Must Read: Saints, Sinners And Stag (18 )

7 years ago

Must Read: Saints, Sinners And Stag (18 )

Adesua looked at the clock on the dashboard and knew she was in hot soup. It had been over an hour since her husband called her phone and she was nowhere close to the house yet. She had been stuck in very bad traffic and she had begun to curse her decision to go out today. Why hadn’t she chosen another day?!!!
‘Sister, take it easy’ said the Deaconess ‘You need to ignite your faith. You will be surprised that nothing will happen when you get home.’ advised the Deaconess who could feel the tension in the car. Adesua decided to ignore the woman. It was all her fault! If she had arrived on time for their appointment, she would have been almost home before her husband called.

‘Deaconess, please! Don’t even get me angry. If you had arrived earlier, none of this would have happened’ said Adesua petulantly.
‘Ah, and it is not my fault oh’ responded the woman ‘If you know what happened in our yard today eh….’ she began
‘Eh ehn, I don’t know, I don’t want to even know! just pray the traffic moves!’ said Adesua who did not make any effort to hide her irritation.
‘It will move, don’t worry’ said the Deaconess just as Adesua’s phone rang again.
She picked it up, thinking the worst but hissed when she saw who the caller was.
‘Hello’ she answered with irritation in her voice, for it was her driver.
‘Madam, where you go? Oga dey here o!’ he said, sounding very worried for her
“I know’ responded Adesua flatly
‘And me and Felicia too don reach. All of us dey wait make you come’ he said, stating the obvious, increasing the tension she felt in her belly
‘I know’ she responded again, with a sigh
‘You don dey come? he asked ‘So that Oga no go too tey for outside. He no go like as he dey outside so oh’ he continued, giving unsolicited advise
‘Get off my phone you bastard! I’m on my way already!!!!’ she yelled, frustrated with his know-it-all attitude.
‘Errm, Sister’ said the Deaconess as soon as Adesua got off the phone
‘What!!!’ yelled Adesua, her irritation boiling over.

‘We have reached my bustop’ said the woman simply as she indicated that she would like to alight from the vehicle.
‘Okay. Bye.’ Said Adesua who opened the central lock. There was no need to pull over because the traffic was horrible anyway.
The lady dallied a bit, hoping for transport fare from her client, but when their eyes met, she knew that no such thing would be forthcoming because Adesua’s pretty eyes were filled with anger.

As soon as the Deaconess got out of the car, the traffic moved and Adesua made use of her high performance car engine as she raced home. She hissed for she was sure the Deaconess’ bad luck that had caused all the traffic.

*****************

Derin walked around the car one more time and did a victory dance around it. Was it so easy to make it in this town? He had barely lifted a finger! It was right what they said, once the circumstances were right, anything could happen. So, he, Aderinola Hughes had suddenly become the owner of a four wheeled car because he simply made himself available for one small fellowship. He had to call Akintunde so they could rejoice together. He was certain Akintunde too must have gotten his own car.
‘AKT! How far?’ he yelled as soon as his friend picked up the phone.
‘Derin’ said Akintunde who sounded bored
‘Did you get one too?’ asked Derin excitedly
‘One what?’ asked Akintunde, perking up
‘Okay…. I got home to meet a Prado jeep from the Roberts. Did they not send one to you too?’ asked Derin
‘They sent you a vehicle? A jeep?’ asked Akintunde, surprised! He could not believe this.

He had been going there for such a long time and knew how many unused cars that family had, but they had never deemed it fit to give one to him. What had Derin done differently?
‘I’m telling you’ said Derin, now wishing he hadn’t shared the good news. He should have kept his good fortunes to himself. Why had he imagined that the Roberts would give Akintunde a car? I was obvious that it was he, Derin, that they liked. After all, Akintunde had been known to them for much longer than he.
‘I guess congrats are in order’ said Akintunde, who sounded dull. ‘I’m truly happy for you, Derin’ he said, in a closed voice.
‘Are you sure this isn’t a bit odd?’asked Derin, trying to make the awkward situation a little bit better
‘What is?’ responded Akintunde who desperately wanted to get off the phone
‘Them sending me a car, just like that. It’s not like they knew me before’ said Derin
‘Hmmmn’ said Akintunde, who tried to keep the hurt and jealousy away from his voice
‘Maybe they will send you one too’ said Derin
‘It’s possible’ responded Akin
‘I have a problem though’ revealed Derin
‘With the new car?’ asked Akintunde sarcastically
‘Sorta. My wife is already blowing hot over the fact that The Roberts sent us a car’ he said ‘How do I handle the situation?

‘Why should she be angry about that? asked Akintunde, a bit more angrily than he should have
‘She has an issue with Oyinda for some reason’ he responded
‘Why? do they know each other?’ asked Akintunde.
‘No oh’ he said, sounding tired.
‘No worries’ said Akintunde. It made sense now. It was Oyinda who had sent the car! Akintunde felt a lot better. ‘I will come over to your house and deal with the situation. We will also take your new car for a spin. If the matter does not resolve, we can sell the car and share the money’ Akintunde joked but he knew it was a lame joke because Derin did not laugh, for he was neither selling nor giving the car back.
*********************
‘Welcome Oga Pastor. This is your envelope with the keys from your girlfriend, Oyinda’ said Segilola sarcastically. She was poised for a fight as her face was set in a serious frown. Just one visit to VGC and all of this was suddenly happening. She had a bad feeling about this. She had to investigate this Oyinda person. Segi knew her husband well and knew that he would always associate with people who had the finer things. Her Derin was too desperate to make it.
‘Thanks S.H! Isn’t our God good?’ Derin was an expert in sutation like this. He knew the best thing was to ignore Segi’s countenance.

Nothing in this world or even in heaven would make him return the car. He could imagine himself meeting with old friends and seeing their eyes light up in respect for him. He just knew this Ministry thing was the right path and whether Segilola liked it or not, he was determined to make it in the Ministry, anyway, anyhow!
‘He is o!. But Derin, is it God that is sending you a Prado?’ she asked
‘Of course. He cannot come down from heaven to give me a car himself now. Did the Bible not say He will supply all our needs according to His..’ began Derin
‘I’ve heard you. But is a car your ‘need’? Anyway, I’m sure you know what I think’ she said
‘I just know you don’t sound excited. Are you not happy?’ he asked
‘No, I’m not. I think it is too early. You’ve not even gone round to registering at the Theology College you promised to register at.

Derin, I know you, this would derail you! I have told you that the Church is not a business and things of God should not be played with’ she said, reminding her of his position. ‘I think you should return the car.’ she advised
‘No way. This is a blessing from God and we will keep it. After all, which of the favours of my Lord shall I deny?’ asked Derin. He already had his line of arguments ready. Segi could never win this one
‘DH, you know I’m not cut out for this o. Remember that I grew up in this setting and always said I could not marry a Pastor. If you had known this was in your future, you should not have married me’ said Segi, angrily.
‘I’m sorry, but have you considered that perhaps, it was already in your destiny? Perhaps this is how God decided to write your own story. Please accept it. I don’t want to return this car, I think God has blessed us. Are you so used to suffering, Segilola Atinuke Hughes?!!’ he asked in a very soft voice, trying very hard to mask his frustrations.

‘I think you should rethink….’ he started, but was interrupted by his ringing phone. He looked at the screen and smiled. It was definitely someone he wanted to speak to.
‘Hello Miss Robert, I was just about to call you. My wife and I are overwhelmed by this kind gesture’ he said, smiling from ear to ear as his wife stood by, watching him with irritation on her face. She could hear the other side of the conversation because the phone was loud.
‘Derin, Who is Miss Robert? Please call me Oyinda’ Segi lifted an eyebrow to show her bemusement at the familiarity while Derin quickly turned his back on her and quickly walked off to the room, but Segi followed him.

She had to eavesdrop on this conversation. It seemed interesting.

‘Ok, sorry. Oyinda. I won’t call you Miss Robert again’ said Derin as he sat on the edge of the bed. He could feel the other side of the bed depress as his wife sat too.
‘So, do you like it?’ she asked. Segi was intrigued because her accent had a foreign twang to it. Who was this lady?
‘Of course we do! It is a pleasant surprise.’ he said responding to Oyinda’s question with a big smile.
‘My God will bless you and expand your scope. He will grant all your hearts desires. Surely, because you have done this, you will never lack in Jesus Name’ said Derin as he reeled out prayer upon prayer for the Robert Family.
‘Hahahah! Whatever! You and this your God shaaa!’ responded Oyinda who only laughed at his prayers
‘My wife is here and she would like to say thank you’ said Derin, surprising Segilola with his sudden decision.

‘No need..’ began Oyinda, but Derin had thrust the phone into Segilola’s hand
‘Hello.’ said Segi into the phone
‘Hello Madam, Good afternoon’ said Oyinda, who sounded a lot more formal than she had been with Derin
‘Thank you for the vehicle’ said Segi stiffly.

She was going to kill her husband for this!

‘No worries. It’s just a little thing. You have a fabulous husband right there’ said Oyinda, striving for the right tone, to pass her veiled threat across.
‘I know. Thanks for your observation and for the car again’ said Segi coldly
‘You are welc..’ started Oyinda
‘Bye’ said Segi who cut the line before Oyinda could carry on. She tossed the phone to her husband who had a frown on his face.

‘What did you do that for? Why did you cut it?’ he asked, referring to the phone conversation
‘Conversation over’ said Segi as she walked over to the bed to lie down.
‘What kind of rubbish is this? Why are you hell bent on embarrassing me?’ he asked. ‘I have to call her back. I was brought up with better manners than this!’ he said, his irritation springing to life on his face and in the jerky movements with which he dialled the last caller.

Segi shrugged and smiled at him, sarcastically.

‘Hhhello Oyinda’ he said ‘Sorry, Segi thought we had finished so she cut the line’ he said
‘I wondered about that. Is she always like that? She’s a bit queer isn’t she?’ asked Oyinda
‘Errrm, she’s … well, she’s’ said Derin, who stammered, unable to find an appropriate answer, especially as he suspected Segilola might have heard what Oyinda had said.

‘Its okay. We are all tied to people like that. My dad is the queer one of the family’ she said
‘Anyway, I didn’t want to cut without telling you to send my regards to mummy. Tell her I will call her later on’ said Derin
‘Tell her it is her mother that is queer, not me’ piped Segilola from the bed, in a very loud voice. She desperately hoped that Oyinda would hear her comment
‘Ok, Bye Oyinda’ said Derin quickly. He hoped she had not heard Segilola’s last comment. He wondered why Segi was overreacting and why this should be happening on such a happy day. He had a new car mehn!