AMIDST TEMPTATIONS
Episode 21
I had thought with the incidence in the car my tortue was over, it wasn’t. The father was around to welcome his son, he was a very la-id back man and hvgged me saying Serena had been telling him about me, I wondered what she told him, I glanced at her in accusation, but she win-ked at me and followed the maid to the kitchen to make sure everything was set
“Sorry about your loss sir..wish one could change it but God knows best” I said
“She’s been sick for long” he looked away “guess everything happens for a reason”..hand in pocket he waved me to the sitting room, the TV was on but on low volume, he sat and crossed his legs, taking up his phone to make a call, I nee-ded to leave but didn’t want to be rude, besides there was nob©dy to drop me…Chief Jacob dropped his phonecall, cursed about the Nigerian economy then engaged me in a conversation about the government of the day, then we were talking about his wife…
Sean was busy with his guest, who got me wondering if she did have a house, Serena had told her about the welcome p@rty and she had joyfully accepted to come to the house..now they were in his studio..that was our place..
“When the doctors told her she will have another chemo section, she refused to take it, believing that God would heal her..”
I looked back at Chief Jacobs, trying to focus on the conversation but my eyes kept going to the studio door
“In the end..it was too late for her”he said
“Good you spent the last days together” I found that intriguing, I nee-ded a man to love me like that
“Yeah”
” Food is served sir” The maid whose name i had learnt was Joyce said, he stood up and I followed him remotedly to the dinning room. Tania was all animated as she talked about Sean’s painting like she knew anything about it, well she was an artist too, though she used pencils not paint, I wanted to shut her up when she talked about all the things they had in common and how he just gets her.. hello?..it was day one.. Then she said
“And coincidentally we going back to the UK next month, we could spend the summer together”
“That would be great” Serena said drinking her jui-ce
“Yeah..who knows you could get back with a ring, it’d be the perfect wedding” I said, they all looked at me, even I couldn’t believe that c@m£ out, I hadn’t said a word on the table since the meal started, I cleared my throat and took up my jui-ce to drink
“Yeah..we should cheer to that…a wedding would bring back joy to the house, just wish your mother were here” Chief Jacob said, we all got silent on the table as I hated myself for bringing up a sad t©pic. The Jacobs were not easily saddened, they decided to hit the club, according to Serena that was where the hit was, the ceremony at home had been for their Dad
“You would agree that i have tried Serena, i nee-d to go, I haven’t even changed”
“Well I have clothes you can wear”
“Serena” I couldn’t believe she was trying to take me to a p@rty again, was I that gullible
“plea-se plea-se plea-se” she put her hands together”you’ll spend the night, we could have a girl’s night, tomorrow morning I’ll take you home, what would you be doing otherwise?”she asked like I actually had a boring life
“Preping to meet Martin’s parents” I said with a duh, how could I club all night and meet his parents the next day
“So its settled.. You don’t have anything doing..let’s go get re-ady, they alre-ady there” she walked away..
That’s how I was kidnapped all night by Serena, we got re-ady me choosing the most conservative green dress and low heels, Sean alre-ady went to drop Tania in her house.
There was a feeling of déjà vu when I walked into the club though it was a different one, I sat on a chair and took a pas-sing glas-s nursing it and hating myself that it was alcohol but I had no choice, Sean arrived and busied with his friends, the p@rty was booming but I took my phone and messaged Martin
“Hey baby..you wana dance?” he sat with me, said his name was Chris, I denied him and three other guys that c@m£, I wanted to leave but I couldn’t. The p@rty had come to full blast two hours later with lots of immortality, my eyes were suddenly drawn to the dance floor as I saw a girl dancing, whining her w@!st and going down on a guy, I should have looked away if I didn’t see that the couple was Sean and Tania……this was the height, I knew i had told him no severally and it was over a year but he had forgotten me, remembering his last words to me I couldn’t believe he could but he had, it was all Tania now. Wasn’t that what i wanted, him to find a girl that was a perfect match for him?..but why did it hurt so bad, why did it feel like my heart was about to bur-st in pieces?.. I finished my drink in one gulp….I didn’t belong here and I had to leave, Sean was messing with my head again, I had a b©yfri£ndwho I was in love with and I shouldn’t be here anyways…I stood up and walked out of the club.
I finally got to meet the parents after so many obstacles to that effect, I had taken another excuse from Martin who was disappointed but told me he would think of something to tell the parents..I wonder how he was so calm..Sean would have exploded.
I smiled at Martin’s little brother Joshua, bending down to his level
“You so cute..how old are you?”
He showed me his Ten f!ngers
“Wow you and my lil sister would make a perfect match”, Martin chuckled and took me inside to meet his mother who was happy to meet me
” how did you get such a fine looking girl..Matt”
“Martin mom”
“His father wanted to name him Martin and I Mathew”
I laughed “Both suit him”
“You see..come and help me in the kitchen while we catch up, I’m just ma-king lunch, I hear you are in medicine, brilliant girl, how’s it going?”
She was all chatty and I found myself comfortable around her, Martins sister travelled to Lagos so I couldn’t see her, I felt she reminded me of my Mom because she too was all Christian
“What do your parents do?”
“Well my dad is a lawyer, my mom’s a nurse”I replied
” Wow..that’s amazing”
I met the father when we sat to eat, he was a very hvge man with a domineering pres£nce, made me uncomfortable
“When am I meeting your sister?” Josh asked “Is she as pretty as you? ”
“Who’s filling my son’s head?”the Dad finally spoke, I chuckled
” Janet’s my lil sister, she’s about his age, am sure they’ll be good friends”
“My son has his friends”he said, his baritone voice was scary..I paused on my food
The mother cleared her throat, he glanced at her “I hear your father’s a bishop”he said
” no”I glanced at Martin “he’s a preacher, more like an envangelist”
“Good..you seem to come from a good family”
“Yes I love my family”, I didn’t know what was up with the father, it was clear he didn’t like me but what did that matter, Martin planned to make it official after I graduated, then not even my father would object. Glancing at him again, I discovered my sister was wrong about everyb©dy liking me.
” Don’t mind my father, he wants me to marry our pastors daughter Rosa”Martin told me when we sat outside
I breathed out”,I thought it was me”
“No my dear you were perfect”
“Well is she pretty?”
“She’s a harlot”
I was taken aback “Don’t use such words”
“Sorry dear, its just everyone’s expecting me to marry her and its too much stress for me”
“Oh dear..I know how it is” possibly my Dad would sell me to the highest bidder in church after I graduated, I hvgged him then “but I loved your mom..your brother too”
“Yeah..knew they’ll love you”
Clearing of throat made us turn around, his father stood there, looking at me
“May I have a word with you?”, I looked at Martin, who glared at his father but I t©uçhed his arm that it was fine, he looked wary as he went in..his father stared at me, me him
” I can see your a good girl..well brou-ght up..but I’m not going to mince words when I tell you to leave my son alone..” he walked back in..leaving me in a gawk, did that just happen?
“W..why..?” I managed to ask, but got no reply..Martin c@m£ out and took me in his arms
“I’m gonna marry you Emilia, don’t mind what he says”
***************”
*So both families, which do you prefer?, Why do you think Martins father told her to stay away.. And if an in-law does not accept you, do you ignore or go ahead?
Episode 22
I found it weird that his father would act like that but I knew I was going to marry Martin anyway, there was no one else for me, lest I die a spinster. His Father clearly had a say though and mine too, but I just told Martin we would talk about it and went back home.
Rebecca wanted to know how it went but I didn’t tell her, I just wanted to sort this out on my own, so I told her they all liked me.
Fellowsh!pwas more fun because Paul was doing a good job, people were flooding in and we were thinking of moving to a bigger site. I was no longer an Exco but still tried to attend even with my ti-ght schedule.
I was leading praise and worsh!psmiling in glee and dancing when I looked and saw a familiar, very familiar face…I froze, the choir continued as I stared at him, he cl@pped still and watched me, Rebecca traced my gaze and saw him, I tried to continue but I couldn’t concentrate. What was he doing here, he was like a leech I couldn’t shake off, whenever I felt I had made progress he c@m£ back with a f0rç£. It’s been over a year but I still felt the same sizzling energy between us….Ignoring him, I focused, he doesn’t exist to me.
After the section ended, I walked straight to him
“What are you doing here?” My glare was evident
“I c@m£ to church..I promised you remember..that when i returned I’d follow you to church”he said
“And you didn’t see any other one to go to, one close to your house maybe?”
He looked around “you are causing a scene” he said calmly, he was right, people were turning, I took his hand and led him outside, with tingles shooting up my right arm…Jesus, I was in church
“You should go..plea-se go”
“You are driving me from church?, I promise I didn’t come to see you, I just c@m£ to fulfill our bargain, maybe you forgot but I didn’t, and I’m really enjoying myself..you sing and dance beautiful”
“See…all back to me”
He sighed “Emilia you made it clear by not contacting me for a year even when my mother..”
“I don’t..”
He stayed me”I’ve moved on…as you’ve clearly seen”
I remembered Tania again and my eyes clouded, I made to go and he pu-ll-ed me to him in a ti-ght hvg
“What..are you crazy..we in church”I said, trying to push him away
“What, scared God would complain..am sure he approves”
What was he pla-ying at now, he says he’d moved on, next he was hvgging me
“I have missed you” he said, I should have told him back but I just finally pu-ll-ed away
“We should go inside” I said. He pu-ll-ed me down to sit with him when we got in, Paul c@m£ to welcome him later, I left him in his hands and escaped.
I wondered about the game he was pla-ying when he c@m£ again the next Wednesday, then the next.
We had a reunion and he was there, when I asked why, he said he was invited with a duh look… I lost it
“I don’t know if this is your ploy to get me but you are wasting your time, I have a fiancé” I said
“Do you?” He asked then turned ahead to to watch the girl singing. After it ended, he c@m£ behind me as I talked with Sister Sharon who I haven’t seen for years, after she walked away he said
“It wounds me sister that you wouldn’t think that God has finally t©uçhed my heart”
“Has he?” I turned and asked, we held gazes as my eyes fell to hisl-ips, my cheeks flu-shed as he looked away then leaned forward
“Quit flir-ting with me in church, cos you can’t bear the consequences”
My stomach turned, I made to go but he held me back
“Your b©yfri£ndis coming over”, I turned and true to form, he was, I couldn’t tell him Martin and I had issues
” what is he doing here?”Martin asked, why was he so aggressive
” Martin, he just c@m£ to church”
“To find you I suppose”
“Is something wrong in that, I was invited by one of your beautiful sisters to come, now I have, I don’t see any of the love you christians profess”
“Stay away from my woman” Martin puffed
Sean got close to him “I did…now I’m back”
I shut my face with my palm as Martin threatened him
“Hey st©p it both of you” they glared at each other, Martin took my hand
“Be warned..” he told Sean “we nee-d to talk” he said as we walked away
“About what?” I asked
“About us..and what my father said”
I didn’t want to talk about it, not now, I nee-ded to think it out and decide if this was a waste of time or not
“I’m taking her home..” Sean said out of the blue, he had come to meet us and challenged Martin with a glare
“Emilia..”Martin called when I walked away from him
“I’m sorry” .
Sean and I walked out of the hall and I shut my eyes thinking this was the second time I was choosing Sean over him, hope I didn’t regret this again.
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