Ogechi and I - Episode 9

 

The evening met us eating vegetable soup together which she had prepared on her return from the market. While eating, we discussed about many things. My eyes were fixed on her face, as her smile made me want to tell all the jokes in the world. She treated me like a brother. She had no fear of me and attended to me as though it was her obligation to do so. I had never been in that position before . I only imagined it. Right then I found that there was a remarkable difference between imagination and reality. We finished eating and she took the plates away. The TV set was on, the sound of the ceiling fan could be heard clearly, and she was talking to me and laughing all the while. She was a very joyful being. But in all that made sounds in that room, all I could here was echoes of angelic voices miming to heavenly songs as she was talking. I wasn’t listening to her. I could only see her lips moving. The allurements of her lips almost led me to overcome my conscience and fears. Just then, my phone rang, and my brief mind travel ceased. I answered the call. It was my mother calling to check up on me. I told her everything I hadn’t told her yet except that I shared the same room with a girl. A very pretty one at that. After the call, Ogechi and I conversed a whole lot

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. I told her about myself and she did same. It continued until about 10pm when she asked me to join her in prayer, after which we retired to bed. (On the same bed)
The next day was a Sunday. We prayed and prepared for church service. She was a member of Christ’s Embassy. I followed her there. On arrival, almost everyone we came across stopped her to say a thing or two before letting her proceed. I became more like a bodyguard, having to wait until she was done with whoever she stopped to converse with. It seemed to me like she was really popular there. When we got to the main building of the church, she handed me over to a pretty female usher who took me in and gave me a seat. I didn’t know where Ogechi had gone to. I expected her to sit right next to me in that church. Soon enough, the chairs in my row was filled and she still hadn’t come. I got my mind off that and concentrated on the brother who was taking the opening prayer. Midway into the service I couldn’t still lay my eyes on Ogechi anywhere in the auditorium. When the choir was called out to minister their song, I looked, and there she was among them. She hadn’t told me she was a chorister. The choir director introduced the song and handed the mike over to guess who; Ogechi. She was the lead singer. When she started singing, first thing that stood out was her angelic voice which made its way at once to my body system to awaken sleeping cells and tissues. While the congregation was getting blessed by the lyrics of the song, I was all the while admiring and adoring Ogechi. She was simply awesome. Her uniqueness kept unfolding as the days passed.
After service, almost everyone complemented her for her performance during the choir ministration. I had to wait until all that was over. She introduced me to a couple of the brethren there as Jesusboy. They kind of marveled at me for bearing such name. And whenever any of them asked why I beard that name, I would say; because Jesus is the one I claim. Some of them would laugh to that while some others got short of words. However, they would all call me Jesusboy afterwards. They asked Ogechi how she got to know me, and she said; I met him two nights ago under an unseemly circumstance and he turned out to be a good acquaintance. I know that in no distant time he’ll be up and serving in one of the units here in church. She turned to me and said; right Jesusboy? Definitely! I replied. It will be my pleasure to make myself useful to the Lord in this great house of worship. They were all glad to hear me say that, and they commended her for bringing me to church.

Read " Beautiful stranger " by the same author ( Oluwafemi Oreoluwa )

. To some extent, I felt she was proud of me because of the speech I just made. I wouldn’t know since I never inquired.
In the evening that day, I wanted to hang out a little since I was already used to doing so every evening before I met her. I asked her if she had anything doing that evening and she said no. why? She asked.
‘I want to hang out a little. I was wondering if you would join me’
‘N..a..h., I’ll just stay at home’
‘Look, I know you’re reserved and all that. I also am, but once in a while you need to loosen up. And in case you’re afraid ‘What happened on Friday night might repeat itself, don’t be. I’ll be there to protect you if it does’
‘(She lay there on the bed looking at me without saying a word, probably wondering what made me think I could save her from the police) Don’t worry. Go ahead. I’ll join you some other time’
‘Come on Oge, it will only take a while. I’ll be so bored hanging out all alone