Newton made a law.
“An object remains at rest or in motion at a constant speed in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.”
Little did I know, he was referring to my life. It is remarkable how much an event can change the direction of one’s life; my life.
A life characterized with singing with the saints on S
Iunday and dining with demons weekdays. And my demons? Drugs, fame, lewd music, gambling and of course, perfectly shaped ladies. A perfect description of a life in a straight line.
“Can we meet?” was the text that got his attention.
“Is someone missing me?” he replied
“Lol, I’m serious. We need to talk”
“Alright. Let’s meet at our usual spot in 15 mins”
Dara got up from his bed, wore a shirt and sprayed his body spray as he made his way to where the two birds meet. Well, two lovers in this case.
Ife was seated, frightened down to the soles of her shoes. Tapping her feet, her eyes searching constantly for Dara. Dara soon appeared with a smile, a smile about to be erased.
He sat next to her and noticed her demeanor “Ifemi, what’s wrong with you?” Dara asked as he puts his hand around her neck. “Nothing” Ife replied “Ahn ahn nau” he said softening his voice, “How can you say nothing is wrong and you’re looking this way?” “Dara, see I don’t know” ”Ife, which one is you don’t know” he said. Ife removed his hand from her neck and locked in her fingers to his, looking straight to his eyes she asks “ Oluwadarasieminikan, do you love me?” “Ahha, what sort of question is this, you know how I feel about you” she trembled inside as she replied “Uncle you have not answered my question” Dara moved closer to her, and put her head on his shoulder “I didn’t expect to find love, but I found you, I didn’t expect that my life to make sense but you changed everything. Ifeoluwa, I love you and deep down you know I do” “What will make you stop loving me, leave me, what will take you away from me?” she said fighting back tears .. “Ife, what’s going on, I don’t like the tone of this conversation, are you alright? Is everything fine? You’re scaring me!” “Dara” she said with the tears choking her voice “Ifeeee”. “Dara can you remember the other night” “There are nights everyday Ife, how am I to know the specific night?” “The night in my room” she said dropping her head into her hands as tears began to flow. Dara removed his cap and ran his hands through his hair, as his mind flashed to what had ensued that evening.
Door opens
Door closes
“Surprise!!! I got this for you”
“Thank you so much…Red velvet my favorite”
In the spur of the moment, she threw herself into him, he responded by lifting her up in excitement. She laughed. Returning her to the ground, she held onto the hug. With no space between them. His hand tightly on her waist and hers across his neck.
Silence.
Their eyes locked, lips followed, hands went through their bodies. Every other thing vanished but only for a few minutes.
She had cried that night. He, even more, for he loved her and didn’t want her this way. Yes, he wasn’t the emblem of righteousness, but with her he had hope to keep himself.
A moment of carelessness.
“It was a mistake and we are never doing this again‘ they agreed. But mistakes have consequences, don’t they?
“Mistakes have consequences, don’t they?“
“Yes, I remember” Dara said, “I’m so so sorry” he continued “I’m sorry too, I really am”.. looking away from him, with a voice edged with fear she said “I’m pregnant” she said “What?” he said as he sat beside her blank.
**
“Are you not going to say anything?” Ife finally asked, breaking the long silence between them. “What am I supposed to say?” Dara replied “ at least say something. Your silence is not helping matters at all” Ife said agitated “I have not gone through this before, won’t i think?” Dara replied. “Have I gone through this before? Ehn, tell me!! Guy, be a man!” “Be a man? What does that even mean? I don’t have emotions? I don’t need time to process it? For crying out loud I’m human!” Dara replied, raising his voice “I’m human too! But sitting here and doing nothing will not bring a solution” Ife said, barking back. Dara cleaned his eyes, wore his face cap, and stood up “Where are you going?” Ife asked, “The right question is where are we going?” Ife stared perplexed, then said “Where are we going?” Dara reached for her bag, removed a tissue, held her by her hands and lifted her up gently from her seat, moving close to her, he wiped her tears, pulls her to himself and gently said “We are in this together, I’ll walk you to your hostel and in two days we will meet again, by then we should know what to do. Remember no matter what happens, I love you”.
The walk back to their hostels was long, filled with silence and neither of them could find words to express what just hit them.
**
Two days later.
“I’m not keeping this thing” Ife said. Dara looked at her and after a few seconds he replied “Motigbo”
“Otigbo? Are you serious at all?
”What else do you want me to say?”
“See ehn, Dara that I know says it’s alright when it is absolutely not okay”
“You sha want me to talk ba”
“Yes, talk!”
“Look around you, how many people do you know are looking for a child? Quite a number, and here you are planning to throw away some people’s answers to prayers?”
“It is easy for you to say, isn’t it? It’s not you that will carry the baby. It’s not you who would bear the shame. It’s not you who will drop out of school.”
“That is not what I’m saying”
She cut him short and continued “For crying out you have ruined my life and future and you’re here saying rubbish ”
“I ruined your life? How?! no no, tell me how,?!ust tell me?! we made a mistake and you’re pushing blames on me?” Dara responded, defending himself “ You know what gifts do to me, and in your wisdom you thought the best time to bring a gift to me was at night!! Night of all the time in the world”
”Was it my first time getting a gift for you? Were you not the one that hugged me? Hugging me tight and you know how sensitive I am to touch” Dara replied.. Ife continued
“So you’re blaming me?” Ife yelled
“You blamed me first” Dara replied
“You’re unbelievable!!” “So are you!!” Dara re-fired… “fine!!” “fine!!” “fine!!”
Their world stood still.
The birds had fallen silent, even the wind appeared to have died down. Nothing moved, not a leaf quivered.
“It’s not fine, ife” Dara said, calming down, “I don’t want us to kill the baby. I won’t be able to live with the guilt for the rest of my life”
“It’s not yet a baby, we can do something about it” “We both know, that’s a baby, there must be a way around this” “Dara, I don’t understand you. You are supposed to be the one supporting me and pushing me to get rid of this child”
“I know, but this is a child. The future. I changes everything. I think we should talk to your father” “ Ehn!! Are you high or something? Talk to my father and tell him what?” Ife replied, shaking her head in disagreement “Tell him you’re pregnant and I’m responsible for it”… “ I think you’re forgetting a very important variable” Ife replied… “Which is?” “My father is a solider with the armed forces”
**
“I think we should start with my family then” Dara suggested “ Why do you think telling your family would be easier than mine?” “Well for starters, my parents are ministers” “In the national assembly?” “No, in God’s assembly” “Your parents are pastors? You have got to be kidding me” “Yes, they are and I’m not” “Why am I just knowing?” “ Because I don’t like the tag that comes with it”
**
“Dad, mum, I need to talk to you.” Dara said as he entered his parent’s room. “Come in, sit” his mum replied. “Thank you ma”. He continued, “ I want to appreciate the two of you for consistent support and care for me. Thank you for loving me beyond all I have done, I love you so much, thank you” “ Ese o” (thank you) his father replied laughing “Oya, how much do you want, I know this appreciation is bribery” “Ahha nau, so I can’t just can’t come to greet and appreciate you” Dara replied tensed. His mother noticing he was fidgeting asked “ Darasimi, what is wrong? “Nothing ma” he stood, ready to leave. “I’m your mother, and I know when something is wrong” “Nothing ma” he insisted. “The young man said nothing is wrong, leave him alone nau, he is old enough to take care of himself” his father replied. “ Dara, sit down and talk to us” his mum said ignoring the father. He sat, with his heart beating rapidly, he asked “ What can I do that you won’t forgive me?” “You’re my son, there is nothing you do that I can’t and won’t forgive you” his mum replied “ With the way this boy is talking, I hope you didn’t hit anything with my car o, your allowance for this month will go niyen, or you spoilt the laptop I bought with my money” his father warned sternly. Dara’s mother gave her husband a look that told him to stop and pay more attention to what was going on. “I’m sorry ma, daddy I’m sorry, I’m deeply sorry. I didn’t mean to do it..” “Dara talk to me, talk to me, look into my eyes, just talk to me” It was now or never for Dara. He cringed in fear, his mind voiced the words multiple times but his mouth was too choked to say it. if I perish, I perish! “Ife is pregnant for me”
Only the noise from the T.V kept the room alive.
His mother sank into the room’s sofa
‘Which Ife?” The mother asked, “ Major Adenuga’s daughter” he replied, before his mother could get herself to continue, his father stood up from the bed and walked up to him and in fury landed a slap on his face and declared “I’m disappointed in you, you have made yourself the path through which the devil will bring disgrace to my ministry, he didn’t see any other person to use, and you decided to make yourself available for him. You’re the kind of child that will make someone question God.I hope you’re ready to get married? Congratulations young man!
“My dear, he is sorry he said it was a mistake. He didn’t mean to” his wife said, restraining him from landing another slap “You’re smart enough to be a father, so you must be smart enough to know I won’t allow this. Mummy Dara, start preparing for your son’s wedding. His mistake will not ruin my ministry” “Marriage is too sacred to run into it just to hide a mistake.” his wife replied, shocked at the response her husband gave. Dara held the legs of his dad, as he cried for his forgiveness. He forced his legs out of his hands and screamed “ Get out!! get out!! Pack your loads!! And get ready to leave my house!! His plea landed on deaf ears.
“Marriage is too sacred to run into it just to hide a mistake.”
**
Fear gripped Ife, as she made her way through the barracks. She forced a smile to greet soldiers around. Her father was a Major General known for his high level of discipline and no nonsense approach. Unlike many of his colleagues, he stood for justice and truth. She had rehearsed how she was going to tell her father, she didn’t know what to expect but as agreed with Dara, they had to inform their parents.
She entered the house and heard her father’s voice from his home-office. The plan was to greet him and go to rehearse her lines again but what she met tore her apart.
“Ife is doing very fine” were the words she heard as she attempted to knock “ Yes o, I’m proud of her” “I really hopes she knows how much I love her, she is the apple of my eyes.” she stood at the door any continued to eavesdrop.
“All I’m doing is for her to have the best possible…. Oh yes.. her results are lovely, she is on a first class… yes… once she’s finished I plan on sending her abroad for her masters….ese maami.. we would surely come visiting this Christmas…. she misses her grandma too.. e ba mi ki daddy .. odabo ma”
Ife stood, stunned, each loving word her father spoke was like an arrow shot and piercing through her heart.
Tears welled from deep inside streamed down her face, for she had betrayed the love of a father and could not bear to face him.
“Who is there?” The father said as he opened the door to meet his daughter crying. She could not look him in the eyes, she went on her knees. “ Daddy, I’m sorry, I have disappointed you, I have betrayed your trust in me, I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry”.. “What happened?” the father said, trying to put together the puzzling issue “I’m sorry dad” … “ Talk to me, what happened?” ”I’m sorry, sorry I got pregnant”.
Shocked, he stared in disbelief. His imagination ran wild! He saw himself taking his gun, and shooting her and the bastard that did this to her. Though heartbroken, he went down drew near his daughter. Hugged her, he cleaned her eyes and just sat with her on the floor. No words were said. He sat sad, angry but there for his daughter. He gently petted her and put her head on his shoulders. He didn’t know when tears gathered in his eyes and not even his military strength could hold them back.
The end.
Fiction
Many lessons to learn, but let me point out a few.
Love is not self seeking, love does not dishonor others.
Although Dara might have been a bad guy, with Ife, it was different. He knew he loved her and hence knew she should be treated with honor, which he tried until the night they both got carried away.
He did love her. even the hardest of individuals have their soft spots. Don’t give up on bad people.
A reason Dara became what he became was because his father neglected his first ministry; his home, his family. No matter where you find yourself, don’t be guilty of leaving your children to the wolves of this world.
What triggered that night was their sensitivity to different things, i.e their love languages. Know yourself and know what triggers you. People get triggered by different things. Know what triggers you, draw a boundary around it in order to prevent mistakes.
The timing and location are also important things to note. Night and isolation are good avenues for the devil to find footing. I know you love him but please when you have dates, go to public places, open the door of the room, sit in the passage or veranda.
Humans have the tendency to push blames on every other person and situation outside of themselves for their failure.
Can you take responsibility for your life and find solutions to issues that you’re facing?
Dara’s father and mother are two very strange people. Apart from the father not being available, he was not sensitive at all to what was going on. Notice how he kept saying “my” my car, my ministry.
When you start taking note of your provision more than the provider, problems begin to loom.
Marriage is too sacred to run into in order to hide your mistakes, doing that would be a wrong foundation and definitely destroy anything built on it.
As I conclude, the response of both fathers to the mistake of the children should be noted. Disappointment is a valid response to betrayal. Even aside from premarital pregnancies (the pregnancy itself is not a sin, it is the consequence of the sin of fornication.). In fact the only reason why someone’s mistake or failure will hurt you is because you love them in the first place. But the lesson I want to point here is your response to people who make mistakes will to a large extent determine if they would bounce back or not. Rescue the hurting soldier.
Your mistakes should not define you. Arise! Dust your garment and proceed in this journey of life.
WRITTEN BY IFEOLUWA JAMES
