*ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:*
EPISODE 10
Alfred gets up from the be-d and wears his clothes and his wrist watch as he prepared to leave. He takes a look at Rachael who was lying on the be-d like she wasn’t going anywhere.
*Alfred:* Ain’t you going home? You are just lying there like you don’t want to go home.
*Rachael:* Oh, Alfred my love, can’t we just pas-s the night here? Must you rush home anytime we are together?
*Alfred:* Mummy, I really have to go. We’ve been here for hours and my wife would be worried alre-ady waiting for me.
*Rachael:* Oh Alfred, why don’t you just forget your wife, she is not the only one that nee-ds you, I nee-d you too, don’t forget I am carrying your child. We nee-d you.
*Alfred:* Seriously Mummy, seriously speaking, I don’t un-derstand anymore. We had a deal. I get you pregnant and I disappear from your life for good. I still don’t know why you changed your mind and don’t want me to leave.
*Rachael:* Alfred!
(she stands and starts tou-ching him)
It’s because I have fallen in love with you. I didn’t know how it happened but I am just so in love with you and I can’t stay a day without seeing you.
She starts k!ss!nghis face and ru-bbing him all over. Alfred felt irritated.
*Alfred:* Oh, oh, oh st©p this right now plea-se. Don’t you feel guilty, don’t you feel a little bit guilty about what we are doing? The reason I accepted this deal in the first place it’s because of the money, but now everything seems to be changing all thanks to you. And I don’t think I like the man I have become. I feel guilty everytime I look at Reverend and my wife. I can’t even stand her looking at my face, I can’t pray in peace. I have lost my peace, and I am not happy. Mummy honestly, I don’t want this anymore. I want this to end.
*Rachael:* What?
*Alfred:* Yes, I want this to end, let us stick to the original deal. And so by tomorrow I will start ma-king arrangements to relocate with my family from this place.
*Rachael:* What? You can’t do that. What happens to me? What happens to our baby?
*Alfred:* Our baby? Your baby Mummy, your baby not mine. A deal is a deal and I am standing by this one.
*Rachael:* You lie Alfred, you are going no where. I started this relationsh!pand I decide when it will end. And it will only end when I say so, when I am tired of it and right now, I don’t think I am tired. I decide when I am.
*Alfred:* No you don’t. It’s over and it’s over. I don’t want to have anything to do with you anymore.
*Rachael:* And I say you lie.
*Alfred:* Just watch and see.
Alfred heads to the door and made attempts to leave when suddenly Rachael fell on the be-d and let out a big laugh, Alfred stood surprised watching her. Then slowly she began to dress up.
*Rachael:* Do you really think I chose you out of all the men in the church because you are the only one that can get me pregnant? There are thousand of men out there and I could easily have chos£n anyone anytime.
*Alfred:* So, why did you choose me?
Rachael paused for a while and then started.
*Rachael:* Many years ago, you d@t£d a girl called Sonia, she loved and cherished you with all her heart and you acted like you felt the same way. Sonia got pregnant for you and you asked her to ab-ort it. She refused because she was scared. The doctors had told her she was expecting twins. On that fateful day, you had called Sonia from her hostel and told her you wanted to make peace. She was happy that you are finally going to accept her pregnancy. You apologized and she followed you to your house, where you gave her jui-ce and then quic-kly deceived her and s£nt her away because you had drugged her to ab-ort her baby.
Sonia got home and started bleeding and was dying. She s£nt for you because she didn’t know what was happening but you never c@m£. She eventually died two days later.
*Alfred:* (surprised) How did you know all of this?
*Rachael:* I know because Sonia told me everything before she died, that was when she was suspecting that you might have poisoned her drink. Sonia and I were roommates and I took her to the hospital. She died in my hands. I promised my friend I was going to tell the world her story, but then I was not bold enough to come out with my story and I couldn’t find you. By the time I saw you years later, you were alre-ady married to your wife and you were a member of our church. I couldn’t bring myself to bring that story up again so I let it slide. And this is the reason I chose you for this job knowing full well there was no saying no to me because whether you said no or not I would make you say yes. Surprisingly, you chose money and said yes. The old spirit of Alfred is still in you.
Rachael picks up her phone and started pressing it while walking to the door.
*Rachael:* Plus, I also ended up falling in love with you because of that active thing between your legs. So my dear, there is no walking out on me. I decide when this relationsh!pis over. Do you un-derstand?
*Alfred:* (thinks for a while and then st©ps her just as she was about leaving) You can’t prove anything. Besides what you are saying now happened over 15years ago. You have no evidence to nail me. I didn’t mean for Sonia to die, I mistakenly dropped two of the tablets that my friend gave me inside her jui-ce instead of one. I didn’t think it would be of any effect since she was carrying twins. Unfortunately, she died. It was an accident, and besides it’s been so long. You can’t possibly have anything to prove to the authorities that I have a hand in her death.
Rachael laughs out very loud once more and then raised her phone up to show him.
*Rachael:* Yes, I didn’t, but all thanks to you I now do. I just recorded your last confession.
(She t©uçhes him on his chin as she smiled)
See you tomorrow darling. Same time and don’t keep me waiting.
She gives him a k!sson the head and walks away as Alfred just stood confused and watching her leave.
__________________
Mrs. Alfred had had sleepless night because she found it difficult to believe that the Reverend’s wife was having an affair with her husband. But everything seemed so true. Alfred now kept late nights, he hides his phone and receive secret calls. It was almost midnight and he was yet to return. She sat in the sitting room staring at the wall clock. She didn’t know if to call the Reverend or not. Just as she was lost in thoughts, she heard the sound of his car horn.
Mrs. Alfred adjusted herself and waited patiently for him to come in. Her face was expressionless. She stared at him as he dropped his bag. He was smelling of a woman’s perfume and Mrs. Alfred knew exactly who that woman was.
She watched him fall on the long chair in the house obviously tired from his escapades with Mrs. Reverend.
*Mrs. Alfred:* Where have you been?
*Alfred:* Is that the welcome you are supposed to tell your husband?
*Mrs. Alfred:* Welcome! Where have you been?
*Alfred:* Out!
*Mrs. Alfred:* Out? That’s all you have to say?
*Alfred:* What are you expecting me to say?
*Mrs. Alfred:* I want you to say you are coming from your lover’s hideout because you are totally shameless. You are having an affair with another man’s wife, your own very church Reverend’s wife and you don’t feel guilty at all about it? Your conscience does not judge you for hurting your wife and a good man, a man of God at that, God will definitely punish you Alfred.
*Alfred:* So you know?
*Mrs. Alfred:* Of course I know, did you think you can hide it forever? You and that woman should be ashamed of yourselves. Now, I am even beginning to suspect that you might be the owner of the pregnancy she is carrying.
*Alfred:* Yes I am and what do you intend to do about that?
*Mrs. Alfred:* So, you are really responsible for her pregnancy. I will inform the whole world that you are slee-ping with the Reverend’s wife and even got her pregnant. I will announce it to whoever cares to listen. You are so shameless and that woman she is evil and she is a disgrace to the church and to women.
*Alfred:* And after you announce to the world and I receive the shame, what else? You will come back here and leave the marriage because then I will marry whoever I deem fit and you will go back to your father’s house, I am very sure you will not find a husband anymore at your age and considering the number of children you alre-ady have. So, you will remain in your father’s house sad and frustrated while I enjoy my new wife. You will die a lonely and unhappy woman all because you couldn’t control your emotions and rage.
Alfred stands up and walks away from his wife but he st©pped as he was about to shut the door behind her.
*Alfred:* There is really nothing you can do about this, what is done is done and all you should do now is think and device a way to win your husband back not push him away completely. For a wise woman builds her home.
With that Alfred walks away into his room.
Mrs. Alfred felt a hand shaking her and talking to her.
*Alfred:* Honey, Honey, Honey, are you with me?
*Mrs. Alfred:* (regaining herself) Yes, yes, yes! What happened?
*Alfred:* Are you okay? I c@m£ in and you said welcome and suddenly went blank. I was even talking to you no response, what are you thinking about?
Mrs. Alfred realizing that she might have just come out of a trance or a dream or a revelation from God quic-kly composed herself and smiled and said,
“It’s nothing dear, I guess it’s the stress of the day that is telling on me.”
“Oh my love, I am so sorry plea-se come let’s go to be-d so you will rest okay?” Alfred said as he held her and led her to their be-droom.
Mrs. Alfred was just staring at him wondering how he could be so perfect in his pretence of being a perfect husband. She didn’t say any word but followed behind and climbe-d on the be-d with him. He held her close and cu-mddled her, she pretended to be asleep but she wasn’t and it was not long before Alfred started snoring.
Just then about four messages dropped on his phone and Mrs. Alfred picked it up and gently ti-p toed out of the room.
__________________
Reverend Leo sat on the couch waiting for his wife to return home. He took another look at the clock. It was almost 12:30am. He would have been worried but he was getting used to her midnight home coming. He had noticed this kind of movement from his wife for almost a month now. In fact, since Rachael got pregnant she had put up one new strange character everyday.
Leo was a sad and heartbroken man. Every night he cries to God in prayer for Mercy and for a miracle in his home. His wife getting pregnant for another man was ma-king him believe that he might actually be the cause of their infertility all these years. And now Rachael had become something else in the house.
They ba-rely spoke to each other except in church or when a visitor comes in. Rachael was a perfect pretender and no one would suspect that she wasn’t living well at home with her husband.
Leo had a lot of big problems on his hand yet members of the church do not un-derstand. Every now and then they run to him for prayers and counselling. He was even wondering if there was anyone praying for him and his household.
“God have you forsaken me? Why is my home shredding to pieces. Dear Lord plea-se show me mercy, plea-se Jesus show me mercy.” As Leo was praying he heard the front door open. He knew Rachael was back, and so he sat up. She c@m£ in, looked at him and just walked past him. Leo had to interrupt her.
*Leo:* Rachael, where are you coming from?
She pretends like she didn’t hear him and continues walking to the room.
*Leo:* I am talking to you, where are you coming from?
Rachael ignores and keeps going. Leo had to hold her f0rç£fully and drag her back.
*Leo:* When I talk to you, you listen to me and you don’t walk out on me.
*Rachael:* Ah, ah! Do you want to hurt me and my baby? Why did you drag me like that?
*Leo:* You don’t want to see me angry, woman. So, gently and respectfully answer my question. Where are you coming from at this time of the night?
*Rachael:* I went to see a friend.
*Leo:* What friend?
*Rachael:* A friend, you don’t know him, I mean you don’t know her.
Leo looks at her before continuing with his question.
*Leo:* Does this your him or her friend have a name?
*Rachael:* Oh, oh, oh! What is all this interrogation for na? I just said you don’t know the person I went to see. plea-se Leo I want to rest I am very tired after a long day plea-se.
*Leo:* You are tired? Was I the one that s£nt you out to work that got you tired.
*Rachael:* Leo, I am pregnant in case you are too blind to see, I am pregnant and I get tired easily. But of course you won’t care. How can you care? When you don’t know the effort and the strength it takes to get a woman pregnant. If you were capable of impregnating a woman now you would have known the pains, the feelings, the sacrifice and how it feels for a woman to be carrying your child.
*Leo:* Shut up Rachael! Don’t insult me.
*Rachael:* Did I insult you? Is there any word I have said that is not true? How many years have we been married? Were you able to get me pregnant? But just one try from a real man, boom! I have something to show for it.
Leo raised his hand in an attempt to sl@p her but he quic-kly realized himself and held back. He stepped back and sat on the chair, looking into nothing.
A surprised Rachael looked at him, adjusted her clothes and cleared her throat.
*Rachael:* Leo, I am tired of leaving like this, I am tired of this cold war between the two of us. For years, I have been patient with you but my patience has finally run out because you don’t even appreciate anything I do. Instead you want to start beating me now. I will not stay in a violent marriage. I will not wait until you kill me before I act.
*Leo:* Did I t©uçh you? Have I ever la-id my hand on you?
*Rachael:* But you almost did. You wanted to sl@p me just now.
*Leo:* I wanted to but did I? After everything you’ve done and the way you treated me have I ever t©uçhed you.
*Rachael:* But you almost beat me up just now if not that…
*Leo:* If not what? Were you the one who st©pped me?
*Rachael:* I will not wait for you to beat me up o. You were able to st©p yourself now but what happens next time when you can’t st©p yourself. You will beat me up and kill my baby because she is not yours abi. You will kill me and my unborn child. I will not let you do that.
*Leo:* You are possessed Rachael.
*Rachael:* No problem, but hear this Reverend Leo. I am tired of this whole $h!t . And I am not re-ady to take it anymore.
*Leo:* Meaning what na?
*Rachael:* I want a divorce…
*Leo:* What? Did I hear you right?
*Rachael:* Yes, you heard me very well. I want a divorce.
Leo was shocked as he stood up staring at her.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 11