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” Don’t turn. Keep going.” Deaconess Beatrice instructed the Keke man.
” Madam, dis no be the road leading to your estate?” He pointed. “You talk say you dey go Gowon Estate.”
” I know!
I know!
Take me a little further!
Enter the next street!
Stop.”
She pointed a five hundred naira note at him and hurried away, not dearing to look back.
The Keke man starred at her departing back and shook his head. “Madam, you know take your change.” He called after her.
Deaconess did not answer him and soon disappeared into the distance. After walking for a while,
she got a place to bury her buttocks and rest her back; a place hidden from the curious eyes of passersby. She wished she could get clear, cold water to drink. Her throat was parched and dry. She coughed, swallowed and cleared her throat.
Is this how I will continue to hide? She asked herself. I am always scared to raise my face at every passersby because of the fear that someone might know me somewhere. Of a truth, sin is sweet in the mouth but becomes bitter the moment it lands in the belly. I feel like Adam and Eve hiding from God after eating the forbidden fruit. Where can I hide that God will not see me?
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
– If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
God I’m sorry for my deceit. I can no more hide myself. I choose to do the right thing and put the enemy to shame. No more procrastination. That is what you want me to do and I will do it.
I want to get back to a cordial relationship with you. I have allowed this to put a wedge between me and you.
You said in your word that anyone that covers his sin SHALL NOT PROSPER. But anyone that confess and forsake them shall have mercy. LORD I WANT MERCY. Father Lord, I am ready to lay myself bare before you.
Tears flowed down Deaconess’ face as she slowly dragged herself up and headed for home.
—————
“You still dey follow the Keke?” Mrs Nwachukwu asked her Keke man, craning her neck and trying to look ahead.
“Follow who?” the Keke man asked in an irritated tone. ” You think say e dey easy to follow person for this place? You know see as the road be? Everyone on the road is struggling to move forward and get to his destination. I no get time to follow anybody. Where you dey even go?”
” You dey ask where I dey go. When you carry me, why you no tell me say you no go fit do wetin I ask you to do?”
“You! why you wan follow person? Na assassin you be?”
“Hen” Mrs. Nwachukwu screamed and pushed five fingers at him. “Na your mama be assassin. Drop me, drop me, I no dey go again.”
“Before nko?” The Keke man moved his Keke to the roadside and parked.
Mrs Nwachukwu dropped angrily and began to walk away. The man dropped and ran after her. He stretched his hand forward and demanded for the transport fare. ” My money.”
“Money for what? You complete wetin I ask you to do?”
“Madam if you like yourself just pay me my money now.” He moved closer to her.
” If I no pay wetin go happen?”
“You can’t imagine what will happen. I craze no be small. I no go talk say na elder you be . I go disgrace you for this place, I go ..”
People had started gathering to watch the unfolding drama. Almost everyone persuaded Mrs Nwachukwu to pay the Keke man his money. She pointed at him. “If not for these people hen, I for show you the kind of person wey I be.”
She pushed her hand into the upper fold of her wrapper to get her purse.
Her purse!
Where did she put her purse?
It is always tucked into the fold of her wrapper. Right in front of her lower abdomen. Mrs. Nwachukwu frantically searched for the purse to no avail. Now the Keke man had a say and he started jeering at her.
“Useless old woman, you for kukuma tell me say you no get money for transport. God punish you.”
Mrs Nwachukwu trekked back to the market, to see if her purse had fallen along the way when she was going after deaconess. She had no choice but to take bike and collect the transport fare when she got back home.
Her daughter was mad at her on hearing her narration.
” What is your business?” She asked.
“I asked you to help me get something from the market and you were busy running after who? What is your joy in knowing that someone has fallen into sin? Will it add any value to your life?”
“Anita it is your mother you are talking to.”
” Did I say that I don’t know? Yes you are my mother. I respect you but I hate your nosy character. Mom you have to change your way of life. Since you’ve been poke nosing into people’s affairs, what have you gained . I even doubt your salvation. A good christian must never rejoice at the down fall of another christian. If what you saw is true, then you should be on your knees now interceding for her. Even Christ does not want anyone to perish, but for every one to come to the knowledge of his saving grace. And when someone that is already in the saving grace of Christ strays away, it is always painful to him and more painful when others that think they cannot be tempted are rejoicing at the downfall of the straying sheep. The bible says in the book of Galatians 6:2 that we should bear one another’s burden and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.”
Mrs. Nwachukwu raised a hand. ” Enough of the preaching. All I know is that, there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Every secret will be exposed.”
“No one is disputing that, but I want you to know that you shouldn’t be joyful that something of that nature has happened. Anyway let’s leave Deaconess’ matter. What do we do about your phone now?”
” I don’t know o. Thank God it is the small phone. I left my android phone with my major line behind.”
” I wish it was your android phone that got lost.”
“Hen hen, remember your money was also in the purse.”
” Hen now, and you will have to pay my money back. Haba mum, you can do better.”
Mrs. Nwachukwu raised her nose and moved away.
” I have a phone call to make.”
” Mummy please don’t start spreading the news. Let it come from another source. Leave that woman alone.”
” Did I tell you I will spread any news?”
She moved to her room, locked the door and began to search the number she will call to give the juicy news, mostly the people in her clique. She would have to leave her daughter’s house earlier than planned because she want to witness the drama that would follow her disclosure of Deaconess’ secret.
And if the church decides not to do anything about it, hell would be let loose. She and her clique will see to that.”
Who will she call first?
She decided to call the Reverend to guage his reaction to the news.
TO BE CONTINUED
Β©BOSEDE FAGBEMI
