Mr Cole was seated in his office at the University. His laptop was opened before him. He looked at a piece of paper sitting on his table and said to himself, “There is no way these students will not carry over my course,” he studied their names properly, “Especially this Bolaji Adegoke, he is the most unserious human being I have ever met.”

Goke should have graduated the previous year but had to repeat a year because he was suspended from school for a month after he and some of his friends were caught with hard drugs. Unfortunately for him, the period he was on suspension coincided with the first semester exams. He was unable to write those papers and that automatically meant an extra year because the courses were taken only in the first semester and were compulsory.  Now, here he was repeating these courses and he still didn’t meet the 75% attendance cut off for one of them.

Mr. Cole made a mental note to call him to his office after his lecture. That was if he was going to attend it in the first place.

As he stood in front of the hall, addressing the students, he scanned through them with his eyes, searching for Goke. He was nowhere to be found. Mr. Cole went on with the lecture and about 30 minutes into the one hour class, Goke sauntered in.

“Where do you think you are going?” Mr Cole asked him. There was perfect silence. All eyes were on Goke.

“I had a flat tire.” Goke didn’t look remorseful one bit. Nothing about him showed he was a student coming to learn. He had neither a book nor pen. He wasn’t wearing a tie, which was compulsory for all male students and lecturers. 

Mr. Cole had heard him give many excuses in the past but this was by far the lamest. He couldn’t take it. “Your tire was flat?” He repeated the statement and was even more irritated by the way it sounded in his ears. “Couldn’t you take a cab? I mean, I don’t care if you chose to stay off campus for reasons best known to you but what I want to know is if there are no taxis anymore.”

“I forgot my wallet at home.” Goke gave another lame excuse.

“You what?!” Mr Cole had had enough. “Leave my class right now.” He ordered him and pointed at the door.

Without hesitation or a word of plea, Goke who was still standing leisurely strolled towards the door.

          “And for your information, you did not make 75% attendance. I don’t care if you want to go and beg the VC, you are not sitting for the exams next week.” Mr. Cole was angry. Ordinarily, he shouldn’t have said all that in front of the other students but he was too upset to care.

“Whatever.” Goke threw his hand in the air and walked out on Mr Cole while he was still speaking.

“Useless boy.” He hissed and continued his lecture.

Mr. Cole returned to his office. As he was about to open the door, he saw a writing on the door with a red marker. “NO TRY AM” (DON’T TRY IT).

He hissed and entered his office. “That fool thinks he can threaten me. Me sef get craze (I am also crazy).” He dropped his laptop bag on his table. There was a knock on the door. “Who is it?” Mr. Cole wasn’t expecting anyone. He was about getting ready to retire from the day’s work.

“Funmi.” A female voice answered.

“Come in.” Mr Cole took his seat.

She opened the door and entered his office.  She was one of his students. She usually appeared classy with the wealth of her parents written all over her but today she looked different. She barely applied makeup, she wore her hair in scruffy cornrows. Usually, it would have been concealed by her million braids wig. She had been crying, her eyes were red and swollen, no makeup could conceal that even if she tried.

 “Ha! I’m dead.” She placed her hands on her head.

“What is it? Please shut the door.” Mr. Cole wondered at the reason for the drama. He didn’t seem to care much.

She turned around and closed the door. “Mr. Cole please cooperate with them.” She clapped her hands together pleading, almost going on her knees.

“What are you talking about? Cooperate with who? Please leave my office if you don’t have anything to say.” He pointed at the door.

She brought out her phone from her bag. “I got a message from an anonymous person. The person sent me this picture.” She handed the phone to Mr. Cole.

He collected the phone and looked at the picture. “What?!” He immediately started feeling hot. He loosened his tie. “What does the person want?” He asked, finding it hard to swallow. His throat instantly dried up.

“I don’t know sir. The only message was that you’ll understand when you see it. Please sir, my parents are top pastors in the country, if this picture gets out, I’m doomed. They will disown me. Whatever this person wants, please do it sir. I’m begging you.” She went on her knees.

“I will understand when I see it?” Mr Cole repeated the message trying to figure out what it meant. He looked at the picture again. He could not imagine who could have taken a picture of Funmi and him stark naked in the hotel room where they had sex.

It was just once it happened and it was the condition he gave her for her to pass his course. She had begged and offered money instead but he told her if she wanted to pass she had only one choice- to sleep with him.

He didn’t mention it to anyone not even any of his buddies that drank with him at the bar. She wasn’t the first student, he’d slept with and nothing like this had ever happened. He always went scot free.

Now here he was looking at the picture, he could only imagine how horrible things would get if it leaked out. First he’ll lose his job and any chance of him getting a job as a lecturer in any other university. Meaning his career would be ruined. Next the shame he’d face before his family. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the gravity of what was at stake.

“Who could have done this? What does the person want?” He asked himself. “Take your phone. Stop crying, I will handle this.” He handed the phone over to the young lady and tried to sound confident. “Don’t worry; there is no cause for alarm.”

“Thank you sir.” She wiped her face and left.

He had just told her there was no cause for alarm but the alarm in his mind had just gone off. It rang so loudly that all he could see was his impending doom. He buried his head in his hand. “What am I going to do?” He thought. His phone beeped, an SMS entered.

He picked his phone and checked the message:

“I pass your course and this picture doesn’t get out. I don’t and you face the consequences!”

Mr. Cole’s pulse quickened. His hand trembled. “So Goke is the person behind this.” He dropped his phone, brought out his laptop from its bag and placed it on the table.

With sweat trickling down his face, despite the air conditioner on 18 degrees, he waited for the system to boot. He opened a document on his desktop “ARC408 Attendance”. He saw Goke’s name, with his index finger still shaking, he traced the row which revealed his weekly class attendance and a total attendance score of 30%. Without wasting time, Mr Cole doctored the figures and Goke’s total score became 80%. He saved it and shut down the laptop before returning it into his bag.

He picked his phone, read the message again and decided to reply:

“Please don’t let it get out, you will pass my paper. You have my word”

He sat back in his chair, loosened his tie further and sighed. He bit his thumb. “This guy must not do this to me. I’ll be doomed.”

*****

Mrs. Cole had just left work and was on her way to pick Bayo and Bolu from school when her phone rang. She was held up in traffic so she comfortably dipped her hand into her bag to search for it. She brought it out and checked the caller’s ID. It was Emeka. She smiled and picked the call.

“Hello dear.” She had been expecting his call since morning.

“Hi Funke, how are you?” He sounded tired.

“I’m good. How are you too? You sound tired.”

“Yeah I am pretty exhausted. I just got home, the traffic was terrible.” He told her.

“Yes it is. I’m currently stuck too. I hope it clears soon. How was your day? Where did you go?” She asked him. He hardly went out. Most of his work was done from home.

“My day had been okay. I’m sorry I couldn’t talk much the other time.” He said, avoiding the second question.

“Where did you go? It always feels like you hardly go out.” Mrs. Cole wondered where the curiosity came from. She just wanted to know.

He chuckled, “Hardly doesn’t mean never na.” He still avoided the question.

“Well that’s true. Anyway, it’s good you are home. Eat something and rest, you hear?” She allowed the matter rest.

“Always caring. I will dear.” He gave a weak chuckle.

There was silence between then.

Emeka broke it. “So when next will I be seeing your beautiful face, Funke?”

Mrs. Cole had been looking forward to seeing Emeka since that evening when he rescued her from the emotional turmoil she was going through. She however didn’t have the boldness to open up to him. She secretly prayed he’ll ask to see her again and he just did. “Errr.. I don’t know,” she bit her lower lip, “When are you free?”

“Baby for you, you know I’ll always be free.” He was already used to referring to her as ‘baby’. He no longer seemed to care about any other thing but her.

“What of your family? Your wife and kids?” Mrs Cole wanted to understand what place they occupied in his life now. She didn’t want to displace them after all, she had hers and wouldn’t want anyone to stand between her and her children, not even Emeka.

“They are fine. You have nothing to worry about.” He told her confidently.

“Won’t they begin to ask after your whereabouts?” She was letting out all her concerns. The traffic was gradually clearing.     

          “Trust me Funke, you have nothing to worry about. I give them all they want and if I tell my wife that I have to step out briefly, do you think she questions me?”

Mrs. Cole didn’t answer. She figured it was an obvious ‘no’. “In that case, we could see this evening after I drop my children at home. Is that okay?” She made a turn to the left and was completely out of the traffic.

“Alright, cool. Just call and let me know when to start coming. Where are we meeting?” He asked.

“I think that street was perfect. What do you think?” She asked.

“I think so too. That’s fine, see you later then.”

“Bye.” She ended the call and returned the phone to her bag. She hoped that today won’t be like the previous day when her husband returned relatively early compared to previous times. It was good he had his copy of the house key but she still wasn’t ready to answer questions of where she went to or was coming from.

She went to pick Bolu and Bayo and headed straight home.

“Mummy” Bayo called his mum. He had allowed his sister take the front seat while he sat directly behind his mum. He observed her incessant smiles through the rear view mirror.

“Yes honey.” She made eye contact with him through the mirror. She only called her children that either when she was so pleased with them or when she was in the best of moods.

“You seem happy, what’s going on?” He asked with a smile.

“Is it a crime to be happy?” She smiled.

“No o, I’m happy you are happy.” He told her still smiling.

“And me too.” Bolu said. She was more happy that her brother had allowed her to seat in front than she was that her mum was happy.

Her mum gave her a brief sideway glance. “Thanks dear.”

Mrs Cole got home but didn’t drive into the compound. “Children, I have to briefly get somewhere. Go in and meet your sister. I’ll be back soon. Okay?” She turned to Bayo and Bolu.

“Where mummy?” Bolu was always inquisitive.

“No too far from here, dear.” She rubbed her daughter’s cheek.

“Okay mummy.” Bolu and Bayo said simultaneously, came down from the car and went to knock on the gate.

Mrs. Cole waited for Seyi to open the gate. When she did, she peeped and saw the car outside.

“Why is mummy not coming inside?” She asked Bayo.                                                                                      

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “she said she has a place she quickly wants to get to.”

Seyi came out of the compound and walked towards the driver’s side of the car. “Mummy good afternoon,” she greeted her mum.

“How are you Seyi?”

“I’m fine ma. Bayo said you want to quickly get somewhere” She needed to clarify.

“Yes I won’t be long.” Mrs Cole didn’t want to divulge too much information.

“Okay ma, I prepared beans and sweet potato.” She told her mum.

“That’s good, serve your siblings. I’ll have mine when I return.” She started the car.

“Alright ma. Don’t be long.” Seyi went into the compound.

Mrs. Cole waited for her to leave then turned off the car. She reached for her bag to call Emeka. She saw a missed call from Mrs Dedeke.

“This woman should leave me alone.” She snapped. “What is it sef? Is it by force?” She hissed and dialed Emeka’s number.

He picked almost immediately.

“Baby,” His smile was audible.

“Hi dear. Can we meet there now? I just dropped my children at home.” She had quickly forgotten what made her upset a few seconds ago. Emeka made her happy and that was all that mattered to her. She wasn’t going to allow anything take that away from her, not even a missed call from the woman that has in recent times appeared to Mrs. Cole as overbearing.

“Okay dear, I’ll be there soon.”

“Alright dear.” She ended the call and started the car. She didn’t want to spend another minute there just in case her husband or anyone showed up.

She got to the street they planned to meet and parked her car. She reached into her bag and brought out her Classic brown powder and lipstick. She needed to touch up her looks for Emeka. After she was done, she rested back in her seat and waited for him. She picked her phone out of her bag and turned it off; she didn’t want any Mrs Dedeke or pastor calling her. The war with her conscience was intense enough. She needed some peace but with the path she was treading; there was no way she was going to have that. She placed the phone back in her bag and looked at her side mirror every time she heard the sound of a car coming and after about fifteen minutes of waiting, there he was in his black SUV. Her excitement heightened as he parked his car and approached.

He wore a navy blue T-shirt and jean short. He opened the passenger’s door of her car and sat beside her. “Sweetiepie, how are you doing?” He smiled.

His smile was perfect. Mrs. Cole took in his smell which always made her feel so comfortable and relaxed. “I’m fine.” She smiled, a little bit shy. She avoided prolonged eye contacts.

Emeka smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” She asked with a smile.

“I have every reason to smile, my dear. Seeing you and being with you after these many years. You are the reason I’m smiling.” He moved closer to her.

She knit her brows. And looked down.

“Did I say something wrong?” He appeared confused.

“No it’s not that. I have a question.” She looked worried.

“Okay…What is it?” He showed so much concern.

“Do you love her?” She looked at him, searching his eyes for answers.

Emeka sighed. He didn’t appear thrown off balance by the question instead he seemed so confident and prepared for it. “Funke,” he held her hand and looked into her eyes. “After you left me those eighteen years ago, I was shattered. My life became a mess. I went into drinking, something I had never done before. One day, in the bar when I was very drunk, a lady walked up to me and began to engage me in a conversation. I had no idea what she said that night but what I knew was when I woke up the next morning, I was in her house. We apparently had sex that night. I told myself, such was never going to happen again. However, a month later, she sent me a message that she was pregnant. Long story cut short, we had to get married and I’ve been stuck with her since then. So to answer your question, Funke I have never ever loved any other woman but you and I still love you.”

Mrs. Cole could feel her head spinning. She didn’t see this coming. Her heart began to race. She felt so sorry for Emeka and began to blame herself. “I’m so sorry Emeka; I put you through all this.”

“No, no please, you don’t have to be. I have you now and that is what matters most. Let’s not cry over spilled milk instead let us be thankful for where we are now.” He smiled and placed his hands on her cheeks.

Mrs. Cole felt some relief but the uneasiness she had been battling with ever since Emeka walked back into her life persisted. Deep within her, she knew what she was doing with Emeka wasn’t right but she couldn’t care any less. She felt she had hit rock bottom and things could not get any worse than they were.

Emeka moved closer “I love you Funke.” His warm breath brushed her face.

Mrs. Cole could no longer speak. No words were going to come out even if she tried.

He kissed her lower lip.

She closed her eyes and struggled with the antagonizing thoughts in her head. She couldn’t resist him anymore. He placed his hand round her. She kissed him back and chose to damn the consequences of what she was doing. She had missed being loved and kissed the way Emeka did.

“You know what?” Emeka moved back just a little bit and looked into her eyes.

“What?” She searched his eyes.

“I did a little search and found a hotel just a few blocks away. What do you say we go there and you know…?” He smiled.

Mrs. Cole sat back in her seat. “A hotel?” She knew what that meant. Although Emeka and her never had sex when they courted, she was a married woman now. She tried to remind herself that fact but the more she did, the more she remembered the hurt that being married had caused her. Her body wanted to be with Emeka but her spirit resisted so hard.

“I’m sorry I even brought that up. What was I thinking?” He ran his hand over his head. “I’m really sorry, Funke. I’m not usually like this. I promise. It’s just that when I’m with you I…”

Mrs. Cole cut in. “Let’s go.”

“What? Are you sure?” Emeka asked, surprised but excited.

She looked into his eyes. “You want to go or not?”

“I…I do.” He stammered. Excitement written all over his face. He looked like a little boy who had just been given a gift he had earnestly craved. “It’s just down the road.” He pointed.

Mrs. Cole started the car and headed to the place. She was no longer in control of herself anymore.

“Here it is.” Emeka pointed out.

They came down and went inside. The hotel wasn’t all that nice but neither of them minded. All they needed was a place to be together alone.

Emeka made enquiries about the prices of the rooms and paid for the cheapest one. He collected the key from the receptionist and they headed to the first floor.

As they walked through the corridor, Mrs Cole wondered what she was doing. Flashes of her children flooded her mind. She remembered the Sunday school teaching on Sunday about the believer’s response to temptation and that the Bible says there is no temptation that comes our way that is beyond us and something about a way out. She knew this was nothing short of a temptation but she didn’t know if she wanted out or not.

Emeka opened the door and looked at her. He noticed she had something on her mind. “Are you alright?” He asked her as he put his hand around her waist.

“I’m fine.” She brushed the thoughts off and smiled at him as they both entered the room. She dropped her bag on the floor and faced Emeka who was standing a few inches away from her by the bed.

He sat on the bed and tapped the bed beside him. “Come and sit my love.” He smiled at her.

Mrs. Cole returned his smile and sat right next to him.

He moved closer and began to kiss her and unbutton her shirt.

She knew something was wrong. Everything was wrong. Her peace was totally gone and she knew it. She didn’t resist him but she knew the more he progressed, the more troubled she became. With the last strength she had left in her she quietly prayed. “Lord, if You can, please get me out of here.”

Immediately she said that prayer, her phone rang. It had being turned off, she was sure of that. She initially ignored it and allowed Emeka take off her shirt but then it rang again.

“Sorry Emeka, I need to see who is calling me.” She told him.

He didn’t answer her. “Ignore it”. He was so engrossed.

“Please Emeka, it’s been ringing. It might be urgent.” She pushed him away.

“Now of all times for Christ’s sake. Who is that idiot?” He raised his voice and punched the pillow.

Mrs. Cole looked at him in a funny way wondering why he was so angry. She reached for her phone and saw it was Seyi that had been calling her. She picked it immediately.

“Hello.”

“Mummy.” The female voice sounded apprehensive.

“Seyi what’s wrong?” She asked.

“It’s me mummy, Sis Seyi is not breathing.” Bolu’s voice faded away and she started crying.

“What?! Seyi is what? What happened? I’ll be there right away.” She hung up and jumped up. Her heart was beating at its fastest. She couldn’t feel her legs again but she knew collapsing was not an option. She snatched her shirt from the bed, picked her bag and headed for the door.

“What happened?” Emeka asked looking so confused.

“I have to go, something happened to my daughter.” She wore her shirt and dashed out of the room. Straight to her car and she drove off.

“Oh my God, Please Seyi must not die.” She prayed with hot tears flowing down her cheeks. “What entered into me. Why did I leave my children? If I was with them nothing would have happened to Seyi.” She began to blame herself as she sped home.

Immediately she got to the gate of the house, she came down from the car and with her copy of the gate key opened it and rushed in. She left the car outside with her bag inside it. Nothing mattered to her right now than the life of her daughter.

“Where is she?” Mrs. Cole shouted as she barged into the house.

“Who mummy?” Bayo asked, confused.

“Where is Seyi?”

“She is in her room” Bayo stood up from the couch he was sitting on watching TV and followed his mummy inside. “Mummy what happened?” He asked.

Mrs. Cole ignored him and rushed straight to Seyi’s room. She flung the door open and she saw Seyi helping Bolu weave her hair.

“Mummy, are you okay? You seem disturbed.” Seyi asked.

Bolu and Seyi looked at her in amazement. Bayo standing behind her too wondered what was going on.

“Bolu didn’t you just call me to tell me Seyi wasn’t…” She didn’t complete her sentence. The words were too heavy in her mouth. She couldn’t bear to imagine any of her children dying.

“Mummy I did not call you.” Bolu told her mum, still wondering what exactly was going on.

“My phone is charging in Bayo’s room mummy. Nobody called you. I can show you the call log if you want.” Seyi tried to convince her mum.

Mrs. Cole could still not comprehend what just happened. She was sure her phone rang and she heard Bolu’s voice. “Where is my phone?” She asked not necessarily expecting answer from her children who didn’t even know she parked the car outside. She turned around and rushed out of the house. She needed her phone. She knew she wasn’t out of her mind. Her phone was going to prove them wrong.

Seyi, Bayo and Bolu followed her as she left the house and out of the compound.

Mrs. Cole opened the door of the car and reached for her bag. She brought out her phone to check her last call.

The phone was off.

“No way, this can’t be.” She shook her head. “This phone rang and I picked it.” She said trying to convince herself she wasn’t losing her mind.

She turned it on and checked her last call. It was the call she made to Emeka.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. Before her legs would give way again, she sat down on the driver’s seat too dazed to lift her legs into the car. She rested her body on the steering and tears flowed uncontrollably.

“Could the call have been God’s answer to my prayer?” Her mind flashed back to some minutes ago when she asked God for help. “Does God still care about my messed up life?  She wondered.

Seyi, Bayo and Bolu gathered around her. Seyi and Bolu stood by the open door, Bayo opened the passenger’s door and crawled next to her. They all hugged her. “Mummy sorry.” None of them knew what was going on but they knew their mum was going through a lot. As they hugged her, she cried the more.

Then Bayo spoke softly into her right ear “Jesus asked me to tell you that He loves you and has forgiven you and He can fix this mess, mummy.”

She lifted up her head from the steering where she had buried it, looked at him with tears flowing down her cheeks. “What did you just say?” She opened her eyes wide causing the skin over her forehead to wrinkle.

Bayo moved back a little. He couldn’t interpret the look on his mother’s face. Was she angry and about to slap him or was she shocked and need to clarify what she had just heard? He wasn’t so sure but he suddenly felt the boldness to speak. He repeated himself. “Jesus asked me to tell you that He loves you and has forgiven you and He can fix this mess”

“Jesus spoke to you?” She pointed at him.

“Yes mummy. It was an amazing experience. I was in my room this evening after lunch. I picked my Bible to read and the strangest thing happened.” His eyes were wide with excitement. “You remember the man I told you I saw in my dream?” He reminded his mum but didn’t wait for her response. “He entered my room, mummy. He told me he was Jesus and He had a message for my mummy. He said I should tell you He loves you and has forgiven you and He can fix this mess.”

Mrs. Cole looked at him in amazement. “Me?” She pointed to herself.

“Yes, you mummy.” A smile broke out on Bayo’s face.

Mrs. Cole lifted her head up and fought tears from falling. “Jesus loves a mess like me. How possible is that?” She shook her head. “Does he know how much of a mess I am?” She could not hold back the tears any more.

“Mummy stop crying” Bolu and Seyi told her.

Bolu took the end of her flared skirt and used it to clean her mother’s face. “Jesus loves all of us.” She told her.

“Thank you.” her mum appreciated her for the kind gesture. “Please open the gate for me.” She told Bayo.

He did and Mrs. Cole drove into the compound. She picked her bag and went into the house. Without saying anything, she went straight to her room, dropped her bag on the bed and fell on her knees.

“Jesus, if what Bayo said you said is true, then I want you to know that I acknowledge the fact that I need you. My life is messed up. My home is on fire. Nothing is working. My husband drinks and womanizes. Everything is wrong with this family but I need you. We need you Jesus.” She cried some more as she poured out her heart. “Please Lord, I am so, so sorry for the rubbish I did with Emeka. I know it was wrong and I was heading down the wrong path yet I just didn’t know how to stop. Until you miraculously intervened. I’m truly sorry.”

She remembered what Bayo said, “Jesus loves you and has forgiven you and can fix this mess”. She cried more, “You even forgave me before I asked for your forgiveness. What kind of love is this?” She felt she needed to tell God she was ready to turn a new leave. “Dear Lord, I believe I have been so wrong. From today, I want to live my life for you. I want to please you and make you proud.” She went on praying for the next 20 minutes. She prayed for her husband and children, she asked God for wisdom to cut off from Emeka, she asked for God’s help in all her endeavors.

When she was done, she felt so light. All the burdens on her mind that had weighed her down had been lifted. She had such joy and peace, like she had never experienced, envelope her. She knew something new had happened.

*****

  Seyi had been noticing some changes in her brother. He was now cheerful and always happy. He didn’t lock himself in his room like before. His room was now neat and most surprising was how he always spoke about God. Hearing him talk about how Jesus appeared to him and spoke to him was the last straw that broke the carmel’s back. She was convinced something had happened to her brother and whatever it was, she wanted it.

She got back to her room after her mother’s return and sat on her bed, facing the window. Her mind went back to when she was much younger and believed so much in God. Then, she’ll wake up and say a prayer to God before getting out of bed. She was always proud to talk about God wherever she went. She’d listen attentively to her Sunday school teacher as she was taught the Word of God. All these began to change when she started witnessing her father beat her mum. Then, she’d pray to God to make him stop but he never did.

She was convinced that He didn’t care for her or her family. She drew back from Him. Things got worse in her home and she was sure God not only didn’t care for her family but also didn’t want to have anything to do with her. However, today when she heard Bayo speak about God’s love, something was awakened in her.

Hope.

Hope that things weren’t always going to remain the way they were. Hope that there was light at the end of the tunnel and most importantly hope that Jesus loved her.

She closed her eyes to fight back the tears. Her heart had become hardened over the years and nothing broke her. She couldn’t believe she was about to cry. She lifted her head to resist the tears but the more she did, the more she knew she had to let go. Not just the tears but the grudge she had held against God all these years for allowing her family go through such hard and difficult times.

“God why?” She cried out. “Why did you allow all these to happen to us? Where have you been all the times dad beat mum and made all of us live in fear?” The tears flowed uncontrollably. She fell on the bed, buried her face into her pillow and screamed.

“No God, you can’t tell me you love me or this family?” She was ready to argue with God if He gave her the chance. She hugged her pillow and cried so hard. As she did, she felt an awesome presence around her. She felt hands wrap around her and someone hug her but she saw no one. Her sobs gradually subsided.

“Where have you been?” She asked, convinced the presence she felt was the Holy Spirit.

“I never left.” The voice was audible and brought with it so much peace.

“What? You mean you have been there?”

“I was much more hurt, my daughter.”

Seyi had always wondered all her life why God allowed bad things to happen. She immediately remembered a scripture from the Bible: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they will not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.” She sighed. She knew what it meant. The word is “when” not “if”. It wasn’t God’s desire for what happened to happen. But even though it did, He was right there with her. 

“I want to heal you. Allow me to love you.” There was so much peace that accompanied those words.

Seyi cried, “Jesus I believe you. I now believe that you never left me. Please heal me.” She went on her knees. “Help me to love again, restore my faith in You. Help me forgive my father.” As she prayed she had an assurance that her prayers were being answered.

She released all the hurt she had locked up for years and in its place, she felt joy and peace. Her tears where no longer tears of hurt but of joy.

She remained on her knees for a few more minutes and when she knew the work was done, she got up and sat on the bed. She thanked God for healing her then she lay on the bed and slept off.

To be continued…

 ________

Read:

Burning Coles 1
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