Her hand slid across his neck as they shared a kiss and when they broke free, his hands went to her abdomen and rubbed it affectionately.
“Do you think it’s going to be a boy or girl?” Dapo mumbled against her lips and she chuckled covering his hands over her swollen abdomen.
“What do you want it to be?”
“We’ll think about it, but for now, it’s just me and you.” He leaned close and kissed her. Reaching for her buttons, she smiled and watched him. They had obviously been doing this for a while.
A knock jerked them apart and Nimi quickly reached to adjust her dress and stood up from the couch where she had been lying down. Dapo adjusted his trousers and threw on a shirt immediately while trying to find his way to the door. Nimi panicked and tried to wear something to hide her little bump so as to prevent it from being conspicuous.
“Sis Arike…” She heard Dapo’s voice sounding shaky. “We were not expecting you here.”
“We?” She probed.
“Oh sorry, Nimi just came over to say hello…”
“And when did Nimi start coming to your house?” She pushed him aside and headed towards the living room where Nimi was nowhere to be found.
“Nimi…” She called out furious. “If you don’t come out right this minute, you won’t find it funny. I’m going to throw this house down and search for you.”
There was no response till she heard someone trying to tiptoe behind her.
Arike turned and saw Nimi. Her gaze settled on her and there was something amiss. It was when she saw the young woman’s hands trying to cover her abdomen she reached for her hands and slapped it away.
Her eyes widened in shock. “You’re pregnant!”
She looked down suddenly ashamed.
“And you’re not married.” She looked from Dapo to Nimi. “So how long were you two going to keep going on at this? Lying to me, to everyone except those who want this to happen. So this is why you got engaged? So you could hide your sin? So you could quickly marry and no one else would think the good girl had turned bad overnight.”
“We didn’t plan it this way…”
“You have failed God Nimi. If you keep going this way, you will drag others down with you and end up outside God’s will and his plan for this family. And I pity the family you’re going to have with Dapo for none of it will bring glory to His name. You’re taking a dangerous path, and I’m scared you will have blood on your hands.”
Arike jerked from her dream into the darkness and breathed when she realized it had only been a dream, a nightmare. She could not remember having a dream like that before Christ and it scared her so much she glanced at her husband who was still sleeping soundly next to her.
Her mind suddenly flashed to Nimi and she realized they had not spoken in weeks except for the call a week ago where Nimi excitedly told her Dapo had proposed. She had thought it was God’s will for her to marry Dapo.
So what was God saying?
Were they doing something hidden?
Her eyes widened when she suddenly remembered her accusation at Nimi and the scene of the dream played before her again. They’d been kissing. She had seen them together before she knocked. She wondered how it was possible and then she remembered it was a dream. Lots of things were possible in dreams when God wanted to reveal things.
Not wanting to readily jump into conclusions with the dream, she reached for her bible and her spirit led her to read from 2Samuel 11. When she got to chapter 12, understanding dawned on her as she read.
“You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?’
Oh Father! Has Nimi sinned against you? Her heart raced faster as she saw herself in the place of Nathan the prophet that had warned David.
“Oh God, please let it not be, this girl loves you passionately and would go miles for you. She is not the type to put you aside and chase after mundane things. Dapo loves you with his heart. Why now?”
Warn her for she follows a dangerous path.
Her spirit led her to 1 Thessalonians 4v3-5,7
You should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God. . . . For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life”
She was further led to 1 Corinthians 6v18-20
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
But how can people who love God so much just give in like that?
And God further led her to Galatians 5v19-25
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,..
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and SELF CONTROL. Against such things there is no law.
She closed her bible and reached for her journal documenting everything God had spoken to her about and with the intention to call Nimi and pass the message across.
Settling into bed, she mumbled a short prayer for the engaged couple and was glad there was still hope. They were not there yet. They could still retrace their steps back to God.
But her spirit was still not at rest and she wondered why. Not being able to go back to sleep, she went on her knees and prayed in tongues as the Spirit led her to.
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“Hello dear, could you spare me a few minutes of your time?” Arike reached to place her arms on her shoulder and smiled into the young woman’s eyes. Service had ended and people were already going home. This was the perfect time to reach out to her before her kids came jumping on her. Her husband would come looking for her soon though she had told him about it earlier. So she could buy more time before he came in.
He even suggested they invite herself and Dapo for dinner sometime soon.
“Ah of course Sis Arike.” Nimi laughed. “This one that you’re acting nice to me, I hope all is well.”
Arike frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“You don’t ask for my time, you take it.” She chuckled and allowed her lead her away from the crowd and into the library office.
“Ah, it’s because this one is important.”
“Oh.., I hope it’s nothing serious.” She suddenly looked worried.
“Well…” Her eyes casually strolled to her stomach as the dream replayed in her head. “Now that yourself and Dapo are engaged, I just wanted to be sure you guys haven’t forgotten the purpose of your relationship.”
She nodded furiously. “Of course Sis. Even Dapo was suggesting I might have to start coming to his church soon so it’s not so inconvenient for me when we get married. I thought it was a good idea…”
Arike’s spirit nudged her like a warning ahead. “Uh, and have you prayed about this?”
“Well…, it makes sense.” She seemed to stutter and look at her hands as she kept folding and unfolding it. “He would come pick me and he could drop me at home after service. I think it makes a whole lot of sense and it’s convenient for me, for the both of us.”
“What if you guys decide to stop by his house and y’know have lunch or something, have you thought about that?”
Arike saw her countenance change then. Nimi was hiding something from her.
“Well, we are both careful about what we allow when we are around each other.”
“So, you’ve been to his house after the Lara incident?”
She looked down. “Well, we only spent a few minutes and he just wanted to pick something before leaving.”
Arike remained quiet then and nodded as if she was just beginning to understand what God was telling her nights ago.
Father I’m sorry I doubted you. Why did I think for one second I knew more than you do?
“Did you follow him inside?”
She nodded.
Arike suddenly grew scared. “Oh my goodness Nimi, are you two having sex?”
“Of course not Sis Arike!” She cried eyes wide. “I thought you knew me more than this. We haven’t done anything like that. We just share a few kisses and it stops there. I suggested maybe next time I’m coming over, we will be having bible study instead so as to prevent us from drifting.”
Arike suddenly felt unease in the spirit and she spoke out. “What are you doing Nimi? Hear yourself. Bible study in Dapo’s house? When you two are not married? What happened to the ones going on here on weekdays? I can assure you that the next time you go to his place, it’s not bible study you two will be having, it’s body anatomy you two will be reading.”
Nimi looked away obviously upset.
“Now listen to me, you two are obviously getting carried away. You especially. I had a dream about you and God wants me to warn you. If you’re not careful, you’ll be singing a different tune when you two finally get married.”
“But God led us together and we are not even sleeping together.” Her eyes had turned red.
“I can’t believe sleeping with him should even cross your mind at this stage. Beware, bad company corrupts good manners. Where have you been spending your time? You think it’s only penetration that’s sex? From the birth of your desire, it keeps growing till your mind is filled with thoughts of it and you keep giving into those thoughts and are comfortable with them. All it’s just waiting for is physical manifestation. It has happened in your heart already.” Arike shook her head. “You of all people should be the last person suggesting bible study in your fiance’s house. You know his past. You know the kind of man he was before Christ. He’s still in the flesh and he can fall. You should not be the one making him fall Nimi. You should be pulling him up, you should be strengthening him with the word of God. You two should be talking and sharing God, the one who brought you together. Anything less than that will turn to something else.
Soon, you’ll start sexting each other and other things will start coming in. I knew Femi’s past and I avoided any contact that will make us start imagining how other parts of our bodies will feel like. He knew my past as well and so we prayed for grace and strength and stuck by it. Stop feeling you’re too good to fall. Paul warned us about this. Every step should be led by God.”
Nimi was quiet.
“You surprise me sha.” Arike continued. “So sense has taken over bible verse? Come, when last did God even lead you to do something? Now sense is guiding you abi? It’s like you don’t know what’s up with Mr flesh when it takes over.”
Nimi reached to wipe her face as her eyes had pooled. “I love him Sis Arike and I just can’t help myself whenever I’m with him. He’s been loving and kind and he’s just everything to me. Why did God make it so hard to not feel this way? I know I’ve been having thoughts about us but I feel it’s because I love him. I can’t think about him if I don’t. It’s so hard to just put those thoughts aside and pretend I don’t want him kissing me or making love to me. I see it in his eyes too. Some nights I go crazy when he doesn’t call or when he doesn’t text me. I can’t even imagine life without him.”
She raised her hands to her mouth when the last words were spilled and Arike suddenly realized the problem.
She was quiet for a while and Nimi could not say anything either. It felt like she had uttered something she wasn’t aware of as well.
“Don’t turn God’s gift to an idol Nimi. The consequences are not friendly.” She reached for a tissue and handed it to her so she could wipe her face
“I love Femi, I’m madly in love with my kids. Infact I could offer my life for them if I was told to. But they can’t take God’s place in my life. God’s love for me is more than what Femi or my kids can give me. His love is one I can’t live without. If Femi asked me to pick him or God today, I would pick God without thinking twice. I want you to think about it, would you pick your first love or Dapo?”
Nimi blew into the tissue without saying a word.
“Love suffers long and is kind. It doesn’t rejoice in iniquity. It does not seek it’s own. You’re exhibiting a love outside God’s definition Nimi and that will only cause you heartache.”
“I wish I don’t have to feel this way.”
“Just go to God and ask Him to help you through it.”
Lara needs her
Arike swallowed. Oh God, you want me to say that now?
“When last did you hear from Lara?”
Nimi looked up then. “It’s been a while. I told you she had issues with her brother.”
“But does she have issues with you?”
She blinked. “Uh.., well, she doesn’t like me…”
“But someone not liking you doesn’t stop you from telling them about God’s love does it? Or do you believe it makes things convenient for you compared to when she was a thorn in your flesh.”
Nimi closed her eyes and didn’t know where the laughter came from. “I’m sorry, but yes it did.”
Arike joined her and the tension in the atmosphere was erased. “I believe she’s the major reason God wants you there in the first place. So do what He has sent you to do and watch things work out for good. Perhaps, it might ease the whole sexual tension between yourself and Dapo.” She winked.
“Maybe.”
“When she was on your neck, you hardly had time for all those thoughts. Now that she’s laid aside, the enemy of your soul wants to occupy space. You know the guy likes to get busy so don’t be a victim abeg.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Not with your strength Nimi, but with God all things are possible. Okay? Let that be your motto. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
She nodded. “Yes ma.”
“Would you like to come over today? I’m sure the kids will like to have you and you can help me keep them busy while I attend to other things.”
“Of course. I would love that.”
“Thank you love.”
“Thanks Sis. I don’t know what I would have done without you in my life.” She reached to hug her and Arike returned the gesture. “I love you, but God loves you more, never forget that.”
“I won’t.”
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Lara had been staring at the phone for hours contemplating on calling Nimi. She was the only one who could help her talk to Dapo at the moment. Their mum didn’t know the truth about the Aisha part and so if she told her to beg her brother, he might tell her and she didn’t want that.
But I wasn’t fair to her.
She wondered if the girl would gloat in her face and ignore her or tell her she couldn’t. She heard about Dapo’s engagement from IK. Even Dapo did not call to tell her the recent development. And she was scared that if he continued this way, he might forget her forever. What if they had kids and she wasn’t allowed to come over. What if he didn’t even want her in his home.
And his wife. If they both didn’t want her, then she was going to die a miserable lonely woman.
No man wanted her. Even her father had not checked on her ever since she told her mum the truth. He obviously didn’t care what he had done to her. He had been seeking his own fame and reputation all this while. And after all she had done to protect his name, he didn’t care.
No one really cared.
IK still talked to her often but it wasn’t like before anymore. It was like he was scared of her and hurriedly hung up after they were done talking. She remembered trying to call him so they could have lunch but someone else had picked his phone. A lady. She tried to ignore the fact and called him again but his phone was switched off.
His recent dp had a young beautiful lady and she knew he probably didn’t see her that way anymore.
The only man she had sincerely loved was gone from her too.
Everything had been stripped off from her except her job which didn’t bring her joy or satisfaction anymore. A few of her friends wanted to come back into her life but all she could see was false friends. She thought about Soji and his threats of releasing her video and pictures. He hadn’t done it. She was glad he didn’t go through with it or she might have ended her life.
What if you did? It’s peaceful on the other side.
She shook her head. The thoughts of suicide had been molesting her mind recently. Ever since she sank into depression, anxiety had taken over and she was having nightmares. Horrible ones. This time, she would dream of all the men she’d slept with raping her and she would scream out. Her father was one of them. Her therapist told her it was just a dream but she knew they were more than dreams. Some weird things were happening to her recently. Whenever she laid on the bed to sleep, she would feel someone’s presence. Turning on the lights, she would not see anyone but it felt like she was being watched by some strange person.
Or was someone stalking her?
Maybe someone was. Paparazzi perhaps. They wanted to see how she was faring after the news got out. But that was not enough to explain the weight of someone on her whenever she slept and had those dreams. They were too real. She would feel the effect on her private part whenever she woke up.
Some nights, she had to take pills to sleep.
Why don’t you just end it once and for all. There’s no point living.
I’m scared of death.
Why?
Her mind suddenly flashed to when Nimi was talking to her about the next life months ago when she had just employed her and things hadn’t gone nasty between them.
“Next life huh?” She raised a brow like she didn’t buy any of those ‘things’
“Because of Christ, I have eternal life. There’s hope for mankind afterall. All we need to do is reach for it.”
“What makes you so sure there’s a next life?”
“Because there’s just so much going on in this world to think and say it all ends here and the book that predicts all says there’s hope, there’s life somewhere asides this. My spirit confirms it because I have the Spirit of God. Where does the spirit and soul go? The Bible says all shall be judged by one. I’d be crazy if I chose how many years of my life on earth over eternity. I couldn’t chose my parents or the life I had growing up, but I can choose where I’ll spend forever and whom I’d like to spend it with. Even if I loose all in this life, it’s worth nothing to what I have in Jesus.”
What if she ended it now and it was worse on the other side?
That fear held her back.
Ignore those thoughts. It’s better on the other side. No worries, no fear, you just go. Everyone is going to miss you. Even your dad is going to miss you. And your brother. He’s going to regret staying away from you. Don’t you want that? Don’t you want people to miss you and wish they hadn’t done so to you?”
I wish they would. But taking my life…
Oh, taking your life would do just that. You’ve got nothing to lose. No one loves you, no one needs you. Besides, you have nothing in this life. Everyone hates you and wish you were gone.
I would like to try. One last time. If I try Nimi. I don’t know why but she seems to be the only hope I’ve got right now.
You think she would listen to you?! Don’t! She’s only going to ignore you or laugh at you. Don’t stoop so low to beg her for help.
She reached for the phone and dialled her number. She was home and had not gone to work today. Nimi’s call depended on the next step she would take. She was going to write a note and raid her father’s bar downstairs or maybe cut her wrist and enter into the bathtub while leaving the water to run. She had been reading up on it and she was going to keep drinking till she passed out. Her liver would be damaged, and whatever came next, she didn’t care anymore.
“Hello…” Nimi’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“Hi, it’s Lara.”
The line went quiet for a while.
“Hello Lara, how are you?”
“I’m fine. I need your help with Dapo, can you help me?”
“Uh…, okay.”
“You know what, never mind.” And she hung up.
She reached to switch off her phone. She wouldn’t stoop low. She would take the other route.
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Nimi stared at her phone wondering what just happened. She inhaled deeply and tried to call her back but it kept saying switched off.
Why would she call her, hang up and switch off the phone.
Go to her
She blinked. Was God asking her to go and meet her?
She remembered her spiritual sister talking about Lara and how she had to reach out to the girl. The dream about the girl jumping off a cliff suddenly came to her and it was like a light bulb popped in her head.
Oh my God!
She quickly picked her bag and her purse and called Dapo on her way out of the house.
He didn’t pick his phone and she texted him instead.
“Dapo I need to talk to you. It’s important.”
He replied a few minutes later.
“Princess, I’m in the middle of a meeting right now, can you call me later or text me about it.”
She sighed and hailed a taxi. Things like this needed cabs and not danfo. After a brief negotiation, she entered and kept praying as her spirit led her to.
She texted Dapo a few minutes later as the cab drew close to the bridge.
“I think Lara is in danger.”
He called her immediately. “Babe, I got your text…”
“I don’t know Dapo but I just feel it in my spirit that Lara is about to do something crazy.” She felt herself crying and didn’t know where the tears were coming from.
“Baby calm down. What’s going on, where is she? Is she at home or at work?”
“I’m taking chances and heading straight to the house. Can you call work and check up on her. I want to be sure I’m going to the right place. Maybe call to ask if she’s somewhere asides home or work. And if you get to her before me, please just make sure she’s safe.”
“Okay sweetheart, I’ll do just that. Just be careful okay. Please be careful and watch the road.”
“I will.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. And baby, can you please pray with me. Just pray as you’re led to.”
“I will.”
She hung up and continued praying hoping that whatever Lara was up to, she would get there in time before anything happened.
Father, please let me not be too late. Let not the dream about her jumping out of my reach to catch her come to pass.
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When Nimi got to the Kitan’s mansion, she was glad the security allowed her in since it wasn’t her first time there. She had also been praying that they would let her in since she didn’t have an appointment or no one had asked her to come.
She thanked them and hurriedly ran to the door pounding on it furiously.
One of the maids opened and looked up at her curiously. “Good afternoon aunty.”
“Is Lara in?” She didn’t have time for pleasantries
The girl nodded.
“I would like to see her.”
“She said she doesn’t want to be disturbed.” The girl replied.
Pushing the girl to one side, she entered the house and looked around.
“Lara!” She called out and the girl was staring at her like a mad woman.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in the second living room. She locked herself inside.”
“Please lead me to the place.”
“But…”
“I said take me there, or do you want me to call your Oga’s son?”
“I’m sorry ma.” She turned immediately to lead the way and knocked on the sliding door which had been locked.
“Who’s that?” She called out.
Nimi couldn’t believe how excited she was about hearing Lara’s voice. She heaved a sigh of relief.
“It’s Uncle Dapo’s wife. She said she wants to see you as it’s very important.”
There was no response for a while before she came out and looked at Nimi in the eye.
“Leave.” She told the girl.
The girl hurried off.
“What do you want?”
Nimi suddenly saw her as a suffering child and felt sorry for her. Her eyes had sunk in and she looked lean. Her eyes went to her wrist and saw a few marks on them. She turned to look inside and saw bottles of alcohol lined up across the table.
“I said what do you want!” Lara suddenly screamed and Nimi jumped back in fright wondering what had gotten into her. Her eyes had something in them and she wasn’t looking normal. She looked like she was being tortured.
“I came because you called.”
“I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone. Get out of my house!”
“Lara please…”
“I said get out!” The girl screamed and reached to hit her on the face. “Get out of my life! Leave me alone!” She kept screaming and hitting her.
‘Oh father, this hurts’ She sobbed.
Stay with her
“You don’t want to leave abi. You think you can make me change my mind.” She headed for the table and opened a bottle of wine. Reaching for it, she drank some and spilled the rest of the content on Nimi’s face.
“Lara, please stop this. You’re hurting me and you’re hurting yourself.” Nimi cried trying to wipe her face and her dress all at once but Lara went back to pick another bottle.
“Do you know why I hate you? Because you are perfect! You have everything I ever wanted.” She opened the cover and emptied another full bottle on her. “You are everything I wish I could be. Your innocence wasn’t taken from you! My parents love you! My brother loves you because you’re perfect. Because you have what I don’t have!”
“I’m not perfect.” Nimi cried amidst the abuse. “I’m just like you.”
Lara scoffed. “You’re still here.” Dropping the bottle, she reached for her shirt and pulled at it so it tore. Seeing that Nimi didn’t budge, she threw her fists on her screaming and yelling at her. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. Why don’t you fight back. C’mon! Fight back. Hit me. I deserve it. After everything I’ve done to you. Say what’s in your heart. Tell me I’m a slut and my I deserve what I got. Pull my clothes and fight back. 50-50”
Nimi shook her head crying. “I won’t. I can’t, because I love you, irrespective of what you’ve done.”
Lara stopped and watched her as Nimi tried to pull her clothes together and crying as she did so.
And then she broke down in tears.
“I’m so sorry.” Lara sobbed. “I’m so sorry, please don’t leave me. I didn’t mean it. I don’t know what came over me.” She fell into her arms and curled up as Nimi reached to hold her.
“I won’t leave you. I promise.” She replied still hurting from her blows. But Lara was safe and had surrendered and that was all that mattered right now.
Much love. xo!
Original story by ITUNU TAIWO owner of http://myglowingscenes.com
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