SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
Written By Tosin Ezekiel
Episode 4
ACCIDENT…ACCIDENTAL
How do you explain to a boy in nursery school that his mummy has passed away?
It was such a dilemma.
Ella carried Chris from the ground and hugged him passionately. He held him on his lap while in transit.
When they entered their estate, it was breezing gently that morning with a smiling sun over their heads the sky.
The three walked down gently. A car passed buzzing out music, ‘Omo you don make me fall in love…”
Ella and Pastor D pretended like they didn’t hear the music. They were church people, you know.
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
They reached Ella’s apartment, Ella dropped Chris on the floor so he could go with his father but the boy ran towards Ella’s apartment leaving Ella and Pastor D on the same spot.
Chris was struggling to open the locked door.
Pastor D was looking down with many thoughts in his mind….
“I know what to do, but I don’t have the power to do it. My ministry is going down, my only son is affected… I love Ella, she’s the description of a woman I need. I am not sure another lady would like my boy.”
Chris ran and snatched Ella’s purse looking for the key, he said, “Daddy, let us be staying with Aunty Ella, she will cook for you and help you knot your tie like my mummy.”
Pastor D was becoming emotional, Ella almost burst into tears too. What kind of boy is this?
“Let Chris stay with you please,” Pastor D said as he left hurriedly.
“Okay, he will be home by 6 pm,” Ella responded.
“Daddy, we will bring you food,” Chris added with a wide smile.
Ella and Chris entered the house and sat in the sitting room. Chris came to Ella, I want to tell you something, he used his hands to guide his mouth and whispered to Ella, “Auntie, come and be living in our house…Daddy is alone.”
“Erm o…kay.”
“Are you coming?” Chris shouted!
“Is that what you want?” Ella said.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes,” Chris was jumping.
“Baby, anything you want, pray about it like you were taught in church.”
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
Pastor D was alone in the room since morning. He thought and thought and came to conclude that he would propose to Ella that evening.
Toward evening he went to shower. It was around 6 pm so left the door opened so Chris and Ella could walk in anytime.
While he was in the bath, Nneka came to their estate holding a bag. He passed Ella’s house and saw Chris but Chris didn’t see her. She was happy that Pastor would be alone. She hurried up and came to see that the door wasn’t locked.
“Thank my star,” she whispered with a warm smile. She came right inside with the bag in her hand and brought out a set of coolers. Pastor D was in the bathroom as Nneka entered. Nneka put the three coolers on the table wanting to surprise pastor D.
Pastor D heard the door open and he thought that must be Chris. Nneka after setting the coolers on the table left the room hurriedly as though she forgot something.
When Pastor D came out, he was in shorts with a face towel hung around his neck. He was amazed by what he saw on the table. He moved close to inspect. Inside one cooler was Egusi soup garnished with ponmo and stockfish.
The second cooler contained fried Beef and fried turkey spiced with Yoruba pepper stew. The third cooler was filled with cooked Ofada rice.
Wow! His mouth became watery. He thought that must be from Ella.
“I think I should start enjoying my life from today, here’s a woman ready to take care of me and my boy. If I miss this opportunity, I might not get it.”
Pastor D sat and blessed the food in the name of the Lord. He started with fried turkey, he picked one piece and went to his kitchen and picked a plate. He came back chewing as he dished out some Ofada rice.
“I choose to live in love and by love. I would rather be happy than living in religion,” He started devouring the food.
It was so sweet and hot that he started sweating even though he just showered.
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
About three minutes later while Pastor D was in the third heaven enjoying the beef and the turkey, he remembered the love song he heard when he was with Ella,
“Omo you don make me fall in love,”
He searched online and started playing in the background At that moment, Ella and Chris knocked on the door.
“Coming…coming,” he said joyfully.
Ella came in with a bag in her hand. Pastor D wanted to show that he was enjoying the food, he didn’t look at Ella, he started praising the cook.
“Oh my, this food took me to the third heaven. Whoever cooked it has won my heart….”
Ella stood with the bag in her hand confused.
Chris ran to his room to pick some of his clothes as he wanted to return to Ella’s house that night. The door was still opened, Nneka also walked in with a bottle of chilled wine.
She saw Ella holding a bag standing, she was surprised to see and hear Pastor D eating the food and praising the cook.
She felt happiest. She thought, “I have won, I have overtaken Ella.”
With that confidence and funny smile, she walked like she was in a beauty show and she said to Ella, “Sister, how are you?”
At that instance when pastor D heard another voice, Pastor D looked up to see the two ladies standing close to the door.
Pastor D was holding fried turkey in his hand with some beef in his mouth, he was enjoying it like no tomorrow.
Ella hissed, turned and left angrily.
Pastor D tried to stand, he was confused.
Nneka blocked his way and presented, “Here is the wine. I heard you say you like this type and I got it for you, it’s chilled.”
Pastor D still didn’t understand what was going on…
Ella rushed out and went to the security post in the estate, she poured the food in her cooler to the security dogs.
Pastor D sunk back to the sofa closing his eyes. Nneka quickly brought out her phone and took a selfie capturing Pastor D in a singlet with a face towel around his neck and the plates of food all over the table
When Pastor D heard the shutter sound, he stood speedily and said, “Sister Nneka, can you explain what exactly is going on here?”
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
Click 5 below to continue reading