The Pastor's wife

Episode 16

Red glowing eyes stared back at me, and I tried to see clearly who it was. Metal claws closed over my forearm tightly, and I whimpered. Then I noticed he looked like David, the man with the red eye had his height and shape of his head. Then the strange being suddenly turned into my mother inlaw. The fear finally began to set in as my heart pumped.

“Ekomobong!” Her deep voice rumbled and echoed at the same time.

I woke up immediately sitting upright in shock, it was a dream. The bed was soft under me, but the covers were thickly hot. I was sweating through my pyjamas shirt. I looked at the other bed, Teye was sleeping peacefully wrapped in her pink mickey mouse duvet. My heart eased a bit, I kept repeating in my head that it was only a nightmare.

“Mummy are you okay?” Mfon asked, her voice was soft and tender, I held her into my arms.

“”yes, I am fine my love.” I said as I pulled her under the sheet and covered her up.

The feeling that overcame me was wondrous and terrifying.

I wanted to stay underneath the sheet, I wanted to sleep through the entire time, but when I checked the time, it was almost 6AM. I woke up hastily to pray, then made breakfast of fried plantain and eggs for the kids. when I heard the door bell ring my heart skipped, I wasn’t expecting anyone.

I didn’t hear the sound of any car horn or anyone knock at the gate. How did this person pass through the gate?

I tiptoed towards the window to see who it was, I slid the curtain a bit and my heart trembled at the mere sight of people I saw. Should I say they were in thirty, forty or fifty?

I thought they were arm robbers sent by Georgina to come attack me and the kids. I wanted to dial the police, but my instincts wasn’t sure.

Then I saw pastor Jerry, Pastor Ephraim, Akintola and the rest of them whom David mentored.

“What do y’all want?” I asked in a loud Tone, but boldly.

“Good morning maama.” they all greeted in Unison. There was a murmur. Pastor Jerry stood out from the crowd.

“Mamaa please pastor sent us to you.” Jerry said softly.

“I am ready for the divorce now, he doesn’t need to send the whole church to come beg me for a divorce.”

They began to murmur.

“No ma, he is asking for your forgiveness.” They all knelt in unison. But my heart became hardened. I gently closed the curtains and walked back slowly to the kitchen.

“Forgive?” I repeated in a panic whisper, a tear falling down my cheek.

To be continued...

*The Pastor’s Wife* 

Episode 1

That morning, my husband David came to pick me at the airport. He was dry faced and tensed, very unusual.

Other times, David would be so excited to come pick me, he would kiss me and hug me passionately, but now, everything became different.

“You kept me waiting for hours in there.”

I said, gazing angrily at him.

“Don’t tell me it’s traffic honey, today is Saturday.”

“I am sorry, I had to pick the kids from summer lessons, and then rush to church to counsel a few couples.”He said soothingly.

“you now prepare the kids for school, What happened to Ifeoma? she is the kids nanny.”

“And you are the Kids mom!” He Screamed suddenly.

“you’ve been away from your family for 5months Ekom, the kids don’t even talk about you anymore.” David deliberately slowed his breathing in a bid to calm himself down.

I was silent for a while.

my lips quivered, but David ignored that he saw tears glistening in my eyes.

Catching his eyes as he tried to look at me, I sensed a shiver of unease go through him.

He was right, I was away from my family for four months or more, I had women’s conference and hundreds of women to mentor in Houston. It was a moment I didn’t want to miss.

Then I broke the silence; “what of Ifeoma?”

David looked uncertain. “she fell ill, so I asked her to go see Doctor Dennis.”

We were both quiet until we got home.

I sat on my bed now, I slipped off my slippers and sank my feet into rug and decided to keep them sunk in so that my toes would feel cushioned. So that a part of me would feel safe.

“mummy!” my daughter screamed, breathing deeply.

She smuggled into my arms and I grabbed her tight to myself.

“where is your sister?” I whispered into her ears.

“she is sleeping.”

Not long I heard tiny foots running along the corridor that led to my room. “mummy, mummy…” She jumped on me and kissed me on my cheeks, leaving me in the sweet comfort of motherhood.

They looked so healthy and chubby.

“what has aunty Ifeoma and Daddy been feeding you with?”

“Golden morn and banana porridge!” they chorused shrilly.

“Mummy, Church people said that you are no longer daddy’s wife.” My first daughter Teye said, her eyes became sad. Deep and sad.

“Aunty Ifeoma Now sleeps in daddy’s room.” Mfon the youngest said.

My heart jumped, I knew at that moment, that there were stories In their eyes that I was yet to know.

#Who is Ifeoma? Will find out very soon.

Unknown