret for the rest of my life.”
” And the two of you planned that he shouldn’t tell me? For how long did you plan to keep the secret?”
” He was scared of what you will do and how you will react if you were told. We thought that we could just put that one day event behind us and move on with our lives. I spent the next three months regretting and praying for forgiveness then I discovered that I was pregnant.”
Jumoke felt a stabbing pain in her heart at the word ‘ pregnant’. She clutched at her chest and dropped on the sofa. Looking up, she pointed at Deaconess’ tummy. ” You mean Kola is responsible for that?”
” It was only once. I did not meet with any other man.”
“Haaaaa.” Jumoke shouted and charged at Deaconess. She was prepared to do anything; bite, tear at her, pummel and deal with her in whatever way. Deaconess tried all her best to extricate herself from Jumoke’s hold. She bent to protect her stomach.
Luckily, the door opened and Reverend and his wife rushed in. They had decided to check on Deaconess after the event at the church. They were in time. They heard someone shouting from outside, looked at each other and rushed for the house.
Reverend’s wife grabbed Jumoke from behind and pulled her away from Deaconess. She struggled to get back at her but mummy held her firmly.
” She’s a shameless woman,” Jumoke shouted. “She slept with my husband.”
Reverend and his wife looked at each other.
” Kola is responsible for her pregnancy.”
” Haaaaa.” Reverend covered his mouth.
Deaconess cried bitterly. ” I am sorry. If I had known that things will turn out this way, I would have taken the option suggested by Kola. We agreed to terminate the pregnancy. Hence, we traveled together to Kaduna to meet his doctor friend that would help us get rid of it. He had to rush back the next day before we could meet the doctor because of the call that you had a domestic accident. Afterwards, I grew cold feet about the abortion. The doctor also advised me that I should not try it.”
” Wait. Wait. Wait.” Jumoke pointed. ” Do you mean that Kola was with you on the night that I fell and subsequently lost my pregnancy?”
Everywhere went silent.
” He was with you when I was struggling for my life and my baby’s life.” She touched her tummy and burst into a fresh round of tears.
” You both killed my baby. Deaconess Beatrice, you are a witch.” She shook her head. ” You know what? You can have Kola to yourself. I release him to you, but” she pointed at her. ” You will never know peace. This child will bring nothing but sorrow and shame to you.”
” Sister Jumoke please don’t curse.” Reverend pleaded. ” Settle down and let’s reason together.”
” Rea what? Daddy! Nobody should say anything to me. I have never been rude to you and I don’t want to be rude to you today.”
” Sister Jumoke.” Pastor’s wife called.
Her husband touched her and whispered. ” She’s hurting and will not listen to anyone now. She will be okay.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Β© BOSEDE FAGBEMI
Honestly, I pity everyone involved in this drama; Kola, Jumoke, Deaconess, even Reverend and his wife. If only Kola and Deaconess had envisaged what the consequence of their action would be, they would have run 1000 metres apart.
The deed is done. Everyone is hurting. My prayer is that they will find peace and put what has happened behind them. I also pray that the peace of God will descend on every troubled home.
