Stepping into Maggie's shoes 24

PART 24 S.I.M.S
(STEPPING INTO MAGGIE’SSHOE)
©️OpeyemiOjerindeAkintunde

For a week, I didn’t see any of the women and neither did he eat my food. I wasn’t bothered about the food, because at least I had achieved the part of the women not coming over. He kept malice with me for that week, whenever I greeted he gave me silence for ananswer.

When I saw Mrs. Beecroft in church on Sunday, she didn’t pretend to be happy with me as she eyed me anytime our eyes madecontact.

“Shameless woman!” I thought to myself as simultaneously I saw Gabriel walking towardsmeontheAltar.IquicklymovedawayfromthepersonIwasspeakingtoand madewaytomyoffice.Icouldperceivehewasfollowingme.AsIgottointomyoffice withthehopeofshuttingthedoorbehindmeinarush,heputhisleginthedoorway…

“What do you want?’ Iasked.

“Youstartedthiswholethingmakingmecrazyaboutyou,andsuddenlyyouthinkyou are just going to discard me likethat!”

“I was trying to get back at your mother for sleeping with myhusband!”

“Then let’s say I am trying to get back at your husband for sleeping with mymother!”

“StopitGabriel!Thisisnotyou,don’ttrytoplaydirtylikewhatIwastryingtodo,please don’tmakethesamemistakeImade,otherpeople’sshoehavealwaysbeenattractive to me, and out of greed, I have found my leg in one that is way too big and uncomfortable for me. Don’t try to get me by all means, you might hurt yourself. Just accept things the way they are. See me as the woman you could never have, and I will see you as same. Move on and let God find you a good girl who deserves your undiluted and drama-freelove.”

“I don’t want any other woman, it’s you I want.” hesaid

“Andyoucanneverhaveher,becausesheismywife”Apostlesaidasthedoortomy officeopened.

GabrieljumpedupfromhisseatandyoucouldstillsensesomerespectfortheApostle as he had his headbowed.

“Good afternoon sir!” Gabriel hadsaid

“Good afternoon Gabriel, have a seat….” Apostle said to Gabriel who obedientlysat.

“Gabriel, I know what it feels like, when it’s another man’s wife that interests you, so I don’tcondemnyou,butyouareabouttoendyourlife,becausemywifeisofftherack.

Icansleepwithotherwomen,butnoothermancansleepwithmywife,youknowjust like the kings of old, like King David…” Apostle said this and pulled me closer to himself, which was a way of silently telling Gabriel, I belonged tohim.

“I strongly disagree sir, if you can commit adultery what stops yourwife?”

“Ican’tandwon’tcommitadulterynotbecauseofhim,butbecauseofHimwhoisGod” I said as I rid myself from Apostle’shands.

“WithallduerespectApostle,Iwouldlovetobeleftalone”IsaidasIwenttomytable.

“I know exactly how to get Happy out of your grip, I will have your story told on every newspaper” he said threateningApostle.

Apostle laughed out loud “Remember to include your mother’s name in the story,and watch how you will be labeled as the son of the woman sleeping with her pastor.” He said walking outlaughing.

TherewasabriefmomentofsilenceasApostle’sthreatmadesensetoGabrielandI. Exposing Apostle was like causing damage to Gabriel’s personality as well. I shook my head in pity at how cocky Apostle wassounding.

Gabriel stormed out of my office colliding with Mrs. Jaiyesimi, one of my husband’s sleepingpartners.

“Good afternoon Pastor Happy” she said trying not to maintain eye contact with me. “Yes Mrs. Jaiyesimi, how may I help you, are you here to insultme?”
“No, I am here to apologize for what I have been doing with the Apostle. It was my husband who pushed me into this; his lack of care made me close to the Apostle. It started casually by way of me calling to report my husband to him. I started finding succor in him, till one thing led to the other. When Pastor Maggie was alive, she was very supportive as she would prepare food for me anytime I was at your place, I felt I wasn’tdoingwhatwaswrongsinceitwasmyhusbandthatpushedmeout,butlooking at how you handle the situation calmly despite seeing me coming to your home every week to have intercourse with your husband, you are still sane and on fire for God... I really feel ashamed of myself and stupid for letting my husband’s lifestyle push me into sin. Please forgive me, pray for me and I promise to stay away fromhim.”

“Hmmm..., it’s ok ma... I am not the one who should forgive you, once you make your way right before God, you are free ofguilt.”

“Please keep this as a secret between us.” “It isfine!”
I stood up and gave a sisterly hug, as I understood no one was asaint.

We drove home with the church driver, with no words said in the car. This gave me time to think about the statement Mrs. Jaiyesimi had made about Pastor Maggie supporting Apostle in having extra marital affairs under herroof...

“Was that Christian-like?” I asked myself. “Was that being a goodwife?”

I was ruminating on this in the car, so I didn’t know when we got home, until Apostle touchedme...

“Honey, we arehome.”

The moment the church driver left, all hell was letloose...

“So you have taken Mrs. Jaiyesimi from me right? You will regret this” he said angrily like someone having afit.

“Me, take Mrs. Jaiyesimi from you?How?”

“Yes!, she just sent me a text in the car, telling me she had spoken to you and it was over betweenus.”

“OK, so is that a badthing?”

The next thing I felt on my face was a loud and painfulslap....

Emotional pain was one thing, but I didn’t know physical abuse was part of what Apostle had for me in this shoe called Marriage. Hmmm… maybe this was one of the reasonsPastorMaggiekeptquiet,andmaybethiswaswhySapphiraintheBiblelied alongside her husband, Ananias...

Should the fear of my husband make me condone and supportevil?

To becontinued