FORNICATION PLANS -Episode 2

FORNICATION PLANS EPISODE 2

Cobby Grant was distressed.
He kept glancing at Cecilia Dede in church. She was always joyful and full of joie de vivre, but that Sunday she looked very distracted, and on a few occasions she looked at Cobby with almost guilty eyes.
Cobby was preaching that day. His message had been on salvation, but he always prepared and kept reserve sermons in case he was ever called on to deliver a sermon out of the blue.
He chose his reserve sermon that day, on fornication and adultery, hoping to drive a few painful truths home to Cecilia.
Using Joseph and Potiphar’s wife as examples, he passionately preached that day, and saw Cecilia’s face changing rapidly, and she became very quiet and uncomfortable.
He saw though, that she kept glancing at her phone a lot, obviously checking out the time. She was in a hurry to go and meet Jacob, no doubt.
Cobby Grant came to the end of his sermon quite convinced that Cecilia would leave the church before service was completely over. Cobby made up his mind quickly and spoke into the microphone.
“I want Sister Cecilia and Brother Nii Lin to wait for me after service, please,” Cobby said, and noticed how startled Cecilia’s face became, and how shaky she suddenly looked.
Cobby had not told Jacob anything about Nii Lin on purpose.
The young man was an IT specialist and a university graduate.
He and Cecilia had approached the Presbytery about a year ago with plans of getting married, and they had been placed on Observatory Courtsh¡p, and every member was aware of that.
Cobby was aware of Cecilia’s dark looks as he returning to his seat and the prayer session began.
After church, Cobby moved to the side of Pastor Augustine Sena and spoke quietly with him. Cecilia, watching from afar, felt her heart beating with trepidation, and she her anger flared up against Elder Cobby Grant.
She was also furious at Nii, thinking that maybe he had divulged the conversation she had had a couple of days ago with him to Elder Grant.
There was a sudden announcement that Cecilia and Nii should meet Elder Grant in the pastor’s office.
With her heart beating with mounting unease, Cecilia made her way to the first floor where the pastor’s plush office was located.
When she entered she found Pastor Augustine sitting behind his desk, and Nii sitting facing him. Elder Cobby Grant was standing at the window, looking on silently.
“Oh, hello Ceci, do take a seat,” Pastor Augustine said.
Cecilia sat down gingerly on the other seat.
Her palms were w-t and she rubbed down on the dress she was wearing, across her thighs.
“Well, we always start everything with prayer in this church,” Pastor Augustine Sena said. “Elder Cobby, kindly lead us in a prayer.”
Cobby, still standing, raised his hands, and offered a short prayer.
After everyone chorused ‘Amen’, the pastor leaned forward, his face serious, and looked at Cecilia first, before turning his attention to Nii.
“Listen, guys, I know you might be worried, but please relax,” he said gently and smiled. “We placed you under Observatory Courtsh¡p as we waited for your plans to develop. We have been reassured that indeed, you’ve kept yourselves admirably from the sins of the flesh. Nii, you’ve acquired employment now, and Cecilia is now also employed as a clerk. You can now marry. Have you made any plans toward that yet?”
Cecilia looked at Nii sharply and licked her l-ips.
Nii Lin sighed softly, and smiled.
“Well, I was thinking about how to come and tell you what’s going on, Pastor,” Nii Lin said softly. “Two days ago Cecilia came to me. She told me she doesn’t want to marry me anymore. Apparently, she has found someone else.”
Pastor Sena gasped, and looked at Cecilia with surprise.
“Really, Ceci?” he asked softly. “Who is it? A member of this church?”
Cecilia licked her l-ips and took a quick look at Cobby, who was still standing still. She rubbed her hands on her thighs again, evidently in some sort of distress.
“Do you know who this man is, Nii?” Pastor Sena asked the young man.
Nii Lin also cast a glance at Acquah before replying.
“Yes, she told me he’s a friend of Elder Grant,” Nii Lin said gently. “Apparently, it is Elder Grant who arranged the wh0le thing and gave a testimony about his friend and advised Cecilia to leave me and marry his friend.”
The pastor looked at a shocked Cobby Grant with a frown.
“What’s this, Cobby?” Pastor Sena asked. “This is not what you told me earlier.”
Cobby smiled and inclined his head towards Cecilia.
“Please ask her when and where I gave her this advice,” he said with a chuckle. “I went to call Jacob to ask him to come to church this morning, and he told me about Ceci. I didn’t know she had lied to Nii about my role in this wh0le situation.”
Nii Lin looked at Cecilia, and suddenly tears shimmered in his eyes.
“Ceci?” he said sadly. “You lied to me just to get rid of me?”
Cecilia looked miserably at the pastor, and then cast furtive looks at Cobby.
“I’m sorry, Elder Grant,” she said in a small voice. “I didn’t know how to break off with Nii that’s why I used that excuse to get him to understand.”
“I don’t think that idea came from you,” Cobby said gently. “It sounds exactly like the kind of thing Jacob Acquah will think of. I know he gave you that idea.”
Pastor Sena frowned at Cecilia.
“Is this true, Ceci?” he asked softly. “Did that man told you to lie?”
Tears fell down Cecilia’s cheeks.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Pastor, but I do love him so much!” she blurted out. “He’s good to me, and we flow so much! We’re so compatible! He thinks about the things I think of! He likes the things I like! When we’re together it is as if we’ve known each other for years!”
“Oh, don’t be stupid and childish!” Pastor Augustine Sena exploded. “You’re being naïve! That man came here only once! You’ve known him for how long, just about a week or two?”
Cobby came off the wall now, scowling.
“You know, pastor, Yacubu used almost the same words she’s using, like they feel so much connected,” he said gently. “Jacob has been my friend since we were kids, and I know him. He’s always liked women!”
“I know!” Cecilia cried. “He’s a womanizer, but he has promised to stop because he feels so much for me! I love him, please!”
“Aow, Ceci, Ceci, Ceci!” Nii Lin scre-med, tears running down his face. “You’ve pierced my heart with the irons of Lucifer!”
“I’m sorry, Nii!” Cecilia wept. “But I couldn’t help it! I love him!”
Nii stood up fiercely, causing his chair to smash to the floor, and then he fled from the office in tears.
“Go after him, Cobby, whilst I speak to this silly girl!” Pastor Augustine said.
Cobby nodded, but he looked at Cecilia sternly.
“Jacob is my friend, Cecilia, and I know him,” he said tightly. “If he says you’ve changed him in just two weeks, that’s okay! But you’re a Christian, Cecilia. The Bible frowns against fornication. If Jacob says he’ll marry you, let him go and perform all the marriage rites first, before you sleep with him. Do you hear me?”
She nodded with tears running down her face.
“I’m so sorry for the inconvenience, Elder! Yes, I’m a Christian, and I’ll not fornicate, I promise to God!”
Cobby Grant ran after Nii Lin.

To be continued

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