THE PRIEST VOW.
Episode 11.
By Amah’s Heart.
I noticed she was shivering in fear and stood at the door
“You are scared? Why…?
I asked with a concerned tone as I adjusted Joel in my right arm.
“Gumi…he made it clear to me that he doesn’t want the child. He can be very angry and unleash terror on anyone who stands on his way. He looked harden, older and shrewd. He shares deep resemblance with you…maybe he just an older version of you….let me say your doppelganger, your look alike. I don’t know why he is terrifies me right now. I don’t want any harm to come to me, you or Joel. That is why I’m having a double mind about this whole trip. I know where he lives. Is going to be a long ride…I wish we can just cancel and stay the way we are here.
Joel pulled off my face cap and try to fit on his head. The face cap fell off his hand and he struggled to come down to get it.
I gently dropped him down and watch him pick up the face cap and giggle loudly again.
“paapa…see….papaa…seeee meehh….
He called my attention, when I looked down at him, the cap was covering both his head and some part of his face. I laughed at his funny look before tickling him. He strolled away and began to run with his tiny legs while laughing.
I returned my full attention to Anna.
“You don’t have to be afraid Anna. Gumi will not hurt you…and nothing will happen to you or Joel. This is not just about meeting Joel’s biological father is also getting to know the man that shares same resemblance with me. I want to know why you mistake me for such a man as that. But most importantly, I want to go back to being a priest, I want to return to my main calling. I love this city and had already made friends and fellowship members. It will be hard to just leave them like that but whatever plans God has for them will come to manifestation. Anna, I can’t live here forever, working at the grocery store and meeting up few people at the coffee shop. God chose me for a greater work. To help the needy, to lay hand on the sick and they shall recover, to minister to those behind bars and show them the right part to light, to serve in obedience to all his commands, to love and forgive all man and live exemplary life for many to emulate. I can’t achieve all this here, I’m limited and confine to a cycle since I have being in this city. I miss visiting some of my friends in prison, people like Tagbo who wholeheartedly accepted Christ and was very willing to start life again. Being here is very comfortable and nothing much to do except the five hours work at the grocery store and the meeting at the coffee place and I return home to you and Joel. Is less troubling but I was chosen to calm every troubling situation and be in peace with all mankind. I can’t achieve much here until I become free again, where I can move around as the priest that took a vow with the holy sacrament. We need to get all this done so that we can all move on. I guess you don’t want to remain with a man who will never be romantically involved with you, a man who sees you as his own sister and nothing more than that… but we can cancel today and reschedule for another time when you are fully not ready for it…”
She felt relieved and said we she reschedule in about a month or two so that she will be fully out for the journey.
She said we can wait for another month to pass before going for Gumi and I agreed.
I continued my work at the grocery store and will go to the coffee shop as usual. I leave 8am in the morning and return back every 6 to 7pm in the evening and I will remain home. Anna knows the time that I usually come home and will call me if the time passes and I wasn’t home.
I began to notice that Joel was always running temperature whenever I come back. I noticed half eaten pizza and drinks and I sometimes see an empty pack of pizza lying in the kitchen table.
I asked Anna about the sudden eating of pizza three times in a week and she said she enjoys it with Joel.
I began to drop more money for her to order for whatever she want.
I complained about Joel’s body temperature and she said that he will be alright.
Joel’s body temperature only goes down whenever I carry him, he will feel relaxed and become himself again. I did not take anything to heart and continued with my normal routine.
One day, while I was at the grocery store I felt the need to go home. I waved it off and continued my work. The urged became strong. I paused and looked at the time it remain an hour and my shift will be over before the coffee shop.
I said few prayers and continued but this tiny whisper came again asking me to leave whatever I was doing and go home.
For over a year that I have been working I have not left work and drive home all of a sudden before but today became different.
The more I try to resist the stronger it comes. I picked up my phone to call Anna but suddenly changed my mind from calling her.
I told my colleague on duty that I need to rush home for some sort of emergency which I don’t know what it maybe yet.
He agreed to look out for me. I picked up my car keys, changed off my uniform into my normal wear before driving home.
I couldn’t place what was wrong but I was on my way to find out whatever it may be.
I did not bother driving inside the gate since I was still going to be out in no time. I only wanted to check on Anna and Joel to make sure that they were okay.
I noticed a power bike parked at a far end of a wall, close to the gate. It was rare to see such except if it happens to be a delivery guy. I began to wonder if Anna ordered for anything or maybe the pizza which she suddenly developed interest in.
I quietly walked inside the gate and straight to the door. The door was locked, I brought out a bunch of key which also has my room key and unlocked the door from outside before going in.
Everywhere was calm, nothing was scattered or turned upside down. I saw pizza empty carton lying carelessly on a table.
Joel was not even making a sound, he was probably asleep. I began to wonder what the serious urge was, since everything looks normal.
I strolled pass the fire place and that was when I saw a man’s shoe, then a shirt.
Everything became suspicious, I crossed over to the sitting room and saw Joel, he was sleeping on his baby couch right there in the sitting room. The baby couch was like a cage, even if he wakes up he won’t be able to climb out of it. He hardly use the couch whenever I’m around.
I checked him to make sure he was fine. I noticed that he was running serous temperature. I looked around the sitting room and saw baby syrup. When I read the content, it was a sleeping medicine to make the child to sleep.
I gasped out in shock before dropping the syrup. I made a sign of the cross.
I was hearing some noise coming from Anna’s room. A mumbling quiet noise.
I moved closer and try to knock but I found out the door was not even locked. It was half closed.
I knocked anyway, waited for some seconds before pushing the door aside. After taking few step inside I stood staring at a strange man in bed with Anna.
They appear even more shocked to see me as they both paused from their act and stare at me in disbelief. I was surprised. I looked from Anna to the man before turning to leave.
I went to the sitting room and placed my hand on Joel, I shot my eyes and said few prayer and he suddenly began to cough which lead to a vomit. He threw off all the syrup content that he was feed and awaken.
I carried him out of the cage held him in my arms, he was delighted to see me as usual. He smells of urine, his diaper was socked up. I went to where his new diapers are being kept and started changing and cleaning him up.
I can hear Anna and her lover quarreling over something. I waited for them to be out and in no time the man came out first and looked at me with Joel in my arms.
“Is her fault….she never told me that she was married. Is been over a month we have been seeing each other but she never mentioned about being married. She said that she live here with her son. I told her everything about me, I did not hide my full identity because I liked her. I told her that I’m married with two kids and worked at the cray pizza which I always bring some to her. I did not lie about anything. She asked me to come within a certain period of time and I made sure I don’t disappoint. She lied to me….I’m not at fault, she is….
Anna came out from the room readjusting her hair and said.
“Fred, I did not lie…believe me, I’m not married. He is a father….
Fred turned and looked at her as if she was going insane.
“A father?? What does that even mean? Your son’s father…or what? You are a liar…get lost. I’m out of here…
He picked up his shirt and his shoes and head to the exit door.
Anna called after him but he did not turn, he kept walking angrily without looking back.
“…Fred, he is a reverend father and has never touched me. Fred…believe me….I’m not lying. He takes me as a sister and never touched me like you do. I like you a lot Fred. Please don’t go….Fred…Fred….
In no time Fred was out of the house and out of the gate
I gasped out in disbelief, even Joel was watching the drama without understanding what was going on.
She turned but did not look at me. She looked at her son and said.
“How did he wake up? He was supposed to sleep for five hours…he has only gone for two hours and wasn’t supposed to wake up now….
I shake my head with pity.
“Is that why you drugged him…? You gave him a sleeping syrup so that he won’t disturb you and Fred? That was very bad Anna. What kind of mother are you…. The syrup was eating deep into his system and making him to run a high temperature. Why Anna…?
She frowned and walked to a sit.
“Don’t judge me. You once told me that nobody has the right to judge except God so please don’t judge me. You were celibate and will not even hold or kiss me. Your priest vow was so dear to you than my feelings. I wanted you so much but I dared not ask because you made it clear that you will never touch me. I try to seduce and make you cuddle me up like I desired but you will rather cuddle your bible. I ordered for Pizza one day and Fred delivered it and we got talking. I invited him over another day and we had a good time…that was how it all started. Is just for a month and he doesn’t come every day. It only happen when I’m sure you will be at work… Fred makes me feel like a real woman. I couldn’t stop asking him to come over. Don’t judge me…..
I swallowed hard before sitting down. Joel’s body temperature was back to normal. He yawn severally which means he was hungry. I quickly stood up and made a fruit cereal that I usually buy for him from the store. I mixed it up and gave him to eat and in no time he finished it and requested for more. I diced fruits inside plate and handed over to him with water. He got busy with it while I return my attention to Anna who was still trying to defend her actions.
“Anna, I’m not judging you…I’m only disappointed. I did not expect such from you. I thought by now you have groomed your faith and kept off from anything sinful. Fred is a family man…he is married with children. He is cheating on his wife with you and you are okay with it. Where is your conscience? If he gets you pregnant again like Gumi did and disappeared you will end up painting it on me for the second time. You will tell those who cares to listen that father James is responsible for the pregnancy again. They will believe you this time, did you know why? Because we live together and anything can possibly happen. I hope he has not already gotten you pregnant? Anna…I…I don’t expect this from you. Why drug Joel when you can lock your room and put on the cartoon for him to watch or even get him busy with his toys. Look at him he was so hungry, his diapers was sucked up and I’m not sure you remembered to feed him since morning before giving him the sleeping syrup. Anna! I guess is really time to know who Gumi is. Don’t give me another excuse or reasons why you don’t want to go. We are both going by next week.
Anna was quiet, she looks like she wanted to cry.
“You said I should let you know when I’m ready but I’m not ready yet. Why did you even come back to the house…is unlike you. What made you come home…? Are you angry with me…are you jealous?
I stood up from the chair and looked over at Joel, he was chewing the apple in his hand.
“i…I’m only disappointed Anna. I provide everything you and Joel needed. Maybe not everything you need which is getting romantically involved with you. I made it very clear that such will never happen. Is been three years already, all I did was to love and care for you and Joel. I did not expect such act from you. That was wrong. Did you want to get pregnant again, that is if you haven’t? Did you want to be the reason for a happy family to suddenly break up and start seeking for divorce? Don’t you want a good future for you and Joel with a man who will be both a husband and a father to you and Joel someday? Please Anna, you have from now till next week to make up your mind about visiting Gumi.
Anna suddenly felt like throwing up but held it back, the urge came again and she rushed to the visitors bathroom, I waited until she was out
I breathed in. my phone was ringing, I checked the time and back at the caller, it was meeting time. They are waiting for me already.
I looked at Joel before leaving.
“I have a meeting at the coffee shop… I don’t want to keep them waiting”
I said before walking out leaving her in a state of dilemma.
She will have to make up her mind soon about what exactly she wants from life.
I need to get back to my priesthood. A life I lived so well before I was thrown off guard.
I just pray and hope Anna is not pregnant for Fred.
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