CHAPTER TEN

I sighed as I stared at the black gate in front of me. This place held a lot of memories for me and it was also where I found my clarity, where I made a big decision eight years ago.

The church gate still looked the same except for the rust around the edges. I hadn't been there for almost a year, so with another sigh, I entered, and my feet carried me in the direction of the office I knew so well. Giving the door a light knock, I heard a 'come in'.

"Good morning, sir" a smile took over my face as I looked over at the fifty-something-year-old man. I considered my father. He looked up from his laptop and froze.

"Darasimi?" my name came out as a shock from his mouth, as he couldn't believe I was there.

I walked closer to the man and took a good look at him; he had aged a bit, with a rounder stomach, a trimmed beard, and darker eyelids. I quickly went on my knees to greet him again, as his Yoruba training still had its effects on me.

"Ekaaro sir, eku ojo meta," I said in a Yoruba accent. Although I was Hausa by birth, I quickly adapted to the Yoruba lifestyle since I've lived in Lagos for the past eight years. {Good morning, sir, it's been a while}

"Omo mi, di de, di de, haha, how are you? You didn't tell me you were coming now; I would have told mummy Oyin to prepare for you" he said, gesturing for me to get up as a smile lit up his face.

Pastor Ayobami was the man that took me in when I came through these doors all those years ago. At first, I felt so scared of his presence, but when he introduced me to his wife, Mrs. Adeoye, and his children, the way they cared for me and helped me change my fear into safety. His children, Fikayo and Oyindamola, took me as their sister, even though we didn't live together, they made an effort to always include me.

"I'm fine sir and I'm sorry I didn't tell you before coming. I made the decision this morning." I had a set goal for coming here this morning. Apart from the fact that I had missed them terribly, I needed fatherly advice.

"You don't have to apologize; you know you are always welcome home anytime. Why not freshen up in your room first and I will order food for us so we can talk? I made sure to keep your room neatly all the times you weren't around or should we just go home, so mummy Oyin can cook for us? And how is my baby girl? You didn't bring her?" his worried tone made me nostalgic, but I couldn't wait long, or else I would have loved to get that home-cooked meal.

"You don't have to bother sir, I missed all of you, but I have to be in school tomorrow to get ready for my presentation. I just knew that I couldn't discuss what we'd talk about over the phone. That's why I came here. Grace is really fine; she went to school. That's why I didn't bring her. She's nine and soon turns ten and in primary four about to write common entrance". He nodded in understanding before smiling.

"Wow, she's writing the Common Entrance exam? I always knew she was very brilliant. I'm sure you've done a great job raising her my dear. Eh, that's not a problem. Let me order the food, and quickly finish what I was doing while you rest. I'll call you once I'm done" he reasoned, and I nodded in agreement before standing up to go to my room.

Finding my way to the stairs that led to the supposed room I had lived in for years wasn't hard, I knew this place like the back of my hand. Sighing a little, I opened the door to the room and was immediately hit with a memory.

"My name is Mohammad Semiat, I'm fifteen years old. I ran away from the house because they wanted to take my daughter away from me" My voice was hit with a sob as I recalled how the relatives of my late husband tried to take Miriam away.

"Take your time my dear", Mrs. Adeoye said while rubbing my back and I tried to control my tears.

"My husband had an accident, so everyone thought it was my fault. They said I poisoned him but he was in an accident. So, his relatives and other wives wanted to punish me by taking Miriam away and sending me out of the house. They beat me so much with different things, so I went inside his room and took the remaining money. He hid under his bed and ran away. I don't know if he's even alive or not". I was shut up by tears as I looked at the baby in my hands.

I didn't want to remember it but I could, I did and I had scars to prove it. Mrs. Adeoye quickly hugged my small frame and kept whispering, 'It's okay'.

"What about your parents?" Mr. Ayo asked, looking at me, and my tears immediately increased.

"They sold me to him. My dad never liked me, so he sold me. He said I was just a waste of space and he would have done it sooner if the man had not said he should wait till I got my period". My voice had gone into a whisper, as it was hoarse already. I was just numb.

"Oh my God. It's okay. You need to rest, you can continue later. Let's get you and Miriam something to eat" Mr. Ayobami said with worry in his voice, while I couldn't find my own.

End of flashback

I touched my shoulder, feeling the scar that was still there. I just sat on the bed and put my head in my hands.

I didn't want to cry.

I haven't cried much since that day. I always willed myself not to. I always tried to remind myself that I wasn't weak, that I was strong, that I had a God that always gave me rest, and truly, if not for God in my life, I don't even know how I would have turned out.

I took out my phone to answer some messages on WhatsApp and when I saw a message from Adeyemi, I opened it reluctantly.

'Hey, good evening. How are you doing? I noticed you seemed withdrawn after our last conversation and I just want you to know that you don't have to be. I just wanted to talk but I'm so sorry I overstepped. Please don't stop being my friend because of that, and let's still work on your presentation together. Have a wonderful night" Adeyemi

I read the message over again and smiled, he sent it last night. It had been two days since our last conversation and I didn't even know I acted withdrawn because I made sure to act as if nothing happened. It was my defense mechanism. I didn't like to talk about what happened to me, and when he asked about my name, I just snapped and acted like I didn't hear him, but he didn't take it the wrong way, for which I'm grateful on the other hand, he helped me in the shop.

I'm sorry I acted withdrawn; I didn't know. And no, don't worry, we are still friends, I think, and yes, we can still work on the presentation. I should even be thanking you for trying to help me with it, so thank you. Dara

I hit send and replied to some other messages and didn't even know when I slept off with the phone in my hand.

The knock on the door stirred me awake. I quickly straightened my top and my hair before going to open it. Mr. Ayobami was standing on the other side with a little smile on his face.

"Come, let's eat. Moses bought Amala and Ewedu." He said while walking down the stairs with me right behind him. Moses was one of the teenagers that usually came for weekly services. I smiled because he knew I liked that meal a lot.

"Thank you so much sir", we reached his office and sat down to eat.

We finished eating after twenty minutes and washed our hands.

"I know what you want to talk about might be serious, considering you came all the way here. Kilode Omo mi?" his concern reached me (What is the matter, my daughter?)

"It's not that serious sir, I just need a little advice and didn't know where else to go or who to ask," I said while fidgeting in my hands. He gestured for me to continue.

"It's kind of embarrassing. Ehm, I have had nightmares, twice. It was about my dad pushing me into that man's house and about Emeka." I frowned as I recalled the nightmares. They were so vivid that I woke up scared each time.

"Do you know what triggered the dream?" he asked with a frown on his face. I had called about nightmares about three years ago because a guy almost harassed me.

"Ehm, I recently met a man. I don't know why he isn't like the rest, because his presence doesn't bother me. So, after some time of meeting ourselves in school, in my shop, and church, he asked us to be friends. His presence didn't irk me like normal and I needed his help and experience on some things in school, so we started as colleagues even though we are not at the same level or department. He came to my shop two days ago and asked a little bit about me. They were not uncomfortable questions so I answered, but he then asked about my name and I panicked and shut the conversation off. The thing I'm confused about is that I wanted to tell him that my spirit felt comfortable around him. I didn't feel that itch that you told me about when I got uncomfortable and that's why I shut it off and when I got home that night, I had a nightmare. The first one was about Emeka, but that was before the guy came to my shop two days ago." Mr. Ayobami seemed focused, as I explained.

"Hmm, have you prayed about it?" I nodded instantly because I remember he always said that I should pray immediately after I get a bad dream.

"You said you were comfortable around this man? How much do you know about him?" he asked the lenient questions like I knew he would and I answered with the little I knew about Adeyemi.

"Not everyone is the way they seem outside and they might not even know it but the question here is, do you trust him?" I scrunched my nose in a thinking manner because I had never thought about it. I have known Yemi for a couple of weeks and he didn't seem like the kind of person I should run to the hills from, but I have never thought about trust.

"I don't know, I've only known him for a few weeks" I replied honestly.

"Trust is a fundamental component of friendship. However, we shouldn't take that trust to the level that we begin to be so dependent on man rather than God because he deserves our full trust first. You also said you wanted to tell him more about you?" I nodded.

"Yes, it seemed right, like my spirit agreed with it," I said, remembering how I felt that day.

"Like I've always told you. You should always rely on the Holy Spirit because your feelings are not always right. What you feel might not be what you need or what is right for that moment, which is why you always need to be sensitive and ask the Holy Spirit for directions. He is not a feeling but rather a knowing. He just uses your conscience to speak to you when you are in situations. Your conscience is like a little microphone that amplifies the voice of the spirit, which is why, whenever you feel uncomfortable or not at peace in a place or situation, it's best to stay away from it or leave." I took a moment to allow his words to sink in and honestly, I didn't feel a pinch of not being comfortable that day.

"But why did I have the nightmare?" That was what I was most particular about. Could the Holy Spirit be warning me against Yemi?

"Sometimes or most times, once the devil knows that you are getting to a place where you are going to be victorious, he likes to twist your reality and add fear and insecurity to it so you will get away from your victory. That is why I asked if you trusted the man because the devil might see that you are actually getting comfortable and out of your bubble of insecurity with men and just wants you to go back to the way you were or it might be the fact that, it is now time, you faced your fears." I nodded trying to process his words.

"I just don't know what to do", I spoke out of my fear. Do I continue talking to Adeyemi or just close off again?

"Be sensitive, my dear. Take your time, whenever you are around this man, take note of how your spirit speaks, ask the Holy Spirit for directions when talking to him and if there is a sense of peace within you, then you need to cast the enemy out of your head because God is trying to do something through that man for you, but if your spirit isn't at peace then pray and back off from the man:" he finished with a small smile and asked a very unexpected question.

"Do you like this man?" I was completely thrown off guard right now because I didn't want to even know my answer, so I just smiled and shrugged to get off the topic.

"Let's not bring that up now because I don't want to know my answer. I've heard all you said and I promise I will put it into action. I just don't want that relapse of nightmares again", I said, trying to get my mind off the dream.

"God grants his beloved sleep. Just make sure you pray every night and cast the enemy out of your dreams." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Thank you so much, sir, I appreciate it," I said, going on my knees to thank him.

This man has done a lot for me and has asked nothing in return, only that I become a person that was worth being used, by God.

"Aaaha, Omo mi, Di de joor. It would have been nice if you followed me home to meet Mummy, she has been asking about you and is even a little angry that you haven't called her for two weeks". We laugh it off and I shake my head, knowing that Mummy can be so strong-headed at times if she doesn't get her way. (Stand up, my child)

"I'll make sure to call her once I get back to school" I promised, and he nodded.

"So, you are in your final year now, abi? You are a big girl now oo. How is Praise?" I laughed at his drama.

"Yes, sir, and, Praise is fine. Just still always complaining about the workload we have every time"

"Ekpele, you will soon finish, just endure it for a while" he tried to reassure me, and I just smiled, realizing that I'm indeed about to finish university and be the Human rights activist I have always wanted to be. (sorry)

Soon, I would set those children free from child marriage.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hmmm, I can boldly say, I feel for Darasimi.

Who can think of what happened next in her past? Who was she sold to?

How did she escape? What do you think about Mr. Ayobami and his family?

So far so good guys, how's the story going?

Hope there is no confusion.

Please support me by liking and leaving a comment. I appreciate you guys, you're all wonderful people.

See you in the next chapter, bye.