The Pastor carefully broke the news of Kola’s death to Sade but they were all surprised that she didn’t cry nor showed any form of shock. When she noticed their surprise looks, she smiled dryly and said,
“Are you surprised I didn’t throw myself on the floor and cry my eyes out?” She asked looking from the Pastor, his wife and Kehinde.
“I’ve been mourning Kola for over three months now, and I’ve gotten over him already. Kolade ruined my life and deserted me to suffer alone. He ruined my life daddy!” She began to cry as she remembered how Kola had not called on phone nor visited her ever since the pregnancy saga started.
It pained her more because Kola kept telling people that he was not responsible for the pregnancy.
“I will never forgive Kola. God must judge hi…” She kept crying and the pastor’s wife ran over to her and held her mouth.
“Don’t say that Sade, it hasn’t gotten to that extent. Kola is still the father of your unborn child no matter what and you shouldn’t say such things about him” the church mummy hushed her and she broke loose from her hands in anger and ran into her room crying and the church mummy followed her immediately.
The Pastor began to lament bitterly before Kehinde,
“I did every thing possible to draw Kola closer to us like sister Sade to avoid further misdemeanor but Kola’s heart was too hardened that he rejected the help of God.
He chose destruction over repentance and life…” He lamented, then continued.
” Imagine Kola relocating to Onitsha without anyone’s knowledge, not even me who have mentored him for over 16year. Kola really surprised me ” the Pastor said shaking his head in disappointment.
“I’m really short of words sir. I didn’t see this coming” Kehinde said, looking up at the Pastor.
“It’s well, I will call a church council meeting to begin plans on how to go and claim his body from the said mortuary and then meet with his family to break the news to them and possibly make arrangements for his burial….
Ah! I don’t even know which one to cry for, is it to cry that Kola who had a bright future was cut short in the afternoon of his life or that he died in rebellion and could possibly be going to spend eternity in hell after many years of serving the Lord…” The Pastor lamented again and excused himself to enter his room.
Kehinde couldn’t still believe everything that was happening as he sat down on the cushion for about 30minutes before leaving the parsonage.
Two weeks later, Kola’s body was laid to rest in his home town and many church members and his old school friends were in attendance. Though the Pastor tried to keep the story behind Kola’s death a secret, the members of the church council spread the story and everyone got to know that Kola was the one responsible for Sade’s pregnancy.
“Shebi they were in courtship? Highest thing the church for give them back seat and after serving their suspension, pastor for do marriage blessing for them. Why was he trying to run away?” An average woman told her gossip partner as they walked out of Kola’s family compound..
“But, why should acclaimed church people be committing formication in the name of courtship? That’s why I don’t trust all these people carrying Bible up and down in the name of born again oo chaii..” Her partner in gossip replied and began to walk fast.
“I beg let’s walk fast so we can find a bus o” she said and they doubled their steps.
Sade who refused to go with the Pastor and his wife for the burial stayed back at home in deep thoughts. She thought about the beautiful future she had which was fast becoming a nightmare, her music album and her masters degree program which were part of her two years short term vision had also become a history as she wouldn’t be able to achieve any of them anymore.
At a point, a suicide thought flashed through her mind strongly and she felt like ending it all but the fear of spending eternity in hell stopped her from attempting it. She felt like praying but couldn’t find the right words as it seemed she had forgotten how to pray.
“Lord please, let me have a miscarriage. This child would remind me of my errors all the days of my life and I can’t cope with the guilt. Please Lord, don’t let this child live…” She knelt down and began to mumble prayers…
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