GRACE DAVID'S CORNER : LIBERTY EPISODE 5

EPISODE 5
He reached for her but felt coldness where she usually lay curled up in her favourite position, opening his eyes he found that his wife had left the bed. The bedside clock read 5:00am, time to prepare for church service. He didn’t need any alarm clock; years of practice meant he usually beat the alarm clock. Getting out of the bed he shuffled his way towards the studio, where he knew she would be. Last night had frightened him, her declaration of having nightmares that were alive sounded if not anything crazy. But before he could probe her further she had dozed off in his arms like a sweet innocent baby and the matter could not be discussed that night.
Standing in the doorway of the studio, he took in the sight before him with pride burning in his heart, paintings that were beyond words amazing were either leaning against the wall or hung for display, but the masterpiece that was his wife was more captivating than any painting the mind could conjure. She was sitting on a high stool in front of a canvas that was already being transformed from a blank space to an amazing work of art. As he drew closer she didn’t even notice his presence until he wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her neck. She turned to smile up at him, her eyes wore dark circles that were a little too pronounced for comfort.
“How long have you being up?” He asked trying not to sound alarmed.
“I can’t tell, first it was your loud snoring that woke me up, then I kept seeing an image I needed to put down,”
He chuckled roughening her hair playfully, “liar, I don’t snore and this is too abstract to be called an image,”
“Of course you do snore when you are tired, and this is still an image to me but it came out this way,”
He studied the painting intently then said, “It looks sad and deep, sadness never looked so beautiful,”
She sighed heavily and nodded, “it’s still not finished, how can you tell?”
“I just can,” he shrugged then turned her to face him causing her to drop her paint brush.
“Please tell me what you meant by your nightmares coming alive, I need to know,” he demanded solemnly, but she knew he wasn’t ready for the entire truth; she wasn’t ready either for the entire truth.
She patted his cheek and jumped off the stool, “I was stressed to the teeth and when a woman is stressed she begins to say things, there is nothing to worry your perfectly sculpted head about,”
He furrowed his brow but a look of relief took over as he asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, why don’t we go prepare for church service?”
“I hope you will not doze off during the sermon, because only you and God know when you left the bed,”
She took the teasing lightly as they left the studio, teasing each other like two best friends with no care in the world.
***
The sermon had been life changing as usual and as the congregation stood as the altar call was being made, her eyes caught a movement in the rear of the church. Behind old tone deaf Mrs. Odunlade, how he could attract her attention even amid that massive crowd wasn’t farfetched. The sinister look, the dark fray clothes, the short dreadlocks and the one feature that only he possessed – an ear screamed out like a siren. Even from that distance he could still hold her gaze with a lopsided grin, it was all she could do to not crumble on that floor in front of a thousand people. She managed to jerk her gaze away before it became too pronounced, but when she looked up again he had disappeared like a bad vision that should be forgotten.
The rest of the service dragged along slowly, but as soon as it ended she made for her office without saying hello to anyone, her personal assistant almost broke her heel clad feet running after her with her bag. As soon as she got to the office, she went to lie on the couch. It was only then she let the wave of trepidation pass through her, her heart beat out of control and she found herself asking the question, why? Over and over again. That she didn’t even hear Becca, her sister walk into the office without knocking.
Becca could only be described as big, strong and eccentric. Her loud ways were contrary to the lamb those closest to her knew. At thirty one and still single Rebecca Attah had no care in the world.
She came to sit on the couch, dragging Chide back to earth, she shook her head, “don’t tell me we are having another pity party, because the way you left the church hall wasn’t cool at all.”
Chide shook her head, “Rebecca…”
“Becca,” she corrected promptly.
Chide rolled her eyes and continued, “I am scared, really scared,”
“Of what?”
“That this beautiful even though insufficient life I have will be snatched from under me soon,”
Becca dropped her clutch bag on the coffee table and held her sister’s gaze, “then be ready, for when that time will come to snatch it back, instead of feeling scared and sorry for yourself, why would you be having such thoughts anyway?”
“I am receiving signals from the past Becca, it won’t let me be,”
“Pastor Ojochide Umolaojo where is your fighting spirit? You defeated the past before, you can still do it, fight this fear, fight it,”
Chide couldn’t help the tears as she accepted Becca’s hug and gentle pats. She felt strengthened but that didn’t expunge the fear totally, it only made her aware of an impending battle.
Post By :Grace David