The pastor's wife

Episode 8

I remembered our vows,

I remembered the way he held my hands and said to me that ours will be for better for worse.

I remembered the way he preached, the way he talked about God, the way I stood and nodded in support of my husband.

I remembered the last time we made love.

I remembered his cold dark eyes, how he glanced at me, and kissed me so passionately.

For twelve years, I loved him wholeheartedly, prayed with him, and prayed for him.

I remembered my sweat, the evangelism, how I convinced people to join the church so we could make a large congregation.

These thoughts made a shiver run down my spine. I became sick instantly, as Abigail, the kids and I watched him break our wedding frame. He ordered the boys to burn them into ashes.

“David you are a b-----d! man of God my foot! years back, you almost died when my sister refused to marry you. Now look, the devil has knocked your head again!” Abigail screamed.

But David acted like non of us existed. His eyes were hardened. The cool breeze that kissed my soft skin brought me back to reality.

“My lawyer is going to bring part of the money in our family account to you. I am no more interested in this marriage.” David said huskily as he tried to wipe the sweat on his forehead, he said these words so lightly like it meant nothing.

“You will regret this! you will suffer! my God will punish you!” Abigail’s comment instigated a train of thought that instantly perturbed him.

“I am a man of God.” he retorted.

“You are a man of doom! Your greedy mother made you a pastor so that her husband’s ministry won’t be controlled by strangers. You should have been a Monkey!” Abigail’s voice raised, as the kids laughed in unison.

He stared sternly at me and the kids for another ten seconds, sighed and walked away.

“Mummy, where is Daddy going?”

“To hell! he won’t ever come back. ” Abigail replied with a frowned face.

“Where is hell aunty Abigail?” Teye asked.

But Abigail didn’t respond. She walked gently and sat right beside me. Cuddling me like a baby.

“all will be well adiaha eka.” she said, almost whispering.

***

Five months passed, and all I did was fast and pray that God turns things around for my good.

Bitter resentment crawled inside of me, making my anger boil as it seemed as if God wasn’t listening.

The next day was a program in church organized by International pastors wives the themed was tagged “when women pray.”

“You should go mummy. I will take care of Teye” my first daughter Said as if she was a grown woman already.

I tickled her armpit in a funny way and she laughed, a hearty girlish laugh that showed her gap tooth.

“Mummy do me too.” Teye said, lifting her two small hands up.

I stared at the two of them excitedly in amazement.

To be continued

THE PASTOR'S WIFE 

EPISODE 12

Abigail's face had softened, her eyes misted over and for a moment, she was calm.

"I am going to be a real aunty for the first time in my life Ekom." she said tearily and smiled brightly at the same time.

"You are an aunty already mbok, don't let the kids hear that."

Lizzy called at that moment.

"Ekom, I am very close to your house, I had a long day already at work, so I decided to just come give you the injection at home and then tell you about something I discovered at the hospital."

"I hope all is well Lizzy?"

"very well, don't be scared." I ended the call.

few minutes later, I heard the horn of Lizzy's Car.

"She is here." Abigail said and immediately stood up to fix the throw pillows in place. 

Not Long Lizzy walked in, smelling of vanilla body spray. she was wearing jeans, a boot and huge cream colored sweater that came halfway down her thighs. 

She frantically looked around.

"Good evening ma." Abigail greeted.

"Evening darling, you look so much like Ekom."

"She is my elder sister."

"oh nice meeting you." Lizzy said as she nodded at her without quite smiling, a little sheepish.

"You look tired." I said.

"My day was hectic. David came to the clinic to get his son's test result. He came with Ifeoma and the little baby, you should have seen the look on his face when he discovered the boy is SS and he is AA."

"What?" Abigail screamed. 

I stared at Lizzy in disbelief.

"When he asked Ifeoma who the real father of the baby was, she started speaking gibberish. smh, give me ice water jare before my throat will burst."

Abigail rushes to the kitchen and runs out in a second with a bottle of water and a glass cup. Lizzy pours the water in the glass hastily and gulps it in her stomach.

"I hope you didn't tell him that I expecting a baby?"

"God forbid! am I mad? that idiotic human being called David doesn't deserve you." she said and sipped the water lightly this time.

"nawa o, this God is the biggest game player. Ekom you always said this." Abigail said looking at me amazingly.

"when God said I will make a table before you, in the presence of thy enemies. you thought he was talking to the devil? he was talking to us! You and I." I said, and became totally unfazed.

"Who did she say is the real father of the baby?" Abigail asked desperately.

 Lizzy breathed an audible sigh of relief before she replied.

"She mention one Usman. She said he was pastor's former driver who used to live at the boys quarters."

"What?" Abigail and I screamed unbelievably in unison.

Abigail laughed out loud, she laughed and fell on the floor. The sound of her laughter stayed in my head ever since then, it giggles me.

To be continued...