TURNING TO THE PRIEST

I weighed in my mind the extremity of the problem at home and the evidence of my innocence is pretty negative. What would I say? Should I just go with apologies? Chidinma would ask many questions and I must answer. Those questions really don’t have answers. The phone rang a second time before I picked it and said Father, I will be on my way soon but to my surprise it was my wife’s voice that I heard on the other side of the line. With a crying tone telling me baby, just come home all will be well. That’s the set up. 

I gathered up some courage to go home. Kevin advised me not to go yet, that I should wait for some family members to be home and advices starting rolling in. Personally I knew I had to go and face my fears but I didn’t know how. Slowly I stood up and walked to the road, stopped a bike again and home I was. Chidinma was arranging her things; she’s going to her mother’s house. Rev Fr. Thomas tried talking to her but she was all deaf ears. She said I never told her I would be a polygamist and she can’t live in the same house with another woman. I tried to apologize but I knew how irritating I was to her. I tried to explain also but I knew there was nothing to say. 

I have committed a sin I was falling in love with another woman, she’s a devil in human skin I told the Rev Fr and father tried explaining if I could confess my sins God is ready to forgive me. At this time I didn’t believe even the father. I walked into the kitchen to grab a cup of water and to my surprise there was Diana. She hasn’t left the house. I saw blood on her head and she was sobbing. I grabbed her and brought her up. We walked into the sitting room together and Father supported me. We sat her down and I went to get water with towel to clean her up. At this point I’ve forgotten my wife was at home. Carefully I mopped the blood off her face and saw the cut. It wasn’t so deep. She held my hand and father’s hand and whispered in our ears “I could give my soul for one last kiss, I love you Jude”. I was close to saying I love you too but I didn’t.

Chidinma rolled out a box, also carrying a hand bag and saw Diana again. She dropped the two and walked towards her. I barricaded Chidinma from getting to Diana. I cannot stand Diana’s state of unhappiness again; neither do I want to lose my wife. Father looked at me and shook his head and told my wife I’m acting under a spell. If you leave him this way, his soul would be forever lost. Father went to his car and brought out a small bottle of holy water and started sprinkling round the house. He walked round the whole compound pleading the blood of Jesus. I just wasn’t interested in the drama as if there is one demon somewhere causing the havoc. 

He opened the front door walked into the sitting room, chanting some Latin incantations and still pleading the blood of Jesus. With a drop of holy water touching Diana the atmosphere changed: the eyes turned white, the hair was standing straight, and she automatically regained her strength and was screaming. Chidinma ran towards me as I moved backward. Father continued sprinkling the holy water and shouted at us to run out of the house. With one last look at Chidinma I told her baby I’m sorry, she dragged me along with her outside the house and said now I understand……….