Christ Divine church was very big.
"Madam, please do fast". I urged her out when I was already getting frustrated. Grace always wasted time applying her excess makeup.
She soon got out and I couldn't help but laugh. We both broke into laughter and headed into the church.
Raymond was standing by the door discussing with one of the ushers when we walked in. He watched me with shock in his eyes and his mouth gaped.
I waved at him and two other ushers directed me and my best friend to the front row. Grace nudged me and broke into laughter. "Did you see Raymond's face?".
I chuckled. "Tell your brother to close his mouth".
It was after the ministration had ended that I noticed that Rosa James had been sitting in the other row.
Grace touched me. "Is that not Rosa James? People say that she has the most beautiful personality ever".
But I had my doubts about Rosa being a good person. "Are we going home now since it is closing hours?". Grace persisted with her questions.
"No". I replied with my eyes still on Rosa James. "I want to have a chit-chat with Rosa James".
Grace gasped as she watched me closely. "Where did you get this guts from?". I chuckled and walked to Rosa James.
She smiled warmly at me and waved. "Hi!".
"Hi Rosa James. I work in the company of your fiancee".
"I heard a lot about you. What is your name again?". She asked with a smirk on her face.
"You heard a lot about me? My name is Victory Charles".
She smiled. "No longer Victory Donald?".
My heart slipped. I never expected Raymond to tell her about it so soon.
"You are from a poor background, you have a lame mother and an epileptic father. Without Bower bound company, you are nothing. I also heard that you are a graduate of the University of Ibadan. You have an accounting degree, nothing else. Isn't it advisable for you to open your eyes to what you really are and stop biting more than you can chew?". She scoffed and looked away.
I chuckled. Who would believe that Rosa James had such a personality?
She felt more irritated that I was laughing. She had thought she would get me with her words. "Shouldn't you be telling me congratulations, Rosa James?".
She smiled mockingly at me. "Congratulations for what?".
I shrugged. "Congratulations for taking a step ahead of you dear".
Rosa James broke into laughter. "Pregnancy is now a lottery?"
I chuckled. "Sweetheart, you are in Africa, and here, pregnancy is a lottery. Pregnancy is a gift".
"Raymond loves me dear. That is the most important thing".
I scoffed. "...and who said that he can't love someone else tomorrow?".
"Love what? Raymond Donald only loves human beings".
I chuckled. "Are you calling Raymond Donald's child's mother less of a human being? Can you imagine such disrespect?".
She broke into laughter. "Stop calling that thing in your womb Raymond Donald's child".
I gasped. "You are calling Raymond Donald's child a bastard too?"
"Just shut up and leave my sight!!!". She firēd.
It was the first time I was seeing Rosa James' outburst. "If you had been a bit nicer than this, I would have taken only Bower bound from you but this time, I will take everything! I will take your fiance and Bower bound".
She chuckled and rose to her feet. She looked squarely at me. "Can you imagine? You think Raymond Donald will pick a poverty-stricken girl that has nothing to offer over an anchorwoman?".
"What matters is who steals Raymond's heart".
"Stealing a man's heart is not a competition. I have known Raymond for years, you just came out of the blue and you think he can leave me for you?".
I shrugged. "That is the irony of life, sweetheart". I patted her on her shoulder and walked to meet Grace Craig. "Let's go, darling".
Raymond Donald was standing by Grace Craig's parked car when we got to the parking lot.
How on earth was he able to recognize Grace Craig's car?
I smiled at him and waved. "Hi darling".
He gave me a stressed look. "Why? Why did you come to my church, Victory?". He asked frustratedly.
I shrugged. "Solve the equation".
"I already told Rosa James everything last night".
I nodded and met his eyes. "You are telling everyone everything because you are a cowærd and you are not mature enough to carry your responsibilities alone".
He glared at me. "What the heck are you saying?".
I learned and re-arranged his loose tie. "Start looking for a wife material and stop looking for just any woman that you feel suits your reputation, Raymond Donald".
"I don't understand. What do you mean?".
"It is not everything you say plainly, is it?".
He laughed. "You know I can't marry you right?".
"You can't right now because you are irresponsible. I won't even accept you like this. You need enough maturity first".
"Maturity in what sense?".
"Mentally. Mentally, your thirty-four years of age is stale".
"Are you really talking to me like this? I am your boss, remember?".
"And so, I'm carrying your child!" Just then a wave of nausea and dizziness washed over me. I felt weak, Raymond wasted no time to take hold of me.
I pulled off his grip.
“You keep running your mouth but see how weak you are, weak woman” he chided.
“I am a pregnant woman,” I corrected him. He held my gaze for a while and looked at my stomach. "Have you eaten at all?".
I was surprised at his sudden concern. "I will eat when I get home".
"This is already eleven o'clock madame. I thought you said you were pregnant".
I was so enjoying his anxiety over me. "I will eat when I get home".
He walked to his car and returned with a pack of food. "You can eat it in the car".
I scoffed and looked away. "How am I sure that it is not p0isonous?".
"Are you okay?". He fired at me. "How can I k!ll my baby???".
I and Grace gasped at the word that came out of his mouth and when we looked up, Rosa James was standing right there behind him.
0 Comments