Anu and her bestie chose to pray for Mrs Mabel Samuel every day. They did this religiously for about a week before they gave up.
Meanwhile, Mrs Mabel lost her piece of mind. She suddenly opened the scripture and saw the place in the book of First Corinthians, chapter seven, verses four and five.
"The wife does not have authority over her own body,but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body but the wife does.
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time,that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your self-control."
Ha, my God, I have sinned against my husband. She lamented to the point of losing her sleep. The husband would wake up and see her pacing up and down. Sometimes, she would sit down, staring into space. If he asked, she would shake her head, meaning that she was okay.
One of the days, he became tired and snapped at her, "I'm sick and tired of your silly behaviour in this house. I've been bearing with you, but you've taken me for granted."
He stood up and started to pack his clothes. The wife looked at him and shrugged her shoulders. She felt he was just kidding, not knowing that he meant business. He left her around ten in the night.
She waited until morning, called his line, but the numbers were switched off. She went to his hospital and they told her that they've not seen him. She kept on checking on him, but they never knew his whereabout.
Who can I tell? She screamed out to no one in particular. She thought of their pastor, but rejected the thought. What would he say? Then a text message came through from an unknown number.
"This Marriage is dead and gone. Forget that we have ever married. Tell our only child that you messed it up. Good-bye, Mabel.
Your husband."
She held her head and yelled. "I'm finished. Finally, this man has disgraced me. It's my fault no doubt. But what can I do?"
Then she decided to see the pastor and his wife to open up her past to them.
"Why did you hide all these from us? Do you think that we would stop respecting you? No, we won't. After all we know that you are not perfect. You have overstretched the grace of God."
They prayed with her and she had her peace.She started to pray for her husband.
Anu went to the supermarket to buy some items and saw Doctor Sam. They were both excited to see each other.
"How is your wife sir?I hope she has changed?"
"Can that one change? I left the house to stay in the hotel for some times. I needed to reconcile with God. Though I told her that it's over, but the idiot refused to bother. Is that a wife?"
"Oh no, Righteous was in your hospital and heard some nurses gossipping that you are a runaway husband. You abandoned your wife and now she is bothered. They claimed that she is a shadow of herself now."
"No that can't be true! She does not care about me!"
"Have you checked your hospital? Go there to find out."
A call came through from the hospital and he took it, speaking for almost thirty minutes. Then he looked at Anu and said,
"You are damned right. The woman is worried and my Pastors'too. Infact she left letters, series of them for me in the hospital. That means, you ladies got her to repent. No wonder, she was restless, but wouldn't bulge easily because of her pride.
My packing out did made her uncomfortable. Wonders shall never end. I'm not sure I want to see her now. Let her face the music she introduced into the home."
He left, leaving Anu bewildered.
That's your cup of tea, doctor. I have my own problem. How to travel to Lagos to see my brother and those two brothers is a big trouble, I don't know how to cope with the three men in my life now.
My so called husband Bayo, is another big one. I'm confused and uncomfortable. Anu fidgeted.
Running away from your troubles is pure cowardice. Facing your problem, is courage. Conquering your challenges makes you whole. Those were the thoughts going through Anu's mind.
Anu's mind is made up to travel to Lagos and face her fears, conquer her fears and stand tall. Preparation of her heart was important and she used the week to do justice to that.
"Hey girlfriend, your bestie goes to La-gos, next week."Anu yelled full of excitement.
"I can see that someone is eager to travel out. Bush Ile -Ife girl goes to La-gos." Righteous mimicked.