Family Way: Part II
If you missed part 1, click here
Service was over, People were leaving the church in droves, people were patronizing the mobile yoghurt sellers, snacks and zobo sellers. Others had meetings as church executives. Been an executive myself I ought to be attending one but that was far from my mind right now. I was still seating, dialing Laide's number only to hear the midi 'not available' tone for the hundredth time. I scanned the church and sighted Nneka moving towards the old children's church. I had been eyeing her like a secret agent through service, looking for every opportunity to confront her alone. I stood up to trail her with stealth. I perceived the old building was empty so I hastened my steps to unleash my anger on unruly human being. She was unaware of anyone following her until I yanked her arm, but with quick reflex, she pulled her arm from my grip. My left hand shot out almost immediately securing Nneka between shoulder and elbow joint, shook her and shouted in her face.
"What is the meaning of that rubbish you did today?!"
With all the strength she could muster, she hit my hand off.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed back. "Don't try me. You know the kind of person I am before I started coming to this 'your church"
I went sober momentarily. Nneka was one crazy girl that was starting to have sense now.
I remember the first time she came to church, she unsettled every body by her tight dressing and her makeup too heavy for a teenager in our conservative church setting. Everyone's eyes fed on her, but even 'happening' boys were embarrassed to look her in the eye. Only Adults could bare to stare at her, not without disdain. I didn't know how I could manage to smile at her when Laide brought her to me after the service.
"Nneka, this is our teenage counsellor I have telling you about, he has been like my mentor, my confidant and my friend.
"Brother Dayo, this is my friend, Nneka. I had to force her to come to church with me today"
"Hello, Nice to meet you Nneka," I said stretching out my hands for a handshake
She put a limp, light skinned hand in mine and ranted, "I don't know what is the problem with this your fucking church, everybody is just looking at me as if they have not seen fine girl before."
Both of us opened our mouth in voiceless 'aah' at the conjoining of the 'holy' and 'unholy' words together.
I snap back to the present. Thank God for the Holy Ghost who was making her behave so far but this was not the time to dwell on that. I didn't like her tone especially her use of the phrase 'your church', that was a phrase she used when we first met. It suggested alienation and ostracizing. Like when a typical African man would tell his wife "Come and look at 'your son." One would automatically know the boy was involved in an act of shame and the father was saving face, denying fathering someone below standard.
I had to be careful of how I handled her but still I needed to find out the reason for her unruly behaviour today. Forcing a smile, I made to hold her hand more gently this time.
"Neh-Neh," I teased, "Why are you behaving like this?" tugging at the fair, beautiful teenager
She rolled her eyes at me and tugged back "Leave me alone, don't sweet talk me, you think I am Laide abi?"
"Jesus! She knows!" I exclaimed...in my head.
I must find out what she knew. I feigned ignorance.
"What are you talking about?"
"Ah Bro Dayo, I thought you were different, after all your preaching and counseling, upon all your speaking in tongues, I thought you'd be different. You are just like the rest...Ah! Men..."
I didn't know when I snapped, pinned her to the wall and breathed in her face.
"Tell me what you know. Now."
She remained there stupefied, just looking into my eyes when I heard a voice behind me,
"What's going on here?!"
"I turned around, it was the head usher.
TO BE CONTINUED
Service was over, People were leaving the church in droves, people were patronizing the mobile yoghurt sellers, snacks and zobo sellers. Others had meetings as church executives. Been an executive myself I ought to be attending one but that was far from my mind right now. I was still seating, dialing Laide's number only to hear the midi 'not available' tone for the hundredth time. I scanned the church and sighted Nneka moving towards the old children's church. I had been eyeing her like a secret agent through service, looking for every opportunity to confront her alone. I stood up to trail her with stealth. I perceived the old building was empty so I hastened my steps to unleash my anger on unruly human being. She was unaware of anyone following her until I yanked her arm, but with quick reflex, she pulled her arm from my grip. My left hand shot out almost immediately securing Nneka between shoulder and elbow joint, shook her and shouted in her face.
"What is the meaning of that rubbish you did today?!"
With all the strength she could muster, she hit my hand off.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed back. "Don't try me. You know the kind of person I am before I started coming to this 'your church"
I went sober momentarily. Nneka was one crazy girl that was starting to have sense now.
I remember the first time she came to church, she unsettled every body by her tight dressing and her makeup too heavy for a teenager in our conservative church setting. Everyone's eyes fed on her, but even 'happening' boys were embarrassed to look her in the eye. Only Adults could bare to stare at her, not without disdain. I didn't know how I could manage to smile at her when Laide brought her to me after the service.
"Nneka, this is our teenage counsellor I have telling you about, he has been like my mentor, my confidant and my friend.
"Brother Dayo, this is my friend, Nneka. I had to force her to come to church with me today"
"Hello, Nice to meet you Nneka," I said stretching out my hands for a handshake
She put a limp, light skinned hand in mine and ranted, "I don't know what is the problem with this your fucking church, everybody is just looking at me as if they have not seen fine girl before."
Both of us opened our mouth in voiceless 'aah' at the conjoining of the 'holy' and 'unholy' words together.
I snap back to the present. Thank God for the Holy Ghost who was making her behave so far but this was not the time to dwell on that. I didn't like her tone especially her use of the phrase 'your church', that was a phrase she used when we first met. It suggested alienation and ostracizing. Like when a typical African man would tell his wife "Come and look at 'your son." One would automatically know the boy was involved in an act of shame and the father was saving face, denying fathering someone below standard.
I had to be careful of how I handled her but still I needed to find out the reason for her unruly behaviour today. Forcing a smile, I made to hold her hand more gently this time.
"Neh-Neh," I teased, "Why are you behaving like this?" tugging at the fair, beautiful teenager
She rolled her eyes at me and tugged back "Leave me alone, don't sweet talk me, you think I am Laide abi?"
"Jesus! She knows!" I exclaimed...in my head.
I must find out what she knew. I feigned ignorance.
"What are you talking about?"
"Ah Bro Dayo, I thought you were different, after all your preaching and counseling, upon all your speaking in tongues, I thought you'd be different. You are just like the rest...Ah! Men..."
I didn't know when I snapped, pinned her to the wall and breathed in her face.
"Tell me what you know. Now."
She remained there stupefied, just looking into my eyes when I heard a voice behind me,
"What's going on here?!"
"I turned around, it was the head usher.
TO BE CONTINUED
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