Between Daddy and Daddy 12

BETWEEN DADDY AND DADDY

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I had no idea where I was headed. I just decided that the only place left for me and the only people who’d accept me are my parents in the lord. So, I made my way to the church.

“Why are you here with bags?” Daddy asked being that he was the first person I met.

“Ahhhh… Daddy, my witch of a mother slapped me and I told her off, that she’s a witch. I had to leave the house”

“But they didn’t ask you to leave” he said looking surprised

“No. But things are pretty messy papa”

“Even at that, You don’t move until the spirit of God says you should”

“I’m sorry papa. But I’m here now. And going back is not an option”

“So where are you going to right now?”

I was surprised that he even asked. But he’s God’s own general, you do not need to question him. Else, the wrath of God will fall heavily on you.

“Well Daddy, you know I have no where else to go. I can’t go back to my husband, he is a ritualist, you said so yourself that I was the next in line for sacrifice. And my mom, is a witch. Did you know that all the signs you told me I will see, I saw all of em. She initiated my father too and you know I can’t stay with a witch and a wizard. Please daddy, let me stay here for sometime till I figure out what next to do”

“Ahhhh…”

He ran his eyes all over me, sizing me from head to toe. I wondered why he was even questioning me outside instead of letting me in and asking me whatever questions he had, seeing that I came from far. Well, the ways of men of God are very strange, their ways are not like ours because they do whatever the spirit of God tells them.

“Well, let me call mummy”

He went in. I stood fixed by the door wetting for the decider of my fate to arrive.

But I was hoping that this wouldn’t be a tough situation at all. They had 5 rooms furnished and locked. The rooms of their children were also vacant. Even if they didn’t want to give me a room to myself, I could share Salome’s room with her. I have no problem with staying with a believer in one room.

I smiled as I thought of how much fun it will be, living here with my parents in the lord that I revered so much.

Salome wey no dey talk, she should get ready because I will make her talk by fire by force now oo,I thought to myself and smiled.

I will have so much fun here. I will find joy and fulfillment here. I think this is God directing my footsteps to where I will be led into my ministry with so much parental love and care.

I and Salome will become close friends and alot of people will envy me just like we all envy Salome.

Living in this house, this anointed blessed powerful house, all weapon formed against me will just break into pieces immediately and this is bye bye to all forms of persecution and suffering. I smiled as I thought these things through. My joy knew no bound. I was still basking in the euphoria of my fantasy when mummy opened the door.

For the first time since I know her, there was no trace of smile on her face.

I slightly bent down as I greeted her as I always do.

“Yes, sister Tolani. Daddy was saying something”

“Yes mummy, I was wondering if I can stay here for a while before finding a job”

“Why did you leave your parents house?”

“My mother is a witch, I can’t stay under same roof with a witch, I had to go”

“As a child of God, you do not run for a witch. Where is your doggedness as a Christian. Tighten your amour and fight. It is the witch who should run not you. Please don’t make mockery of our God”

Tears was already racing down my cheeks by the time she finished speaking. Nobody told me that serving God comes with denial, rejection, dejection and stress. They only spoke of persecution and gave it a different meaning entirely.

“Well, you can join Sister Salome in the church until we figure out where you’d be staying.

I was shocked.

How do one sleep in the auditorium? An almost open space, right in the middle of the road with 5doors.

“Wait here” she said and went back inside.

I couldn’t control the tears that fell freely. My instincts began to tell me that I was on the wrong Path like everyone had said.

Well, I need a whole night to think about this whole thing.

Mummy opened the door and handed me a duvet and a wrapper to cover myself with.

“You can ask Salome how she manages to bath and do anything else. We will see in the morning” she shut her door

I stood there for 5more minutes or so staring at the door.

I instantly felt hatred for my so called parents in the lord.

When I was packing my things from my parents house I had envisioned that I will be welcomed with an open arm. As a daughter that did every single thing they asked. Pushed out every single person they labeled evil, followed their instructions to the later. I have been a very obedient daughter. I followed every damn instructions without asking questions. I was like a fool and like a soldiers, I match..ed around advertising them. For 4years and 5months I have been there, solidly behind them in form of a maid, a personal assistance, a prayer partner, a friend, a daughter, a helper, a member, a leader, an adviser and a service man. And just now, this one time that I needed their help they disappointed in the most unbelievable way. I exhaled.

I had no option that to manage the auditorium and to think about my life.

I sat around for a while before going into the church. From where I sat, I saw Salome sitting in front of the alter facing it but looking at nothing in particular. As the shimmery clear light shun on her face. I saw it, her tears, I saw it stream down her cheeks.

If I had seen this few hours ago, it would have baffled me greatly that a woman who is the closest to God’s oracle would cry, what exactly could make her cry that daddy and mummy cannot provide? What exactly? With the way they are close you’d believe Salome is family. Infact, I was shocked that Salome sleeps in the auditorium when morethan 5 rooms are locked in the parsonage. Rooms that she cleans and mops..I could never have imagined Salome who everyone thought was living the ideal life sleeping on the hard floor in the church.

I had a lot of things running through my mind. it was like a movie. Ahhhh… Things dey happen walai.

I came in and sat close to Salome. She muffled a greeting and shifted away from me. I could tell she wasn’t happy, but why she wasn’t is what I can’t tell. Maybe she’s angry that someone has seen her woes or she wasn’t willing to share the space with anyone. Whichever the reason of her anger is, is not my business at the moment, I just want to clear my head and know where to start from.

I don’t wanna be like Salome, I heard she has been in church for 13years. I heard she came when the place was under developed and she helped alot. Out of every 10 old members Salome brought two. Infact, that church would not successfully write their story without mentioning Salome in capital letters. Yet, she sleeps here? Is this a joke or what?

“Sister Salome please, I want to bath, mummy said I should ask you”

“Do you know where the church bathroom is?”

I nodded

“Then use it” I sensed anger or should I say bitterness in her voice and I made a mental note to stay as far away from her as possible. Salome isn’t someone who talks.

She can be in a meeting for one year and never talk. But, whenever she talks, she’s either speaking mummy or daddy’s mind. They’d repeat the same thing if they come out to speak on same topic. She’s always accurate, never misses a point and many people like myself envied her for being the closest to God’s right hand man and his wife, therefore we believed that she was closer to God than the rest of us.

I went to the church bathroom to bath. I wasn’t comfortable with the environment but I managed. I had to manage.

Salome sat at that spot unmoved. She didn’t even look sideways as I entered the church or shuffled through my things.

She remained focused staring into space. I didn’t try to disturb her as I ate my gala and drank mineral quietly. I lost appetite for the bible. Usually, I would have started studying the Bible and listening to daddy’s messages. But, that night was different. I wanted an aggressive curdling from my husband. Which husband? The ritualist? I hissed.

It was then I understood that Salome was staring at nothing.

If you have no appetite for the word of God and you do not want to think about your parents in the lord, you will simply stare at nothing trying to figure out where you had missed it.

Salome’s phone beeped and she got up and locked all the doors and window. It was 11:15pm sharp. I figured that could be a set time for locking the church. When all activities for the day must have closed except on days of vigil.

She came back, went to the small store attached to the church building and pulled out a back bag. She brought out a mosquito net and tied it to the pulpit arm and that of a pew l, forming a square shape. She then spread a mat and a thick duvet under and crawled in without a word.

I was mad at Salome. This woman is yet to repent, maybe this is the reason Daddy and Mummy kicked her out or didn’t even accept her in the first place so that her unrepentace wouldn’t rub off on them

How could she act as if I am a total stranger or we are enemies in the house of God.

It was 11:20pm. I needed to lie down and face the ceiling so that I can start reflecting on my journey so far in this church.

I spread my duvet after clearing out a section of the church opposite Salome space. I used some of my clothes to for pillow. Before my reflectional sense could start backwarding events for me, mosquitoes started singing hymns, ancient and modern in my ears.

“Jesus!” I screamed trying to kill them.

I mean I had seen few mosquitoes flying up and down but I didn’t know that their entire community lived in the church including their royal family.

Instead of thinking about my life, I started thinking about mosquitoes and how to survive the night atleast.

When I couldn’t bear anymore, I ran to Salome

“Sister Salo please, can I come and sleep on your mat with you? mosquito is too much” I said hitting of some of them from my legs.

“No. Here no go enter us… You know say you fat” she said with a coaxed voice and went back to sleep.

Lord have mercy, so this is what children of God are like when you get close.

Ahhh… Tears streamed down my eyes.

I would sit, I would lie down, I would walk, yet whatever I did, wherever I went, those sinful mosquitoes went with me, sticking their teeth right into my skin and they were just in their numbers.

I prayed for day to break quickly but after what seems like 4hours in my head, if I check the time it would just be 30mins gone… Ahhh! Who said devil isn’t strong? This persecution is greater than that of my husband and mother. Did I say my husband is a ritualist? No, these mosquitoes are the real ritualist and my blood was readily available with or without my consent for their ritual purposes. My mom a witch? I said that when I hadn’t met this men of war of mosquitoes. They are the real hazardous witches.

That night was like 5 nights in one. It felt like the beginning of December to the beginning of January. I promised myself that I rather die than spend any more nights in this God forsaken place. I quickly reprimanded myself. This is a house of God, it can’t be a ‘God forsaken Place’ I warned myself.

Finally day broke. Salome woke around 4 to go and bath. She didn’t greet me and I dint border either. She packed up, bath and dressed. I followed suite even though I thought it was too early.

The water was very chilled. I don’t bath with such cold water and by that ungodly hour? I managed, it was like the wake of harmattan as I shivered into the church and applied my Vaseline and wore my clothes.

Salome threw a broom to my direction. I knew what she meant when she started sweeping from her corner.

“What insolence” I murmured.

Truth is I kinda miss my husband’s house right now. I had a maid who did everything for me, if she didn’t, my husband would do it. I can’t even remember when last I held a broom, talk more of sweeping a space as big as that hall of an auditorium. I hissed as I swept. I hated everything about that church and what it stood for.

After sweeping, she passed me a rag without saying anything.

We started cleaning the church, from the pews, to the window to doors and to the sacred things in the alter.

Before we were done, people for morning prayers started coming. Bro Zack powered the generator and sister Salo started with praise and worship.

“Ah ah… Sister Tolani, you hardly come for morning prayers ooo what changed?” Sister Joyce asked me.

‘amebo’ I said in my mind before flashing her a smile

“God touched me at the point of my need. It’s only wise that I make extra efforts” I lied

“Oh that’s true!”

As I watched sister Salo lead worship in spirit, I was baffled. This she devil can pretend ooo, I mur…mured. I refused to sing along because I hated sister Salome and I was calling her names in my mind.

Daddy and Mummy came in, they looked holy in their white jalamia. I was cursing them in my mind. ‘wicked people, look at them deceiving themselves’ I cursed under my breath and went to the back to sit.

I will leave this church right after this prayer and return to my husband and my parents. It’s better my husband uses me for ritual than these mosquitoes to gather me against tonight as if I am their last supper. I said to myself and meant every damn word.

I was scratching my skin like someone who had contacted a disease, my skin was puffed up and it had mosquito bite marks all over. Kaiai I swelled with anger the more. I had packed my bags, I can’t wait for them to cut the crap with this deceptive prayers of theirs and finally, the prayer came to an end one hour later. It was 7:13am. I would be home before 8 that my husband usually leaves for work, I said as I headed to get my bag. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

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