TECHNICAL VIRGIN

 TECHNICAL VIRGIN

BY PRECIOUS OBIALOR UKAZIM

A Christmas Gift from YOUNG REALITY

Episode 1

Two little boys were fighting over a piece of cooked meat in the school where Sade is a teacher and she ran to them and separated the fight. “Why are you fighting, don’t you know that children of God don’t fight?” she asked holding them side by side as she stood in between them looking from the boy at her right hand to the one at her left. “Tell him to give me my meat” the younger boy protested pointing at his opponent. “It’s not his meat. It’s for the two of us” the older boy shouted back in defense. “You are lying; both of us can’t own one meat. Our mother can never make such mistake. You collected my meat because you are older than me” the younger boy explained almost crying. “Sister, don’t mind her o, share the meat between the two of us or else none of us will eat it” the older boy said arrogantly and she turned to look at the younger boy to know if the idea is accepted by him and the boy grudgingly nodded in the positive. “This thing you are doing will get you into trouble one day I promise you” the younger boy said almost crying as he pointed at his brother. 

Sade calmed the younger boy, and collected the meat. She made to use her two hands to divide it but the meat was a half done and so became very difficult for her to tear with her fingers. She bent to face the two boys who were already standing before her and said, “The meat is difficult to cut with my hands can I used my teeth?” She asked searching their eyes for answers and they agreed. Sade began to cut the meat with her teeth and the boys suddenly began to cry and shout. “Ah! Ah! You have eaten the meat! You ate the meat! Ah!” They cried and she became shocked. “I didn’t eat the meat, I’m only trying to cut it for you” she explained trying to calm their uproars. But they would not hear it as they increased the tempo of their voices in fierce protests. Soon, people gathered them round to know what the reason for the uproars. “I didn’t eat the meat, I only cut it for them with my teeth because the meat was too difficult to cut” Sade explained innocently to the onlookers but they just stood there looking at her with the meat in her hands. “It’s a lie, you ate the meat!” The two boys shouted and the onlookers started shouting her down and accusing her of eating the boys’ meat. She tried defending herself but no one believed her and she began to cry as she was made a public shame. “If you didn’t eat the meat, why did you go to the extent of cutting the meat with your teeth? Don’t you know that the juice in the meat is the real thing in the meat?” Some people in the crowd asked her but all her explanations fell on deaf ears. They began to throw negative words at her and she began to weep loudly until she woke up from her dream still crying… 

Episode 2

She woke crying from her dream and fear gripped her heart. “What a terrible dream!” she said in a whisper to avoid waking her roommate who was fast asleep. “Cutting meat with my teeth in the dream?” Deep in thoughts, she asked nobody in particular as she lay flat on the bed and rested her jaws on her hands which were crossed interchangeably on the pillow. “But, why would those boys accuse me of eating the meat even when they both agreed I share it with my teeth? I was disgraced in that dream and no one even believed me. Lord, What could this dream mean?” She wondered as she focused her eyes on the blank television set as if she was watching a movie. “Ah! Ah! Accusing spirit” she sat up meditatively with her first two fingers on her lips. “Some people are planning to accuse me wrongly for what I did not do” she said, then continued. “And this must be coming from my school.” She concluded. ” It’s been a long time my enemies in that school have been planning to implicate me but God would not allow them to succeed. He has exposed their plans to me again and I’m going to pray against every wrong accusation they might be planning against me. It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass..” She said and began to pray. She prayed in her knowledge, casting and binding, and asked the Lord to disgrace those that are plotting against her in her place of work. She tried praying silently so that she would not disturb her roommate but when she started praying in tongues, she forgot herself and began to 

Pray very loud and in no time, her roommate woke up and tapped her to lower her voice. She lowered her voice and prayed for another 40 minutes before her 5:30 alarm rang for morning devotion. But she decided to pray through instead of her usual way of reading Our Daily Manner and the bible, followed by prayers. When she opened her eyes and checked the clock in her phone, it was already few minutes to 7am, so she hurriedly concluded her prayers and dashed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and then take her bath. She had wanted taking tea and bread before going to work but because of the dream she had, she declared a three days fast for herself starting from that morning. Just when she was done wearing her three quart gown, her roommate woke up from the bed and murmured a brief prayer. “Good morning sister Yemisi” she greeted her roommate who was walking towards the toilet looking moody. “Good morning Sade” she replied without looking back. “Am already off to work. Leave the dirty plates for me, I will wash them when I comes back from school” she said with a loud voice in order for Yemisi to hear her well. “Bye” she responded from the toilet and Sade dashed out of the room and hastened her steps to the bus stop where she would board a bus to her place of work. After standing at the bus stop for about 4minutes, a loaded bus with just two vacant seats, passed and she halted it and entered. “Am dropping at Badmus junction o, how much?” she said and the conductor told her the price and she breathed down and then relaxed back on her seat. “Better o, because me I can’t fight this early morning o” she said looking at the next passenger who smiled at her. He was an average young man with cute dimples when he smiles and she noticed it at a glance. “You can’t fight abi? ” he asked laughing and she joined him to laugh. “Yes na, all these conductors like fight more than food o” she said and they both started laughing. “Don’t worry, I will fight for you” he said calmly and she smiled and thanked him. “It’s seems you’re a teacher in Badmus International schools” the young man said and she nodded in the affirmative. 

“That’s lovely. It’s a big school with good standards and it’s almost operating like a government school” the young man said and she shook her head with pride. From there, they began to discuss other things ranging from bad government to the Christian community; it was then that Sade realized the young man was a serious Christian from the way he analyzed so many things about the Christian faith using many Bible references. She loves God and everyone who love the Lord, so this young man was no doubt one of them. As the bus was getting close to the junction where she would drop, she asked him what church he attends and was overjoyed when she found out that he was a   the same church with her, except that he was a member in another branch. They quickly exchanged phone numbers and she alighted the bus. The young man asked her not to pay that he will take care of her fare. She thank him with a smile and began to run towards the school gate. On reaching the school compound, the bell for morning assembly rang. She rushed over to the teachers’ attendance register to put down her name and time of arrival and came face to face with the vice principal who gave her a devious look before walking away. He had previously asked her to marry him and she refused, stating that she cannot marry a man who is not born again and since then Mr. Afolabibegan to seek occasions to implicate her in order to make her lose her job in that school. But Sade on her own part made sure that she did everything required of her in that school perfectly and at the right time, this made it very difficult for him to carry out his evil plots against her. He always gave her that devious look each time he expected her to come late or do something wrong but gets disappointed. Sade greeted him but he didn’t respond, so she walked up to the register and signed in her arrival then walked out. After the morning assembly, the class lessons commenced immediately and she made sure that she covered all her scheme for that day. When the bell for closure rang, she led her pupils in prayers and waited for the last child to leave the class before leaving. As she was arranging her bag to leave the class, her phone rang. She looked into the phone screen to know who was calling but the number was not saved in her phone; she slid the green color symbol on her smart phone to the right and placed the phone on her Left ear.

” Hello, “She said at the same time with the caller on the other end, and then continued, “Who am I speaking with please?” She asked trying hard to recollect the voice but couldn’t. “It’s bro Kehinde, the brother you met in the bus this morning on your…” the caller explained. “Oh! Okay! Am sorry I forgot to save your number this morning because I was rushing to beat lateness...” She explained and brother Kehinde responded almost immediately, “Its okay, I understand...” 

Episode 3

“It’s okay, I understand” brother Kehinde responded almost immediately and there was silence at the other end. “Have you closed from school?” He asked, “I came around your school to work on my car and I thought I should give my church sister a lift so she won’t have to fight with the conductor” he said teasingly, laughing over the phone and Sade gave a faint smile. “Thank you my brother, i just closed from school but I won’t be going home immediately” she replied carefully. “I want to go to the mountain from here. Maybe some other time sir” she said. “Which of the mountains, if you’re going to the Aladura Mountain, you can join me because that’s the direction to my house” he explained and Sade gave a surprise exclamation. “Ah! Ah! You know the Aladura Mountain?” She asked with her mouth widely open. “Yes I do, who doesn’t know Aladura Mountain? That’s where I spend my weekend with the Lord.” He replied and it impressed her. She like working with like minded people, people who are lost in their quest for more of God. She had wanted to turn down his offer even though it was the said mountain she was going, but for the fact that his Christian life impressed her she would accept his offer for a lift. “Alright, am walking towards the school exit gate. Where in particular are you?” She asked, and hastened her steps. ” I’m outside the school gate, you will see me once you come out of the gate ” he replied and just then, Sade came out and sighted him standing in front of a Toyota Corolla car waving and smiling at her. She returned the smile and walked up to meet him. They exchanged greetings and he opened the front car door for her to enter before went the other way to enter the driver’s seat. “You won’t believe I’ve been at the mechanics’ works shop since that 

Morning you saw me. They assured me that my car would be ready this morning only for me to arrive there and found out that it has not even been touched” he said shaking his head sadly. “I had to stay back and watch them work on it. Since morning, it now that they just finished working it after several discouraging attitudes they have been displaying since morning.” He narrated with a tensed up face. “It’s a pity sir. These handwork people are like that everywhere, their tomorrow means next week. Thank God they finished it up today.” She said looking at the roadside hawkers through the glass window as he drove the car at a moderate speed limit and brother Kehinde took that opportunity to have a good look at her and he smiled satisfactorily before looking away. “What if you come and worship in my parish this Sunday?” He asked, concentrating on the highway. “Me ke, no oo” Sade replied disagreeably, “Am very committed in my parish so much that if I miss church service in a year, everybody will notice it” she said laughing. “My pastor won’t even permit me to miss a Sunday service for any reason…” She continued, “Hmmm.. Are you the Pastor’s wife?” He queried trying to feign seriousness and she bursted into laughter. ” No, am not. I’m just a committed worker” she explained and he twisted his mouth in such a funny way that got the both of them laughing. “You should worship with us rather, I promise you, and you will enjoy our parish Sunday service. You may even decide to divert to ours” she tried to convince him. “Well, because of you, I will give it a thought and possibly a try. But on one condition o” he said whining his eyes playfully. “And what’s the condition?” She asked and observed that brother Kehinde was not driving through the route she was familiar with. “Wait, this is not the road na. You have to go straight a bit and then turn to the right hand side” she quickly spoke up demonstrating with her hands as she him direction. “There are many short cuts to the Aladura Mountain but this is the shortest and it’s a bit motorable. That place you are directing me to is the longest route.” He explained and drove on. “Back to our previous business” he said smiling like a spoilt child. 

“Are you ready to meet my conditions?” He asked looking at heras shelooked through the window fearfully, trying to observe thethick forestson the both sides of the road.“What’s the condition?” She asked absent mindedly without looking athim and there was silence…

Hmmm… Is Sade safe with brother Kehinde?

To be continued

Episode 4

“Brother where are you taking me to?” Sade out busted opening her two eyes wide and looking behind several times in fear. “Hahaha… Ah! Sister mi, are you scared?” Kehinde asked laughing hard in such a way that displeased her,  she frowned her face but her heartbeat increased rapidly as she began to imagine the worst. Soon some Bible passages started dropping on her mind and she began to combine the quotations with prayers silently in her mind. ” Fear fear baby! We are almost there” he said pointing to an old sign post which read, “This way leads to Aladura mountain” the sign post with a rusted black arrow symbol pointing to the left read and in no time, the car pulled over to the backside of the mountain which was almost a place land and she recognized the place. “Ah! Boda Kehinde, you raised my blood pressure. I thought you were going to use me for rituals” she said, breathing down with her two hands on her chest. “Kini? How can you even think of that?” He bursted into laughter. “I’m a Christian not a ritualist” he said calmly and off the car ignition. “So, what are you saying about my condition?” He asked looking at her as she turned her wristwatch over to check the time. “Am still waiting for you to name it” she said and began to put herself together to climb down the car. “On the condition that you hang out with me after the service so I can more about you and your Christian faith” he said and waited for her response. “Well, I can’t promise you that yet because I already have an appointment with my fiancé. We shall be visiting his elder sister in the 

Hospital that Sunday” she said without looking at him. He shook uncomfortably on hearing the word fiancé but he adjusted himself and feigned a smile. “Wow! Good to hear that my church sister is already engaged. But you can at least squeeze out little time out for her church brother too. I don’t think am asking for too much.” He said and twisted his neck pleadingly. “Okay, let’s see how it goes first. If we come back in time, I will call you but if not; we schedule for another day. Let me go and pray before it gets dark. I need to leave this place before 6pm today.” She said and began to open the car door. ” Can I come pick you by six?” He asked and saw her restlessness then continued, “You know this mountain is almost my second house. You may find it difficult getting a bus that will convey you home because today is Friday” he explained but she didn’t respond so he released her to go for her prayers. 

After 3hours of Marathon prayers, Sade noticed that it was getting dark, so she checked her time and found out it was already past 6pm. She quickly said the grace, packed up her bible and jotter and walked down; following the major road she was familiar with. She had to carefully climb down the rough mountain which was covered by bushes and large stones. By the time she arrived the valley; she was panting for air and sweating profusely. She trekked a long distance and arrived the major road where she would board a bus but just as Kehinde said earlier, there was no bus. The few buses that passed bye were filled with passengers and the private cars were not ready to stop as each of them ran on high speed with their glasses whined up. 

Her phone began to ring but she couldn’t pick up because she was worried as it was already very dark. It was her fiancé Kolade and her roommate that were calling and the phone kept ringing repeatedly. “Hello” she answered Kolade’s call. “My dear, where are you?” Kolade queried worriedly over the phone. “I told you this morning that I will be going to the mountain after work” she said and he affirmed it. “I’m waiting for a bus that will convey me to the town and have been standing here for over 1hour but there’s no available bus…” She explained and he interrupted her. 

“Bur…but why did you have to stay there till late in the night na? I told you to wait till tomorrow so that we can go together but you insisted. Look now, you are in the middle of nowhere without any possible means of coming back…” He began to complain bitterly and it got her upset, “Please, please am not ready for your nagging right now. Don’t bother about me, I will find my way to my house with or without a bus...” She fired at him angrily and ended the call when she saw two boys from nowhere approaching her. ” Haunty , you dey wait for bus? ” one of them asked with a deep Yoruba tongue while the other one walked behind her and stood adjacent to her without saying a word. Fear gripped her heart, the thought of brother Kehinde flashed her mind and she began to regret for not allowing him to come back and pick her up. Her phone rang again and it was Kehinde, she looked at the two boys fearfully before picking the call. “Hello, brother Kehinde” she said in a whisper and he suspected that she was in trouble. “Where are you right now” he asked standing up to dress up. ” Am at the major express road that leads…” The call ended while she was still talking as one of the boys covered her mouth and snatched the phone from her while the other one forced her hand bag and threw her to the ground… 

To be continued 

Episode 5

They threw her to the ground as she tried struggling with them over her phone and handbag. She let go of them when one of them started suggesting that they should rape her so that she will learn her lesson never to stay out late in the night as a girl. “Abi o” the second guy concurred and tore the gown from the breast part while she fought hard to cover her body from further harassment. The other boy held her hands behind and soon they over powered her. She raised alarm as the other boy unzipped his trouser, and made to go down on her, a car light flashed towards their direction but the perpetrators didn’t bulge as they assumed it was a car passing bye. She intensified her voice and the boy struggled to cover her mouth and also tried to make out with her but the car began to come closer to them with its light fully flashed at them. When they realized that the car was actually hunting them, they fled with her phone and handbag leaving her almost naked on the muddy ground. “Sister Sade!” Kehinde screamed and jumped out of his car to meet Sade who was crying and also covering her nakedness with the remains of her torn gown. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you? ” he asked so many questions at a time and tried to observe Sade who was almost naked and dirty. He looked around again to know if those rascals were still around before holding her up. “Here’s my shirt” he said, removing his stripped long sleeved shirt and handed it over to her to wear and he was left with only his white singlet and chinos trousers on. He noticed her discomfort on wearing the shirt in his presence and turned his back on her, “Sorry” he said and looked away for her to wear the shirt. “Please, wear it let’s get out of here. This place is not always safe at night” he explained with a calm voice. She quickly buttoned up the 

shirt and made a skirt with the remains of her torn gown and informed him tearfully that she was done. “Stop crying” he said and placed his hand on her shoulder before leading her to the front car. She sat down there in the car still sobbing as he ignited the car and began to reverse the car carefully. When he was done, he turned to look at Sade who was still crying and his countenance fell. ” Did they hurt you? I mean I hope they didn’t succeed in… ” he asked and she nodded like a child.” But they made away with my phone and handbag containing my Bible and other accessories” she explained and he started laughing. ” Are you crying because of the phone and handbag? You are more important than those things; I mean your safety first! ” he exclaimed and she looked away.” Okay, I will get you a new phone if that’s the problem and… umm.. If you permit me, I don’t mind buying another new bag with all the accessories for you ” he said smiling and nudged her hand to talk but she was cold as she imagine what those boys wanted to do to her. “Where do we go from here ma?” He asked but she didn’t hear him because she was lost in thoughts. He repeated the question but she didn’t respond, so he tapped her on the shoulder and she jolted back to her consciousness. “Sorry I scared you” Kehinde said apologetically. ” huh! Hmm… Not really ” she said and looked at him with the corner of her eyes. “Okay, I was asking you where I should take you to. My house is close bye,if you don’t mind you can go with me and freshen up then first their tomorrow morning, I will go and drop you . ” explained but her facial expression didn’t buy the idea of sleeping over at his place. “Ow..Kay! I get it.” He said haven read the expression on her face, ” I will take you home if that’s what you want ” he said and marched the accelerator. “Where exactly is the place you are living?” He asked, concentrating on the steering and she told him. There was silence in the car all through the drive to her place and she felt indebted to him for saving her from the hands of those rascals. After about 30 minutes drive, they arrived Sade’s one room self-contained apartment which was built in the form of a boy’s quarter. She stole at him before thanking him and he waved it aside. 

” like I said earlier, I will get you a new phone tomorrow, so don’t let what happened trouble you at all. I already know the direction to this place, so expect your phone tomorrow unfailingly” he said as she alighted the car, stoop down and thanked him before running into the compound holding her clothes with her two hands. She arrived her room at some minutes past ten and her roommate began to bombard her with questions seeing how tattered she was. But she started crying instead, removed her clothes and ran into the bathroom, “I had encounter with robbers. When I come out from the bathroom, I will tell you in details” she said without looking at her.” hmmm, This one you are crying ,I hope they didn’t rape you shaa o”she asked like a gossip monger but got no response.

The next morning, Sade woke up with serious body aches and her roommate massaged her body with hot water, looking at her suspiciously. Sade had assured her last night that she wasn’t raped but she didn’t believe her. She had always wished that Sade become like her who was no longer a virgin but Sade maintained chastity even though she was in courtship with Kolade. At exactly 11am, Kehinde was at her house and presented a brand new Android phone to her in the presence of her roommate. He asked to take her out to where she can retrieve her lines and she agreed. When they left the house, her roommate almost ran mad as envy ate deep into her. She couldn’t imagine why Sade was always attracting handsome and responsible men and not her. “She is in courtship and still another man is buying her phone and even taking her out” she said to herself.” I will tell Kolade that she is seeing another man” she concluded with a devilish frown.

After the welcome back, Kehinde took Sade to an eatery in order to make her forget the incident of last night and there; they got talking and shared a little about themselves to each other. When they were about leaving, Sade called him by his name and said, “Brother Kehinde, thank you for not allowing those hooligans take my virginity. I would have just killed myself if they had succeeded” she said, put her palms together as if she was praying with her eyes closed in sincere appreciation. Kehinde on the other hand couldn’t believe his ears as he sat up properly and stared at her with surprises written on

his face. “You’re still a virgin?” He didn’t know when the question came out of his mouth as he drew close to her. She smiled at him and said; “Why the surprise looks” she asked looking into his eyes… 

To be continued 

Episode 6

“Well, I was just surprised that as beautiful as you are, you are still a virgin. I’m proud of you though” he said with a smile. “Thank you sir” she said, then continued. “I need to go home now because am going for choir rehearsal by 4pm” she began to zip her small hand bag. He picked up his car keys from the table and said, “I will drop you, then go from there to my own reversals too.” He said standing to his feet. “Reversals” she asked, widening her eyes. “I remember you promised to worship in my parish tomorrow” she said and he began to laugh. “But you are yet to meet my condition” he said, putting his hands in his pockets. “I like the way you are posing” she said laughing and he gave her a smile that revealed his dimples. “Hmmm... I also like those dimples” she said standing up to her feet. “All these compliments are meant to divert my attention from our 

discussion right?” He said as they walked out of the eatery. “Not really. I already told you I will squeeze out time for you after my outing with my fiancé” she said without looking at him. “He’s a lucky man though” he said under his breath and she turned back and asked, “You said what?” Looking inquisitively into his eyes. “Nothing, I wasn’t really talking to you” he replied and opened the car door for her to enter. He drove her home meditatively without saying much. When they finally arrived her place she climbed down and bent down to thank him. “I shall be expecting your call tomorrow” he said. “And I’m hoping to see you in my parish tomorrow” she replied before walking away. 

She arrived her house only to meet Kolade’s long face waiting for her. She swallowed hard, and bent down to greet him but he responded coldly and waited for her to unlock the door. “Come in” she said standing at the door post, but he didn’t respond nor turn to look at her. “Or do you prefer staying outside let me get a seat for you?” She managed to ask, trying to control her anger. When she didn’t get any response from him, she entered the room and left him to himself outside. After standing there for about 20minutes, he entered the room grudgingly without knocking and found her dressing up. “You could have at least knock before entering the room..” She said calmly but Kolade was not interested in whatever she had to say. “What happened last night?” He asked, his eyes red. She tried to avoid the quarrel looming and began to narrate what happened but he didn’t allow her to complete her story before shouting her down. “I told you, didn’t I tell you to wait so we can go together today? But you were stubborn! You don’t always like listening to me…” He kept on shouting and his voice filled the room. ” ejo, todu oluwa fimile … For God’s sake leave me alone. Kola leave me alone o” she said pulling her right ear as if sounding him a warning but he got more provoked and began to recount other past incidents and occasions where she didn’t adhere to his instructions and he mentioned an incident that got her upset. She fumed up and began to lash at him. “What about you?” She blew hot, “You don’t care about my welfare, and you don’t call or contribute anything 

Spiritually or physically in my life. All you do is instruct and command me on what to do, what not to do and fault findings. See, Kola am getting fed up with your quarrelsome attitudes” she blew hot at him and picked up her bag with a hard cover notebook. “I want to lock my door and go to choir. Can you now leave?” She said and opened the door for him. He stood transfixed, amazed at her boldness. “Are you asking me out of your house?” He queried looking intently into her eyes but she didn’t care a bit. “I said, leave! I want to lock my door, am already late and don’t have time for your drama” she said and he feigned a smile and walked out arrogantly. She locked up the house and hastened out to church. 

After the reversals, she switched her new phone and the first call that entered was Kehinde’s call. “Bother, Kehinde please I will call you later..” She said hurriedly over the phone as she was trying to conclude a discussion with the youth choir leader. “Okay!” He said and quickly ended the call. “You’re leading praise and worship tomorrow. No excuses!” The choir leader mandated and she accepted having realized that his mind is made up on her. On reaching home, she dialled Kehinde’s number, he picked it up and said, ” Don’t waste your airtime, cut the call let me call you back” he said and she ended the call with a smile. In less than two minutes, he called back and they spoke for close to 35minutes before they bade each other good night. As she was about entering the small kitchen to find something to eat, her roommate entered. They exchanged greetings and she asked her what she cooked. “Ah! No food in this house o. I’m thinking of preparing Noddles for the both of us” she said and the roommate hissed and brushed past her. “Haba , kilode?” Sade stared at her but she didn’t respond. After standing for few seconds, she swallowed hard and entered the kitchen to prepare the Noddles which her roommate refused to eat. She picked up her phone and called Kolade’s number several times to apologize for her actions but he didn’t pick. She put on her data and went to search for him on WhatsApp, fortunately for her, he was online so she sent some chats to him and apologized. The chats showed green mark lines which indicates that he received the chats but 

Kolade didn’t reply. She gave herself excuses on his behalf that he probably was busy and waited for his response till she dozed off… 

Wetin dey worry brother Kolade sef? 

To be continued 

Episode 7

Sade’s 4 O’clock quiet time phone alarm rang very close to her head and she woke up. She looked at her roommate who was deeply asleep and her body suddenly became weak and desired more rest. She lay back to rest for a while and in no time, her eyes closed as she slept off. At 5:43am, she jumped up from the bed like someone who was being chased by a masquerade from the dream. “Ah! I’ve missed my quiet time” she murmured and quickly climbed down the bed, collected her bible, jotter, Our Daily Manner booklet and pen and went down on her knees close to the reading table to pray. She prayed for few minutes and sat down on the reading chair to study her bible after reading the ODM commentaries. She jotted down her personal revelations from the scriptures and prayed. After saying the grace, she entered the kitchen and put a pot on fire to boil rice. Sunday school starts by 7:50 and she can’t miss it for any reason. The thought of Kolade flashed her mind and her heart skipped. “He didn’t return my calls nor replied my chats” she told herself with a low voice. “Sometimes I wonder whether this courtship is a kind of prison or something. I mean, for how long will I continue to be the one to apologize to Kola each time we have a misunderstanding? I do everything to please him yet he gets too difficult to please” she said almost crying when her roommate entered the kitchen to collect a cup. “Good morning” she managed to greet without looking at her and she grudgingly murmured back a response. Sade checked the time as she was stirring the pot of steaming tomato stew on the burner and realized she was going to run late if she doesn’t hurry up with her food. She left the stew on the fire to boil while she got herself ready to enter the bathroom. With the towel loosely tied to cover her breasts, she entered the kitchen and turned off the gas, then dashed into the 

bathroom and had a quick bath. Her phone began to ring as she was dressing up and she rushed at it thinking it was Kolade’s call, but got disappointed when she saw Kehinde’s name. She sighed and went back to finish up her dressing. She arrived the church two minutes past the Sunday school time; but they were yet to start, yet she felt bad for going late to church. The Sunday school started and she expected to see Kolade teaching in one of the classes since he was a Sunday school teacher but he was absent. She suddenly became afraid that something must have happened to him. She quietly walked out of her class when she couldn’t concentrate very well on the teachings and went to a quiet place to call him. She dialed his number several times, but there was no response. As she was still thinking of the closest person who could possibly know his whereabouts, she looked around and sighted Kolade with a lady talking and laughing as they walked up to the church premises and he had his phone in his hand. She intentionally dialed his number again and she saw Kolade grumbling with a frown on his face as he looked into the screen of his phone. “He’s probably telling that sister that am disturbing his phone” she concluded in her heart, ended the call and stood back and watched them enter the church sluggishly, not minding that they were already late, then entered and sat on her seat at the front rows from where she turned several times to look at Kolade who didn’t want to maintain eye contact with her. As the Sunday school classes were summarizing their teachings, she bent her head as hot tears streamed down her eyes. “Lord, please help my heart. Sing through me even in this morning service and give yourself glory in Jesus name.” She prayed, with her head still low as if she was meditating over the lessons. The microphone was handed over to her after the summary, and she mounted the stage, with her mind made up not to look Kolade’s direction she closed her eyes, lifted up her slim hands and started to sing in tongues to charge up her spirit. After some minutes, she raised a worship song that brought many people on their knees, crying and praying in the Holy Ghost. By the time she was handing over the microphone to the person who would lead in opening prayers, people were already lying down on their faces, knees and crying as they worshipped God. Sade opened her eyes and handed the mic over to an elderly man, and 

as she walked up to her seat, she saw someone smiling at her from the congregation but was too shy to look the second time. But during the opening prayers, she systematically opened one of her eyes and looked towards that direction and found out it was Kehinde and her heart leaped for joy.

After the service, she joined the choir for their usual 5minutes prayers after service, and then rushed out to greet Kehinde’s. When she found him, he was hugging and shaking hands with Kolade and she wondered where they knew each other from. She swallowed hard and walked up to them despite the internal pressure telling her to wait till when Kola leaves.“Brother Kehinde, good afternoon” she greeted excitedly and without seeing the person, Kolade recognized her voice and his countenance changed so much that Kehinde noticed his uneasiness as she greeted him.“Kenny” Kola called his attention from Sade.

“I need to be on my way now” he said and they both exchanged a goodbye handshake. Sade tried to approach him, but he snubbed her in the presence of Kehinde and walked away with his Bible in his armpit. Embarrassed, she stood at a spot and watched him disappeared from her sight and Kehinde walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She tried hard to hold back the tears that has clouded her eyes, but they found themselves flowing down freely to her cheeks.“Let me drop you” Kehinde said almost in a whisper, held her hands and led her to the car…

To be continued

Episode 8

Kehinde drove Sade home in silence and turned several times to look at her but she was too ashamed to look into his eyes, so she looked away and got drown in her own thoughts. There were so many questions troubling his heart which he needed to ask her concerning Kolade and what happened few minutes ago, but in order to avoid making her more emotional, he kept them to himself and hoped that his suspicions are not true. Soon, they arrived her house and he looked at her again before speaking up after the long silence. “My dear, I don’t know exactly the problem between you and Kola but I don’t think a woman should be handled the way he did. It’s damn wrong!” He said and hit his hands on the steering of his car, then he continued. “And you just have to stop crying, I don’t feel right seeing your tears. Wipe your tears, no one should determine your happiness.” He said and drew close to her with his white handkerchief and wiped the tears that flowed down on her cheeks. “You know what? I will come pick you up by 4pm so that you won’t have to stay alone and cry over what happened. Is that okay?” He asked but she nodded in the negative. ‘I told you I will be going out with my fiancé. I don’t think we would be back by then ” she explained quietly without looking at him. “It’s alright then, anything that will make you happy is okay by me. Nevertheless, I will still call to know how you’re doing” he said and opened the door for her to go down. She thanked him and walked into the compound. Her roommate was already back with a friend from her own church and they were lost in their discussion so much that they didn’t know when she entered the room. “Ha! My boy friend cannot do without sex o. And me I don’t want to lose him because men are scarce to get. I will give him what ever he wants and keep trusting God that one day, he will propose to me” she was so shocked to hear that statement coming from her roommate whom she thought was born again. “Well, Tope have been demanding sex from me but I can’t do it. My 

Parents will kill me if they find out am no longer a virgin. My father is a pastor and am the only daughter, so I don’t want to bring him disgrace” the visitor said laughing. “Girl, shine your eyes o. If you lose Tope, to get another well to do man will be difficult o. Do for him anything he want o” Sade’s roommate advised her friend. “See am still a virgin, though technically. The only thing I allow him to do with me is smooching and romances. I never try?” The visitor asked rhetorically and Sade who couldn’t contain their dirty discussions cleared her throat to announce her presence and they both turned to see her standing behind them. Her roommate gave her a stink look and returned back to their discussion. “Well, romances is not bad, you guys can start from there gradually and graduate into the real thing...” Her roommate said laughing. “No ooo! I want to marry as a virgin, we are not graduating into anything o” the visitor who was not comfortable with Sade’s presence protested, stood up, picked her small fancy bag then said “I wan go Jaree ” she said and they both left the room. Though Sade found their discussion irritating, there was something her roommate’s visitor said that got registered in her mind and she kept meditating over it even as she changed into her house wears and ate her food. As she ate her rice and stew, she picked up her phone and began to dial Kolade’s number to know the time they would go to the hospital to see her sister but Kola was not picking up. After the fifth attempt, the phone was switched off and she became restless, and began to contemplate going to his house but the thought of being embarrassed again kept her from doing so. She broke down in tears and her roommate entered and found her crying. “Sade, you are crying? Did someone die?” She asked and Sade nodded her head in the negative. “Then why are you crying?” Confused, she asked expecting a response. “It’s Kola” she cried and her phone began to ring. She rushed at it thinking it was Kola, but it was Kehinde. She ignored the call, pushed the phone aside and her roommate eyed the caller. “What happened to Kola?” She asked “He’s not been picking my calls and he even embarrassed me in church today when I wanted to talk to him…” Sade explained and her roommate exploded in anger. “Who did he even think he is sef? Every time Kola this, Kola that! Why 

would you be crying for him every time?” She burned in anger and a thought came into her mind. She paused for a while, stood up and walked up to Sade’s wardrobe and fetched out a beautiful blouse and a Jean trouser for her.“Get up and dress up. Call that guy that bought you phone to come and take you out. That way, you will get to forget Kola and his troubles” she said with a commanding voice but Sade refused.“I’m not in the right frame of mind to go out with anyone now” she explained but her roommate had a mission and would not take ‘No’ for an answer.“You know I won’t allow you to just lie down here crying like someone who is bereaved. Stand up…” She was saying when Sade’s phone began to ring again. “It’s brother Kehinde that is calling and I’m going to tell him to come and take you out right away!”Her roommate said with finality and before Sade could stop her, she slid the green symbol.“Umm.. Good afternoon sir” she greeted and twisted her voice, then continued.“Sade is here crying, I don’t know what’s wrong with her but I believe if you can come and take her out, she will feel better..” She said and Sade grabbed her phone from her. But before she could counter what her roommate said, Kehinde ended the call and picked up his car keys and began to drive to Sade’s place. She arrived there in less than 40 minutes drive from where he was, knocked at their door and was ushered in. After about 20minutes persuasion from her roommate and Kehinde, she dressed up and followed him.

Kehinde took her out to a sightseeing center and cracked many jokesto make her laugh and she started to laughed coldly until she began to enjoy the sights and get relieved from her moodiness.

By the time he was going to drop her at her house after their sightseeing, Sade was laughing so hard, talking about some of the funny things they saw and didn’t wish they depart….

To be continued

Episode 9

Sade entered her room full of life and excitement and her roommate took notice of it. “Hmmm… I can see you are back to life now. You always feel more happy when ever you stay around or speak on phone with Kehinde compared with Kola. Don’t you think destiny has brought him your way in order to deliver you from a troublesome marriage with Kola?” Her roommate asked, searching her eyes to know whether she is penetrating. Sade was quiet for a while before speaking up. ‘It’s true am happy when am with Kehinde but am engaged to Kola already. Our families, the church and everyone know we are engaged to be married latest, January next year. I can’t leave him; we have come a long way. Besides, Kehinde is yet to make his intention known and I can’t go and start forcing myself on him.. ” Sade explained. “Stop talking nonsense. A broken courtship is better than a broken marriage. See, give this guy a try, i can see he loves you. You can still be in relationship with him and continue your courtship with Kola and nobody will know. That way, you can choose between them the person that love you more…” Her roommate suggested almost in a whisper. “Ah! Ah! That’s cheating. Don’t say that again o.” Sade interrupted her sharply. “Look, Kola was caring just like brother Kehinde when we started newly but changed along the line when I started refusing certain things he wanted me to be doing. This brother Kehinde is just trying to catch a prey first, once he catches his prey, he will also change like Kola. That’s men for you. I would rather stick to the devil I know than give an angel I don’t know a try.” She said dismissively and handed her a bag of ice cream. “Kehinde bought this for you” she said and began to undress. ” Mid term test is starting tomorrow, I can’t wait for the midterm break so I can rest” she soliloquize. Later in the night, Sade sat up on her reading table ruminating over 

her previous discussion with her roommate and she began to compare and contrast between Kola and Kehinde. “I wish I met Kehinde before Kola.” She said silently “If Kola was half as caring and understandable as Kehinde, I would have nothing to worry about but he is so full of himself… But what will people say if I break up with Kola? Ah! I don’t want to be a topic on people’s lips ” She thought worriedly within herself. “But my roommate is right, should I give Kehinde a try too? Ah! God help my heart, am not used to double lifestyle o” she prayed under her breathe. The words of that pastor’s daughter that visited her roommate in the afternoon came flashing in her mind again and she began to give it a thought. After some minutes, she came to a conclusion not to break up with Kola and still maintain her friendship with Kehinde. “After all, I already told him am engaged and he didn’t seem to be bothered about it” she concluded as she rested her head on the reading table, and from there she slept off. 

Kola didn’t call nor responded to Sade’s calls all that week and the week after but Kehinde kept calling and checking on her to know how she was doing, so the friendship between them began to grow into a more intimate one because she enjoyed the spiritual contributions he made in her life each time they were together. Apart from the financial and material benefits she also enjoyed from him, he always talked her into going the extra miles to actualize her dreams and it was one of those motivational words that made her picked up her Masters form to further her studies and also began to put her songs together. “Sister Sade, you are gifted and you are spiritual too. You have the Holy Ghost on your inside and it’s obvious whenever you stand to minister in songs. Put the songs you have been receiving through inspiration together and release an album. God did not give you the gift of singing so that you will end up manifesting only in the church choir, the world needs to hear your voice. I don’t see any difference between your voice and that of Sinach. Wake up and build yourself, the world is waiting for your albums to bless them. Don’t see yourself here, you are meant for the top. Don’t think about how to get the money, just start working on them first; God who gave you those inspired songs will make provisions for the studio works and everything needed to be done. You have wasted time and divine resources enough, Sade it’s time to rise and build…” Kehinde spoke 

passionately to her and her bones caught fire so much that she went home that evening and started assembling all the songs she received and began to sing them one after the other, and began to work on them. She became much occupied with her job, working on her songs, and with Kehinde as he began to take her to the studio twice in a week so much that she forgot that Kola ever existed. 

On one of their normal hang outs, Kehinde summoned the courage and asked Sade the relationship between her and Kola. She wasn’t expecting the question, so her heart skipped and began to beat fast. She lowered her head sadly and after some minutes of silence, she gathered the courage and said, “He’s my fiancé” she replied without looking up at him. “What!” he shouted in surprised, then tried to cover up his surprises. “Uhm… Sorry for the way I shouted. I mean, how come he treated you the way he did that day?” He queried but Sade was not ready to talk about Kola and how he treated her, so silence permeated the place. When he saw that she was not ready to talk about her relationship with Kola, he sighed and said. “Well, Kola and I attended the same University, same fellowship and were in the same department on campus. He used to be very spiritual and was our prayer coordinator back then. I was just surprised he could handle someone that way, let alone the woman he claim to love” he explained. “Sometimes, I wonder why people keep loving people who don’t care about their feelings and ignore those who love them genuinely” he told himself silently and Sade stared at him, unable to ask question in her mind. When her roommate saw that she had gotten very intimate with Kehinde, she collected Kolade’s number from her phone and called him to inform him that Sade was seeing another man…. 

To be continued 

Episode 10

“You are cheating on me and you are denying it right before my eyes. I never knew you were this cheap Sade. You are a cheap woman!” Kolade fired at Sade in a heated argument. “I’m not cheating on you and there’s nothing between me and Kehinde. We are just friends” she defended herself. “Then tell him to stay away from you. You can’t be seen together every now and then and still deny that you are not dating him. Tell him to stop calling you or coming to see you because you are my wife” he argued. “No way! I can’t tell Kehinde to stay away from me because he makes more impact in my life than you do. You ignored me and never answered my calls for close to a month only for you to show up today and accuse me of something that does not exist. I won’t tell him anything” she protested. “Really? I see you have gone very far with him and it’s obvious in the way you are not ready to break up your relationship with him. Who knows whether you have not even started sleeping with him…” He said and Sade flared up in anger and began to cry. “How dare you accuse me of such a thing? Do I look like a whore? I won’t have you talk to me that way, am not a prostitute” she cried. “If you are not a prostitute then end whatever you are doing with Kenny. I can’t share my woman with another man” he blurted out the more as she cried. 

Their quarrel was later resolved in their mummy in the lord’s house where they both expressed their grievances and Sade was asked to apologise to Kola for walking him out of her house. The church mummy also advised her to reduce her closeness with Kehinde in order for peace to reign. 

Kola revealed all the shortcomings of Sade but Sade covered his so the church mummy channeled all the faults and advice towards her. “Sister Sade, the best time to learn submission in marriage is now that you are still single. Learn to do whatever your fiancé tells you to do and through your submission, he will in turn love and care for you. So go back to whom you used to be when you both started and do what he likes. Spend those times you spend with the so called Kehinde with your fiancé Sade…” The church mummy counselled her and she nodded her head agreeably in everything she said. “Did you hear me?” the church mummy asked. ” beni ma, yes ma” she answered and bent down as a sign of respect 

Kola and Sade got back together and she began to even visit him regularly in order to make him happy and did everything he asked her to do but she still maintain her friendship with Kehinde secretly but couldn’t go out with him the way they used to do before in order to avoid suspicions and troubles. 

“How far with you and Kehinde? It’s been a while I saw him here. I hope you two are still together?” Sade’s roommate asked her one evening while they were eating. “Kola found out about my closeness with Kehinde and accused me of cheating on him. We had a quarrel over it but our church mummy settled it and asked me to reduce my closeness with Kehinde. So, we only talk on phone once in a while.” Sade explained innocently. Her roommate feigned a frown before speaking up, “Sometimes I wonder what you even see in that Kolade of a guy. He is so annoying and full of himself. He’s just doing fine boy up and down with no money in his pocket. If I were you, I will just ditch him and follow Kehinde” she said with contempt. “My dear, it’s already late now. Our wedding is just six months away” Sade chipped in as she chewed the meat in her mouth. “Six months is still very far na. People even call off wedding on the very day of their wedding and you are here talking…” She argued the more, trying to get words from her mouth. “Shee you love Kehinde abi?” She continued, 

“I can help you sort out things so that you can continue with Kehinde” she said searching Sade’s eyes to know what her response and reaction will be but Sade waved at her to forget about her relationship 

with Kehinde , she picked up her plate and entered the kitchen and she bit her finger in disappointment. 

When Sade informed Kola of her plans to release an album, he discouraged her and told her to wait till after their wedding because they needed enough money for their wedding coming up in January. 

” Hello brother kehinde, please I want to pay you a visit, there’s something I want to discuss with you ” Sade said over the phone almost in a whisper. Her instincts have been telling her that her roommate was the one who informed Kola about her closeness with Kehinde and she have been trying everything possible to keep information that has to do with Kehinde and herself a secret from her. “Where? In my house?” Kehinde was heard at the other end. “Yes sir” she replied, looking behind to make sure that her roommate who was the kitchen was not hearing her. “Okay, let me come and pick you up…” He was replying but she quickly interrupted him. “No!… No!” She objected then continued, “Just send me the address of your house and I will take a cab. I want to come Nicodemusly and go back Nicodemusly without being noticed. I don’t want Kola’s trouble” she said and he agreed. 

A prophecy broke out in a revival prayer meeting held in Sade’s parish, as a little girl who had never prophesied before was overpowered by the spirit of God and began to prophesy to the surprise of the church members. “I am the Lord, I know you and your works. I sees even the secret things that are done behind closed doors and in the dark. I love righteousness and hates iniquity but you have abandoned the righteous ways, the ancient paths and have joined workers of iniquity to do wrong. You have begun to defile yourself yet you say, ” I’m still clean”. 

When I speak to your conscience you suppressed me and continued with your uncleanness because you are more eager to please men than you are to please me. Therefore, your disgrace will come from those whom you are always eager to please unless you repent and return back to me in total holiness and devotion. I am the Lord, I will hasten my words and bring them to pass…”The little girl prophesied and some of the church members broke down in tears and began to 

ask for mercy. Sade shivered in fear as each words of prophecy came forth from that little girl’s mouth and her tears flowed down without ease… 

Why was Sade shivering like that? To be continued 

Episode 11

Two months after the prophecy, Sade and Kola had another heated argument over something he wanted her to do which she refused. Coupled with the accumulated anger he had bottled up in his heart over the weeks for seeing her in Kehinde’s car on two occasions, he out bursted when she refused to do what he wanted her to do while they were drafting out their wedding programme in his house. He raised his voice at her and accused her again of not being faithful and Sade defended herself, stating that Kehinde was only going to introduce her to a team of singers who would back her up at the studio, but Kola would not hear of it. He threatened to confront Kehinde and warn him to stay far away from his woman and Sade dared him never to try it. As they were both in the heat of the argument, she felt a sharp piercing headache, held her forehead as her eyes became blurry and clasped on the floor. Kola saw her falling like an old, weak building and he rushed her before she reached the floor and held her into his arms. She wasn’t breathing so he began to fan her with his shirt and when he saw that she was not getting revived, he dashed out of the room in search of his next door neighbor who owns a car and they rushed her to the nearest private hospital. The nurses fixed a drip on her after they had revived 

her back to her consciousness and waited for the test results to come out before they can commence treatment properly. Kola stayed with her at the hospital and called the church mummy to inform her that Sade was hospitalized. Since he was the one holding Sade’s phone, he used that opportunity and went through her inbox and WhatsApp chats with Kehinde and was boiling in anger at some of their conversations. The church mummy and daddy whom Sade and Kola had taken as mentors arrived the hospital just when the results of the tests came out from the lab. They rushed over to the bed where she was lying on and found her sleeping, but the noises in the ward woke her up. “Mummy,” she called and on seeing the daddy, she greeted trying to sit up but a slight head headache nudged her and she rested back her head on the pillow. “Don’t worry, just rest your head” the church mummy said, and massaged her hands. A dark handsome young man suspected to be the doctor entered the ward and walked towards Kola. “Are you the one that brought in this patient?” He asked him with a professional tone and Kola nodded his head in the affirmative as the church mummy and daddy drew closer to them. “Are you her husband or a relation?” He asked again but before Kola could tell him that she’s his fiancée, the Pastor interrupted. “What exactly is wrong with her?” The church daddy asked, supposing him to be the doctor. “Uhm.. Nothing really bad” the supposed doctor said, and then continued. “I guess you are her parents” he said facing them and they both nodded in the affirmative looking intently at his lips to reveal what the sickness is. “The test results shows that she is medically okay, but we found out that she is four weeks pregnant and must have gone through some emotional stress. I will advice…” He was still talking when Kola gave a shocking unbelieving scream at the same time with the church mummy and daddy. Sade jumped up from the bed on hearing the doctor’s report and made to talk as the church mummy and daddy with Kola all turned to look at her in disbelief but she couldn’t find words…. 

To be continued