Amidst Temptations batch 12

AMIDST TEMPTATIONS
 
Episode 18
 
A year passed with so many things happening, Serena had lost her mother eight months ago and I didn’t go for the burial because I didn’t want to see him..face him, but I gave my condolences to Serena when she was back in school. Martin had graduated and had been posted to Calabar for NYSC, I was now in 500 level preparing for my next professional Exam, Erica had finished service and was back home applying for job, it wasn’t easy for her as a young graduate especially in a country like Nigeria, my brother David had since moved out to his own place and had a girlfriend named Jennifer, um, that’s about it..and yes I was still dating Martins.
“I think Moses would do a better job, he’s bold and fearless, a good leader, all that we need in a president”I said
“Emilia you know its not about that, we need somebody that God has chosen..am considering Paul”
“Paul?..he just became a Christian not too long ago”
“Two years now, but he’s been fervent..like a fire that won’t go down ”
“So you would chose Paul over Moses who had worked under you, you had basically fathered him in school, besides I doubt Paul even wants president”
“Its Paul..no one else” he insisted with conviction
I sighed”I just feel we should pray more about it, a wrong leader would lead to the fall of the fellowsh¡p ”
“That is correct” he agreed.
That was the conversation between my boyfriend and I over the phone, he was currently in Calabar so it was all phone dating. We needed a new president in the fellowsh¡p so the Excos had been asked to pray concerning it. When I did, it was very clear it was Paul that would be our new president, I was shocked, God hadn’t spoken to me in a long while and I feared it was Sean’s fault. I hadn’t heard from him for almost a year and was glad he had forgotten about me and found a girl to his taste.
Paul was made the new president and Moses was devastated, his true colors came out when he blurted
“F-ck all of you” and walked out on the fellowsh¡p. Paul ascended the podium speechless on the standing ovation he was getting, everyone was happy we had chosen the right person. It made me decide not to judge a book by its cover.
When I told Martin that night during our call he wasn’t surprised
“Told you..I’m glad we chose the right guy for the job…am more glad I have you in my life”he said out of the blue
I giggled
“I can’t wait for you to meet my parents”he said
Uh…”Really..”
“Yeah..”
I was silent “you told them about me?”
“Well yeah..it kinda just came up”
“Don’t you think its too early…We so young”
“Come on..I’m not asking to get married..yet.. I just wanted you to meet them, I’m sure they would love you”
I felt special but it didn’t feel right, maybe I was just scared…of what?
“Uh..ok”
He was silent. “Do you have second thoughts about us?”he asked
“What..no Martin..I love you” it was what I dreamed of, at least before I met Sean
“Ok” he paused “thought you were thinking of him”
” Wha..”my face flushed “why would you even say that, Martin he’s an unbeliever I could never..”I was saying
” so if he becomes a Christian you would date him?”
Were we having this conversation..but really would I..
“Are you being insecure?”I asked him
“Course not..just asking”
“Can he not like come up in every of our conversation.. he wasn’t even my ex….just a guy”I sighed exasperated, was he scared or what
“Okay..so after you meet my parents I can come meet yours?”
I froze blinking”you mean ..m..my Dad?…he ..doesn’t really approve”
“Oh..like the Bishop uh..?”
“He’s very protective of me..am his favorite”
“Fine..just felt I should at least know a fam member by now..its been over a year”
“I thought you met my sister..its not a big deal, for now my family is out of it” I was having a headache from the conversation but couldn’t tell him that..
“Martin you don’t have to worry about anything, I love you and when the time is right I’ll meet your family and you’ll meet mine” when he got silent i decided to change topic..
“How’s work?”I asked rubbing the side of my head…
I sat in class thinking about my father, it’s been over a year since he told me about the dream, and nothing negative had happened, at a point I thought it mearnt my exams but I had passed it, what did it mean?..I kept praying though that nothing bad would happen. Serena sat beside me now because she was Serena, even though I had not gone for the burial she forgave me, I guess she just finally understood that it would never work and had given up on her scheming, though I also always refused her invitation to hang out, she was associated with someone I didn’t care to think about, hanging out with her would make it impossible not to think about him.. so it was a no no..especially as Serena told me he was returning to Nigeria from where he had been after his mother was buried. I hoped and prayed he wouldn’t come looking for me..going for the party in the first place had been a huge mistake on my part.
I knew now without a doubt that who my father had seen was him, Martin would never watch me like that, it was Sean who was dark and brooding..as for the tears, I feared for the worst, my V-rginity or my Salvation are the only two things that would make me cry like that…and he was capable of taking them..
Serena snapped her fingers in front of my face “Earth to Millie”
“How long is he staying?” I suddenly asked
“A month I guess..then he’s going back for his masters and might never return, he says there’s nothing here left for him”
Episode 19
 
I had been trying on clothes for the past two hours, my sister watched me from the bed, I had come to spend the weekend at home
“Do you think this is okay?”
“Emilia its fine, all your clothes are conservative, wonder why you bother” she rolled on her tummy, had been twisting for the past one hour but when I asked she said she was on her period…
“Because i want them to like me”I said
“They not gonna like you based on your clothes”
“But its a factor”
I had finally agreed to see Martins parents after he had kept nagging me on it, to avoid suspicion about not being serious about the relationsh¡p i had given in, i was gonna go on tuesday but i decided to try out clothes since i was home and my sister was around, but she wasn’t helping and she seemed not to be interested in whatever i wore, not convinced by what she said, I pulled offf the skirt and top and decided on a gown
“Why you going to see the parents so soon?”
“He says he wants me to..”
” Well they’ll like you, everybody does” Erica said, that was the nicest thing she had said to me ever, but I decided she just wanted me to be relaxed, I turned to her, she was trying not to writhe in pain, so I told her
” Thanks” and zipped up my dress “what about my hair, do I need to pack it up.”
“Should be up, more decent..as for the makeup..arh” she winced, I rushed to her side
“Are you okay..?”
“Yeah.. Yeah I’m fine” I wasn’t convinced though
“You sure you are..?”
Erica got up suddenly and dashed to the bathroom, I was frozen for a second, i wanted to follow her when I looked down and saw the bedsheets..I stared at it my heart constricted…
Erica came out cleaning her mouth, she saw my look and the bedsheets..
“Don’t worry..I ll wash the sheets”
“Erica..how could you..”
“Its just sheets..I ll wash it”she went and took some pain reliever tablets, I just gaped at her still frozen, I finally found my voice
“Don’t lie to me Erica, I’m a medical student you can’t loose that much blood.. unless..”
Erica just folded her body in in more pain
“Unless you had an abortion”
Erica didn’t deny it, she was silent, I glanced at the sheet again speechless, when I found my voice, I touched her
“Why..what happened”
“I got pregnant OK..I couldn’t tell Dad..I had to do it, a friend took me to a doctor, gave me some pills..”
“That wasn’t the best option”
“You don’t know anything about that..you’re a f-cking V-rgin, do you know how much I crave that..Dad already hates me, he ll disown me otherwise..i had to do it” her arms were tightly crossed, she rocked back and forth “and don’t go preaching to me about how its a sin and all that”
When she had calmed down, I decided to speak again
“Well..I won’t lie to you..its a big sin before God”
“Well I’m no Christian” she rubbed her stomach in pain, I began to cry
“God why, why did you allow her to go this far, why?”I asked in agony…
Third Person pov
Erica had tears in her eyes too but she was trying to be strong, she envied her sister a lot, being able to keep herself but she had lost it a long time ago by mistake and had just decided to continue in the act, when the baby entered, she knew she couldn’t keep it or tell the father who would never marry her, they weren’t in a serious relationsh¡p and Joseph might hate her for it thinking she was trying to trap him into marriage, it also was a big disgrace to her family, seeing her father was a renowned Man of God and she being the first daughter was supposed to be an example, when the doctor gave her the option of an abortion pill she decided to take it anyway, she had no idea it would cause her so much pain. She knew she wasn’t going to do it again but knew she needed help, glancing at her sister who was still crying like she was the one who had gotten pregnant and was in pain, Erica took her in her arms as Emilia hugged her tightly back
” please don’t tell Dad” Erica pleaded
Emilia shook her head and tried cleaning her tears
“I won’t.. but I fear he has seen it”she said, Erica sighed knowing about her fathers dreams especially as Emilia had told her her father had seen her crying in agony like now
” I won’t do it again..I promise, I ll break up with Joe..I’m so sorry”she bowed her head in tears
Emilia’s pov
I stared at her for long then said
“You can’t do it on your own sis..you think I’m stronger than you..no this could have happened to anyone..its because I have God in,side of me, he helps me”
“You don’t understand, I’m far gone”she said
“Jesus died for you for this moment when you feel helpless, he can save you, forgive you for what you have done and give you a brand new life” I was preaching but I couldn’t hold it back, If I had tried to talk more to her she wouldn’t have gone so far. Erica looked at me with tear stained eyes then gave me her hand
‘”Please pray for me”She said.
She feigned illness as she remained in the room, I was her alibi, I didn’t go to see Martins parents and always came home to check on her, we bonded more during that period of two weeks till she got better and the bleeding stopped…I was glad it wasn’t worse than that.. I was happy God gave her a second chance.
TBC