After Joshua had left, Pastor Dave also went into his bedroom. Simeon had been pacing around in his room. He could not un-know what he had come to know. Even though Dayo did not tell him in plain terms, who Solomon was, Simeon felt it within him that was the ‘him’ Dayo taunted him about which led to their fight and eventual suspension.
Simeon’s heart has been racing since they left Dayo’s house. Joshua did ask him what that was all about but when he asked and Simeon would say nothing but stare out the window of the moving cab, Joshua let it be.
Joshua was hoping that they could have a few private moments at the pastorium but Pastor Dave was home already and he knew Simeon would definitely not say a word with his father around. Joshua had to let the matter rest for a future time.
Now at home and alone with his father, Simeon kept struggling with the idea of walking up to his father and demanding answers from him, holding him up to his hypocrisy and the hurt he would bring upon his mother.
Eventually, he summoned a little bit of courage, opened his room’s door and as he stepped out, he met with his father on his way out of his room. The duo stared at each other and started to say something to the other but suddenly, Simeon lost his courage and hurried off to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Dave moved to follow him, not to avoid him, but he soon stopped in his tracks and thought he was not ready for any attitude or altercations that may ensue from that. He simply left the sleeping dog alone. He veered to his study.
While scanning through some books on his table, he saw Ablaze for God and wondered why the book suddenly felt familiar. Then he remembered that he met the young man Solomon who had a copy in his hand. He wondered if the young man would come along to their church for service as invited.
Sensing that his wife and the girls were unusually late, he started to dial her phone when he heard the gate open and the car zoom in. He stepped out of the study and soon, the chatter of the girls drowned him. Those girls deserve special awards for their chatter.
Read Episode 23 here
Seeing his wife walk into the home, he could tell she was exhausted. Interrupting his thoughts, the girls crowded him with the full download of their long day.
‘Daddy, you won’t believe what happened?’ Sharon started.
‘Of course he would believe it, we won’t be lying’, Shalom interjected.
‘What is it with you, sef?’ Sharon retorted.
Ignoring her sister, Shalom moved on with the story. ‘Daddy, when we were almost done with buying food stuff from Mama Saki. In fact we were done o, and Mama Saki’s boys were helping to take the elubo to the car and the rice we bought, that is how we just saw two bike men collide together o.
One of the bike men was carrying a passenger, one aunty. As he fell, the aunty too fell.’
Sharon picked up from there, ‘Without caring for the aunty that fell, the two bike men began to fight themselves, each asking the other to pay for damages. A very uncaring set of people. Mummy asked us to wait with the Saki boys who were loading the car with the elubo and rice.
She ran to the aunty who was on the floor and there was already plenty of blood on her leg. Another grandma also came to help mummy with the aunty. Anyways sha, mummy helped her into our car and we took her to Dr. Festus’s hospital since it was close to the market. That was where we were.
Shalom continued, ‘Daddy, I don’t think I want to be a doctor again o. Hmm, they were stitching that aunty’s leg. I was peeping and I almost fainted at the sight of the process. Mummy told Dr. Festus that we will settle the bill later. We sha took the aunty to her house. It was in GRA, Gateway Estate.’
Sharon interjected again, ‘Her name is Aunty Bamisayo. She is so pretty. She was too tired to chat with us but mummy got her contact.’
Simeon was already in the living room with them and his body stiffened when he heard that his mother was at the Gateway Estate in GRA. He was hoping with all his heart that his mother did not per chance see him and Uncle Josh.
After hearing all their back and forth, Vera hurried the girls to freshen up in their room. She also left to do the same. She instructed Simeon to offload the boot. As the ladies went in, Simeon and Dave went to bring in the groceries.
Dave did not think much of the story the girls shared besides, he knew that Vera would give him details later. But Simeon, he lost his peace even more. He had been thinking hard on what transpired during the day at Dayo’s house and how he would confront his father about it.
But now, he needed to be sure that his mother did not see him. But then, he felt a little calm about it because if the girls had seen them, they would not let it pass. Still, he needed to be sure but asking the girls directly was a no, no.
Neither father nor son spoke to the other. They simply moved mechanically, storing the obvious things at the right spots in the kitchen and leaving the others for Vera to deal with when she is back.
Dave, remembering how exhausted Vera looked, he started to make some spaghetti for dinner. The girls were soon in the kitchen so he instructed them to finish up and warm some stew from the freezer for dinner. Simeon also stayed around so he could check if his sisters caught a glimpse of them within Gateway estate.
‘So like what time did you guys get to that estate?’ Simeon asked.
‘Bros, no idea. We were too tired to look at watches.’ Sharon said with the roll of her eyes.
Simeon did not bother with her. He let it slide. ‘Shalom, what type of house does the aunty stay in the estate?’
Sharon’s eyes sparked at the mention of that. ‘It is a very fine house o. The house is a very big duplex. Although we did not enter. We stayed in the car but mummy entered with her to help her walk.’
Simeon asked further, ‘Very fine house? What does it look like?’
Shalom spoke this time, ‘Simeon, please we are tired. If you are that interested, collect the aunty’s number from mummy and call her yourself’.
And that closed the chapter. Simeon knew he would be finding trouble to press the girls some more. Besides, he could tell already that they did not see them. If they did, they would not have kept it to themselves.
‘So where did you and uncle Josh go?’ Sharon asked. Simeon rolled his eyes at her. ‘I am also tired. I will be in the sitting room. If you need me for something important about the food, call me.’
As Simeon strolled away, Sharon called back at him, ‘It’s not your fault, it is mine. I was giving you free gist when I was tired!’
In their room, Dave waited for Vera to feel a little bit relaxed. As she was about to leave for the kitchen, he urged her to stay and let the children handle it, besides, Simeon was with them to supervise.
Succumbing to his words, she laid on their bed. ‘I hope the young lady is alright now except for the wound and possible pain’ Dave asked.
‘Well, she seemed new in town and she was only going around for some sight seeing. She had only just sat on the bike o and gbola, on the floor. The cut was not too deep but it will definitely scar a little. Thank God for life, all the same. It could have been worse.’
I met her aunt, brother and nephew at home. She and her brother just got to town. He introduced himself as Solomon. Can you believe that the nephew attends Simeon’s school. I could not chat with him to know if he knew Simeon because we were already running late.
Anyways thank God that it was not her dead body that was returned to that home. It would have been too heart breaking.
‘I met a Solomon today also o. He said he was new in town. I met him at Some Peace and Quiet. I invited him to worship with us if he was chanced and needed a place to fellowship. By the way, I really see why you liked that place. Truly serene. It will be difficult not to fall asleep over there if one went with the intention of praying.’
‘I told you would love that place too, though it may be too quiet for your taste.’ Vera said while laughing. ‘Could it be the same Solomon we met today though? I felt a little familiar with Bamisayo’s brother. He looked as though I had met him before but could not place it.’
‘I’ll give the young woman a call tomorrow by God’s grace. May the Lord hasten her recovery. ‘
‘Did Simeon and uncle Josh meet you at home? or was Simeon waiting by himself?’
‘They met me at home but Joshua did not stay long. He said he needed to get home so that Daniella would meet him at home.
‘KD, is it well with Daniella and Uncle Josh? I just feel like their relationship is strained these days. I have noticed it a couple of times in Church. Is their baby alright?’
Joshua did not know how to respond to this question considering what Johua shared with him. He was not sure if he should tell Vera all about it now or simply ask her to pray for them as the Holy Spirit leads her.
Right then, Joshua’s call came in. ‘It is Joshua’s call. Let me answer it’.
‘Brotherly, good evening… Oh, really?… She did? Hope she is fine? Ehnehn? And the other lady? Okay… Hmmm… So you are staying over? That’s serious… Anyways, since you will be together, let’s trust that God’s will shall prevail in Jesus name. Do I have your permission to share with Vera so we can both pray along together? My warm regards to Iya Ibeji. I’ll certainly do. Good night.’
Joshua hung up the call.
‘Is it that serious? that you needed his permission’ Vera asked.
‘Yes, that serious. It is about their baby. God wants them to give up the child as soon as it is born, give it up for adoption.’
Vera’s mouth fell open. ‘Serious?’ Dave could only nod.
‘Ha! Are they sure that is an instruction from God? Very sure?’
Dave told Vera everything Joshua shared with him. Vera still could not believe her ears. Could God really made such a request, she wondered. Is it something she could do? Does she love God and trust Him that much to do as He had instructed Daniella and Joshua?
Vera knew that God’s ways are unfathomable but this… It sounds so much like Abraham giving up the promised child, Isaac. But Isaac came back home with Abraham. Is this an exact test like Abraham’s? God won’t pull it through to the end right?
Dave interrupted her thoughts by mentioning that they should pray for them.
Dave led the prayer and they prayed for Bamisayo also. Their main prayer was that God’s will be done in Joshua and Daniella’s marriage.
Give them all the grace they need for the season. Then they prayed for the injured lady that God will heal her completely.
And for Solomon that he and his sister will be in God’s will for them as they have relocated to their town.
As they were rounding off their prayers, Shalom came to knock on their door that dinner was ready and that they had already eaten since they were both busy. They were wondering if they should say the night prayers on their own or if they should wait for them to come.
That was when Dave and Vera realised that time was fast spent.
They hurried out to say the night prayers with the children so they could head to bed while they ate their own dinner.
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Wheeeeew!
Will you also agree that the world is one small village? There’s certainly a Director behind this. What do you think will happen next? Drop your comments in the comments section below.
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Checkmate Episode 30
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