JESUS is MINE Forever

Pride precedes a fall lots greater than Humpty Dumpty's.
I knelt down quickly by my bedside and began to acknowledge God to thank him for all he had done for me. I remembered the consequences of pride and arrogance on many people and I wasn't ready to fall in the same ditch.
"The wise learns from the mistakes of others and avoids them. But the fool, he doesn't even learn from his. He makes them repeatedly," I thought.
I got set to reply her text.

"All glory to God. I mean, the achievements were never by struggles nor strategies alone, but grace played a paramount role in bringing me to where I am. Thank you for the heartfelt message. I am so humbled.
You and I know that it's not as if I am the most religious person on earth. I'm not even that serious with my faith. Just living life 'cruise and vibes'. I think this is just literally God's mercy extended towards me, bringing my dreams to fruition,"
I wanted to continue typing, but it seemed I was already going deep, 'spiritual' and giving motivational speaker vibes, so I ended it right there!
"You forgot to include your mum's prayers too," she replied.
It soon dawned on me the absolute truth and ideal sincerity in what she said.
Memories came flashing about how prayerful a person my mum was. She stood by my two brothers and I back then before I got the scholarship to study at Chicago.
We were just the average society kids from a humble background. My mother was always going from one prayer mountain to another with our pictures praying fervently upon our future. She never spent any Friday night at home, as long as church vigils held. I couldn't recall any midnight she didn't pray for her children. She also gave alms and sowed seeds on our behalf. No wonder, my brothers and I made it so fast. We were soaring on the wings of grace, watching all we touched turned into gold.
My mother really faced a lot. She married a very abusive husband; my father. They had a turbulent marriage. He was always insulting and emotionally abusing her. Every time, he called her a witch and never saw anything good in her. Most provocative was the fact that he usually insulted my mother in her children's presence. She only kept silence and never gave any word in return. Although, deep down on the inside she was hurt but she chose to apply wisdom. Thankfully, it was all a past story now. No story, no glory.
I was lost in reminiscence.

"Did you know we did not begin this whole conversation thingy with getting to know each other better? Dude we were disconnected for several years. There's so much to talk about.
I suggest we make that dinner party a date. We both could go together. It is just a week away. Let's save the rest of the talks for the actual world, so we could talk one on one," Lucy suggested.

In as much as I was so happy with what he came up with, I thought about Rachel. Since the time we began dating, she was the only lady I went on dates with. Asides, that was my award presentation night. A very important occasion. What lady wouldn't be proud to accompany her fiance to such occasion of great reputation?

"Lucy, I would really loved to, but, my girl and I had planned to make it to the dinner night together. That still shouldn't really be a problem to us meeting up. In fact, I would love to see you alongsides that hot dude Peter at the party. You two would make such a cute couple. How glamorous it would be; a couple-meets-couple round-table dinner date. I'm I making sense?"

She replied me with a thumbs up emoji.

"Okay then," I texted.
"Just make sure you turn up in your most stunning appearance that day. It's just five days away. Come and get them girls drooling. I even trust you. I do see you stun in those designer suits at your speaking engagements"
I smiled, quiet surprised how she knew. Social media and television could really get eyes you are unaware of on a you.
"Okay. Heard you, make sure you also do the same"
"Don't worry about me. I would get your mouth wide open in asterisk wonder"
I started to wonder what she meant by that. I imagined what kind of classy dress she could possibly wear.
"Alright, until then, slay mama. Westwood hotels and suites right?"
"Absolutely. The detailed address is also on the flier on the blog. It is that same big place Zigi had his concert last year"
"Oh wow. I heard about that mega concert too. It shook the whole town, pulling up throng as the whole Westwood got sold out. I couldn't believe Zigi would finally become an accomplished artist. He used to entertain us singing while drumming the chairs in classroom back then. He had this strong love for music, even though he wasn't really that book-smart. He was a pretty good dancer too. He did well at talent nights organised by the school. I am so happy his dream eventually payed off"

"Exactly, you remember him too well. Good retentive memory. He also used to send all of us the links to his songs on websites, and begged us to download them"
"After it all, look where he is today. In life, never say never on your ambitions"
Lucy went offline and never responded to my message.
I yawned tiredly, stretching my shoulders and arm to relieve my stiff joints. My fatigued eyes longed for sleep.
"We might just continue our chat the next day, or perhaps until we meet up at the party," I thought.
Just before going to bed, I went through our interesting chats once again, and it got me really blushing all through. I switched off the lava lamp, and to my phone I did the same.
My exhaustion led me crashing into a deep sleep. Zzzzz

CHAPTER 6: IT'S A LARGE TABLE!

Dining on a large table were Quadnity. They had gone for lunch that blissful afternoon, without Timini this time. It was one of their usual girl hangout in which they disliked the other gender meddling around.
Monica requested that a waiter come increase the intensity of the air conditioner as her handkerchief was drenched with her sweat. She was uncomfortable. JJ also complained about how such a luxurious restaurant could leave potential customers breathing in hot air. That wasn't good customer service.
Rachel suggested that they change seats to an area which was much cooler. It was a glassroom couch corner with less sunlight pe*******on, and two standing giant air conditioners. They bought her idea.
It was a usual thing for them whenever they were out to a restaurant or for shopping that everyone buys as much as they wanted and the one person who the lots fell on pays all the bills in the end. This was a 'rich man's' game to them.
As usual, each one of them submitted their credit cards and went selecting all the intercontinental dishes, seafood, snacks, pizzas, hamburgers, cocktails, and desserts they wanted even up to excess. Some bought extra packaged food they wouldn't be able to consume at that stand, they would be takeaways.
Everyone did it anxious, nervous, kind of unsure, and excited because they didn't know who would pay the heavy bills in the end. No one wished to bear the cost. Anyways, each of the girls made sure she bought as much as possible, in a hope that she wouldn't be the unlucky one to pay up.
Right after the price machine had totalled up the worth of the items purchased, the cashier handed them a receipt of the total items bought. It was worth !
The girls burst into laughter. They felt it was so whooping on just food alone, only a lunch for that matter. They quied up their credit cards behind a desktop system at the price stand and asked one of the waiters to pick up a card at random. Whosoever's card is selected would pay all the bills. Everyone of them cringed in curiosity and sobriety hoping it wouldn't be theirs that was to be chosen.
The igbo man waiter in uniforms called to select a card starred at the four cards, scratching his beards and soon had his arms akimbo. Suddenly, off he goes picking up JJ's card which was the penultimate in arrangement.
"Oh noooo!!" JJ screamed out, cringing and laughing at the same time. Reluctantly, she paid up using the restaurant's POS.
The other girls were so happy. They'd get to feast on an enormous meal without paying a dime. It was a rich man's game, wasn't it?
The happy waiters soon began trooping in their numbers serving their 'It's this type of patronage we want' guests.
The girls joked about what happened. They made fun and laughed at JJ who later manned up. She boasted that her bank account was like an ocean that could never run dry. "How is it like taking just a cup of water from a big lake?" She asked.
They soon began talking some serious business.
"Yeah, that reminds me Rachel.. " Monica began, dropping the food-loaded fork she earlier lifted.
"Have you reached out to the catering company via the contact I sent to you?" She asked.
"Concerning the event IBG is planning? I'm sorry I never gave you a feedback. Yea! I did. The company's name is Lui Chen. I got to check their portfolio, and did a little research online about them. I think I can vouch their credibility, or at least give them a privilege of doubt and try them out, since I don't have any alternative."
"Whichever ways.. I think you should try them out. They might be able to handle food catering services for a big wedding ceremony such as this. Who knows?" JJ Suggested.
Well not as much as you did for today's lunch," Atinuke erupted in laughter, slightly covering her mouth with a hand to avoid food drop. The others joined along laughing hard to her joke.
"Anyways guys, I'm already in talks with the assistant manager of the company. Let us hope something good comes out of this. Cos, I'm always anxious to work with a new brand," Rachel said.
"Exactly, let's hope! Let's ditch that topic. Talking business bores me out. Besides, it's only centred around you. Let's gist about something else," JJ waved off.
Atinuke cleared her throat and drank some water.
"Okay girls, let's do this. Each one of us all will get to tell all of us about something or an occurrence about you that you think we do not know. Maybe a secret too, anything, whatever you think you have stuffed up in your mind. Let's heal together," She proposed.
"Wow, interesting. Who goes first?" Rachel asked looking at each of them one after the other.
"Joycelyn James! Yes you. Today is your day. You go first" Monica exclaimed. She smiled, pointing at JJ. The others were also affirmative about JJ going first.
"You guys really want me to do this? What am I even gonna talk about? My life's been full of crazy occurrences. Why one am I gonna pick..?" JJ gazed up, placing a hand beneath her chin, as she tried to ponder.
"Okay, so there was this guy.. Prince charming, rich and handsome young blood. He worked as an accountant at a big agro-machinery firm.
We met at a movie premiere where he approached me and introduced himself as Richard, told me briefly about himself and requested to be a friend. He wanted to also know me better.
The most pulling thing about this guy was the fragrance of the cologne that dispelled from him. It diffused some bliss I longed to continuously sniff for the rest of my life. Just joking! He caught my fancy, cos I've always have this thingy for guys that smell nice. Not all, he was of average height, little bit taller than I was, and chocolate. My perfect spec!
At first, I feigned the attraction and tried to play hard-to-get. But this guy, he just wouldn't let me be. He was all over me and wasn't ready to let go. Every night and day ever since he had my contact, he never stopped asking 'how was your day?', and 'have you eaten?'..
News flash!... Three months later, we both became Romeo and Juliet. This guy would happily come pick me up from work and drive me to my place. I've lost count of the amount of bouquet of roses he presented to me on his knees.
He gifted me various things; expensive wigs, cakes, a smartphone, wristwatches, necklaces and other jewelleries.. name it!
He was this sweet 'awwww' butterflies-in-my-belly blushing lady's dream man. An helpless romantic. I was also very happy in the safe haven of love I had newly found.
Six months into the relationship, on the day we were supposed to be celebrating our six-month anniversary we earlier planned, the least expected happened.." JJ paused.
"Wait, he cheated?" Monica asked with inquisitiveness.
"Could have been better, lot's better, " JJ responded.
"Monica chill. Let us hear her story uninterruptedly. Remember you still have yours to tell afterwards, " Rachel said, eager to hear JJ out.
"He came to my place to pick me up on our date, and right outside as I was struggling to lock the barricade, a vi****or.. I mean 'my', slipped and fell out of my handbag right to his sight.
My Jesus, words couldn't express how embarrassed I felt. For the first time in my life, I wished mother earth could open up and swallow me at that spot. I got overwhelmed with so much guilt and shame, as tears slowly dripped from my very eyes.
I shyly bent to pick it up to return it to it's place. My red-letter day gradually turned out blue.
I saw the look in his face. Expressions of shock and disappointment resonated from it. His eyeballs shone with disgust. I watched him fume with irritation.
We both held our silence, and pretended nothing happened, till he took an excuse and walked to a corner to fake a call with one of his business colleagues.
"I'm so sorry babe, I can't make the date anymore. I really need to attend to an urgent meeting at the office," He came lying.
I just couldn't say anything. Was glued to a spot, ashamed of myself and anxious of the various kinds of 'nasty thoughts' Richard would have had about me. I only nodded, never gave a word, cos this same man had promised he had nothing else to do that exact day, his phone was switched off all the while, and had never for once saw 'office' as a bigger priority than I was. It was just easy to figure out it was all a lie. I watched him wave goodbye and.. vamoooz.
In tears, I returned into my apartment devastated about that had happened. Beautiful day turned gloomy already.
"This s**t caught up with me eventually," I said sobbing. I was pained I wouldn't get to post my 'chilling with boo' cute selfies and pepper my single friends on social media.
Beyond all that, I had embarrassed myself and dainted my dignity in front of this damn guy with what I thought wasn't a big deal.
I tried so much texting him, to apologise and try to explain stuff, but this guy lett my chats on read. His line wasn't going through anymore. That was how we both got disconnected.
Some months later, I got to bump into one of his friends who was a calm and honest guy, unlike he was. He narrated to me how Richard had spilled the bean to him, and told him about all that happened. He told me about how Richard had insulted and called me names I can not even confess with my tongue.
He comforted me, telling me Richard had never truly loved me in the first place to have been so judgemental and critical of me in such incidence. I thought the same too. Mehn, I cried till there were no tears left to cry. I had fallen too deep for this guy.
He concluded by telling me that Richard was already entangled with some other lady and that he had been transferred to another undisclosed country but within Africa. That made it easier for him to dump me in the trash bin of break-up," JJ narrated emotionally..
"Hmmmm.. Only Jesus loves genuinely," Atinuke heaved a huge sigh..
"If God were like people like Richard, quick to judge and detach, I guess no one would still be existing on this planet," Rachel said.
"Everyone would have literally been in the lake of fire screaming in horror.. Not excluding me," Atinuke added.
"Let’s even not even consider the Richard incident. Talking generally, for real, we shouldn't be too quick to judge people on whatsoever circumstance we find them. We all have fallen short and still do, yet the merciful God forgives and shows us his favours and blessings always. Why then do we condemn a fellow mortal like us? I see many people that because they aren't doing the allegedly 'bad things' others are doing, they have a licence to judge and condemn others. We have too much ignorance and hypocrisy amongst us. I mean we are too quick to judge people and call them names for their deeds, but fail to put ourselves in their shoes, and imagine what we could have done if we were in them.
Sincerely, many of us would have done worse in certain situations. We just haven't been tempted. Who is perfect?" Monica ranted indignantly.
"Besides, if someone is doing something we don't like or rather what we do believe is wrong, why not pray for the person, encourage him or her, correct the fellow with humility, love and a hope to see the better side of such fellow?
What typical Nigerians do is to badmouth the person, backbite, gossip about him or her to someone else saying 'please don't tell anybody' and the person would also go ahead to repeat the same thing and the cycle goes on and on" Atinuke pointed out.
"We would come back to that. Let’s leave that for later. What the guy did was just childish to me. Love kwa?.. Love kill him there.
Thanks for opening up to us Joycelyn. Whose turn, next?" Rachel emptied the last drop of a canned drink into a jute. She tipped her hand with a tossed face.