THE EVANGELIST CHAPTER 15…

©Temi Akintade

"Maybe it is God's way of telling you to prepare for your wife and kids who are on the way." My brother busted into fits of laughter.

He arrived a few days ago and even though he was returning to Abuja to see our father before he goes back to school, I had to persuade him to stay one more week. But he declined claiming that the pepper in Banjo's meals was too much and his beans had too much palm oil.

I grabbed my keys and was about to walk out through the main door when my brother said something that called my attention. "What did you say?"

"I just read the inscription on your shirt and it says, I am a proud children's teacher!" He busted into laughter. It was funny but I didn't find it funny. How could they do such a thing? I dashed into my room, grabbed a jacket, and rushed out.

But my brother didn't stop laughing. "The inscription is at the front of the shirt on at the back." He laughed again. My shoulders slumped with annoyance. I felt defeated. It was like the children's teacher wanted to humiliate me by giving me the shirt. At least that was what I thought.

I was walking into the children's church when my eyes found the little girl from last week. This time, she was dressed in a light pink colured dress. Her hair was beautifully decorated with colourful ribbons. After greeting other teachers, I pulled off my shoes and sat on the playing mat with the children. The kids were less concerned about me. Nevertheless, I ditched my rigid mood and began to play with them. The little girl toddler towards me and raised her both hands. I later understood that she wanted me to carry her. And so I did. I lifted her and balanced her on my thigh since I was sitting. It was then that I noticed that her pampers were filled with excreta and was about to pour away. I shouted at one of my colleagues.

"Is there a pampers for her age?" I asked.

"Yes. Let me get one."

I was livid. I was going to tell the mother of this child, a piece of my mind! How could she bring a child to church without putting aside extra pampers? What if they didn't have enough in the church? My colleague returned helped to change the girl.

"What's her name?" I asked my colleague Rita.

"Ifunaya. We have always told her mother to always come with extra pampers but she is just nonchalant." She shrugged.

I cupped the face of the little girl and kissed her on the head. Her face reminded me of my past. Ifunaya...the lady who had my heart in her hand. But the will of the Lord supersedes it all now. I sighed. "Don't worry I will speak to her mother after service."

She chuckled. "I pray she listens to you." Rita turned to leave. I went back to the kids and resumed our games. Soon the service ended and the men and women who had children in the children's church began to pour in. I carried Ifunaya and waited for the dark-skinned girl I had seen the previous week. I intended to have a sharp conversation with her. As I was rehearsing what I wanted to say, the dark lady came.

"If you don't know how to care for your child, then why did you give birth to her?" I restrained myself from not yelling because the dark lady stood there, right in front of me, glaring at me.

"I no be her mama. Follow me to see her mama." She turned abruptly and began to walk in a stiff gait.

The dark lady was simply rude! How else could you explain what just happen? I followed her. Not because I wanted to get my mission accomplished but because I intended to report the dark lady to her madam. Whoever she was.

The dark lady finally stopped by the side of silver-colored Range Rover car. She tapped on the window as though it was a known signal for both her and the person who had just opened the door.

"Goo-" whatever my intention was, it just didn't matter anymore because my past had just come, starting right into my face. "Who am I seeing?" I shook my head, unable to believe my eyes. By now, baby Ifunaya started crying. The dark lady took her from me and entered the car.

"What a small world!"

My heart slammed into my chest as I took a second gaze at her. It was Ifunaya. The one I had just thought of. Her slender body and light skin couldn't be mistaken for another. Maybe it was her strawberry and orange smell that wafted through my senses that made me get on my knees in the freshly lawned car park. "Please forgive me. I know how we ended but it was God's way of taking me to his place of primary assignment for my destiny otherwise I wouldn't be here today."

She threw her head back in laugher. Her body and curly hair shook alongside. "I don't know what to say. Chuks? So this is you? The you who dumped me like I was some call girl?" She laughed again and slid into her car.

I quickly rose to my feet. "I'm so sorry. I was a boy then but now I'm a man. I know better. All I'm asking is your forgiveness."

She simply rolled up her windows and started her car. As I watched her car zoom off, I realized that it was God's will of letting me meet her in this place. Maybe God wanted her to forgive me so I could move on.

At least that was what I thought.

When I told Kauna what had transpired between me and Ifunaya, I had expected that she would be a bit suggestive on what I could do to earn her forgiveness but I was surprised by her bluntness the following day on the phone.
"Let her go. You don't need her forgiveness!" My eyes froze on the football dribbling across the field on TV. I was trying hard to understand why she made the statement.

"Why? I can not let her go. Even if she was my past there was no way I would let her go without seeking her forgiveness. Look, one of our teachers called me and told me that her daughter was diagnosed with rectal cancer."

Kauna went silent and I wasn't sure if I should answer end the call or not. "Y'allah!" She exclaimed. "She is too young for that!"

"That explains the uncontrolled excreta she has been having." I shook my head and grabbed a bottle of water to drink. My throat suddenly went dry. Maybe it was because of the news Rita broke to me. She was their pediatrician. Her private doctor.

"That was what I told myself too." My phone started to buzz again. There was an incoming call and it was Rita. "I'm sorry Kauna, I will return your call later. And my promise on sending you abroad for your master's degree still stands."

"But I'm not even done with my undergraduate degree." She started to say.

I ended the call and quickly scrolled to pick her call. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Good! I will be going to see baby Ifunaya at home today and you need to come with me because the other teachers will be busy."

I understood all that she had just said but then, my mind had stopped working because I had no idea what to tell Ifunaya when I see her. I wasn't even sure if going to her house was a good idea.

"Look, Chuks. You have to come with me to see her. You are my last option so you can't bail out on me just like that!"

I sighed. My hands were tied. I told her that I would drive to the hospital, her place of work, the. We would both go to Ifunaya's house.

"Thank God you are coming to pick me because my car is at the mechanic's shop." She said and ended the call.

As soon as I was done with what I was doing, I drove down to the hospital where I picked Rita. From there, we drove to Ifunaya's house which was located in just another estate not too far from where I lived. The estate was wide and beautiful just like mine. But Ifunaya's house had a huge water fountain in the middle of the compound. It wasn't like the water fountain at the entrance of my estate that the water was no longer flowing.

A maid dressed in a deep blue pledged skirt ushered us in that evening. We sat in the soft white sofas. Rita kept her gaze on the wide TV screen distracted by whatever show was playing on the TV. But I had my eyes on the almost empty walls, void of decoration save for Ifunaya's picture and her daughter's. And then there was an empty art portrait just beside Ifunaya's picture. But one question kept pricking my heart. Where was her husband?

"I guess you are fascinated by the TV show huhn?"

We all turned in the direction of the smooth feminine voice. It was Ifunaya's. She was cascading down the stairs in her long flowing brown gown. I almost wondered if she had guests before we came or if she had purposely dressed because we were coming.

"Good evening madam? How are you doing? And how is baby Ifunaya?" Rita rapped. She was on her feet too addressing the almighty Ifunaya as though she were her boss and as if she had asked for a report.

"Evening ma. I'm good and you? Baby Ifunaya is fine. She is asleep at the moment but she is getting better." Ifunaya settled into one of the chairs while Rita sat too.

"But have you considered taking her for a proper checkup at the hospital?" I blurted out. Ifunaya ignored me but Rita glared at me as though I had diarrhea of the mouth.

"We just came to check up on her. To know how she is doing. So what is the next step of treatment now?" Rita asked.

I should have asked the question instead of her but I wasn't thinking straight. The pleated skirt maid chose that moment to walk in with a tray balanced in her hand. She served us wine and chin-chin but neither of us touched the refreshment. It wasn't until after the maid left that Ifunaya began to speak about her daughter's next treatment which was going to be in India according to her. She also said that everything has been booked.

"What about her father? You haven't mentioned anything about him since we started. At least he should be able to help even if he doesn't live here." It was out of my mouth before I knew that I shouldn't have said it.

Ifunaya scoffed. Rita flew to her feet. "We are so sorry ma. We shall be taking our leave now."

Ifunaya shook her head and rose to her feet. I rose to my feet too. I didn't get her attention before but I was glad that I did now.

"You want to know about her father right?"

I shrugged. I wanted to tell her that I didn't mean what I said.

"I will tell you." She faced Rita. Her jaw was set and her eyes narrowed. I knew she was angry and I was sure my question had upset her."My fiance, whom I met in camp who promised to marry me got me pregnant and fled! I tried to get a job for him at my uncle's place but his padlock rubbed off on my uncle and the man died the day after. My fiance dumped me without a second turn."

"He is irresponsible. No responsible man should do" the rest of the statement died in my throat. Could she be referring to me? I began to make calculations. We haven't seen for two years now and the child is almost two years old. Realization began to set in. My eyes widened!

"Yes, he is irresponsible. Chuks you are irresponsible! You got me pregnant and left just like that!" Her voice shook and her nose flared. "I just came to visit my sister and to spend the summer vacation then I just decided to attend her church. Not knowing that I was going to meet you!" She took a short creaky laugh.

Rita couldn't close her mouth. She was bewildered and surprised all at the same time.

I remained speechless for a while. What if she was trying to play a fast one with me? "I don't know all of this. I only thought that I had committed fornication with you that day. I apologized to God and went to do his assignment. I didn't know you were pregnant." I sat back on the sofa and supported my head with my hands.

"I was pregnant. My parents wanted me to remove it. I wanted to remove it but my conscience was killing me. So I decided to keep the child. That was why I named her after me." She cleaned her tears and sat on the sofa too.

"I think I have to leave you two to sort things out. I will drop by tomorrow." Rita said. I offered to take her back home but she said she already ordered an Uber ride.

"I'm so sorry Ifunaya." I walked up to her and sat on the arm of her sofa. She busted into tears, sobbing while her shoulders quake and her body shook alongside.

Finally, she stopped crying and we spoke at length. Talking about what I missed when she was pregnant.

"Something about you is different. I can't place it." She said.

"I met Jesus Christ. I knew what it means to love him and for him to love me. That was what changed me. That is the difference, knowing Christ." I said, dreamingly as though I could see Jesus Christ in a white flowing robe embracing me.

"Oh…" was all she said. And it made me wonder if her exclamation was as a result of her knowing that I met Christ or that she couldn't believe if I met Christ.

But even though I didn't ask. I wasn't even sure that she met Christ while I was away.

Could it be the reason why God wanted me to join the children's church in the first place? To meet baby Ifunaya, meet Ifunaya and finally reconcile and get married?

I wasn't too sure but I intended to find out. I made some mental notes to go back to the drawing board later- to ask God in my secret place.