FINAL CHAPTER
SWB: Akinsehinwa Oluwaseun.
“Richard, there’s too much pepper in this stew, I told you to allow Dolly prepare it , you insisted, claiming an international cook, oh oh” I said pouting my mouth like an angry baby as my husband and his sister laughed.
“Don’t mind him joor, sorry, manage it, I’ll prepare a better one for dinner” Dolly said giving me a cup of water to cool down the hotness I was feeling in my mouth.
“No vex my yoriyori, my one and only Oluwanifemi, oyah chop kiss, my mouth will cool down the hotness” he said jokingly bringing his mouth closer but I wasn’t in the mood for jokes, I didn’t like the stew one bit, it was just too peppery for me.
“Should I get you fried rice from eatery?” Dolly asked.
“You know it is home made food that appeal to me these days, those fast food makes me feel like throwing up” I said pushing the food to Richard.
“You want to reject my sacrifice?” Richard asked playfully and Dolly burst into laughter but I wasn’t laughing because right now, I feel like putting ten bulbs of pepper into Richard’s mouth.
“Broz warn yourself o, don’t mind him, let me quickly make you another stew okay?” Dolly said.
“Okay dear, thanks alot, in fact I can’t thank God enough for your stay in this house. Your brother is another character entirely”
“Well I said we should hire the service of a maid, you insisted” Richard said.
“Thank you sirrrr, we don’t need a maid!” I replied putting my hands up while Dolly laughed.
I’m eight months and three weeks gone already, my Mom comes once in a while to spend a day or two with us before leaving.
Dolly has been with us for two weeks now and she has really been helpful around.
She forces me to exercise, she said it will aid a quick and easy delivery.
Sometimes we take a walk together with Richard. Sometimes we compete with one another in a relay race.
She will deliberately allow me to run ahead of her while Richard will run like he was competing with his mate.
I can’t say how happy I am that the Lord has turned the tide around for good.
Damilola was sentenced to life imprisonment, I visited her thrice to tell her about the love of God but she kept cursing me.
She said I was the one responsible for her predicament.
I sought the help of my Pastor, I didn’t want Damilola to lose on earth and lose in heaven, I wanted her to come to the saving grace of God.
My pastor kept visiting her with the evangelical team.
They preached to her about life after death.
They told her that she still has hope if only she can surrender her life and totality to God. After four months that they had been visiting , Damilola eventually surrendered her life to Christ. I didn’t believe it at first when my Pastor told me the goodnews, until I went to see her myself. She welcomed me,she didn’t curse me like the other days. She spoke to me gently and made me to understand that she has forgiven me wholeheartedly, she said she’s no longer bittered against me. What surprised me most was that she sought for my forgiveness and requested that I visit her once in a while because apart from myself, our pastor and the evangelical team, there was no one else who came visiting her.
To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I was overwhelmed with joy, I got home and shared the great news with my husband and we celebrated the goodness of the Lord.
“So there’s no one God can not save?” Dolly said as we prepared dinner in the kitchen.
“Yes o” Richard responded.
“Except for those who deliberately hardened their heart and reject the saving grace of God” I added.
“Hmn well thank God for her, now she has the hope of life after death” Dolly said.
“Please pass me the salt” I said with a mild frown on my face. I have been feeling funny since morning, I told Dolly about it and she advised we go to the hospital but I said it was not yet time for delivery. The doctors said I still have few more days to delivery date.
“Are you alright?” Richard asked after noticing my reactions.
“I’m fine” I said feigning a smile.
“I think we should go to the hospital, she’s not feeling too good” Dolly said.
“I’m fi…..yeah” I screamed when I suddenly felt another sharp pain in my belly.
“Are you alright? Please leave the food, Dolly and I will complete the cooking, let me take you inside, so that you can rest. I’ll call you when the food is ready” Richard said.
“I’m fine I just…..yeah” I felt the pain again and I knew if I don’t get to the hospital soon, I may have the baby in our kitchen.
“Nifemi we need to go to the hospital” Richard said and within seconds my water broke.
” Yeaa,my back, my waist. Richy I think the baby is coming already ” the pain intensified, Richard carried me in his hands.
“Dolly turn off the gas, get the car keys immediately” he said as Dolly scurried out to get the car keys.
“Turn off the gas first!” Richard said when he noticed that Dolly ran out to get the car keys without remembering to turn off the gas.
“Okay, okay, okay” she answered nervously and ran back into the kitchen to turn off the gas.
My husband drove speedily to the hospital. The nurses and doctors were really kind, they attended to me immediately. The labour process was not really easy but my husband was beside me to help out, he held my right hand in his and kept encouraging me to push.
Men I felt like giving him a punch at a time when the pain became almost unbearable.
“Push darling, we can do this, please baby, push!”
“Urgh! I’m tired” I said and one of the nurses slapped my laps so hard, I let out a cry and just then a baby came out.
“Waoh, it’s a baby girl” one of the nurses announced , Richard gave me a peck on my forehead.
“Thank you Jesus, we did it baby. I love you so…..”
“Urghhhhh” I let out a shrieked cry again.
“Another one is coming” a nurse announced.
“It’s a boy, waoh! Congratulations Mr Thomas, your wife just had a set of twins” the doctor said as he took off his gloves while the nurses cleaned me up.
We named them Oluwamunumidun Petra and Momooreoluwa Peter.
Marriage they say, is a journey we must prayerfully prepare for because it’s not a child’s play. There are so many challenges you’ll face that you didn’t even plan for, the sincerity of the vows the couple took on their wedding day is put to test at such times. I’m glad in all the marital storms, my husband and I came out victoriously. It didn’t just happened, it was by God’s intervention, we obtained the Lord’s mercy and then we decided to use the weapon most couple have thrown away; Forgiveness, we totally forgave each other.
I have been invited on several occasions to speak to the youths, both singles, intending couples and the married.
During one of such seminars, I told the singles about the importance of preparing prayerfully before marriage. You may have the financial abilities, the moral standards, the sexual prowess and every other requirements for marriage intact but if you are spiritually cold, your marital life will suffer. I told them the danger attached to keeping secrets that can be hazardous to your marriage away from your partner, intending couples should prayerfully and by wisdom let their partners know what they think may have negative effects on them if kept secret. I also encouraged spouses who have been unfaithful in their marriage to take the bold steps of confessing to their partners, I didn’t forget to tell them that they must do it prayerfully with the help of someone who is a spiritual father or mother to them. Then I told them the evils in marital unfaithfulness, I further explained to those who sleep with other people’s partners that they are doing that to the detriment of their own lives and souls backing it up with the book of Proverbs chapter six and seven. I didn’t forget to use Dunmininu’s case to warn all the erring singles too.
A woman confided in me after a seminar, she told me she has four children and only one of them belongs to her husband, the rest belong to her boss. Sincerely I was lost for words at first, I prayed with her and told her to inform someone she knows is spiritually and intellectually mature enough to handle the case. I told her it will be too risky for her and the children if her husband finds out by himself, I made her realized it will be more disastrous if she dies with the secret because it will stand as an hindrance to her making heaven. I made her realize it may not be easy because the man may not be able to forgive immediately but God is able to touch his heart. I added that I will keep praying for her and before I left the venue, I made sure we exchanged contacts.
The Lord has been faithful to me, He forgave my iniquity and gave me another chance. He restored joy and peace back to my family and I have not ceased using the story of my life to teach others a lasting lesson.
Call me Oluwanifemi because the Lord truly loves me and this is the story of my life.
THE END