"Maami, stop preaching to me, because my mind is made up. Bayo must face the music. He must be sentenced to ten years imprisonment." Anu protested.
The mom and her brother had been on her neck to let Bayo off the hook of the police. She had blatantly refused to yield to their pressure.
"This man is the father of your child for Christ sake! Why aren't you glad that your son has a father? This your stubbornness will land you in trouble."
"I wonder why my sister is finding it difficult to forgive the fool. He is a fool no doubt, but for the sake of your future. Don't you think that your son will not forgive you?" Iyin reasoned with her too.
"Were you not the one that told me not to marry an unbeliever? Ha ha, why can't you allow me to jail the son of a bitch?" Anu asked.
She was furious, her eyes had turned red like a smoker. Her breathing became abnormal. With pursed lips, furrowed brow, she paced up and down, unable to stay still. Hands tightened to a fist like a warrior ready for a fight.
"This is uncalled for my sister . I know the way you feel?" Iyin uttered with a shrug feeling disappointed.
"Oh no, you don't know and don't want to know the trauma I have gone through. My dreams shattered, my pains of not being able to marry the man I truly love is forever gone. Hell no, the shame of having a pregnancy without the knowledge of the father, early Marriage to a womanizer who claimed to have married me out of pity.
The defilement again and again. The trauma of sharing your man with another woman.The physical abuse, the mental torture, Bayo passed me through is more than enough to send him behind the bars for life. "Anu recalled her agonies.
Iyin ran into her arms and held her close to his body. They ended up weeping on each other's shoulders refusing to be comforted.
"I'm sorry please for being insensitive towards your pains. I could not comprehend the depth of your trauma. I'm blinded by the act of forgiveness. It's good not to take someone granted." Iyin pleaded.
"That's okay. It was not easy to bear. That was why I wanted to end it all. But the grace of God, and His mercies kept me.Im alive today only because of His grace. He kept me, God's mercies kept me.
IYIN'S POV
Indeed God helped my sister to stand. It is the prayers of the saints that strengthened her. We are quick to condemn others when we think they did not measure up to standard. The truth is that we do not put ourselves in their shoes. We need to learn to be more empathic.
I recalled the time that I failed Mathematics in JSS 2 first term. My class teacher felt I was becoming too playful, but unknown to him, it was because of my parents that were always quarrelling. Those times drove me mad, but I had no one to confide in.
My sister was always grumbling, and complaining, so I had to be the one consoling her when I also needed consolation. The difference between us was that I go to Bible study, which helped to stabilize me a little. Had it been my sister had a measure of understanding in the Word, it wouldn't have affected me.
I found myself always helping her to maintain a certain level of maturity. She was at the receiving end of my mom's brutality. Mine was quite better. Hmm, God helped us to overcome all those times. Mother did not help matters at all, she gave my sister tough time. God! Please, help her to forgive this man. Iyin prayed.
Mrs Moji'S POV
I sincerely blamed myself for making Anu's life bitter. What a shame! Indeed she had suffered tremendously in my hands. I feel so terrible.. God has to forgive me. If only I had known God, I wouldn't have made her life miserable. I was the one that drove her into the arms of Bayo that night.
Hmm,and the evil boy took advantage of her to defile an innocent girl. Oh my God! Help my daughter to heal fast. Mrs Moji Ojo prayed earnestly.
As if God heard their prayers, Anu raised her head after the ocean of tears, and opened up.
"Maami, you know that life has been unfair to me. Don't blame me for my bitterness against Bayo. He deserves to be behind bars." Anu cried out raising her voice laden with emotions.
"Yes my daughter. I have been asking God to forgive me for maltreating you. It is all my fault. I'm the real wicked soul that pushed you into the mouth of the tiger who devoured you. Now I know better. Thanks to Iyin and to you. Please can you forgive Bayo the same way you have forgiven me?" Mrs Moji knelt before her daughter.
Anu objected to her kneeling, rushing to pull her up.
"Ha ha, maami, this is abomination. You are my Mother, and have forgiven you. But Bayo must bear the brunt of his covetousness." She yelled rolling her eyes.
"No my love, my pride, my medical doctor to be. Please remember God wants us to forgive those who hurt us. The Lord's prayer says:
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven
Give us this day, our daily bread
And forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
………."
"Do you know that Jesus forgave the people who wronged him. Unforgiveness can lead us to hell. Jesus said that if we don't forgive, our heavenly father will not forgive us too. We sin against others, and we want them to forgive us.
We also should do likewise. To err is human, to forgive is divine." Iyin enlightened her the more.
She sighed deeply and passionately, bending down in sorrow. She later raised her teary eyes and looking at no one in particular, pointed to heaven as if she can see God.
"For your sake, O Lord, I forgive Bayo for his wickedness, but, hmm, but I will no longer have anything to do with him." Anu declared and the door of the living room opened.
"Yes that is the spirit!" the voice growled in anger.