Vashti

They met on Facebook
He was going through a bad spell
in his marriage
He had always been a quiet and "contained"
guy
But the pain in his heart that day needed
to be given a voice
He was going out of his mind
He wrote a long post in a "third" person
narrative
He posted it
She read it
She responded by sending him a message
on Messenger
She was sorry for his ordeal
She shared her ordeal too
They were both going through hell in their
marriages
His wife cheated on him with an ex
He found out and raised some dust
She apologized and promised never
to cheat again
He had promised himself he would do
everything in his power not to have a 
broken home
He forgave her
They moved on
Months later, his wife told him one Saturday
morning that she was going to work
She mistakenly left her phone on the
bed in their room
He heard the phone ringing
He took the phone
The caller was an unknown number
He assumed his wife was using another
phone to call her phone in order to locate
it
He picked it
He heard the voice of a man
The man said "Don't buy condoms, I have
found the pack i was looking for!
Just get the drinks and Shawarma"
He didn't say a word
He knew his wife was cheating again
It was the most disheartening feeling
He just started sinking from within
His wife came back home later in the
evening
He just hated her
He had to caution himself from smashing
her head against the wall twice
She didn't suspect that a sea was raging
within him
She acted normally
She had mastered the art of deception
That night, he tossed and turned the hours
away
He wanted to accuse her but he didn't want 
a broken home
His parents were divorced and it had a big
impact on him and his siblings
He had sworn to do better as an adult
When he was at work the next day, the
thought still plagued him
That was when he wrote the post
She, on the other hand, had just left a
toxic marriage
Her husband was very abusive and treated
her like an animal
He locked her in a room for weeks and
when she protested he chained her to the
room like a dog
She was married for three years of hell
When he heard her story and saw the pictures
he realized his ordeal was far better
They talked on and off after then
After about seven months of chatting on
Facebook, they met
She traveled to Lagos for a conference and
he made out time to meet with her
He was still married but he had stayed away
from sexual relations from his wife
He just stopped making advances and
his wife didn't protest
The meeting was a bad idea
He had no intention of cheating on his wife
He had always sworn that he wouldn't 
descend to his wife's level
But the opportunity came somehow when he
went to visit her for the third time
She called him and told him he should
let himself into her room when he arrived
at her hotel room
He got there and noticed she was in the
bathroom
Her bag was packed and her clothes laid
out on the bed
The conference was over
He was supposed to drive her to the motor park 
She emerged from the bathroom in a skimpy
towel
A riot broke out in his body
When she walked past him, he pulled the 
towel
She smiled and looked at him
He didn't need a second invitation
The riot found expression
She couldn't go back that day
For the first time in his seven years of 
marriage
He didn't go home to sleep
They were locked into each other for
hours
When he got home the next day
His wife was set for war
She wanted to know where he was and
why he didn't call 
He told her he knew she really didn't
care if he lived or died
So why the fake concern?
His wife was taken aback
She had never seen or heard him talk
like that before
She didn't know that his "side chick" had
given him a huge dose of confidence
Later that evening, he packed a bag
and left home
He told his wife he knew about the affair
and couldn't continue being her fool
Everything he did caught him by surprise
Nothing was planned
Everything was impromptu
As if he had been preprogrammed
Years of anger and frustration finally
got voice
The years spoke quite resoundingly
The first person he called after settling
into a hotel was his "Facebook" babe
He needed to share the news of his
freedom
His facebook babe was happy for him
Nobody should have to live with anyone
who takes such for granted
It is better to part ways than staying 
together in frustration and pain
He didn't tell anybody where he was
He just wanted to be free to do whatever
he desired
The marriage had produced no children
and he had nothing to be sentimental
about
His wife desperately wanted him back
But he had blocked her on all the channels
of communication
She went to his office often, hoping to trail him 
to where ever he was staying
But despite the fact that she tried so hard
she couldn't get his new residential address
She reached out to the Brother in Jeans and
T-shirt
She told him how badly she had messed up
and that she wanted her husband back
He asked her seven times if she was sure
she wanted him back
She said "Yes"
The brother in jeans and T-shirt counseled
her and prayed with her
After a month in hibernation, he rented
a flat and decided to go home and pack
his things
He had a bookshelf with a lot of interesting
and expensive collections
He also had some documents and shares
to pick up
When he got home, his wife fell on her
knees
She wanted him back
She would do anything
When he wanted to walk past her
She held on to her leg and wept like a 
child
He had never seen her like that
So desperate and broken
But his mind was made up
After almost an hour of tears and heaving
He sat down 
His wife didn't waste any time
She got on her knees 
She said "I know you sat down just
so that I can stop embarrassing you
I know your heart is far away
I know this marriage is over
And yes, I know that it is my fault
I cheated the first time because I was
not "feeling" the marriage
 I cannot explain it but I felt like doing
something that will not be boring or
usual
It was foolishness that was making the
decisions for me
But the second time, I was desperate for
a baby
I didn't know why I didn't have a child yet
The doctors said we were both fine
The whole thing lasted for three months
and it was a woeful mistake
I regretted it till today
And i swore i would never stray again
I will do anything you want, I will swear
with anything you ask of me
I can never cheat on you again
I know your love for me is dead
but you are a kind-hearted man
You are good at your core
Your mercy is good enough for me
Your goodness is good enough for me
if you give me either or both
I will forever cherish it and nurture it
I am very sorry, please take me back,
Please forgive me!"
He became weak
He couldn't possibly just walk away
He loved her once and was willing to
forgive her anything
His Facebook "babe" was nothing serious
He was looking forward to being single
again with some doubts
But...
He hugged her and forgave her!
He slept at home from that day
One week later, his wife introduced
him to the brother in Jeans and T-shirt
She told her husband the brother in Jeans
and T-shirt made her write her 
"Apology Speech" from her heart and also
rehearsed it with her for a week
Until she got it right
He then told her the Holy Spirit will bring
her husband home to give her a chance
If she grabbed the opportunity with both
hands, she would get her marriage back!
The Holy Spirit did his part
She did her own
And Mara was turned to joy!

PS: She delivered a baby girl on July 17, 2019
The event happened in Okota, Lagos
Every time i read the story of Esther
I ask myself if Vashti could have retained
her throne if she threw herself at the mercy
of the King!
The Bible said "her husband repented of his
action and began to long for her after he had
banished her"

GSW's notes: I met a brother recently!
he told me his wife's parents said they are
not compatible and took their daughter
back from him!
He is desperately hoping for a reconciliation
with his wife and children
Marriages are under fire nowadays
I know the Holy Spirit is able to mend the
unmendable!
Just trust him! Please don't lose hope!!