Manipulator

She was employed by the church as one of the nurses in the modern maternity center the church built as a Christian Social Responsibility project in their community

She was hard working and very self-reliant

The maternity center catered to pregnant women at highly subsidized rate

The man came to make inquiries about enrolling his sister in the maternity center

He paid the token for the maternity registration fees and went away with the card

She never saw him until one year after

He walked in with a gift for her during the yuletide season

He reminded her of who he was and thanked her for the help she rendered his sister

It was ironic because he never introduced his sister to her directly

As soon as he left with the card the day he did the registration, she forgot all about him

Apparently the sister resumed ante-natal soon after and had since been delivered of a baby girl

He told her he traveled abroad as soon as he settled his sister and her children and had just returned a few days before coming to the maternity to say thank you to her

It was a very unusual visit

He asked her for her phone number when he was leaving

She gladly gave it to him

A few days later he called

He went straight to the point

He told her she had been on his mind and he would like to date her

She paid attention to his words immediately!

She was 29

She had been in the city for over twelve years

She had never had any serious relationship

Sometimes she would notice a budding interest from a brother but it never amounted to anything

She had prayed and fasted

She had waited and “faithed” it

At first she told anybody who cared to listen that she wanted somebody from the East

Especially because of her mother

But as time went on

She was ready to settle for “anything”

But apparently, “anything” wasn’t ready to settle for her!

Though she didn’t know so much about this man, she knew he was a loving man

A man who came to the country to help her younger sister when her husband abandoned her and her two children

A man who cared enough to remember her and bought her a gift to say thank you for her assistance

Even if he did that to “wet the ground and soften his advance towards her”

She would do herself much good to hear him out and get to know him

She could always backtrack and walk away if he wasn’t for her

She agreed to meet with him

They met the following Saturday at the mall

He didn’t say so much

Just walked with her and watched her with his dancing eyes as she settled into his ambiance

She didn’t expect that she would like him that much

She did

He was real

He wasn’t like those guys she had heard about who would be very nice and caring until they got what they wanted

She knew he took what he had with her very serious from the very first minute

Although she went to the mall that day a little bit skeptical about the whole thing, by the time he dropped her at home that evening, she was sure she was in a real relationship

He was the most caring guy ever

Though a little rough around the edges and sometimes impatient

He was her dream come true

He was 39 years old

He had been married before but the marriage ended in a messy divorce about six years before

His former wife and daughter lived somewhere in the East

He had not seen them for some time but planned to see them during the Christmas holidays

He told her the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about himself

She didn’t have much to say

She had never had a relationship and was praying that God would bring her husband to her

It seemed God answers prayers truly!

He traveled to the East on the 22nd of December

He called her for at least an hour every morning and evening throughout his two weeks stay in the East

He was the first person she saw as she was coming out of the church after the crossover service of December 31^st/January 1^st

She was so happy!

He drove her home that morning around 1 am and asked if he could come in

She knew what he wanted

She longed to spend time with him too, she had missed him so much

But her apartment was in disarray

She didn’t want to put her wrong foot forward with him

He had always treated her with dignity and respect

She didn’t know what to say…

She told him she would rather like to know his apartment

He smiled and he drove her to his house at Ilupeju estate

She loved his apartment

The reality she was living in was even better than her dream

There was only one piece missing in the jigsaw puzzle

He was not a born again Christian!

As they settled down into each other’s arms on his couch

She knew what would most likely happen between them

The euphoria of being together, crossing into the New Year together, being together in his apartment for the first time and being in each other’s space for the first time was too much of a dynamite

There would be an explosion!

She told him as much!

She said “If you try anything with me now I will be unable to resist, my heart is already pounding and I feel like butter in a hot frying pan! Resistance would be futile. And yet, I know I would wake up with regret if I don’t tell you something that has been on my mind for a long time”

He was as vulnerable as she was

He had been in love before and tasted its sharp edge, he was in no hurry to dive into the deep end of the pool with another woman regardless of how intense the electricity in his members was

“What had been on your mind for a long time?” He asked!

She tried her best to explain it to him!

The gospel!

He bought it!

She knew he did!

His eyes started shinning and his face glowed

They prayed together and he started speaking in tongues!

Three days later she took him to her church

He joined the new converts class and started growing in the Lord

He began to change, first his language and then his mannerism

The gospel indeed is powerful

He proposed

She accepted his proposal

They started talking marriage!

She took him to her people

Her people loved him!

He took her to his folks

She was accepted!

About a month later, after church service one Sunday, the pastor invited him to his office for a chat

She was on duty at the maternity

She left him in church

Later in the evening he called

They needed to see.

He sounded very serious

She drove straight to his house

His ex-wife’s family and church pastors have reached out to their pastor

His ex-wife had been told of his plan to remarry

She would like him to consider reconciliation for the sake of their daughter and the Word of God

One of the key issues they had when they were married was the fact that he was not born again

She was and she tried her best but couldn’t cope with his worldly ways

She had always prayed for him that one day he would come to the knowledge of Christ

Now that her prayers have been answered

Would he consider giving their marriage a second chance?

She didn’t know why her legs started trembling

Her knees wobbled

It was not a question of right and wrong

It was a question of her heart!

She loved this man

She showed this man the way of salvation

She was planning to be married to this man

And now…

She saw the tears in his eyes

Instinctively she knew he had thought deeply about everything and was considering dumping her

She could read his mind

It occurred to her immediately

That though they love each other

It was easy for him to walk away because they had not been physically intimate

(She didn’t know why she thought this way but it was the first thing that came into her mind)

She composed herself

"She is a woman

She will fight for what is hers!"

She told him to relax!

“It is not the end of the world, it is important for us to take our time and not rush into any premature decision”

(She said this to test the waters)

She saw the relief in his eyes

Her heart sank

It was as she thought!

(He would have broken her heart because of his tender conscience, but he didn’t want to hurt her and was banking on her understanding to handle the issue without making any mess!)

She didn’t go home that night

She was determined to make a mess of everything

Why should she be the good girl!

Why should she sow for another person to reap?

She kissed him

He resisted

She started crying

She knew his conscience was heavily burdened, the iron was hot, she had to strike!

He caved!

She slept with him

It was devilish and manipulative

Yes!

She wouldn’t stand idly by and lose him

She just wouldn’t!

The next evening she came back to his house, they went for a walk

She refused to let him bring up the topic

She told him she just wanted to enjoy whatever time they will have together before the issue arrived at their doorstep

He understood!

It took two months

One Sunday evening

His pastor and his ex-wife’s pastor invited him for a meeting

She waited for him to go for the meeting

She drove to the Pastor’s house

She met the pastor’s wife at home and showed her the pregnancy test’s result

She was pregnant!

She hadn’t even told her man

She just wanted them to know and factor it into their deliberations

The pastor’s wife didn’t mince words

She looked at her and said “You did this deliberately and it is an act of wickedness! In this days of condom, birth control pills and withdrawal method, you cannot tell me you accidentally got pregnant for another woman’s husband! You are a home wrecker and a marital destiny destroyer! There is a special place deliberately designed in hell for the likes of you! Get out of my sight immediately!

She scampered out of the Pastor’s wife’s office

When she got home, she thought about the Pastor’s wife’s words over and over again

It is true that she was stupid

It is equally true that she did not impregnate herself

It took two!

Three hours later he returned from the meeting

He looked at her

She didn’t know what to expect but she had braced herself

She took a gamble!

She prayed it would pay off

He: Is it true that you are pregnant?

She handed him the pregnancy test result

He carried her and twirled round and round with her

He: What do we do now?

She: Whatever you want!

They thought it through later that night and he decided it would be best if he took custody of his daughter

He traveled to the East the following weekend and had a meeting with his ex-wife and her family’

His daughter was released to him

They got married two months later at Ikoyi registry

They relocated to Germany when she was five months pregnant

Ps: This event happened in Lagos/Aba 2012/2013

The couple are happily married with three children

They still live in Germany