
Click Here For Episode 5
__________
Ā Ā THE PENULTIMATE
Sweet Mother went out of the room to open the main door for Dorcas leaving Dave and I inside the room.
I concentrated on Blossom that was feeding quietly while pulling at my weave. I was trying to pull myself together. I swallowed several times perhaps the liquid can quench the burning that had started in my chest.
Daveās arm coiled round my neck and he pulled me close. Blossom looked up and smiled so heartily at the union but my babyās smile didnāt do me anything.
What is Dorcas coming to do here? Is she perhaps coming to confront me? Over my own husband?
āItās not going to happenā Dave said as if he knew what was going on in my heart. I looked up at him and faked a smile.
āNothing you are thinking about will happen. Now, give me your hand and trust meā He said and even when I was reluctant and slow, he laid hold of my hand and held it with confidence.
āLetās do this togetherā he said and I swallowed again before sighing deeply.
āBut must she come into our bedroom?ā I asked, almost with disgust. My husband smiled and tickled me briefly on the cheek.
āShe is still your cousin and you are not even so strong now to move here and there? Let her come inā
āOk oā I said with mixed feelings. I wanted to do Godās will of forgiveness and look beyond Dorcasā fault but I didnāt want to set my eyes on her.
Or better put, I didnāt want Dave to set his eyes on her.
What would be on his mind when he sees her? Wonāt he remember the nude pictures? Dave is also human o. I hope he wonāt be imagining things!
The door opened and we heard some footsteps
āAnd here we are!ā Sweet Mother announced and I really could not look back to see the duo.
āLiz, my dear, should we leave both of you alone so that you can fight and settle as cousins?ā Sweet Mother asked and I quickly looked back at her.
āNo mum.ā I said so firmly and Sweet Mother laughed
āOmo mi o. See how you screamed as if I asked you to stay indoors alone with an armed robber. She is your cousin o. Dorkies sweerieā
Dave squeezed my shoulder and patted me. I saw on his face a very faint regrettable smile. I felt a pang of pain in my heart.
I should not make Dave feel like this anymore. I had to do something.
Blossom had dozed off, so it was easy to take her off me. I laid her into Daveās waiting arms and then I stood up. I took in few breaths of air
āHoly Spirit, what should I do? Give me the wisdom to handle things.ā I muttered and sneaked a peep at Dave who smiled somehow. I am sure he was not happy about the stress I was going through. I gave him a reassuring smile and looked towards the door when Dorcas was.
She looked very haggard and hungry.
āCome inside Dorcasā that was the first time I would call my baby cousin Dorcas. It was always āDorkies sweerieā or simply āDorkiesā. She staggered into the room, her eyes red from a long period of crying I presumed. My heart melted as she looked at me with fear and anguish. She looked very weak and famished and I almost started to cry.
āWhatās wrong with you?ā I asked with a great concern. Dorcas felt before me and reached for my legs.
āAunty, I am sickā¦Iām very sickā her hands were scaly on my soft feet and her voice was husky.
āWhatās the problem?ā I asked, very scared.
āHope this girl has not come to die oā I thought. I looked at Dave and Sweet Mother, searching for the answer in their faces but they were as clueless as I was.
āAunty, I allowed the devil to use me. I tempted Uncle Dave by sending my nude pictures to him on a daily basis but he never yielded to me. Since I left, I have never peace. Something was telling me to come and tell you but I refused. I have been bedridden for two weeks now in school. I could tell nobody. See me now my sister and forgive me. I have been seeing you in my dreams for many days now chasing me with different weapons shouting and crying that I should leave your husband.ā She cried on and on very weakly.
āHmmmmā Sweet Mother sighed out deeply and shook her head
āHoly Spirit!ā I exclaimed as the realization of everything the Holy Spirit had been teaching me reached my comprehension.
āDaughter, I said I was going to fight for you and you shall hold your peace. Now pull her close to you and bless her just like Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his householdā The Holy Spirit spoke audibly into my ears.
I shook my head in awe as I fell back into my bed. I thought aloud
‘So, this is how God fights for His people! I sleep here very unhappy and God takes up the rod and other objects and allows my enemies to be pursued about, giving them sleepless nights? Awesome God!ā
Sweet Mother came close to me, put her hands on my shoulder and smiled
āDaughter, I know how you really feel right now but you have to forgiveā She said and I smiled.
āMum, I have truly forgiven herā I said with all sincerity but my mother in law was not convinced.
āItās easier said than done my dear. Now, listen to me as I give you a biblical illustration. Are you listening to me?ā she asked me, nudging me so that I was jolted back to reality as I was really lost in the wonderland
āMum, I am all earsā I said looking into her face without blinking, smile glued to my face.
āSee, in a chapter, Jesus asked his disciples that who do people think he was. Different answers came from different disciples but Peter said āYou are Christā. Jesus was glad and he said it was the Spirit that had revealed it to him and that on him the church would be built and the gates of hell shall not prevail.ā She preached and I really watched on with keen interest. I wanted to see where my mother-in-law was going to land.
Dave remained silent all along and watched on like the culprit!
āCan you imagine that the next chapter, just few minutes after, another thing happened entirelyā she said on. I had never really heard that story before.
āI really need to start reading my bibleā I thought to myself. Dorcas was still on the floor, looking lifeless. It was her constant sniffing that showed me that she was still alive.
āMum, continue with the story pleaseā I said with enthusiasm.
āJesus was telling them again about his imminent death and Peter said āGod forbid!ā Jesus, being so wise realized that it was not him that was talking. The devil only wanted to use someone that Jesus loved against him. He rebuked him instantly.ā
āWow!ā I exclaimed so loudly that Blossom stirred. Dave also nodded, obviously being inspired too
āIf Peter could almost be used against Jesus, how about Dave? How about Dorcas? How about I, your mum-in-law?ā
āWow wow wowā I looked up at the ceiling and blew air from my mouth in total surrender.
āMy wonderful daughter, to err is humanā¦ā
āā¦to forgive divineā I completed it for her and sighed as I stood up.
āForgive everybody and then start your family anew. Silver and gold I have not but what I have I have given you my childrenā she concluded, hands up.
Dave stood up, laid Blossom in his mumās arms and walked towards me. He hugged me and pecked my forehead again.
āLiz, letās do it. Forgive your cousin. Forgive me tooā he said as he pulled me closer to Dorcas. I paused and turned to look into Daveās face.
āWhere are those pictures now?ā I asked suddenly. Dave arched his face and smiled.
āI have long deleted them from my phone. I donāt do all those again. I am a changed guyā he said.
āHmmm! Mum, thanks for this eye-opening sermon. Now I know that one has to be a guard against the enemy because he can possess anybody to torment us. Unfortunately for Dorcas, she was a ready vessel. God have mercy!ā I shuddered.
Suddenly, the potency of prayer dawned on me.
āDearie, oh what thing we often forfeitā¦ā Dave started a beautiful chorus
āā¦oh what needless blame we bearā¦ā I continued as I nodded thoughtfully.
āā¦all because we do not carryā¦ā Sweet mother joined the chorus
āā¦everything to God in prayerā I concluded and moved close to Dorcas. I bent beside her, pulled her to a kneeling position and hugged her. She was fragile as I held her close and she shook violent with great fervor as she wept. I wept too as I pecked her cheek severally.
My sweet teenage cousin!
āDorkie sweerie, itās okayā I said, pulled her back gently to see her face and she looked away as the cries went on. I could see her efforts to stop crying but the brake had failed.
āDorkie sweerie, look into mamaās face now. If not I will be angry oā I said and she looked at me briefly.
āNow smileā I said but she couldnāt until I sat on the bare floor and tickled her so greatly. She fell at my side with great laughter mixed with her tears and constant sobs.
Sweet mother pulled Dave to her side and they joined us on the floor. We sat down, held our hands and there and then we prayed fervently for greater restoration, forgiveness and mercy.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
After the long hour of prayers, I remembered Sunday was going to be Valentineās Day.
āDave, Sunday is Valās day o. I havenāt seen you preparing anything for meā I said, arms akimbo and shaking my head. He smiled.
āHmmm, my love, preparation is on. It would be a blastā he said. I raised my nose and widened my eyes.
āBlast ke! Na lie o. I donāt want any blast o. Thatās how he would give someone bomb blastā I said and he laughed loudly.
āBomb blast bawo?ā Mummy asked in a āYoruba mumā way. I pulled mum to the bed and started the tale.
āSee, my husband promised last Valentine was going to be the bomb. I was enthusiastic and wondered that what surprise did he have and so on. When I woke up that day, hmmmā¦Dorcas, you are hearing too abiā¦ā
She nodded, smiling and obviously enjoying the tale.
āThat was our wedding day, you know?ā I asked to be sure that everyone remembered. Mumās mouth opened in remembrance.
āThat is true o. Your wedding will be one next tomorrow. Many congratulations o. Awesome! I had forgotten totallyā she said
āThat day he sent me a āI love youā text. Just, āI love youā. I forgave him and got him a pair of very beautiful and costly loafers, exquisite perfume, a YSL bag and a complete suit. It took me a fortune then. How much was my salary thenā I laughed and everyone joined.
David gave me a āYou are washing my dirty linen outsideā look but I didnāt care because I had to finish this story.
āWhen I would see my husbandās delivery at around 6am by the courier, it was a chocolate cake, really beautiful and a bible. Imagine!ā
āAh! David o!ā Mummy exclaimed, beating my laps with excitement. I must really be good story teller! Mummy enjoyed it so obviously.
David covered his face.
āOver spiritual brother. Very āunromanticā!ā I said again
āWith the numerous Bibles she has Dave!ā Mum laughed
āI am making it up for you this time around dear. Youāll love itā he tried to defend himself.
āHmmmā¦I hope so oā I said, widening my nose.
āLetās hope so together dear daughter. If itās not nice, then we will pounce on him togetherā Mum said again. I hugged her. She was like my mother.
āMy gift should be nice too o.ā he said and charged at him.
āWhat other gift do you want? I have given you my bodyā
āI have given you my body tooā
āI have given you my loveā
āI have given you greater loveā
āEh eh! Wonders shall never end oā Mummy clapped her hands together.
āI gave you Blossomā he said
āNo! You only gave me the seedā I said
āWell, I have given you careā
āIāve given you care too plus my heartā he said. I smiled but I wonāt give up.
āI also went through pain for you.ā
āPain?ā his eyes widened
āYes, pain! The pain of child birthā I said and he raised his hands up in surrender. Mama jumped up and clapped for me.
āThat is it o. Women always winā she laughed and Dorcas also smiled weakly
āDorcas please go and sleep in the guest room. I will prepare you pepper soup and bring it to you. Sorry my dearā I said and she nodded and left.
āNow Dave, I have a special gift for you. I will give it to you that dayā I said. He smiled happy and before I knew it, he carried me up and swirled me round. Sweet mum smiled and left the room, closing the bedroom door behind her.
Dave put me down. I covered my eyes as I felt very dizzy. Then, he held my hands and looked at me with straight eyes.
āLiz, I will always love you. I will cherish you and care for you always!ā He said.
My Dave wasnāt shy! He wasnāt hiding his face. He was looking at me with sincerity. It felt strange as I looked into his face.
āDave, where is the guy I married?ā I asked him again.
āHmmmā¦you want to know? I will show you where the guy you married is on Sunday. Itās going to be a good day!ā he said as he pulled me to himself and then I was rest assured!
The guy I married was resurfacing and then he is changed- beautifully!
The last episode would be very great and love packed!
Watch out!
______
God is all knowingly. May God forgive us all.
Amen o. Thank you so much
Many Thanks! I kept on refreshing the page all day,to find the next episode. Learning a lot.
Really! Thank you dearie. I am grateful
So many lessons to learn all the way buh I always ask myself how many marriages are built on Christ?. God bless the hand that is writing this, increase the mind with an endless wisdom and also more grace to touch more lives through her indispensable stories. Weldone dear#
Henry, thanks so much. God bless you too
Such a wonderful piece.Lots of empotions as I read through.
What a happy home.
God now in control.Youve really passed lots n lots of messages,
How I wish thousands of couples can get to read this series.
Anxiously waiting for Vals day to read up n learn from Daves’ special surprise
Hmmm… Yes o.. I really do wish too. Its here already… Tomorrow
#sings “With Jesus in the family, happy happy home…” Forgiveness is a very essential tool in all relationships… Learnt a lot from this episode… More wisdom for this blessed writer I pray!
Amen dearie. Thanks so much
I tot its only in movies I see this kind of make up o and let the love start there right there na! Y until sunday?
Lol… It is well
Good good good.
May God continue to inspire you.
Amen. Thank you ma