THE DEVIL ON THE ALTAR
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Days rolled into weeks and Patricia had refused to give Paul a listening ear – even though he had been trying so hard to reach out to her. He had called several times, sent texts and whatsapp messages but Patricia didn’t reply. Worst of all she had stopped attending the fellowship and also moved away from her room to avoid nagging about her absence from the fellowship and to avoid visits from the brethren. She went to a nearby prayer ground to pray and ask God for mercy. She explained her predicament to the prophet there and he accommodated her in one of the rooms available for the people that came for prayer. The prophet advised her to forgive Paul and that they should both seek the face of God together for forgiveness and then she should go back to God to really know His mind concerning her relationship with Paul because the foundation of the relationship was faulty and full of deceits. She listened to the prophet’s counsel and decided to hear Paul out. She set up a meeting for them to talk outside the campus and Paul was really happy to get her text. He prepared himself and headed to the place.
Patricia was looking lean and so unkempt and Paul couldn’t but notice it. He asked her about it but she just shoved it aside telling him that it would be best if they just focused on the purpose for the meeting.
“I’m very sorry for all the heartaches I’ve caused you. Can you please find a place in your heart to forgive me?”
“I actually called you here to inform you that I’ve forgiven you and I’m not holding anything against you. I’ve been here all this while praying and seeking the face of God and I think you also need to do the same.”
“Thanks dear, so when would you return to school?”
“I’m actually attending lectures from here and I don’t plan to return to the hostel for now.”
“And why is that?”
“I’m more convenient here and I feel safe.”
“But you can’t possibly be finding it convenient to go to class everyday from here.”
“It’s convenient, thanks.”
“What of the fellowship? A lot of people have been worried about you. Even Celestina can’t seem to place your whereabouts all she kept saying was that you were fine. I’m sure she’s also very worried about you.”
“I’ll see what I can do but I’m not promising anything. And by the way, Baba said you should see him.”
“Who is Baba?” Paul asked, looking lost.
“The prophet of this mountain. He knows about us and wants to have a word with you.”
Paul could not believe his ears. He had warned Patricia not to tell anyone about their relationship and he could not piece together her reason for telling the so-called Baba.
“Well, I don’t want to see anyone,” Paul said and made to leave.
“Well then, consider this relationship over.”
“Don’t think you can use threats on me. I specifically instructed you not to inform anyone of our relationship and you went ahead to disobey me and even have the effrontery to say it to my face that one Baba wants to see me,” Paul said in anger.
Patricia was not ~surprised at his outburst because she had seen it many times and sometimes she couldn’t just but wonder what kind of a Christian and minister he was with the rate at which he flared up over minor issues. She decided not to reply to him and when he saw that she was not saying a word, he calmed down.
*****
“Welcome, my son,” Baba said to Paul as he stepped into Baba’s office.
Paul finally agreed to see Baba when he saw that Patricia was rigid and very firm with her decision of calling quit the relationship if he refused to oblige her. Baba was a man in his early sixties he had strands of gray hair and wrinkled face. He could walk properly with his two legs but loved to support himself with a walking stick. Paul entered his office and sat on a chair facing a table opposite Baba who was busy writing on the table.
“I only wanted to meet the young man who is causing so much trouble for my daughter,” Baba said, dropping the pen he was writing with and faced Paul properly.
“I’m not troubling her in any way.” Paul tried to defend himself.
“I did not ask you to speak,” Baba replied and Paul was rather shocked than surprised to hear that judging from Baba’s gentle appearance he was not expecting him to be harsh with words.
Paul just sat there as Baba lectured him on the importance of purity in a relationship and also how to avoid the sin of fornication. Baba advised him to go and seek the face of God for forgiveness of past wrongs and for grace to be able to abstain from sexual immorality. Paul was really touched with Baba’s teaching and he thanked him so greatly for it. He promised to take to all Baba said and Baba prayed for him before he took his leave.
To be continued…
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