My Better Half (EPISODE 4)

THE VISION

When they had left the study, mama’s voice could still be heard quarrelling Rose but Rose had to maintain a reasonable distance from mama because no one would be there to save her from mama’s hands if she begins to pound her again; except for the intervention of neighbors like the other time with her brother, and that would distract Bishop and her brother’s meeting and she would not like to make Bishop angry with her.

Bishop began to talk to Pastor Tony, he said: “Before I received your younger sister’s email I had a vision, it was not a dream, it was in broad day light and I was not sleeping; it came to me within 5 to 10 seconds and immediately vanished from my eyes. In that vision, I saw you kneeling down giving a lady an Apple but that lady was not your wife. While I was yet to digest that, your sister’s email arrived. I have prayed but this is how God decided to leave it for now, He has not yet told me what that vision could mean and the reason He compelled me to come today, I am yet to know. All I have to say for now till things get clearer is, be careful! This is more than a little conspiracy, don’t treat it with lightness. In the mean time, you have to distance yourself from that Amaka as far as possible, even if it means sending her to that new branch your church gave birth to, Satan can be very tricky”.

After Bishop had finished saying these things, he asked Tony’s mum and sister to come back in. He addressed them all and advised them on how their conduct should be in this their trying time and how they should not help Satan bring their family down. It was at this point that Rose revealed to them that she had already reported the matter to the Church board on Friday morning and sent Sister Joy (Nkechi’s elder sister) a text message that Saturday morning.

Immediately, it felt like a cool breeze swept the study room and everyone’s’ jaw was almost drooping out of their mouths; mama’s own was very obvious! Pastor Tony bursted into tears, he wept uncontrollably “I don’t know if I can pass through this, I thought the bible said no amount of temptation that will overpower me will the Lord allow to come my way?” He said aloud while weeping! He began to imagine how the news paper headlines would be – “Popular Enugu preacher caught in romantic rendezvous with choir mistress, revealed by younger sister”! Why would this innocent zealous girl be involved in this mess? Is this the reward for commitment? Could this be the meaning of the dream I had about her some weeks ago? He also thought within himself.

In the middle of this thoughts and tears Bishop spoke. He said since the matter has gotten to this extent, he would want to address the church board. He also expressed great disappointment towards the way Rose chose to handle the matter “why would you report the issue to me, then take it to the church board and Nkechi’s family? This attitude shows that you are not a person of peace. You are a trouble maker with the aim of bringing your brother down by painting his ministry with scandals; I just pray this matter don’t get too messy that we can’t handle”! He said to Rose, he scolded her so bitterly. He also added that she has a bitter heart and must change quickly before it ruins her completely. Mama was just speechless as she raised her hands over her head!

Rose now said that she was sorry for going this far, that she sent him the message since two weeks ago and she felt she has refused to handle the matter that it was just the day before that day that she submitted her petition in written form to the church secretary and sent mummy Joy a text message.

Pastor Tony expressed shock that the church secretary would receive such report and stay with it for 24 hours and has not let him know about it. Then Bishop advised him to call for an emergency church board meeting on Sunday evening , Bishop told him that he would like to be present in the meeting, that he would return to Kano that day and return on Sunday afternoon to be with them in the meeting . He also advised Pastor Tony to call Nkechi’s sister since she has not called him yet, he added that he suspects a conspiracy being cooked against him!

Bishop prayed for the family, dismissed the meeting and went to the hospital to visit Nkechi, then returned to kano that same day.