Sunday 30 June 2013

Scandal! (A story)








“This is your food my husband.” Eunice said as she dropped her husband’s food before him under the tree where he took in fresh air after returning from hours of training for the battle ahead.
“I hope you are bringing my friend’s food too?” Arnon said to his wife.

“Don’t worry about me. I would be fine.” Captain Simeon said to his friend.
They were both members of the Morokian Army.
“Are you sure? After such hectic training?” Captain Arnon said.
“Ok then, please can I have some water.” Captain Simeon said.
“I will return shortly.” Eunice returned to their shed to get some water.
“You wouldn’t believe it.” Arnon started the discussion.
“What is that?”
“I heard that King Chuba is not likely to go with us to battle.” Captain Arnon said.
“You don’t mean it. That’s just a rumor.” Simeon said.
“I am very serious here. I overheard the news today when the commander was speaking with Major Ithmah.” He responded.
“Thank you our wife.” Simeon interrupted the conversation with Eunice’s presence, as he received the bowl of water from her.
He drank some of it and returned to their discussion, while Eunice walked away.
“But why would King Chuba do such a thing, when he knows his presence means more than enough in any battle we go?”
“Exactly why I am bothered! This particular war is an unusual one, and the King should understand that, and the people of Moro Kingdom are very set for it; the King shouldn’t dampen their morale with this. If you ask me the King is making a foolish choice here.” Captain Arnon said.
“Anyway the Lord will go before us; I don’t want us to be caught in the web of gossip. You know we are not only enlisted in King David’s Army but also God’s army? So let us drop this discussion.” Captain Simeon said.
“Alright then, if you say so.”
………………………………………………..




It was in the spring of the year, this happened at a time Kings go out to battle. His Royal Highness, King David Chuba was the traditional ruler of Moro kingdom.
This was a time when traditional rulers were more reckoned with than Presidents and Head of States. Moro had only a traditional ruler as big as it was.
King David managed the Kingdom well; he earned the respect of all and sundry. The people of Moro regarded their leader highly esteemed as much as possible, because the Lord did help him to win battles most of the time. Both young and old gave reverence to their ruler. King David Chuba was a very handsome man. He was an Adonis when he was younger and old age had not really dealt with his beauty, this made him more pleasant to the eyes.
The Kingdom of Moro moved forward in his time, they had suffered in the hands of ungodly Kings in the past. As much as the people of Moro regarded their leader, King David, he also had a friend he was responsible and accountable to; his Seer, Prophet Nathaniel.
At other times King David Chuba would go to battle with his army. General Joab Tharah was the leader of his Army. He and the King were quite close not only because of the relationship between the Commandant and the Grand Commander, but because General Joab was the King’s nephew. This was typical of the Middle East where nepotism played a stronger role than meritocracy. They were usually on the war front together. Each time there was victory; they celebrated, poured wine and had dinner together, and at other times they consoled themselves.

The Kingdom of Moro was supposed to go out to battle at this particular time of the year. David Chuba had told Joab and the rest of the Army to go get prepared. The whole Army expected their Grand Commander to come along, as it was the custom.

Eventually King Chuba did not go with his army to the war front. He stayed back in his palace.  He could still have decided to join them in the battle field wherever they camped, since such battle lasted for months.
Homes didn’t have showers in those days; instead there were public bath houses. For privacy, the bath houses had high walls surrounding them; however this bath houses had no roof.
Natasha just recovered from her menstrual cycle, the blood cleaning, the changing of tampons, the stomach aches, and the touchy attitude. Colonel Uriel, her husband was not at home at this period, to give her a little consolation. He was off to war as that was his duty post. He was one of the top 30 men in King Chuba’s cabinet. That faithful evening she wanted to have her bath, she wanted to ease herself from the day’s stress as she wouldn’t expect any preying eyes to be watching. Perhaps because most men were on the battle field at that time or because this was not the first time a lady would be bathing in the public bath house.
King Chuba didn’t have so much to do at home; his Major General, Lieutenants, Captains, and Colonels have been on the battle field for months. He only sent few other servants on errands.
King Chuba’s palace was near the women’s bath house; his palace was quite high, higher than the bath house close by. He knew before hand that he could see whatever was happening in the bath house if he stood on the roof of his house. He strolled on the roof of his palace that particular evening, then he sighted what he knew was most likely to be happening A woman bathing, not just any woman, a beautiful one at that, which naked woman was not beautiful to a man.
It was Natasha, King Chuba fed his eyes some more, her curves were still intact although she has been married for years now. He assessed her nakedness some more. He was moved by what he saw, although he had seen several naked women in his life. He still wanted to explore this strange woman. And since he had the power, whether veto or otherwise, he went further.
………………………………………………………
“I thought the King was supposed to be in the battle field, how could he possibly request for my presence?” Natasha said to the King’s servant that had come to fetch her.

“The King is in the palace, and he requests your presence right away.” The King’s servant replied holding the staff which represented the King’s presence in his right hand.
“Anyway I will follow you at once.” Natasha said as she hurried for her veil. King Chuba had made enough enquiries about the strange woman, he found out she was the wife of one of the men in his cabinet, Colonel Uriel.
“You requested my presence, my Lord.” Natasha bowed before the King.

“Yes, come with me to my inner Chambers.” King Chuba said.

Natasha knew it was quite strange entering the King’s inner chambers, but the King’s command was final.

She sat in there with him, she felt this had to be a serious discussion, and at last it was a conclave, they had an intimate conversation, King Chuba had a sexual intercourse with her. She returned to her house that night, she was sad she had dishonoured her husband who was serving the country, but a woman’s voice wasn’t given so much reckoning those times. King Chuba seemed to have forgotten about it.

It’s been months, the people of Moro were still on the war front.

Natasha was getting ready to go to the market to buy herself some things she needed. It was in the morning, she started feeling nauseated again, before the twinkling of an eye, she was already vomiting, the morning sickness had become incessant for the past few days, eventually it was confirmed she was pregnant. The paternity of the child was King Chuba, and not her husband who has been on the war front for months.

Although she enjoyed the feeling of having to give birth to the prince, but the shame of adultery overshadowed this feeling. Her husband was going to be regarded as a cuckold, when anybody hears about it.

“How can she tell me she is pregnant, it was just once we had sex.” King Chuba thought to himself, when he received the news of Natasha’s pregnancy. “This is a thing of shame.” He thought.

Abortion was not a first option in those days unlike our generation, when it was the first to come to mind. King Chuba wasn’t going to dawdle concerning the situation. Something had to be done; he had to clean up his mess before he got to the ears of another. He weighed all other options available, he decided to go for the best option; the one he felt will not leave any traces of crime. The scandal was an emergency.

He sent a message to his nephew, General Joab demanding that Colonel Uriel returned home right away, on the pretext of debriefing him for military intelligence.

“Your Highness, you sent for me.” Colonel Uriel said as he bowed before the King on his arrival from the war front.

“Yes, please have your seat.”

Uriel found a comfortable place to sit in the King’s court.

“So how are my people doing on the war front?” King Chuba asked.

“Everyone is fine my Lord.”

“Hope the war is going in our favor?”

“Perfectly, we bless the Almighty God.” He replied.

“Alright then, go to your house this night and ease yourself of the stress of battle and tomorrow I will send you with the message I have for my people.” King Chuba said.

Colonel Uriel departed from the King’s presence. King Chuba had his strategy planned out, if Uriel spent a night with his wife, everyone would assume the baby was his, and David's crisis would be over. The whole issue would die quietly. But Uriel never went home. The soldiers who served under him were sleeping in tents or under the stars, living the Spartan lives of men at war, and Uriel thought it would be hypocritical of him to enjoy a pleasant evening with his wife while his men were in the fields. So he slept in the palace, in the servants' quarters. King Chuba who wanted to confirm if his mission was accomplished sent a gift of food to Uriel’s house, but he was found at the King’s door.

When the King heard of Uriel’s action, he was disturbed and hence summoned for his presence right away.

“My warrior you just returned from a journey, why didn’t you go up to your house to have some rest with your wife?”

He responded with a noble answer.

“I am sorry my Lord, I felt it was inappropriate.”

When King Chuba realized his first strategy was likely to fail, Uriel simply could not be corrupted, he went ahead to adjust the strategy. He demanded that Colonel Uriel tarry till the next day. He had him drunk the next evening because he thought this would affect his consciousness. But even in his inebriated condition, Uriel retained his sense of integrity. When Chuba sent him home to his wife, he again refused to do what the men under him were unable to do, and Uriah again slept in the servants' quarters.

King Chuba became frightened and at the same time angry, what was he going to do, now that his intended plan didn’t work out as expected. Something had to be done.

……………………………………………….

“Thank you for coming down, please give this letter to the commandant when you get to the war front.”

“Thank you for the feast your Highness.”

The other members of the army were glad to see him return, someone even tried to collect the letter from him as he approached the commandant, but he insisted that it was from the King to the commandant.

David decided that to prevent a scandal that might ruin him, he had to eliminate Uriel and marry Natasha. He wrote a message to general Joab telling him to place Uriel in a dangerous battle position and arrange for him to be killed by the enemy. He sealed the letter and placed it in Uriel's hand, knowing that he could be trusted to deliver it unmolested. He delivered the letter at once. As General Joab read the letter he looked up at Uriel’s face alternately, he knew something was fishy; he wasn’t going to ask him. General Joab knew this was another opportunity to have one of the King’s secrets in his hand, which he could always use against him.

Then it happened just like the King had demanded, Uriel was shot along some other warriors. A message was sent to the King of the latest development. King Chuba was angry when the news reached him, but his anger subsided when he had his target was shot in the battle, he calmed down and sent Joab a message of congratulations in spite of the disaster.

When Uriel's funeral was over and a proper time elapsed, David asked Nathasha to marry him, and she did. So when the baby was born, everyone assumed he was David's legitimate offspring — or so David thought.

King Chuba was a King who feared the Lord, but in the space of weeks it seemed his regard for God had suddenly jumped out of the window, from the day he saw Natasha’s nakedness. He carried out every step of this scandal like he served a blind and dumb God.

What he did displeased the Lord.

The Lord had to send someone to expose Chuba’s sin. God knew it will require a wise man to deliver such a message.

The Lord sent his friend and seer to him; Prophet Nathaniel. He approached him with all wisdom; to win Chuba’s sympathy and make his point, Nathaniel approached him with a story, which he presented as true. In our day, if someone wants to get justice, they hire a lawyer and file court papers according to the lawyer's advice. In those days, a citizen would appeal to the king for justice. If you didn't know the king, you might get someone who did to talk to the king for you. So as Chuba heard this story, he assumed this was a legal action being brought by a citizen in his kingdom.

Here is the Prophet’s story: There was a certain poor man who had very little, but his prize possession was a half acre plot of land, it was an inheritance he managed to get from his lineage, he cherished a lot, he wouldn’t let it become bushy before he called his nuclear family together to go and weed it, that was practically the only asset he had.

There was a rich man in town, which had large masses of land at different locations in the town. One day he wanted to be generous to the town and decided to build a public toilet for the community, but instead of the rich man using one acre plot of his mass of land, he took the poor man’s half acre plot of land. As King Chuba listened to the Prophet’s story, he was furious. How could anyone commit so callous an act? Chuba told the Prophet the man who did this deserved to die! But David didn’t order the death sentence.

At that Prophet Nathaniel announced, “You are the man.”

He recounted Chuba's sins of adultery and murder, a rich king with many wives preying on a common citizen; and he pronounced God's punishment: David's family would be full of violence, and one of David's sons would one day lie with David's wives in full public view.

It is at this critical and abysmal moment in the King's life where his integrity shines. David certainly had opportunity to deny the murder; after all, Uriel had died honorably in battle. And he could have blamed his deeds on someone or something else. But he didn't.

Instead, King David Chuba simply said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” He didn't excuse or justify his actions. He didn't pass the blame. In grief, he simply admitted the truth.

The moment he did, the Prophet Nathaniel gave the LORD's response: “The LORD has forgiven your sin.” The moment David Chuba confessed, God forgave.

Even so, the sin had its consequences. The baby died, to David Chuba's deep regret. King David's home was full of violence from then on.



NB: This is a story culled from the biblical story of King David and Bathsheba; I got a few lines from bible Commentators.




Tuesday 25 June 2013

When I Thought I Had Received Him (A story)


“Turn your bibles with me to the book of Romans 8:28.” The minister said, he wiped the sweat on his face with his handkerchief.
Someone from the congregation read aloud
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to the will of God.”

“I will like you to turn this verse of the scriptures to a prayer that all things will work together for your good. Whatever it is you have been waiting upon the Lord for, go ahead and mention it in prayers.” The Minister said aloud as the congregation raised their voices in prayer.

“Sister Nonso prayed hard.”

Chinonso was in her late twenties, twenty-eight to be precise, and she was still unengaged to any Brother, none was forth coming. Her prayer point had suddenly become God's provision of Life-partner for more than two years now.

Now that the minister asked them to pray that all things work together for their good, she had turned it to her usual prayer point. ‘Lord please bring me my Life-partner’.

Chinonso Akubueze was a committed steward in the Church she attended. She was an outspoken person which made people regarded her as a lousy person, she was fast to express her opinion on any issue, which made some people to dislike her. Sometimes she prayed that people would love her more, she even pretended to be a quiet person a number of times, but it didn’t work as she couldn’t cheat on nature. Nevertheless, everyone liked her caring and open attitude, she was quick to notice a down-casted brother, and would not stop at inquiring what the problem was.

God spoke to her heart just as the prayer session ended, that she should approach the brother that was seated directly in front of her.
……………………………………………………………

“Good afternoon Ma.” The Brother replied politely.

“My name is…” Chinonso wanted to say as Chijioke finished the line.

“Chinonso, am I right?” Chijioke said.

“Yes, you know my name?” Chinonso said surprised.

“But I don’t know yours.” Nonso continued.

“Who doesn’t? Anyway my name is Chijioke.” He answered.

“Oh what a nice name. Anyway the Holy Spirit asked me to walk up to you.” Chinonso informed him.

“Really?” He said surprised.

“Yes Brother Chijioke.” Nonso responded trying to be as polite as possible, she felt this was most likely the will of God for her.

“Anyway whatever it is the Lord would reveal sooner or later.” Chijioke said.

“Yes I agree.” She replied.

“Alright thank you for yielding to the Holy Spirit. Take care of yourself Ma.” Chijioke entered his car.

Nonso returned to the Church building to look for Ebuka her friend. They both lived together in a two-bedroom flat, they always walked home together since they attended the same church. They were colleagues at Denster Microfinance Bank.

She searched around the building, but Ebuka was gone.

She decided to walk home alone, as she walked she thought on why God would have ask her to speak to a Brother she never knew. Maybe she was beginning to receive answers to her prayers at last; she thought probably Chijioke was God’s will for her after all.

As she walked home she expressed in faith repeatedly, “I receive him in Jesus name.”

She was glad at what happened. She hurried home to give the news to her friend.

…………………………………………………

Chinonso dropped her bag as she entered the living room and hurriedly mutter a few prayers. Once she was done, she called out Chimebuka’s name.

“Ebuka! Ebuka!”

“Yes” she answered.

“You are back.” She cleaned her hands with the napkin she had brought along from the kitchen.

She noticed someone entered the house and guessed it was her friend.

“Yes I am back, but why did you leave me behind in church.” Nonso queried.

“I am sorry; I noticed you were quite engrossed in your discussion with that Brother.” She was referring to Chijioke.

“Nevertheless you should have waved at me when you were leaving.”

“Don’t mind me. I apologize.” Ebuka said.

“Not to worry. I think God is beginning to answer to my request.” Nonso started the gist.

“How do you mean?”

“I mean my prayers about a Life-partner.” Nonso said as she removed her bag from where it was placed, and sat comfortably.

“Really?” Tell me some more. Ebuka, who was standing with arms akimbo before, found somewhere to seat on the small table in the living room very close to Nonso to hear the full gist.

“I think God is directing me towards Brother Chijioke.” Nonso removed her shoes one after the other gently.

“Was that what you guys were discussing after the service? I mean did he propose to you?” Chimebuka got more interested in the discussion.

“Not at all” Nonso replied.

“Then what do you mean?” Ebuka inquired.

“I just have a knowing in my heart that he is the ONE.” Nonso explained herself.

“Oh, is that all?” Ebuka who was already engaged to her fiancĂ©e three years now, understood the joy of been loved.

“Yes, I think God is beginning to open a door for me.”

“Anyway that’s good, I am happy for you but I think it calls for more prayers instead. If God has said it, then He will complete it, so go ahead and pray. I don’t want you to be a victim of costly assumption.”

“Alright then if you say so. But I know it when God speaks to me.” Chinonso said as she carried her bag with her shoes and headed for her room.”

They both had separate rooms in the two bedrooms flat, but they shared the every other part of the house. They cooked together; they had become sisters after working together for two years in the bank.

…………………………………………………..

It was two months since Chinonso received this leading from the Holy Spirit; she had become Chijioke’s friend from that day on. She asked him for his phone number, but she did not apply enough wisdom. She called him every week and sent him messages often.

At first Chijioke received her hand of friendship warmly, he felt it was because of the instruction God gave her, but he later stopped enjoying this new friendship he found himself. He began to think she was trying to impose herself on him. He thought she was one of the ladies in church that tries to attach themselves to any available brother because they are quite old enough for marriage and no brother is forth-coming. He believed if it was God that sent her his way, then God Almighty would also cause him to like her. Since God was not an author of confusion. Probably Nonso liked his appearance and out of her outspoken ability walked up to him.
……………………………………………………...........

Chijioke opened the door to see who it was that knocked severally.

“Who do we have here?” Chijioke said as he flung the door open.

“Good afternoon Brother Chijioke.” Nonso said as she stepped in.

“Afternoon Ma.” Chijioke received his visitor.

Chijioke was a comfortable bachelor; he worked in a big auditing firm, lived in a three bedroom apartment and owns his personal car.

He was not engaged to any lady, he just broke his relationship few months ago, he also wanted a new relationship; although he feared that a new relationship might bruise his scar. As much as he wanted to love and be loved, Nonso never struck him as a choice, neither as God’s will nor His will.

“I thought you were going to come later in the evening.” Chijioke said as he dropped a tray before Nonso who was already seated.

“Yea, I planned to come later in the evening, but since I had something to retrieve in town this afternoon I decided to come over, so that I can take my rest later in the evening.

“Thank God you arrived well.”  Chijioke said as he offered her His album.

“Thank you Sir.” She replied.

They raised several discussions from their undergraduate days to their working experiences. Chijioke tried his best to be polite as much as possible.

Nonso raised the topic that had bothered her for months now stylishly.

“Brother Chijioke, you have not even said anything to me about God’s will for you in marriage.”

Chinonso took the courage to start off the discussion.

“You mean my fiancĂ©e?”

“Yes of course.”

“Well am I supposed to come to you with her for counseling?”

Nonso felt that was quite rude. What was he insinuating? Was she intruding into his privacy?

“Anyway I was just kidding, I am not engaged but I know God will do it in His timing.” Chijioke added.

Chinonso who didn’t like the response she received quickly dropped the subject in a godly manner.

“It is well, may the Lord see us through.”

“I am sorry if I said anything to offend you, talk to me, what about your fiancĂ©?”

Although Chijioke was not interested in her profile he wanted to cover up for his rudeness.

“Oh that? Maybe some other time, I have to take my leave.” Chinonso stood to her feet as she was ready to take her leave.

………………………………………………………………..

Chinonso knew God had not yet spoken to Chijioke that she would be his wife, considering the way he reacted to her question the other day. She knew the way he related with her didn’t show any sign of interest in her. He never returned her calls; he scarcely replied her messages too. Nonso was almost giving up, why did God then said she should walk up to him if He only wanted to make a mockery of her.

Chinonso prayed some more concerning the situation; she prayed that God would open his eyes to see her. She prayed against every form of distraction that could prevent him from noticing her.

………………………………………………………..

Francis sat at the waiting lounge expecting his Cousin to come and pick him from the airport.

“Here you are.” Francis said as he sighted Chijioke.

“Why did it take you so long?” Francis stood to his feet to hug his cousin.

“Mehn, I am sorry. It’s so good to see you after two years.”

Chijioke said as he received the warm hug.

Francis, Chijioke’s cousin had left Nigeria over two years ago when the company he worked for had transferred him to their branch in the United States. He had requested his transfer back to Nigeria because he cherished his homeland.

“So tell me, has many things changed in Nigeria while I was away?” Francis said as Chijioke drove the car to his apartment.

“Yes, a lot.” Chijioke replied in the affirmative.

“Can’t you see the roads are now better?” Chijioke directed his left hand towards the glass and held on to the steering with the right hand.

“That’s good; I can see there have been improvements. I guess your Governors have begun to travel outside the country more.” Francis said.

“You mean it is because our Governors now travel overseas and have compared our roads with the ones they have abroad, that is why we have changes?”

“Yes of course.” Francis answered.

“Have they not been travelling before now? I only think they are beginning to bring some sanity into their governance.” Chijioke said on.

“Anyway how often do you experience power cut?” Francis asked.

“Very well.”

“Then I guess there are not too many changes.

Chijioke reduced his speed as he turned into his street.

…………………………………………………

It’s been six months since Chinonso received the leading to approach Chijioke, and nothing has come out of it. She had fasted and prayed for Chijioke to receive her.

“My dear, I know that God brought Eve to Adam and not Adam to Eve. So I am sure God wouldn’t have you propose to Brother Chijioke.” Chimebuka said to her friend as she turned the plantain she was frying.

“I agree and I don’t intend to do such thing.” Nonso replied from where she peeled the two boiled eggs they were going to eat.

“Good, did you say God told you he would be your husband” Ebuka tried to confirm.

“Not exactly, the Holy Spirit inspired me to walk over to him.”

“Is that all? So God never said that he was your Life-partner then?” Ebuka said.

“What do you mean?” Chinonso dropped what she was doing.

“What I mean is that since God never said that in particular, Chijioke was His will for you then maybe He is not then. And you should stop waiting for him to propose.”

Ebuka removed the plantain that was done from the frying pan and turned off the gas cooker, to let it cool off.

“At least I know when God is speaking to me. Moreover we did not hear the instruction together.” Nonso said back.

“Yes I totally agree that you received the instruction, but you have just told me what the instruction is, and I have only applied wisdom just to put you on the safer side. Don’t forget wisdom is profitable to direct.”

Chimebuka took each one’s plate and served the food.

“Is this food enough?” She interrupted the discussion.

“Yes please, but God is not an author of confusion like you always say.”

Ebuka returned to the discussion.

“Yes, and nobody is confused here, or are you?” Ebuka handed over her food to her.

“I am not, I just believed this was what I have been praying about for years, and now that God was leading me to someone. I believe he is the ONE.”

She placed her food on a tray and walked to the sitting room.

“The same God should have led Brother Chijioke to you; maybe God just wanted you both to be friends.” She suggested.

“Friends? But God didn’t speak to me before I chose you as a friend.” Nonso answered.

“Don’t tell me you are attracted to him because he is a rich bachelor. Anyway keep praying that God would work out his perfect will. I hope you didn’t tell Chijioke that God led you to him?”

Ebuka opened their small fridge to bring out two bottles of water for them.

“Yes, I did. Any problem?” Nonso said.

“You did what? You shouldn’t have done that, you should have just walked up to him and say hi and that would be fine. You would still be carrying out God’s instruction that way.”

Ebuka settled down to her meal.

……………………………………………………………..

“Sister Nonso, meet my cousin.”

Chijioke introduced Francis to Nonso who stopped to say hi when he noticed Chijioke standing beside his car after the Sunday service.

“Oh! Good afternoon Brother.” Nonso said politely.

“Afternoon, I am Francis.” He stretched his hands for a shake.

“Chinonso” She replied with a smile.

Chinonso added almost immediately, in her outspoken manner.

“You were one of the new comers we had in church today?”

“Yes” he answered.

“Thank you for coming to church.”

“I will be on my way now.” Nonso said as she turned to leave.

Francis liked her almost immediately. He felt an uncommon aura around him. She carried a fragrance he could not explain.

“I hope you enjoyed our service today?” Chijioke asked his cousin as they hopped into the car.

“Perfectly, excuse me, is that the Sister that you said always tried to impose herself on you? He was referring to Chinonso.

“Who? You mean that lady?” Chijioke said.

“Yes” Francis answered.

“She is the one; she has suddenly become my friend for the past six months. I really don’t know what she wants. She comes to my house and pays me visit even when I don’t return them.” Chijioke said.

“And is that why you said she was imposing herself on you? Anyway I don’t see it that way; maybe she likes you without any ulterior motive you never can say. More over I like her comportment.” Francis declared.

They discussed Chinonso as they drove home.

…………………………………………………………….

It’s been four months since Francis arrived from the United States; his likeness for Chinonso had grown by the day. He always wanted to be in Church early enough to see her.

Nonso noticed Francis’ attention towards her, but she did not pay too much attention back since it was Chijioke that God directed her to.

“Chijioke when did you become as wicked as this?” Francis came visiting his cousin. He had moved to his own apartment after settling down in the country.

“Please can I have the direction to her house then, if someone told you today were her birthday, you should at least call to send your wishes.” Francis said.

“That’s your business, ‘I will send her a text message when I am free.”

“I will advice you don’t get unnecessarily attached to this Sister.” Chijioke urged, he was referring to Chinonso.

“Thank you, I can take care of myself. But I doubt if I have ever told you I liked a lady like this before.” Francis said.

“Whatever, just be careful.” Chijioke said.

“Thank you, no wonder your last girlfriend jilted you, because you don’t know how to show care.” Francis said jokingly as he picked his car keys and walked to the door.

“She did not jilt me; she only broke up with me.” Chijioke raised his voice at his cousin who was already at the door.

“Look at you, what difference does it make? Anyway goodbye.”

He shut the door.

………………………………………………….

“Come in.” Nonso said from inside.

“It’s you Brother Francis, please have your seat.”

“Thank you and happy birthday.” He said.

“How did you find your way here, since your cousin did not come with you?” She inquired.

“He gave me the description.”

“Happy birthday once again.”

It was her twenty-ninth birthday.

“Please have this gift from the deepest part of my heart.”

Francis said after Nonso had offered her a glass of juice. He was happy that no one was around the living room with them.

Nonso collected the pack from him with a broad smile, it was not only a pack but it came alongside a bouquet of flower, and a small decorated box was attached to the flower.

She dropped the pack on the chair beside her, but she was inquisitive of what was attached to the flower. She opened the small box right away and was amazed at what she saw.

By the time she raised her head to ask him what the ring was for; Francis was already on his knees.

“Chinonso Akubueze, I love and admire you a lot, please will you marry me?”

Chinonso did not know what to say in particular as joy filled her heart, whether to go and pray about it or not. It was the best birthday gift she received that day.


God was not where she was looking, rather God showed her the direction HE would come from.

 ........................THE END .........................

NB: Characters in this story and every other ones are not intended to portray any group of people, they are mere fictions.