*ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:*
EPISODE 8
Reverend Leo woke up to see almost 200 missed calls on his phone. He was both surprised and scared because he just decided to sleep for two hours and then this. At first he feared that someone had died but then he decided to change his thoughts to positive thoughts only. He wanted to call the callers one by one but he didn’t know whom to start with. Finally, he decided and picked one number. His heart was pacing up and down as he waited for Sister Rita to pick. Finally she picked up.
*Leo:* Hello Sister Rita, how are you? I missed your call.
*Rita:* Hello Reverend, good evening sir, how are you and Mummy?
*Leo:* We are doing great by the Grace of God! I missed your call, I hope all is well and there is no problem?
*Rita:* Of course sir, there is no problem, I called because I wanted to tell you congratulations sir. I saw the good news online.
Leo who was surprised and had no idea what Rita was talking about and decided to ask.
*Leo:* Thank you, but what good news are you talking about?
*Rita:* Reverend the good news about Mummy. I am so happy, after so many years of waiting God has finally blessed you and Mummy. This is a fufillment of scriptures and a proof that they that wait upon the Lord will never be disappointed. Papa you have no idea how you have built my faith and that of so many persons.
Reverend Leo who was still confused, was trying to un-derstand what Sister Rita was saying.
*Rita:* Papa my prayers for you and Mummy is that with this pregnancy, God will give you double or even triplet as a prize for all your waiting upon Him in Jesus name.
It was at this point that Reverend Leo un-derstood what Sister Rita was trying to say. So Rachael was pregnant and he didn’t know about it? Who was responsible for the pregnancy? Did she go ahead with her plans with Alfred? Or was he the father of the baby? Leo was so lost in thoughts that he didn’t hear the last words of Rita, not until she asked.
*Rita:* Reverend are you there? Did you hear what I said.
Reverend Leo quic-kly remembered he was on call and answered.
*Leo:* Yes sister, Thank you so much, I really appreciate, we appreciate your call. May God bless you.
*Rita:* Yes sir, my regards to Mummy and plea-se tell her to take plenty of rest, we don’t want to hear stories now that God has finally done it for us and answered all of our prayers.
*Leo:* No problem sister, she will hear.
After Rita ended the call, Leo received 7 other calls all of which was to congratulate him on the pregnancy of his wife, which he was not even aware of. He decided to call Rachael who was in the kitchen cooking. They’ve not really been inti-mate as husband and wife since the Alfred’s saga, they just lived like two strangers in the house. Leo ba-rely speak with her. But after hearing this news he decided to call her.
She grudgingly walks up to him without answering his call.
*Rachael:* So, you still remember my name. I thought you have totally forgotten.
*Leo:* Rachael are you pregnant?
Rachael looks at him. And started ru-bbing her stomach and smiling.
*Leo:* Answer me Rachael, are you pregnant?
*Rachael:* So, you finally noticed, I thought you would never ask.
*Leo:* So, it’s true, you are pregnant and the whole country knows about it except me your husband.
*Rachael:* The whole world. What do you mean by the whole world. I’ve not told anyone about it.
*Leo:* You’ve not told anyone yet the whole country is calling me to congratulate me.
*Rachael:* Well, I don’t know anything about that.
*Leo:* So, who is responsible? Who is the father of the child you are carrying?
*Rachael:* What kind of question is that?
*Leo:* Rachael, I haven’t got angry with you in a long time that I can remember, don’t make me get angry now because if I do, it won’t be funny, just answer me, who is responsible for your pregnancy?
*Rachael:* It’s our baby Leo, yours and mine…
Just then her phone starts ringing. Leo picked up the phone and sees the caller. It was Alfred.
*Leo:* Pick your call Rachael.
She bends and takes the call. Leo listens as Alfred congratulates her, he watches his wife as she smiled and grinned from ear to ear. After the call he spoke with pain in his voice.
*Leo:* So, it’s Alfred’s baby?
*Rachael:* No baby, it’s ours, Alfred may have been the instrument that God used to put in this child but the baby is definitely ours.
(Leo was staring at her) Baby, nothing has changed. We will just relocate from here and have our baby in peace. Alfred will not bother us. God has answered our prayers, ain’t you happy?
*Leo:* Shut up, just shut up!
With tears in his eyes, he stood up and walked away.
________
Leo returned to the house very late at night, his eyes were swollen from crying too much. He went straight into his room and fell on his be-d. Not quite long Rachael walks up to him.
*Rachael:* Are you slee-ping?
Leo ignores the question and la-id still facing the wall. Rachael quic-kly goes on her knees and starts crying.
*Rachael:* Honey plea-se, I don’t want us to live like this anymore. I know you are angry with me but I want you to know that whatever I have done I did for the two of us. I want us to have our own children, I want us to be parents like other people too. You know on a normal circu-mtance, I will never allow any other man t©uçh me. plea-se Honey, I am not happy that things went this way but plea-se let’s let go and move ahead with our lives. Honey plea-se.
*Leo:* I begged you Rachael, I pleaded with you but you allowed the devil take possession of your heart. You allowed impatience overwhelm you and you lost yourself in sin. The sin of adûlt€ry.
*Rachael:* I am so sorry dear, I am really sorry, I was desperate, I was determined.
*Leo:* Now, you are pregnant. This is why you have suddenly realized you are sorry. If you weren’t pregnant you wouldn’t have come to your s-en-ses. You wouldn’t be begging right now. You insulted me, you threatened me, you even blackmailed me, you disobeyed and ignored me just because you were blinded.
*Rachael:* I am truly sorry my husband. I have begged God to forgive me and I know he has, so plea-se forgive me too and let’s plan our lives together just like we used to. plea-se Honey, for the sake of our unborn child.
*Leo:* Your child Rachael, your unborn child, that child is not mine and I will never accept it as mine. That child is a product of sin and I will never be p@rt of that sin.
*Rachael:* (angry) St©p talking like that, ah ah. Don’t call my child such plea-se. We did this together. We are in it together. Now, I am begging you so that we can come together and ask God for Mercy and build again like we used to, you are bringing in the past.
*Leo:* I am not p@rt of your sin. Don’t rope me in.
*Rachael:* But you are Leo, you are. You brou-ght the money we used in settling Alfred, so you are p@rt of this.
Leo smiled and then raised up his head.
*Leo:* Rachael, you are so lost and I will pray for God to redeem your soul. Yes, I took the money from church and I quic-kly realized and wanted to return it, but you stole the money. You stole it! I never gave it to you.
*Rachael:* You had it in mind and that was why you signed it and kept it carelessly for me to steal. Whatever you say we are in this together. So let go the drama and let’s plan on how to take care of our baby.
*Leo:* Your baby Rachael, not mine. And don’t you think you will blackmail me once more with the 7million naira from church. Because I alre-ady returned it.
*Rachael:* What?
*Leo:* Yes dear, I returned it alre-ady. Look outside, I have sold my car, I also took some loans and by the Grace of God, I have returned it same way I collected it.
*Rachael:* But how would you be moving around. You can’t be entering bikes or cabs up and down.
*Leo:* I am not like you Rachael, I will wait on the Lord to bless me when He deems fit.
He stands up and walks away.
*Rachael:* Buh, buh buh…
*Leo:* I forgive you Rachael. Ask God to forgive you too, and be truly repentant from your sin and change your ways.
Leo walks away with Rachael staring at him as if she’s seen a ghost.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 9
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