[Story] Too late – S01 E29

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 29

Ever since Elena told Charles she knew who she was to get married to, he lost interest in everything that used to give him joy. He still attends church service though, but he finds it difficult to visit Elena or have lunch together. He doesn’t call or chat her again. He tried as much as possible to avoid her in church.

Elena would call but when he eventually answers his response were always monosyllabic.

For Charles, there was no need wasting his time with her when she has someone in mind but in his heart, he hasn’t let her go. He refused to let her go. Most Sundays, he purposely miss service just to avoid her. How was he to look at her pretty face and not react. How could he have love her so much yet her heart is somewhere. He was emotionally tortured.

Everyday, his heart would yearn for her. He would fidget with his phone contemplating whether to chat with her or not. Then the unthinkable happened.

It was on Saturday morning. He was listening to a gospel music when a knock sounded on his door. When he opened the door, it was Elena and her brother.

“Oh!, You have come to taunt me with your presence. Please I don’t need you to torment me emotionally. I am coping without you and I am fine”

“I don’t understand what you are saying Charles. You have been so cold to me for weeks”

Charles frowned and shook his head sorrowfully.

“Cold to you?” He asked robbing his head with his right hand.

“You have someone whom your heart beats for Elena. Can you please stop wasting my time and leave”

Without waiting for her response, Charles slammed the door against her. Elena looked at her brother so confused. She felt so humiliated and embarrassed before her younger brother. She wondered what has taken over Charles. She actually came to find out what the problem was. Elena wiped the tears running down her face with the back of her palm and went home sad with her brother.

———————————–

Lily got to her work place and called Daniel. In no time, he came and she explained everything to him.

“He asked you to leave?” He asked annoyed

“Knowing fully well that you are pregnant. Who does that?. This is pure wickedness” He charged.

“I didn’t tell him I am pregnant”

“You didn’t, why?. You shouldn’t have hidden it from him Lily. How old is the pregnancy now?”

“Six months?”

“Holy Jesus!. One hardly notice that you are pregnant. Anyway, I will go straight to Kam and talk to him. I won’t allow you to sleep in this office”

“Please!, No!, Don’t tell him anything. I will get an accommodation…”

“No Lily!. You are going back to your husband’s house”

They argued back and forth but Lily had made up her mind to rent an apartment.

“I need all the peace I can get Daniel. Don’t tell my husband anything. I don’t want to see him or have anything to do with him. The verbal abuse is enough to drown me”

At the end, Daniel left her to her decision but from time to time, he would check on her to ensure she was okay.

He had begged her to let her family know what is going on with her marriage.

Lily engaged the service of an Agent to look for accommodation for her but Daniel still stood against it. He told her to come live with him so that his wife will care for her. Lily refused.

“I hate inconveniencing people.”

“But you won’t be inconveniencing me. My wife will take good care of you”

“No. I appreciate all you are doing for me but I won’t be a burden. You have tried for me”

“I will halt my plans for a house for now. Let me see how things goes”

“It’s alright!”

———————————–

Karen woke up very tired. Throughout the night she could not sleep. She felt so uncomfortable. Kam suggested they go to the hospital.

“But you have to eat first”

He tried to forced her to eat something but she refused. Throughout the drive to the hospital, pain shoots through her body and she cried out. At the hospital, Dr Martins checked her.

“Your wife is in labour. I didn’t see any baby items”

“I don’t know” He said.

“Go home and get them”

Karen told him where to locate the items before he left. By the time he would return with the baby items, Karen had given birth to a baby boy. Kam’s joy knew no bound. He kept kissing Karen and gazing at the child. So excited was he that he picked his phone and called his family members and staff. Satisfied that everything was okay with the kid Karen, he rushed to his office where he bought drinks celebrating the arrival of his first child.

The following morning, Karen woke up with a dead child by her side and she let out a piercing scream.

———————————–

Lily got a two bedroom flat, but Daniel won’t allow her pay for it.

“I have been sleeping in the office for more than two months now. I will need a house to lay when I give birth.”

“Set aside your emotions and be reasonable. You are pregnant and I am not sleeping well knowing you are alone with no one to Care for you. What will happen to you if contraction starts in the night?. See, I am going to talk to your husband and whatever is between both of you will be resolved. He has to know of your pregnancy.

“Don’t Daniel”

“Let go of whatever grudge you have against him. Unforgiveness will cause so much damage in your life. When last did you pray?”

“This morning”

“How was your prayer?” He asked

Lily picked one of the chairs and sat with tears in her eyes.

“To be truthful, I have not been praying well. I think of all the ill treatment Kam and Karen melted on me”

“Uhmmm!, You will never find peace in unforgiveness. Don’t allow the devil rob you of your blessing. Jesus told us in Matthew 18:22 to forgive seventy times seven times. That means we should keep no record of things people do against us”

“Alright. I want to have my peace back and I want my prayers to ascend to heaven”

“If God is to keep record of our wrong who can stand?”

“No one!”

“Release him” He said.

Sighing deeply, Lily smiled

“I have forgiven him and even Karen”

“That is the way to go” He said.

“I will drive to your husband’s office to see him”

“Alright”

As he got to the door, he returned to Lily.

“Let’s pray!. I have the urge to pray for you”

Daniel prayed for her and left Lily to rest.

He drove to Kam’s office but was told he has not been to work for close to three months.

“Three months? Why? He asked.

“He travelled with madam but just only returned few days ago. He will resume next week. Check him on him next week sir” the secretary told Daniel.

“Alright! Thanks!”

Daniel wasn’t going to wait next week. He drove to Kam’s house. The maid opened the door for him and he entered the house. It was Karen he met in the sitting room.

He exchanged pleasantries with her then asked after Kam. Before she could respond, Kam walked into the sitting room and they greeted. Daniel thought of how to present the discussion because of Karen’s presence. Was he to ask for privacy, he wondered.

“There is something of utmost importance that brought me here today” He said locking eyes with Kam and it’s also important I discuss with you in private”

Kam looked at Karen then back at Daniel.

“Alright, Let’s go outside and talk. It’s been a long while I saw you.”

“To where? I don’t know you and I have never met you. You can’t come into this house and discuss private matters with my husband. For all I know you could be planning against me”

Kam was surprised by her outburst and he wanted to react but Daniel stopped him with his response.

“I have no reason to plan evil against you darling.” He said to her.

“Alright! Let’s have the discussion here. I have come to discuss Lily with you”

“Alright”

“Please I want you to allow her return to the house”

“Over my dead body. She can’t return to this house after killing my son. I refuse it” Karen retorted.

“She is with child sir and I can…”

“Not possible!, She is barren. More than nine years she has not taken in”

A great silence filled the air.

“Madam, God is good. Thank God you are not God. There is nothing impossible with God. Lily is pregnant”

Daniel was already getting irritated. He wondered why Kam has not said anything.

“You can’t abandon her just like that. She is your wife for God’s sake”

“Where is she?”

“At her office. She has been sleeping there for the past months.

“Before I travelled, I have been going there to check her, but was told she isn’t available and non of her staff could tell me her whereabout. I have searched for her. I was afraid to go to her family.”he said.

“Really? So you have been searching for her.” Karen asked.

“Forget that sir. She has been sleeping in her office. She just only instructed her staff not to let anyone know.”

“She is not coming back here. Over my dead body. I have been mourning my son for months now. The son she killed.”

Daniel laughed.

“Really? Lily is not diabolical. She’s a child of God and not capable of that.” Daniel fired at her.

“She’s evil”

“Will you shut up?. Lily is my wife and you have no right deciding for me” He thundered then turned to Daniel.

“I will go pick her when I have freshened up”

“Alright!, Thank you sir. They shook hands. And as Daniel got to the door, Kam spoke.

“There is no need to freshen up. I will drive behind you”

As both of them left, Karen hissed and wiped the tears from her face.

“What are you standing there for?. Get me a glass of water” She shouted at the maid.