9/10
AMIDST TEMPTATIONS
Episode 9
My life went pretty normal from then, I prepared for exams, Serena and I went re-ading together severally, I also went with Martins who was in 400level Engineering, he was a hvge support, I hadn’t told him yes but we spent most of the time together. He was in my room now cooking lunch while I re-ad, Rebecca had gone out to re-ad. The room was littered with books and anyone coming in would know we were preparing for exams. It was the first professional medical exam to take us to 400 level and I didn’t want to disappoint my parents even though I was hoping for a distinction in one of the courses..
“Can I put more pepper, don’t know if you like pepper” he asked
“Uh..yeah..just a little thanks” he added more and turned the jollof rice he was cooking..
Rebecca opened the door and c@m£ in, she didn’t look surprised to see him
“Hey Becks..how was clas-s?”
“Helo Martins, twas becoming crowded so I left” she said, she hadn’t said if she was ok with us, I hadn’t asked her but she hadn’t said anything either
“Wow presido that smells great, didn’t know you could cook, why with all those sisters at your beck and call”
“Lol that’s funny” he said, he stood up”Its done..I have to go meet up with someone..would call you” he pe-cked me and went out the door. There was silence.
“You done with lower limb yet?” She asked as she took off her jacket
“Uh not really, still re-ading Embryology”
“Ok..” She went to the pot and opened it”are you guys d@t!ngnow?”
“Is that bad?”
“Not really..I mean everyone has been seeing you both ogling each other at fellowsh!p, its been pretty obvious”
My cheeks heated”and you approve?”
“Have you prayed about it?”
“Hmhm”
She stared at me”well this is your decision, just make sure your sure, hes a good catch if I may say..he can cook too wow?”she began to eat the food she dished out, I tapped on my note in thought, yes I had prayed about it, I just haven’t gotten a positive reply.
“Dad …can I ask you something?”
He turned his bible, we were in his study, I’d gone home on Sunday and we just finished having lunch, I liked to spend time with my father discussing scriptures and other things, today I decided to bring it up”uhuh” he replied trying to re-ad a verse, he was preparing a sermon
“Is it ok if I d@t£?”
My father looked up from his bible, then re-moved his glas-ses, I wondered if he would shout on me but he just stared into me then..
“d@t£?..why would you want to rush into something like that?”
Great my father still saw me as his little girl..I was 21
“Well I ..”
“Boys are disturbing you” my cheeks heated, I didn’t know if I should be having this conversation with my father but I was really confused
“That’s expected..just wana know who the young man is?”
“Hes the president of my fellowsh!p?”
“What..what time does he now have chasing women?”
I rolled my eyes”well Dad..I like him and he loves God and..”
“Does he really..I don’t buy the idea” he put on his glas-ses and continued re-ading then looked at me
“There’s time for everything.. Now is not the time”
That went well…
I didn’t expect anything less, he was my father, even when I was 30 I would never be old enough to d@t£ anyone.
I went to the market for my mother and returned, after putting everything away I decided to help slice vegetables, she was cooking egusi soup..
“You sure your ok?”
“Yeah…kind of”
“What’s wrong..you scared of your exams..I told you to st©p worrying”
I was silent”mom when is it ok to d@t£?”
I reasoned my mom would be more objective and condescending, but she turned and gave me her full attention
“Who’s been filling your head with ideas?”
“Mom..I’m not a lil girl anymore, I just want to make the right decision, besides Erica did not..” I st©pped talking..Erica did not ask for permission before d@t!ngDonald but I couldn’t say that, I would be ratting her out..
“Erica did not what..”
“I just want to know how you knew father was the one you should marry”
She sighed”who’s he?”
“Hes the president of my fellowsh!p?”
“Does he know you have exams?”
“Mom..”
“I think thats what you should be focusing on for now.. Your career..when you done with that you can take your pick of men that would want to fall at your feet”
“But my books are very fine mom..if that’s your worry”
“You not re-ady for marriage, you have to wait for the right man”
“I might be 25”
“So..what’s the rush”
I think my mom was worse, she c@m£ towards me”you have to focus on your education now, I promise you God has a special someone created for you, when the time comes you ll know”
That just made me feel worse, I decided I shouldn’t have told them, I should be able to make my own decisions..right?
I went back to school and still hung with Martins because I couldn’t tell him no.
The bus project c@m£ out successful, it was dedicated that Sunday, I was happy as something I gave so much into c@m£ to pas-s
“My special thanks goes first to Almighty God who made everything possible and everyone especially the Excos who have worked tirelessly for this project to make it happen, especially to our Financial Secretary sister Emilia who did the bulk of the fund raising, to everyone who supported this project, may God bless you”
The man of God that was invited prayed for the bus then cut the rope and fellowsh!pmembers clambered to get in, after the many congratulations to each other, Martins c@m£ to hvg me
“Thank you” I hvgged him back
“I think we did it together”
“And I’m thinking the fellowsh!pis blessed to have you” he said, he held my hand and moved his thumb over it, I stared at the bus and smiled, right there beside him was where I wanted to be.
Episode 10
My exams c@m£ and went, I got a distinction in Anatomy, my father was so proud, Serena got two and Rebecca had a resit in biochemistry. Martins was by my side all throu-gh the three week long exam though I hadn’t said yes to him. Serena has been following me to fellowsh!pmost Wednesdays and though her lifestyle still continued I hoped someday she would be completely devoted to God. My sister graduated and was posted to Kaduna for NYSC, I wished it wasn’t so far away because I missed her.
Rebecca and I were revising some past questions in school for the resit exam in three weeks, even though I went to the hospital for my clinicals I still re-ad with her to encourage her..my cell rang as I was explaining Krebs cycle , I picked it up
“Hello..” My face changed
“Who’s that?Rebecca asked with concern
Myl-ips went dried “Serena..she had an accident”.
We hurried to the hospital, the nurse had decided to call the last number she dialed, we were told she was in the theatre,her car had ran into a tree and Serena was unconscious, I paced outside the theatre as Rebecca calmed me down, I decided to call Theodora who called her brother, I didn’t know how to contact the parents. I was scared, really scared, I looked up to God” God plea-se don’t let her die..she’s not re-ady”
Rebecca had to go after we waited for hours and more of her friends c@m£ but I sat alone after filling them on the situation of things, they left to buy food later and I was left alone waiting ..and praying. I was wriggling my f!ngersand b!tt!g myl-ips when he breezed in
“Where is she?” he asked, he hadn’t changed at all, if you minus the stubble that made him look older, it didn’t st©p my stomach from recoiling at how good looking he was..I couldn’t believe myself, I stood up
“Took you long enough, she’s in the operating room” I told him
“Why is she in there…its that serious?”
“The doctors haven’t said anything to me”
“Oh god” he roved his face in pain”how long has she been in there”
“Maybe 5hours”
“That long..” He glared at the closed door then started pacing again”
“Your pacing is ma-king me anxious..I’m sure she ll be fine”
“Who signed the cons£nt for the operation?”
“Me..there was no family here”
“I was out of town..c@m£ immediately I heard” I wondered what he was doing. The door opened and we quit bickering and faced the doctor, he was still scru-bbe-d with a case note in his hand.. He looked at me
“who’s the young man?”
“Sean..her brother..plea-se how is she?”he asked
“Had a ruptured spleen, we had to re-move it..transfuse her then repair her broken leg but she ll live” we both heaved a sign of relieve.
“She ll be in ICU for a couple of days till she wakes up..for now we wait”
“Thank you doctor..can we see her?”
“Just family for now, maybe you should inform your parents”
“They not ..around… We family”he said, I looked at him
” ok..you can see her after she’s been moved, you nee-d to get her clothes and other personal items then make deposit at the revenue, we attended to her because she’s a student here” Sean nodded, “if you are Christians you can pray “he added as an afterthought.
” Thank you doc”I said We watched him go, Sean sat down and I sat beside him in a long silence
“I think you should inform your parents”
“Yea I would, when she’s stable, they ll worry”
Ok..I knew if something happened to me my parents should be the first to know, something seemed off but I didn’t ask
“She’s the only thing I got..she can’t die” he said
“She ll wake up, let’s just pray”
The friends finally returned and we filled them in, after we saw her he offered to drop me off in the hostel and I obliged, the ride was a silent one.
“Thanks” I said when we got to my hostel
“I should say thanks..if you hadn’t been there on time nothing would have been done for her”
“She ll be fine. don’t worry too much” I got out and he drove away.
When I went back there the next day Sean was alre-ady there, he clearly hadn’t sle-pt at all, he had dark shadows un-der his eyes and his stubble had increa-sed, he was staring at Serena, they were transfusing her again I saw plus the vital monitor was beeping, he told me he had paid deposit and paid for more blood
I sat down with him”you should quit worrying, you have done your best”, but he stared at her still, the nurse told us we had to leave and return
“When can we come back?” I asked
“4’oclock” she said, we went out of the ICU ward outside, I couldn’t believe Serena was in there, she wouldn’t believe it herself, she was so full of life, just glad it wasn’t worse than that.
“You should go home, get a bath and something to eat” I suggested
“You sound like my mother”he said, I was slightly taken aback
” sorry I just..I just..”I had been rude to him previously, I had no right to tell him what to do, he looked away from me as two cars pu-ll-ed up, his friends c@m£ out, they c@m£ and embr@ced him one by one.
I decided to go home, my cell rang and it was Martin, I told him about Serena
“Wow is she alright?”
“Doc says she ll be fine but nee-ds our prayers” I told him, looking back at Sean I got in a taxi.
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