So, This is Love? Episode 12 – Judith Onyoyibo

So, This is Love? Episode 12 – Judith Onyoyibo

I heard someone knocking on my door.

I sluggishly went to get the door.

“Mama, long time”. I said excitedly as I gave Favour a tight hug.

“Where you enter since? I no dey see you for site again. You even looseguard me that day. No be so o”. Favour said whilst scanning me from head to toe.

Site in this context refers to where we normally stand at night to secure our clients 🤪.

“Why you dey look me like that na? Your babe almost die oo”. I said.

“Ahn ahn! Wetin sup?”. Favour asked.

“Na TB oo. Nothing spoil sha. I don almost dey alright”.

“That means no more smokes for you oo”.

We both started laughing.

“I fit stoppp?? I die there”. I said and we continued laughing.

“Work dull this period sha. Wetin man go do?”. She said and brought out smokes from her hand bag.

“Hope person fit smoke here?”. She asked.

“Sure na”. I replied.

“I say make I ask o. I wanted to share with you but you don turn by force minister”. She teased.

She lit up the smokes and started puffing it. The smell saturated all over the room. I couldn’t resist it. It’s been long since i smoked because the doctor warned against it. I decided to smoke just for that day till I heal completely.

“Share for me abeg”. I pleaded.

Favour started laughing.

“You wan die young?”. She asked.

“I haven’t smoked for over a week now. This once smoking can’t kill me”. I said as I dragged her hand bag from her. I searched through it and found one.

Like a deer that yearns for running water, I lit up the smokes. I inhaled it deeply and puffed it out through my nostrils. The feeling was magical.

“I almost died”. I said as I puffed the smokes delightfully.

“You too like smokes”. Favour teased.

Not long after, I heard a knock on my door

“Come in”. I screamed and continued puffing the smokes.

Stephen walked in with a fruit basket. The look on his face was more scary than that of a haunted dragon.

He started coughing because of the pungent smell of smokes that was all over the house.

I quickly dropped the smokes on the saucer.

“I wasn’t expecting you yet. You closed early today”. I stuttered.

“Sharp girl. You dey run home service sef”. Favour said. She drew a long puff and disposed the remaining smokes on the saucer.

“I for like to finish my smokes sha. But no probs. We go see later na. This dude no bad sha”. She said and winked at Stephen.

I was so embarrassed.

She carried her bag and left.

Stephen dropped the fruit basket on the table and sat on my bed.

He didn’t say anything to me. The ambience was weird and awkward.

“I swear, I haven’t smoked for a while now”. I managed to force the words out.

“Are you an addict?”. He asked calmly.

This was followed by a prolonged silence.

“We can overcome this habit together”. Stephen broke the silence.

“We? What do you mean by “We”? Do you smoke?”. I asked.

“Nope! I want us to overcome your addiction together”. He said.

I was touched.

“I don’t think I can ever start smoking”. I said without looking at him.

He came to where I was seated. He squatted in front of me and held my both hands.

“You know I will never ask you to stop doing the things you love right?”. He asked looking straight into my eyes.

I nodded in affirmative like a teenager.

“But smoking isn’t good for your health. You need to overcome it”. He said.

“It will be very hard. I’m not ready to quit yet”. I said and quickly remove my hands from his.

“Ese! You can do it. I trust you”. He insisted.

I didn’t say anything.

“Have you eaten yet”. He asked.

“I’m not hungry “. I replied.

“Have you taken your drugs?”. He asked again.

“Why do you care so much about me? What do you want from me?”. I snapped at him.

“I thought we were cool? Why the sudden questions?”. He asked.

“Do you love me?”. I questioned with a smirk on my face.

He didn’t say anything.

“I am a prostitute!”. I dropped the bombshell.

To my surprise, he didn’t give me the expected reaction. There was no shock nor surprise in his face. He still didn’t utter any word.

“Aren’t you going to say anything? Huh!”. I demanded.

“Christ didn’t die for the righteous. Rather, he died for sinners. No matter what your past has been, you can begin anew”. He said in his usual calm and soothing tone.

I broke into tears.

“I wasn’t part of the people Christ died for!”. I said amidst tears.

“How did you come to that conclusion?”. He asked.

“He left me when I needed him the most. The one thing I asked him to give to me, he hid… No, he took it away from me”.

The tears were pouring like a waterfall. My face was a total mess.

“That God didn’t give you what you asked for doesn’t make him love you less”. He said.

“Really? He must be very partial and bias”. I shouted.

Stephen brought out his handkerchief and handed it over to me.

Reluctantly, I took it and wiped my tears.

“Janet, allow God to love you. Allow him manifest himself in your life. Grant him an unrestricted access into your life….”.

I started screaming.

“Stoooop! I don’t want to hear anything about God”. I shouted. I closed my ears with my hands while I screamed.

Stephen didn’t stop. Instead, he started speaking in tongues.

All of a sudden, I felt something I haven’t felt before. I can’t even explain it. The next moment, I was on the floor rolling and crying.

Stephen started singing.

“Come Holy Ghost Creator come”🎵🎶
“From thine bright heavenly throne”🎶🎶
“Come take possession of our souls”🎶🎶
“And make them all thine own”. 🎶🎵

He sang so beautifully and powerful.

I was groaning. I wasn’t in control of myself anymore. I was screaming so loud that some neighbors came to check up on me. They were scared that I was in danger. Stephen assured them that I was good.

“Take over Father”. Stephen kept repeating these words.

I was still rolling all over my apartment. I closed my ears with my hands but I could still hear Stephen’s voice.

I felt badly tormented. I couldn’t bear the pain anymore.

“God please help me, for I have come to the end of myself”. I didn’t know when those words came out of my mouth.

I kept repeating them till I completely meant it.

Slowly, I began to get myself till I completely regained myself.

I sat in the bare floor with my hands wrapped around my legs and my head on my knees.

Stephen didn’t say anything to me for about 20mins.

“Are you ready to talk about God now Janet?”. He asked.

“It won’t be a bad idea”. I replied.

My voice was almost inaudible.

He held my hands and asked me to repeat some words after him. You know those words pastors normally say to new converts. I repeated those words after him.

“Whoever the son of man sets free is free indeed. Stephen said.

To be continued.

Judith Onyoyibo

DROP YOUR COMMENT