Stepping Into Maggie's Shoes, Episode 5

 

By Opeyemi Akintunde

After she was released, Nneka told me she was leaving the church as she could no longer worship there again. She relocated to Enugu. Christabel’s family also flew her abroad to have her face worked on. In the midst of this, I realized I was happy within my heart and a part of me kept saying “2 down, more to go," but I would always silence that voice whenever the thought crept up in my heart and head.

Then the unexpected happened: one fateful Sunday, I was invited by the marriage committee for a meeting. I suspected what it was; I suspected it had something to do with Julius changing our engagement dates. I walked towards the marriage committee office shamefully, but surprisingly I met the usual frowning faces SMILING at me. That was NOT normal, but I suddenly remembered that was exactly how my mother was smiling sheepishly at me that morning on our way to church...

“Mummy, what’s with this smile and this look you have been blessing me with since you woke up this morning?”

“Nothingooo” Mum had said.

“Now, I know there is something, because whenever you add ‘ooooo’ to your ‘Nothing’, it shows there is actually something... Mum spit it out. You are hiding something.”

“Well, I am just amazed at the wonders of God.... All I can say is God is good... I won’t say anything more.” She had increased the volume of music in her car to tell me the conversation was over. 

Dad and Mum were not members of Apostles’ church, but Mum followed me once in a while when we had special programmes. Surprisingly, that day was not a special Sunday, so I was a bit surprised when she told me she was going to church with me. Therefore, seeing the exact smile I saw on Mum that morning on the faces of the marriage committee members, my instincts told me something was up. After exchanging all the pleasantries, they went straight to the point.

“Blessed are you amongst women, Sis Happy” said one of the women and immediately my eyes widened, my heart started racing at 150km...

“Like you know, ever since the ugly situation between Sis Nneka and Sis Christabel, the entire church has been praying seriously for the Apostle for God to give him a woman that will take the place of Pastor Maggie in his life to avoid more casualties among the single ladies in and out of the church.”

“Ok now, how this one tey concern me?” (How does that concern me?) I instantly started thinking in pidgin; my knowledge of English went on sabbatical leave as I stood looking like a zombie listening to a foreign language that had no meaning to me.

“During our prayers, your name came up and the Apostle also confirmed to us by mentioning your name as the name the Lord had given Him,” said the only man in the committee.

“He said the Lord told him, He is sending HAPPINESS into his life and we believe that is YOU, Sis Happy, knowing how unserious your fiancé has been, we want to let you know that God has chosen you to step into Pastor Maggie’s shoe...” An elderly woman concluded.

I stood like a robot that had been glued to a spot and then suddenly I ran out of the office and I just kept running and running. I knew I heard people calling my name and chasing me... I knew I heard my mother’s voice, but I couldn’t stop my legs from running.... I stopped a taxi and jumped in...

“Where madam?”

“Anywhere far from here.... just get me out of here.” I screamed at the Taxi driver.

This had to be a dream, God forbid! I would never enter Pastor Maggie’s shoe... It wasn’t going to be my size, it wouldn’t fit me one bit.... Julius was my perfect size.... I refuse to enter her shoes and get killed with all the acid pouring and silent rivalry in the church...

“God, please if this is a joke, abeg ooo, I am not smiling.... I reject this shoe in Jesus’ name.”

“Madam, we have been driving around for the past two hours, where exactly is your destination? Are you on the run?” the taxi driver asked through the inner mirror.

“Yes... I am running away ooo.” I said trying to make a joke out of my serious situation.

“Then I am sorry ma’am you may have to alight from my cab” he said with a very serious tone.

“Haha! That is so insensitive of you, at least you could have asked me why I am on the run.” I said very irritated at his sharp response.

“I am sorry, it’s not in my nature to meddle in the affairs of my passengers. Moreover, I don’t know exactly why you ran out of the church before jumping into my cab, who knows maybe you committed a crime and by driving you around aimlessly, I could be helping you in your crime...”

“For a taxi driver, you are quite knowledgeable.”

“No food for a lazy intelligent man. I don’t have a choice, I need to take care of my family and very soon I plan on getting married so I need to work for money... and that being said, ma’am your bill is N5000” he said sharply.

“5 What?” I asked but I checked my wristwatch and I realized we had been driving for close to 2 hours 30 minutes, as I kept telling him to go from one location to another. 

“You know what? Never mind, just stop the car” I counted his money and gave to him.

After alighting from the cab, I stood on the main road not knowing what to do... I removed my heels and started walking... My home was about 3 hours journey from where I was, so I didn’t know where exactly I was going.

“Julius, you caused all these, if you had gathered money for my bride price, all this talk about marrying Apostle won’t come up," I muttered to myself...

“Do I love Julius?” I asked myself.

“Well, I like him enough to want to spend the rest of my life with him” I replied.

“Julius has a good heart, he is only unambitious and partially lazy” I told myself.

I kept on analyzing Julius as a potential good husband as against the Apostle. I knew Julius didn’t have the inner push to get what he wanted, he believed too much in miracles.

To be continued. 

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For quick catch-ups: Click here to read episode 3 and here for episode 4.