(…continued…)
Cynthia left and soon came back with the snacks,
drinks and recharge card. They ate and waited. A while later, they heard someone
call their names. They looked towards the entrance and saw their mother.
“What is mummy doing here?”
Mabel whispered to Cynthia as they got up to welcome their mother.
They greeted her and hugged her.
“What brings you here?”
Cynthia asked.
“We were supposed to have
women emergency meeting today,” their mother replied, trying hard to conceal
the lie.
“Which emergency women
meeting?” Mabel asked her suspiciously.
“Mama wouldn’t have asked us
to wait if there was a meeting,” Cynthia said. “Besides, I don’t see women
here.”
Their mother
couldn’t pretend any more.
“Ok I came to see you.”
“You came to hear what mama
will say.”
They laughed and
sat down.
“Is she around?” she asked
them.
“Yes,” Cynthia answered.
“So why have you not seen
her?”
“She is not in her office. She
had to attend to some pressing matters.”
“But is she not in the
compound? I saw her car outside.”
“She is. Maybe she entered the
church auditorium.”
Their mother
checked her time piece.
“If we don’t see her on time,”
she said. “We may have to stay for midweek service.”
“Until we are done seeing her,”
Mabel said. “Until I am done, I mean.”
“There is no way you are entering there alone
o. It is a general family issue.”
“But I am the one facing a
situation now.”
“Yes but…”
“When mama comes, she will
tell us how to come in and se her,” Cynthia said.
Their mother
asked them questions about how their day went especially in the hospital. Mabel
summarized every question she asked but she kept pressing for details.
“Na you fit mummy,” Cynthia
said to Mabel and laughed. “She wan know how many people cough there and how
dem cough be.”
“I wonder o,” Mabel said.
“I don’t blame you.”
They laughed.
From time to
time, someone they knew would see them, exchange pleasantries and pass. From there,
they could hear the sound of some people testing the PA system and the
instruments in the main church auditorium.
“Mid week service will soon
start.”
“We will stay and also collect
the blessing from the service.”
“Ok.”
“Have you spoken to Mama Risi
since morning?” Cynthia asked Mabel.
“No.”
“Is there any problem?” their
mother asked.
“No. Just to know if anyone
came looking for me in the house.”
“Ok.”
“I think you should call her
and know how things are.”
“Yes. So I will know if I should
get to the house first before meeting you people at home.”
“That will not be necessary.
There won’t be time for that.”
“Ok. If you say so.”
They were silent
for a while as they still waited for the Pastor’s wife.
“Where is Mama na?” Mabel
asked after a while, feeling impatient. “Let
me use this opportunity and call Mama Risi.”
She got up to go out and call Mama Risi. Pastor’s
wife walked in.
“So sorry for keeping you
waiting,” she said as she greeted and hugged Mabel’s mum.
“No problem ma.”
“One of our young women was in
labour and they asked me to come. Her husband drove me to the hospital where I
prayed and encouraged her.”
“Has she put to bed?”
“Not while I was there. She
insisted I stayed with her but I knew you were waiting for me so I had to rush
back.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“What do you expect? When you
are a pastor’s wife, you become responsible for the welfare of a lot of people,
especially women and children.”
“You are strong o.”
“It is enjoyable at the end of
the day.”
“The Lord is your strength.”
“Yes indeed. So, am I seeing
you all or just Mabel.”
Mabel said “Me
only” at the same time her mother said “All of us”.
She smiled and said, “Mabel, let me see you first. I
will see all of you together afterwards.”
She went into her office and Mabel went in after her.
“So we will not know what they
are discussing?” their mother said to Cynthia.
“Mabel will still tell us.”
“She doesn’t tell everything
o.”
“We will still see her later.”
After about 15
minutes, Mabel came out of the office.
(…to be continued…)
-©2015.Chinedu Isaac
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