Chapter 42

After Nduka traveled to the city, Oluchi refused to go see the priest. Anytime her husband called on the phone to ask, she would lie that she did. Fortunately for her, Father Thomas never reported her absence to her husband, so Oluchi taught that the priest had finally given up and would not bother her anymore but she was dead wrong.

 Ever since her husband traveled to the city, she had become so cheerful and was no longer the shadow of herself. She smiled and laughed more even though she knew that it was only going to be temporary. But as the day her husband was supposed to return, neared, Oluchi began to slowly withdraw into herself again. 

Most times, she wished her husband would just fancy another woman in the city and would never come back, or have a fatal accident that would claim his life, but she was not God and could only wish for something that might never happen.

One evening, she was in the bedroom sleeping while her son, Vincent was in the sitting room playing with his plastic toys on the center table when a knock came from the door. Vincent left his toys, got off his knees and went to open the door. When he saw who it was, his countenance changed and he held the door a bit so that the priest wouldn't get a chance of coming in.

"Good morning, father." He morosely greeted the priest who was trying to peek into the sitting room.

"Good morning, boy...can I come in?" Father Thomas asked.

"My father is not around sir." Vincent tersely answered. "He traveled six days ago but he'll be back this evening."

"I know that your father is not around. What about your mother?"

"She's resting."

"Alright, let me in. I need to have a very important conversation with her."

"I'm sorry sir, I can't do that. My mother said that I must not let anyone enter the house without her permission." Vincent stated.

"What do you mean by that? Am I a stranger here or don't you know me again? I'll wait in the sitting room; all you have to do is go in and tell your mother to see me."

Vincent frowned at the priest's persistence then grumbled, "Sir, she'll beat me, maybe you should come back later in the evening when my father is back from the city."

"You must be stupid!" Father Thomas angrily spat down at the boy. "Will you open this door for me and let me come in, my friend! Even your father cannot leave me at the door for this long!" He suddenly shoved the door backward and the boy staggered backward with the boy. 

Father Thomas forced his way into the sitting room and just then, Oluchi who had come to find out what the problem was after hearing the noise, frowned when she saw the unwanted guest.

"You are not welcome here, please leave!" She stated.

Father Thomas approached her now. "Why haven't you been coming to the church as agreed?"

"I never agreed to any deliverance, my husband did! Besides, why should I have anything to do with a priest who preys on women instead of praying for them? Despite what you did, you still had the nerve to lie to my husband!"

He smiled. "Yes, because defense is the best form of attack. I couldn't risk you going to run your mouth to him first and tarnish my holy image."

"And God will expose you one day!" Oluchi stated. "Leave my house! If it's my husband you are here to see, he's not yet back from the city and don't even think that I'll enter the kitchen because of you! I'm not your cook! If you are that hungry, go to the houses of one of those women whom you sleep with!

"Relax... I'm not here to see your husband, neither am I here to eat your delicious meal. I have rather come for a more tasty meal...but first, how about you tell your son to excuse us." Father Thomas requested.

"Excuse us? In his father's house?"

"Yes...since you have refused to come to me, I've decided to come to you, dear Oluchi. In fact, I have even forgiven you for slapping God's anointed and biting his ear all because of a little play."

"You call that a little play?!" Oluchi flared now. "Father Thomas, please and please, I'm not interested in any so-called deliverance, just turn around and leave my house! If you came here to say anything, do that before my son and be on your way!"

"Oluchi, your son is too young for such things..." Then he turned to look at Vincent who had been keenly watching them. "Boy, go to your room and lock your door. Your mum and I have something important to do."

"Vincent, stay put!" Oluchi commanded.

The priest shot Oluchi a displeased look. "Why are you doing like this? Do you want to teach your son to be disobedient to a priest?"

"Leave my son out of this, father! Say what you want to say and leave!" Oluchi snapped.

His looks darkened now. "I can see that you are a very adamant woman, Oluchi. I have tried to be as nice as I can but you have chosen to be impossible!" Seizing the boy by his upper arm, he dragged him towards the front door and before Oluchi could act, he threw the boy out into the compound, slammed the door shut and bolted the door from behind.

Vincent began to pound on the door, trying to make his way back in while Oluchi who had just realized what was about to happen, made to dash for the back door in the kitchen and the priest immediately followed her. Vincent ran around the house to the backdoor but found it locked. 

He yelled out his mother's name as he started to pound on the door too. In there, he could hear his mother screaming and struggling in the kitchen with the priest as they both scattered utensils and cutleries all over the floor during their struggle. 

He rushed to the window and desperately tried to see what was going on and he saw his mother grab a kitchen knife but the priest twisted her wrist into a painful angle and pried the knife from her hand. Desperate to save his mother, Vincent lifted himself on the window edge and tried to force his small body through the burglary proof but he could not get his head through. 

When he saw the priest rip the front of his mother's blouse, he stretched his hand through the bars and tried to reach for the priest's garment but the priest was beyond his reach. Realizing what the boy was about to do, Father Thomas held Oluchi against his body with one arm wrapped around her belly then reached out, held the boy's face with his five fingers and shoved.

 Vincent lost his hold on the burglary proof and fell on the hard ground then the priest pulled the kitchen window shut and subdued Oluchi and all the helpless boy could hear were his mother's scream on the kitchen floor and less struggle this time.

                                                                                 ★★★

When Nduka arrived home that night from the city, he had a sour look on his face. As he walked into the sitting room, Vincent got up and took his father’s portfolio from him after greeting him.

"Where's your mother?" He coldly demanded without answering the boy's greeting.

"She's in the bedroom." Vincent answered.

"And why is she in the bedroom?" Nduka asked.

"She has been crying since the priest left." The boy answered, lowering his gaze.

"The whore! So, after what she did, she wants to pretend as if she's innocent; well, I can't be fooled! Go and bring me the three canes from the back of the kitchen's door!" He ordered and stomped towards the bedroom. When he reached the bedroom, he met his wife lying down on the floor near the foot of the bed and she was bruised all over, sobbing. When Oluchi noticed her husband, she simply ignored him. 

Taking off his top and placing it on an armchair, Nduka asked now, "Oluchi, why are you crying? No, tell me, what's the use for these silly tears that you are shedding?!"

"Your priest beat me up!" Oluchi answered in a hotel voice. She had a red bruise on her cheek and a cut on her lower lip where father Thomas had punched her.

"Beat you up? He did not do enough!" He spat and Oluchi stared at him in disbelief. "He should have dealt with you more than this! He should have beaten you mercilessly to drive that devil out of you!" He vehemently stated.

"Nnayi!" Oluchi called in surprise, managing to sit up. "I told you that your Reverend father beat me up and this is all you have to say?"

"Why were you forcing yourself on him? Tell me?! Why were you trying to force him into bed with you simply because he came here to check on your welfare on my behalf?! Is this what you do anytime I'm away, lure men to our matrimonial bed?! I'm highly disappointed in you, Oluchi! I'm disappointed!"