27/05/2025
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FlVFutHHlQHK9tWo5mHMgg
Days Before Church 2
A Moment of Weakness
By
Charity Nyoni
Chapter 2
“You have done a great job,” Deisre said with a smile as he handed a briefcase of money to Mbali, “With this money, I am sure your son will need nice clothes after the surgery and many more things. It was nice to do business with you.”
“But we never agreed on you paying any money, I mean my son is now undergoing the surgery.”
“It’s just me taking care of my own. The wise man once said one good turn deserves another. See you around my girl.” Desire dusted his jacket and left. On his way out, he bumped head on with Mbali’s mother and Desire did not apologise but just looked at the old woman in a degrading manner.
“What was that evil boy doing here? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from him?”
“Did I have any choice mom?”
“It doesn’t usually end well whenever this boy is involved. He is a bad omen himself.”
“I will cross that bridge once I get there.” Mbali said as she took a sip of the water that was in the glass next to her, she swallowed the water so hard in a manner that suggested the impact of her mother’s words.
The following day, the pastor’s mind was straying in the world of Mbali. He tried to concentrate on preparing his sermon for the day but he couldn’t. Mbali had driven him back to the days of pain where he still mourned for Grace day and night. The million dollar question that kept on haunting him was that; was this another second shot at life that was sent down from heaven to him? A second chance to be with his soul mate?
From that very moment, his and Ruth’s love life took another sudden change.
“I am not Grace! She died okay! She is dead, stop trying to find her in me!” shouted Ruth one day when she couldn’t take it anymore. “I have tolerated this nonsense enough! You make me dress in her clothes but wanting me to do the s*x positions that she loved, that is rubbish! You are no longer making love to me but to her!”
The hidden animal, inside the pastor mourned for blood, for a moment he lost his sense of reasoning. He kicked Ruth on the stomach and she fell to the floor. He kept on punching her on the stomach and everywhere. At first Ruth screamed until she could say nothing.
Reality knocked back into the pastor’s life when he saw blood oozing in-between Ruth’s thighs. He stopped and looked at her,
“Why are you bleeding?”
“I am bleeding?” Ruth asked as she stood up from the ground and sat upright, “You have killed my child!” she mourned.
“What child?”
“Take me to the hospital, I’m pregnant!”
“You are, what? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was meant to be a surprise.”
Ruth was rushed to the hospital but when they got there it was too late. She had miscarried the baby. She lied to the doctors,
“I fell down the stairs,” was all she could say when they asked her about how she lost the baby.
The pastor felt very guilty and left the room. When he got outside he wept bitterly. He took his car keys and went to the church. He went into his office, closed it and started to pray.
“Father please forgive me! You know my temper is very short and besides, I did not know that Ruth was pregnant. I killed my own baby with my hands. I am a murderer!” He paused for a minute as he heard footsteps outside. He opened the curtain to peer outside but he saw no one. He continued to pray.
“Father, please forgive me, I know Ruth lied to the doctors about my involvement in the miscarriage but this secret is too hard for me to carry to the grave. Forgive me father, please!”
The following week the congregation set in the church; with all ears and eyes fixed to the pastor, they were all eager to hear the good news of God. The pastor stood on the podium, feeling unholy and undeserving to stand in front of the people as God’s mouth piece.
As he opened his mouth to speak, the sound of a late comer lady wearing noisy high heel shoes stole the church’s attention. The pastor lifted his eyes from the Bible and a moment of weakness seized his entire being. Mbali walked in, slowly like a bride and found herself a seat at the front row of the benches close to the pastor. She stared at him straight into the eyes.
What captured everyone’s attention was her outfit, she was wearing a very mini-dress that was not allowed into the church. An old woman, full of wisdom stood up and took her Zambia (an African wrapping cloth, used to cover women in a respective manner.) She went to Mbali and sat next to her and offered it to her so that she can cover the part of the body flesh that was exposed and obviously diverting every one’s attention.
That was the first time, that the pastor stuttered in front of the church. Most of the people were disappointed but they flushed off the feeling, blaming the pastor’s actions on the loss of his unborn child.
“Son, I saw what happened in there.” Said Mgoli, one of the church elders after the service.
“My father, what are you talking about?” asked the pastor.
“The entrance of that girl, changed you,”
“I don’t understand,”
“The half naked girl who made a grand entrance, spoiled the sermon. I don’t blame you son, she looks exactly like your late wife. But just a word of warning son, don’t take the risk of farting when you have a running stomach. The devil is a cunning fox, the downfall of a man is through a woman in most cases. Remember where you took me from son. If it wasn’t for you I would be out there now, very drunk and leading a useless life. I don’t want you son to go down that path!”
Mgoli said many other things that left the pastor confused more than he was about Mbali and life in general.
Just when the pastor was still thinking, Mbali walked in, in a seductive fashion,
“I need prayers pastor, no man is looking at me.” She said touching her breasts in a suggestive way, “I want to be married like my mates but look at me, I haven’t had a boyfriend in the past five years. Am I not beautiful pastor?”
The pastor looked away for a moment.
There was a knock at the pastor’s house and Ruth opened the door and saw Madlodlo,
“Mom, why are you here?” she fumed with rage. “Please leave, I don’t want to ever set my eyes on you! You are so wicked!” Ruth cried.
“I had nowhere else to go.”
“Get out!” shouted Simangele who came out of the room, “Mom please leave us alone!” she cried like Ruth.
“I’m sorry for everything I did to you guys.” Madlodlo knelt down but the sisters were not ready to forgive her.
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