FAMILIAR ENEMY (EPISODE 8) Written by Glorie Adepoju

I watched in wonder as the day broke slowly. I stepped out of Jumoke’s guest room.

Back then when I just started working with Aunty BB, I found a church, an amazing place of worship, that’s where I met Jumoke. Realizing we shared similar desires and hunger for Jesus, in the space of about a year and some months we bonded quickly.

As the years flew by, we grew into prayer partners and best friends turned sisters.

I couldn’t handle the grief. The gloominess and hopelessness that hung in the atmosphere at home was dragging me into depression. I had to get out before I reached the point of no return.

I had carried Jumoke along regarding the situation at hand. She knew my bond with Mayowa, the kidnapped. All the while Jumoke had travelled on an official assignment.

The moment she called that she was back in the state.

I rushed to her place; I was certain I was losing it.

I couldn’t keep together anymore; I was falling apart.

I remember frantically knocking on her door that day.

“Oh my God, Eki! You don’t look good at all!” she said when she opened the door and led me inside her apartment.

“Ma…yowa…is…dead.” I said quietly, my voice shaking.

It was the first time in three days that I was admitting this.

“No! no! I’m so sorry dear.”Her voice was filled with so much sadness, making it feel even more real.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, she came to where I sat and hugged me;

“I’m losing my mind; I’ve been telling myself that it’s not true. Mayowa is alive, I want to keep believing that.” the tears spilled even more.

“Don’t be in denial, it’s dangerous. You need to first accept it.” Jumoke looked into my red and puffy eyes.

Jumoke pulled me into a comforting embrace. We grieved together, our sobs filling the silence.

I had grieved so much, more than I did for Pa Benjamin, the ache in my heart just wouldn’t go away. Jumoke assured me that we would only talk when I feel ready.

I stepped out of the room. I could perceive the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, I joined her in the kitchen.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.” I sat on the high kitchen stool.

“Coffee?”

“Yes, please, no milk or…”

“Yes baby, black for you, no milk or sugar. I’m aware o madam.” She said with a teasing smile. I couldn’t help but smile back.

She joined me; I took a sip of the black liquid.

“I’m ready to talk.” I said after a moment of staring into the mug.

“You’ll never see Mayowa again, how do you truly feel about that?” she asked.

I felt my chest tighten in pain, almost suffocating me. I was trying to look for the words.

I sighed; “I feel God doesn’t answer prayers. I prayed night and day for God to save Mayowa; my faith was strong. God didn’t hear me and didn’t answer me. I feel alone, hurt, disappointed. I feel like there’s no meaning to life. God is not on my side; He doesn’t care about me anymore. I miss Mayowa so desperately, and I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.”

“God is supposed to honor His word even above His name, but He didn’t. Sometime ago, Mayowa was very sick, we were all scared, and thought he would die. I prayed fervently and God assured me with the scripture Psalm 41:2.” Tears filled my eyes again, and my heart ached.

“The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth; and do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. That’s what it says.” Jumoke is like a walking Bible, I inculcated her habit of memorizing and meditating on the word of God.

“Yes. I believed that word of God with all my heart. I prayed with it, alongside other scriptures. Mayowa was healed instantly. Ever since then, that has been my confidence. Why couldn’t God honor His word? Is this God’s way of punishing me for what I did?” The words had slipped out before I could stop them.

This was the one thing I had hidden from Jumoke. I saw the surprise register on her face.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” she asked cautiously.

I was silent for a while; it was a burden that had weighed me down heavily; “I… emm…, I was involved in some kind of mess regarding Mayowa’s birth…” my voice trailed off.

Jumoke looked at me intently; “Spill, except, you … don’t want to.” she said quietly.

The silence suddenly became uncomfortable; “Aunty BB is not Mayowa’s mother.” I said at last.

Jumoke had not expected that, her mouth hung open; “I…, you remember the time that Aunty BB had to travel for several months, and I went with her. She told her staff that she wanted to open a new branch at another state, you remember right?”

“You told me that it was all a cover, the real issue was that Aunty BB was pregnant and they wanted to keep it very coded, till she had the baby.” Jumoke said softly.

“When she was three months pregnant, according to her, she pleaded and convinced Uncle Ade to help her keep the pregnancy a secret till she had the baby. He agreed and she travelled. I don’t know how she manipulated the pregnancy report, truth is, Aunty BB wasn’t the one that was pregnant.” I looked at Jumoke then, she listening intently. Her eyes focused on mine.

“Who was pregnant then?” she asked.

I swallowed hard.

to be continued…pEn&pApEr

GLORIEADEPOJU