Mended Wings 13 – 14

Mended Wings

Episode 13

Ella rushed out of the restroom to pick her ringing phone. She
dried her hands with the hem of her skirt and raised the phone to her ears.
“Hello,” she said.
“Mason’s bride, how’re you?” Evelyn, Ella’s aunt, said over the phone.
“I’m fine. How’re you and the kids? How’s uncle? Hope you’re
fine. Have they brought your goods?”
“Ella, which of your questions should I answer first? Anyway,
we’re all fine and my goods have been delivered. How is your husband?”
“He’s fine.”
“Hope you’re enjoying the moon.”
Ella smiled. “Yes.”
“Sorry I had to disturb your moon. I just wanted to keep in touch.
I’d been restraining myself since four days ago, but today, I couldn’t any longer.”
Ella laughed. “Just confess you’re missing me.”
“I’ll get used to your absence here with time. You’re in your home now. And I give God the glory.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you more than you can ever imagine.”
“So, how is your husband?”
“You’ve asked about him before. He’s fine.”
Don’t mind me. I just want to be sure everything is fine.”
“Everything is wonderful. Thanks for calling.”
“Wait, Ella.”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“How’s the business of making babies?”
“What?”
“Yes, you know what I’m talking about.”
“Is that what people do during honeymoon?”

“Don’t feign ignorance.”
Ella chuckled. “Auntie. That’s not the only thing one can do. We
talk, pray, play, catch fun together, and so on.”
“Those are icing on the cake, not the cake itself. So answer my
question. How’s it? ’Because I can’t wait to back your baby.”
She laughed again, this time louder. “Talking of babies already.
Anyway the business is good and we are both doing great.”
“I’m happy to hear that. So, when will you be coming to visit?”
“I’ll be resuming work next week Wednesday. I’ll drop by your
place when returning.”
“Alright, I’ll be expecting you. Tara, Tim, and their dad send their greetings.”
“Tell them I love and miss them so much.”
“Okay. Take care of yourself.”
“You too, good bye.” She dropped the phone and sat at the edge
of the bed. Thoughts of Joel sneaked into her mind.
Joel had been a wonderful man. He woke up early, prayed, and
afterwards made breakfast for them every day since she’d married him.
He treated her like a queen. They did everything together, from sleeping, to eating, cleaning, washing, playing, and praying, everything but bathing and using the restroom. If they weren’t doing a chore together, he was
doing it alone. He was indeed the kind of man she’d ever wished for.

But there was one thing that bothered her. Something she’d been unsure to discuss with him. But at this junction, she couldn’t hold it no longer.
She rose up and left the room.
“Honey, there’s something I’d like us to talk about,” she said to Joel.
Joel raised his head from the book he was reading to face her.
“What? Can we discuss it here?”
“Not in the study.” She smiled. “It’s a bedroom talk.”
“Oh.” He dropped the book. “Can we talk about it later then?”
“Yes, but I’d prefer now.”
“Alright.” He smiled and stood up. “Let’s go.” They walked to the room and sat on the bed. “Here we are. I’m listening,” Joel said.
“Honey, I really want to thank you for being a wonderful husband.
Thanks for bringing joy to my life. Thanks for taking care of me, thanks for everything.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t need to thank me. I’m only doing my duty,
which I have just started in fact. I love you. When I say that, I mean it.”
Ella knelt down and held his knees. “Please forgive me if there’s anything I’ve done wrong.”
Joel pulled her off her knees onto the bed. “You’ve done me no
wrong. Just tell me what is on your mind?
Ella whimpered and rubbed her eyes. “Why haven’t you touched
me since we got married?”
“Ella, I can’t count how many times I have touched you. I touch
you always.” He rubbed his palm on her arms.
“You know what I’m talking about. You haven’t slept with me
since I got here.”
“But we had an agreement to sanctify our marriage by praying and abstaining from s*x for the first few days.”
“Yes, but it was for the first three days we agreed on. We’ve been married for over one week. And you’ve ignored every of my attempts. If there’s something about me you don’t like, please tell me. How could I tell my aunt that you haven’t done that since we married? What do you
think they’d say? I…”
Joel eyes w¡dened. “Are you thinking of telling your relatives about this already?”

“No. I’m just saying.”
“Okay. No problem.”
“Is that all you’ll say?”
“What else do you want me to say?”
“I want you to do something about it.”
“Well, I’ve been taking my time because I didn’t want to rush you. But since you’ve mentioned it. Now I know you’re ready.”
“Yes, I’m ready.” She lay her back against the bed.
“Not right away. Do you think I don’t want it more than you do?
I’ve just decided to take it cool with you.”
“Maybe I’m tired of cool. Can you make it hot?”
“I can’t rush myself. It’ll happen at night.”
“Are you kidding me? Is this something you affix time to?” She sat up and moved closer to him, her l-ips few inches from his. “Let’s do it now,” she said and attempted k!ssing him.
Joel ducked k!ssing her and moved away. “No. It can’t be earlier
than tomorrow night. I need to put my mind together.”
Ella puckered her l-ips and shook her head. “Tomorrow night it is
then.”
“Thanks for your understanding.”
“I wish I could say the same.” She stood and walked out of the
room.
“What’s wrong with you, Ella? Seriously you need to…” His voice trailed off. He sighed. Ella was angry with him for the first time.

Mended Wings

Episode 14

Ella sighed, the umpteenth time, that night. She’d been waiting
for Joel, who had himself locked in the bathroom for over half an hour.
“Honey, what’s going on?” she said.
“I’m coming,” Joel said from the bathroom.
“You’ve been saying that consistently for the past one hour. What are you doing in the bathroom? Don’t think I’ll sleep off as usual. You can’t keep failing to keep your promises. Tonight is your night.” She
hissed.
“You’re shouting, Ella. Don’t get on my nerves or else I won’t do
anything tonight.”
“Sorry. I’m quiet.”
He opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the room. He
switched off the light bulbs and approached her.
“Why off the light? I can’t see anything.”
“Your eyes will adapt. Moreover, there’s nothing to see. Use your
mind.”
“Switch on the coloured bulb at least.”
“No light. It’ll make me feel more comfortable,” he said.
“Alright,” she said, desiring to clear her doubt more than
quarrelling with him over illuminating the room.
Joel lay on the bed beside his wife and pulled the coverlet over
them.

People moved out of the doors as the Sunday service ended, with
few people left sitting in groups in the auditorium either talking or praying.
Rachael and Debbie prayed with the ushers and strolled toward
the ministers’ chamber. Debbie looked through the window and caught glance of Joel and Ella standing outside the church talking to a couple.
“Thank God. Pastor Mason is around. I’ve wanted to see him for quite a while now. Each time I tried gaining his attention, he was either busy praying, counselling people, or doing something. I must watch and
wait for him to finish the discussion. I won’t let today slip away without me seeing him,” Debbie said.
“Many people always want to talk to him. Even his wife is always
busy nowadays. She’s the one all the sisters want to share something with,” Racheal said.
Debbie smiled. “That’s it. Every sister wants to be like lucky Sister Ella, especially with the way her husband relates with her. She and Pastor Mason are made for each other from heaven.”
“Hmm. All seems well, but I have my reservation. I remembered
telling her a revelation before she married him.”
“What was the revelation about?”
“It was a frightening revelation. In summary, I tried to dissuade
her from marrying Pastor Joel.”
Are you kidding me? You never told me this.”
“Well, the message was meant for her not you.”
“Won’t she see you as the devil now? Little wonder you two don’t
relate well.”
“I don’t know what she thinks of me but what I said should’ve
been long forgotten.”
“In your thoughts. Don’t you know she might think you are an
agent of the devil sent to disrupt her life?”
“Sister Debbie, I couldn’t have formed the revelation. If I had just one spiritual gift, it was precise and accurate revelations. I sincerely had the revelation I told her. In fact, I called her thrice to tell her different
revelations I had about her. It was after the third time that I stopped dreaming about her.”
“How did she react?”
“She thanked me and told me to pray for the gift of interpretation of dreams. She said the revelations had opposite meanings to what I said. And I kept quiet.”
“She was right. Now it’s evident that the revelations indeed meant
good for her. The truth is I wish I were in her shoes now. See how more beautiful she has become. The beauty, honour, and grace her marriage has brought her in this church and even outside the church are beyond measure.”

“I’m happy for her. But I have my reservations still. My revelations had never been so real and worrisome like those I had about her.”
“Would you stop talking about your revelations? Spirit of
discernment, ability to distinguish good from evil, is necessary for every Christian. Sister Ella is not the type that will lack discernment. She
definitely won’t take that step if she wasn’t sure.”
“Don’t say that. Even Jesus was tempted, how much more Sister
Ella.”
“But Jesus overcame.”
“Yes, He did, I know. I’m only saying you shouldn’t think of a
human being as highly as that. Anyone can fall. Remember Samson,
David with Bathsheba, to mention but a few. That is why God
sometimes sends others to us to guide us. Take for instance, God sent many prophets to the Israelites. Anytime they went astray, He sent someone to show them the way.
“I agree with you. But think about the young prophet who listened to the old prophet and lost his life.”
“His own case was different. God didn’t tell him to rest but he
did.”
“All still boils down to Spirit of discernment, he could have
discerned that the prophet was a liar and leave without turning back.”
“Don’t you know that sometimes our will shuts down the Spirit of
discernment in us? Who knows if the young prophet was already hungry and was just tolerating God’s word, and immediately he heard another directive, he gave in to it.”
“Hmm. You’re right. But all the same, may we never miss it in life. At the junction where confusion arises, God will always shine His light.
May we not be blind to His leading.”
“Amen. I just hope the marriage stays strong.”

Every marriage will have its own challenges. When they get to the
bridge, they’ll cross it. They are both seasoned in the word. They’ll pray and overcome whatever challenge comes their way. We just have to be
praying for them.”
“It is well.”
“Exactly, it is.” Debbie glanced at Joel’s direction and saw him
opening the car door for his wife, smiling. “Sister Rachael, did you see that?” She shot Racheal a knowing look. “Anyway, I have to run now. He’s leaving. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
“Extend my regards to them. Take care and have a nice week.”
“You too,” Debbie said and hurried to meet Joel, who was about driving out.