Caught In the Storm – Final Chapter

7:45 am

Sonia stared blankly at the cream walls of the waiting room, her soul drowning in the intense whirlpool of negative emotions. She sat there, limp and motionless, completely disconnected from reality. She was still on that dark road, and the sound of the gunshot kept echoing in her ears repeatedly.  She could still see the blood spread across his white shirt just before he fell to the ground. Her glassy eyes registered nothing, her heart still trying to recover from the horrors of the previous night.

By the time they had arrived at the hospital, David had gone into shock. She had watched through puffy red eyes as they hurriedly strapped him unto a gurney and rushed him into the emergency ward. While they battled to save his life, the icy grip of fear and anxiety held her ransom. She couldn’t sit still, pacing around the waiting room muttering whatever prayers she could. Time had seemed to slow down, with each second stretching like an eternity in the deafening silence. Her heart jumped to her throat at the sound of any door opening.

After a long and rigorous battle, the doctors emerged wearing expressions of relief that put her slightly at ease. They had said it was a miracle he was alive, considering the amount of blood he had lost. They explained to her that the bullet had missed his heart, but had nicked a number of vessels along its trajectory. He would be fine, but it would take some time before he would awaken. Choking on feelings of relief, she had thanked them vigorously. She wasn’t going to leave the hospital until she saw him, even if it took all night. She wanted her face to be the first thing he saw when he woke up.

However, her feelings of relief were rather short-lived. Guilt quickly emerged champion amongst the negative emotions lurking in her soul, its icy grip twisting her heart like a gut-wrench. If it hadn’t been for her, David would still be at his place rather than on a hospital bed.

She sat in the waiting room all through the night, allowing the choir of angry voices sing their songs of condemnation in her head. As the hours went by, the reality that she was no good for him began to dawn on her. She had brought him nothing but pain so far, first emotionally, and now physically. Scenes of the times she had hurt him flashed across her mind, forcing her to the conclusion that she was never going to be good enough for him.

And so, the golden sun had risen alongside a desolate Sonia. Her sleep deprived eyes were now fixed on the white walls, her thoughts floundering about incoherently. Her expression exuded a hint of grief, as though she was already mourning a life without David. The more she thought about it, the more reasons she came up with. She had to leave him, for his own good. And even if she didn’t, sooner or later, David would one day wake up and realize how big a mistake he’d made. Swallowing hard against the thick lump in her throat, she felt a tear trail down her cheek.

“Are you… alright, ma’am?” A calm voice asked, pulling her out of her sad thoughts.

Raising her head, she saw the genuine look of concern on the nurse’s face. Sniffing softly, she wiped the tear and nodded slowly.

“I’m fine…” she said, her voice still hoarse from all the crying.

“Um…I just… wanted to tell you that your friend is awake. You can go see him now…” the nurse replied.

Sonia brightened up immediately, her widened eyes staring into the eyes of the nurse as though almost in doubt.

“He is?” She asked, hopeful the answer would remain the same.

“Yes. He woke up several minutes ago…” the nurse affirmed.

“Umm… Can you…take me to him, please?” Sonia said as she wiped her eyes.

“Sure… right this way…” the nurse replied, leading the way.

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David lay there quietly, both hands placed on his heaving chest, matching his breaths to the beeping of the machines that surrounded the bed. Everything felt so surreal, like it was some kind of bad dream. Different thoughts swirled around his mind like wine pouring into a glass. He worried about Sonia, hoping she had met a better fate than he did. The previous night was still a bit hazy. He couldn’t remember much.

Suddenly, the door to the private ward creaked open. Groaning softly, he turned to face the entrance. He watched the nurse walk in, and shortly after, the one person his heart ached to see. The sight of Sonia flooded his weak body with relief and gladness. She was okay. She was safe. With his tired eyes still fixed on her, he wore his signature warm smile.

Seeing him lying there, in that state, broke through whatever strong resolve Sonia had left. Covering her quivering lips with her palms, she slowly moved towards him with brimming eyes. The sobs poured through her lips the moment she took a seat beside him. Grasping his right hand with both of hers, she pressed it against her forehead, sobbing softly.

“I thought… that I had lost you…” Sonia cried, the emotions choking out her voice.

“Hey… it’s okay… I’m here… and I’m not going anywhere, okay? By God’s grace… I’m not going anywhere…” He whispered, his fingers stroking her hair affectionately.

Sniffing softly, she raised her head and gazed deeply into his eyes. All she could see, was the same thing she saw every time she looked into them; Love.

She felt the hand she held closely caress her cheek, gently wiping her tears with his thumb.

“It’s alright… I’m here…” He whispered again.

“David… I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean for any of this to-” she whimpered, breaking into another round of sobs.

“-I know…” He replied, cutting her off. He kept his lazy gaze on her, his tired but warm smile screaming reassurance.

“I’m just glad you’re safe…” David breathed with a weak smile, his fingers still caressing her cheek.

Swallowing hard against the lump in her throat,  she gazed into those beautiful eyes like it were the last time she would gaze into them. She was about to hurt him again, only this time, she hoped it would be the last. She let the minutes roll by in silence, using the time to gather her words.

“David… there’s… something I have to tell you…” she began, her face twisting with emotion as she looked away.

“Right now? What’s that?” He asked, weakly furrowing his brows.

Sonia gently pulled his hand away from her cheek, her eyes now avoiding his deep gaze.

“After… everything that’s happened… I’ve had a lot of time to think…” she began, her tone sounding rather flat.

“About what?” David asked innocently.

“About… us. About everything that’s happened. About… why we can’t keep spending time with each other… and why we can’t… be together.” She replied, feeling her throat constrict more with each word.

The words felt like another bullet driving into his heaving chest. David tried to speak but no words came out, disbelief seizing his voice. He searched her eyes, hoping to see that she didn’t mean it.

“What… what do you mean?” He asked, still stunned by her previous words.

“I’m saying… that we can’t be together…no matter how much we want to. I just… don’t think it’s meant to be…” she replied, still avoiding his gaze.

“But… I don’t understand. Why? Why can’t we be together?” He asked, his voice beginning to strain.

Sonia sighed softly, taking a deep shaky breath before she continued. She had to do this. It was for the best. She was doing it for him. someday, he would understand.

“I used to think that…loving someone…the way you do… was a disadvantage. That it was a form of weakness. But, now I know that I was wrong. It takes tremendous strength to love the way you do…” she said, her tone as though she was reading a eulogy.

“Why are you saying all this? What does all this mean?” He asked, emotion lurking in his tone.

“David, I don’t… think I’m strong enough to give you… that kind of love. That energy and passion, that ability to put the one you love before yourself. I don’t… I don’t think I can give you that. I mean, you deserve that… and so much more.” she replied, a single tear running down her left cheek.

“Sonia…” He gasped, struggling to make sense of what was happening.

“All I’ve brought you, is pain, over and over again. I’ve hurt you too much, David. You don’t deserve… someone like me. You deserve to be with someone better. Someone who would bring you nothing but joy and happiness… and not be the reason you’re in a hospital bed…” she said shakily, swallowing hard.

“But, you make me happy…” David muttered.

“But, I’ve also made you sad. I’ve also made you angry. I’ve hurt you, badly. I have brought you nothing but enormous pain, even if you won’t admit it…” she replied. “And you don’t deserve that, David. You don’t…”

“So… what are you saying? What… what does this mean?” He asked softly, feeling the muscles in his throat constrict. He knew where she was headed, and silently prayed she wouldn’t get there.

Sniffing softly, she gave his hand one last affectionate squeeze and let it go while rising up from the chair. Slowly backing away from the bed, she watched his eyes water and it broke her. The look of hurt and disbelief in his eyes made her hate herself. Her lips began to quiver, feeling her heart break with each step she took away from the bed.

“I guess it means that… we can’t keep seeing each other. It means… that this is goodbye…” she said, her shaky breath breaking the sentence.

“Sonia… c’mon, please. I mean, we can talk about this. It doesn’t have to be this way…” David said, the strain in his voice now evident.

“I’m sorry I’m hurting you, David…” She whimpered. “But at least, this will be the very last time.”

David watched as she made for the door. He tried to sit up but the pain in his chest fought against his decision.

“Sonia…” His strained voice called out to her.

She paused without looking back, her hand holding onto the door knob.

“Please… don’t go…” he whispered, the pain in his voice echoing across the room.

Sonia bent her head and shut her eyes, the sound of his voice causing her much pain.

“I’m sorry, David. But… I’m already gone…” she replied sadly. She walked through the door, closing it gently behind her.

David stared at the door for a long time, unable to grasp his reality. He waited, hoping she would walk back in and say she had changed her mind. But she didn’t. She was gone. He blinked in disbelief, forcing the tear that lingered for so long in his eyes down his cheek.

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Two months later…

Droplets of rain formed a watery shield over the black Mercedes parked infront of Helen’s apartment. For over an hour, Sonia had her head against the back rest of the driver’s seat, lost in her chagrin. Her heart was plagued with the same feelings of grief and guilt that had followed her for many weeks. Her countenance had waned as the weeks rolled by, almost becoming as gloomy as the current weather by default.

Sonia knew that there was no point trying to numb the pain she felt. That was why she was here. That was why she had called her Aunt in the middle of night, crying and telling her that she would be coming over. If there was anyone who would know what to do, it would be Aunt Helen.

Shutting her eyes, she took a deep breath and opened the car door. Pulling the black hoodie she wore over her head, she sauntered through the soft rain slowly, clearly unbothered by the light downpour. Reaching the front door, she pulled off the hoodie and rang the doorbell. She lowered her head, waiting for a response.

The door slowly creaked open, and the familiar scent of Jasmine seeped into her nose. Sonia raised her head and saw her Aunt at the door. Instantly, all her walls came crashing down. The tears began to well up in her red eyes, and her lips began to quiver like a distressed child craving the embrace of her mum.

“Oh, my baby…” Helen gasped, watching Sonia struggle to hold it together. She didn’t understand what was wrong, but she knew it had to be serious. She pulled her niece into a warm embrace, inching backwards with her while she shut the door.

The tears finally spilled from Sonia’s eyes like water from a broken dam, trailing down her cheeks without sobs.

“It’s alright, baby. Everything is going to be alright.” Helen cooed, burying Sonia deeper into her embrace. After a while, she gently pulled away, holding Sonia’s head up with her palms.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m here…” Helen whispered, wiping her tears with her thumbs. “Why don’t we go over to the living room, is that okay?”

Sonia nodded slowly in agreement.

“That’s my girl, now c’mon…” Helen said, leading her through the hallway. Entering the room, they settled on a large sofa. Helen turned off the TV set, paying full attention to her niece.

Sonia sat in silence for a while, watching her fiddling fingers through blurred eyes. Finally, she wiped her tears and took a deep breath, struggling to pull herself together.

“C’mon, baby. Talk to me… what’s wrong?” Helen asked, grasping Sonia’s hand softly.

Sniffing softly, she cleared her throat. “Umm…”

Helen adjusted, squeezing her niece’s hand affectionately as she prepared to listen.

“I-I messed up, aunt Helen. I messed up, so bad.” Sonia began, her voice still shaky from the raging emotions. A fresh batch of tears began to blur her vision once more.

“How? What happened?” Helen asked, her tone laced with worry.

Sonia sniffed and wiped her tears again, heaving out a soft sigh.

“It’s been two months and… and I haven’t spoken to him. I’ve been avoiding him… for two months, aunt Helen. And now… I realise that I shouldn’t have walked out on him, because… I do love him. I blew it…and now he’s never gonna want to talk to me… and I don’t blame him, but it hurts so bad. I just…” She rambled amidst sobs, some of the words coming out incoherently.

“Wait, hold on. Take it easy, honey. Just, take it easy. Start from the top. What exactly happened?” Helen said, helping her to wipe her tears again.

Sonia took another deep breath, willing the stormy cascade of emotions to be still. After a long pause, she assumed a little bit of control.

“I left David. I left him… when he needed me the most. I walked away, from the one man that showed me so much love…” Sonia began.

“Oh, Sonia. Why would you do that?” Helen gasped, her tone revealing her surprise.

“I thought… that I was doing the right thing. I thought that… I was saving him from a lifetime of pain and hurt. Because that’s all I bring to the table. Because, that’s what being with me would have brought him…” Sonia whimpered.

“Oh, come off that, Sonia…” Helen replied, clearly a little upset. “Why do you always see yourself as some type of bad omen? Why do you constantly judge yourself for things you had absolutely no part in? When will you start seeing yourself the way God sees you?”

“But bad things keep happening around me, don’t they? Bad things keep happening to the ones that dare to come close to me…” Sonia replied.

“And what about the good things? I survived a heart attack, Sonia. Monique got back with her parents. You got born again! You got saved! You even found a way to love someone again. What about your career? Why don’t these things count?” Helen asked, furrowing her brows.

“They do, but…” Sonia tried to say.

“There are no ‘buts’, Sonia. You are now a new creation, irrespective of your past! You can’t keep letting the past get you into impossible situations like this…”

“How can I be new when nothing’s changed? How can I die…to a past…whose memories are still there, aunt Helen?! They still haunt me! It’s like they happened yesterday!” Sonia cried, exasperation lurking in her tone.

“No one ever said the memories of the past would disappear the moment you became born again. I’m saying that you no longer need to define yourself by what’s happened to you! You are not your past! You are not your mistakes! You are not what has happened to you for the past twenty years! And you are definitely not your insecurities!” Helen declared.

A heavy silence fell on the room. The natural melody of raindrops crashing against surfaces filled the void. Sonia lowered her head, still sobbing but quietly this time.

Helen let out a soft sigh and inched closer to her niece. She didn’t mean to use that tone on her.

“Look, baby. Salvation gives you… a new identity. You no longer need to define yourself by the terrible things you’ve been through. You are no longer just a victim of abuse. You are no longer just a woman with many scars. You are no longer just a survivor. If you still see yourself as just these things, then I’m afraid that is who you will always be…no matter how much you try to fight it.”

“Then, who am I? ” Sonia asked, her eyes still leaking.

“You are who the Lord says you are. God cannot lie, and He definitely won’t start with you! You are now a God’s child, bearing His own Seal. He calls you redeemed, justified, holy, chosen, forgiven, and loved. You are now someone with a clean slate, someone whom the Lord has become One Spirit with. You are now God’s own. And your faith… will only become effective when you acknowledge these good things…” Helen said, her soft words like soothing balm over Sonia’s wounded heart.

After another long pause, Sonia’s raging emotions began to subside.

“It just… doesn’t feel like I’m any of those things…” She finally said.

Helen placed her palm on Sonia’s cheek, causing her to look up.

“Baby, you are all those things. You just have to believe it every single day. That’s the only way you will see it. It’s not a feeling, it’s your nature.” Helen said, her hazel gaze revealing love and affection.

Sonia gave her a tight-lipped smile, feeling the last of the storm fade away.

“Thank you…” She whispered, grasping the hand on her cheek.

“Oh, please. It’s all in a day’s work.” Helen joked, delighted to see the smile tug at her niece’s lips.

“I love you, Aunt Helen. For real.” Sonia said softly.

“Pfft…you better…” Helen scoffed. Sonia giggled and nudged her Aunt playfully.

“That’s more like it. Now come here…” Helen giggled, opening her arms wide.

Sonia leaned in, allowing her aunt pull her into her arms. She snaked her arms around Helen, relaxing in her warm embrace.

After a while, Sonia pulled away, a disturbed look latching on to her expression.

“So, what do I do about David?” She asked, gently pushing a strand of hair behind her ears.

“Honey, I don’t… I don’t know…” Helen replied, her voice lacking the usual reassurance behind it.

“Do you… think I should… go see him?” She asked.

“Well, if anything, he deserves an explanation, and an apology…” Helen replied.

Sonia nodded slowly in agreement. But saying it was the easy part. The thought of standing before David after avoiding him for two months made her joints grow cold. But, it had to be done. She owed him at least, an explanation. She just prayed he would give her the chance.

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Three days later…

Sonia stood infront of David’s door with sweaty palms. She hesitated to ring the doorbell, feeling the waves of tension wash over her body. Her mind was a whirlpool of negative thoughts, playing out all the possible ways this would go wrong. What if he slammed the door the second he saw her? What if he told her to leave and never come back? Or worse, what if he just didn’t care anymore?

Those thoughts made cold shivers run down her spine in waves. Swallowing hard, she forced her hand to push the button. As soon as she heard the doorbell ring, her legs threatened to bolt. This was clearly a mistake. What was she thinking? After two months? David would bear the sight of her? How could she be sober for over a month and still have such drunken imaginations?

“Oh, God. Help me, I can’t do this alone…” She panicked.

“I’m here, Child…” The Spirit whispered, His voice like a wave of calm washing away the fears on the shores of her mind. Her joints became more fluid, and her heart rate slowed down a bit. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to face him.

The door opened, and there he was. Reluctantly raising her eyes, she looked at him. She could feel her heart racing again. All of a sudden, the speech she had prepared disappeared like smoke before the wind. She stood there, completely frozen by his weak gaze.

David felt nothing but pain and hurt the moment he saw her. Images of the hospital scene poured into his mind, alongside all the weeks of calling and texting. Those memories summoned negative emotions within him. He furrowed his brows, resisting the urge to just close the door and walk away.

“Umm… hey.” She breathed, finally breaking the ice.

“Hey…” he replied, his tone completley flat.

Swallowing hard, she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Can I… come in?” She stuttered, half-expecting him to slam the door in her face.

He just looked at her intensely for a while, but not the way he usually did. She had seen it in his eyes. The pain had eclipsed the love that was once there, turning his usual warm gaze into a slightly cold one.

“Let her in, Son…” The Spirit beckoned to David.

Shutting his eyes, he reluctantly opened the door wide and stepped out of the way, motioning for her to enter.

Lowering her gaze, she walked into the apartment, the familiar scent of his cologne filtering into her nose. She moved further into the living room, putting some distance between them while she gave the place a cursory glance. Nothing had changed since she was last here. Hearing the door close, she cleared her throat and turned to face him.

He was stone-faced, his jaw tightened and his brows furrowed. He was upset, and he had every right to be. David might be one of the most patient people she had ever met, but he was still human. Swallowing hard, she slowly dipped her sweaty hands into her hoodie pockets.

“I see you… healed up very nicely.” She said, her eyes fixed on his torso.

“What are you doing here, Sonia?” David asked. His voice was low, but his tone was rigid.

Nodding slowly in understanding, she lowered her gaze and bit her lower lip, trying to gather her floundering thoughts.

“I-I came over here because… I wanted to do something I should have done a long time ago. I assume that… an apology is the last thing you want from me right now. But, you deserve one. And even more importantly… I owe you an explanation… for everything.” Sonia began, her voice breaking slightly.

David furrowed his brows again, twisting his lip to the side in thought. Did he really need that right now? Was there any point?

“Give her a chance…” the Spirit whispered again.

David let out a heavy sigh and folded his arms, leaning his frame against the wall.

“I’m listening…” He announced, his tone still cold and rigid.

She nodded, swallowing hard. Her throat felt dry, almost like her voice wanted no part in this confrontation. Shutting her eyes, she let out a soft sigh.

“Being loved by you… was one of the best things that’s happened to me in decades. You… didn’t just come to me with most of the clichè stuff most men did; Flattery, Gifts, money, false bravado, and the rest…” she began, struggling to keep her emotions at bay.

She summoned courage to look at him, so he could see the sincerity in her eyes.

“You came with qualities that this… fallen world… would consider a myth. You came with patience, endurance, and sacrifice. You came with a forgiving heart, and you backed it up with a lot of reassurance…” she continued, the emotions now breaking through her voice.

David averted his gaze, the memories of their times together now pouring into his mind. Every scene increased the pain in his heart.

“…you came with the kind of Love I had no idea existed…” she said.

“Then why did you leave?” He asked, his pained gaze still fixed on the door. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, determined to keep his gaze away from her.

Sonia mouthed words, but her voice remained in her throat. She couldn’t say it.

“I’m sorry, David-“

“-That’s not an answer…” He interjected, tightening his jawline.

Waves of pain washed over her when she saw his eyes glisten. Her eyes began to water as well, wishing she could just make his pain go away.

“I was afraid-” she answered.

“Of what?” He interjected again, his voice laced with hurt.

“Afraid that you were going to wake up one day and walk away…” She muttered finally, a tear sliding down her cheek.

The words hit David differently. That was the last thing he was expecting her to say. Why would she even think that? He let out a soft sigh.

“Ever since I was a child, I have lived… in a broken world… where good people… always…find a way to leave me. I have had people… cancel me… because of my excessive baggage. No matter how long they stay, no matter…how much…they claim to love me, they always… leave.” She muttered, her lips quivering with each word.

A heavy silence fell over the room. She watched David keep his watery gaze on the door, wishing he would just look at her. She blinked tears down her cheeks and moved closer.

“I was afraid that… it was only a matter of time… before you did the same. That’s the reason… I told you everything about my past. I felt that you would finally tell me what everybody always ended up telling me. That I was too damaged to be with…” she continued, her jaw trembling like a child’s.

David’s countenance softened hearing those words. A flame of compassion was lit in his heart, forcing his hurt to the side and bringing hers infront of him. Slowly, he turned to face her, his brimming eyes watching tears roll down her cheeks.

“I was afraid… that if I agreed to be with you… that one day… you would wake up… and realise…that I wasn’t worth it…” she cried, her face twisting bitterly.

“Sonia…” He muttered, his hardened gaze now softened.

“That you would one day wake up… and realise… that you didn’t take a bullet to the chest for me. Instead, you took a bullet to the chest…because of me…” she continued, still inching closer.

Hearing those words, David shut his eyes and lowered his head. A river of understanding gushed into his heart, washing away the bitterness that had festered there for weeks. He let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight in his chest lift.

“My fears forced me to leave, David. I wanted to leave before you left me. I didn’t want you to wake up, and regret the decision, of being with someone like me. That’s the reason, and I… am so sorry I hurt you…” She pleaded, stopping in her tracks.

Slowly, he raised his head, keeping his gaze on the ground. His jaw was no longer tightened, and the anger in his countenance had dissipated.

“When you left me… at the hospital that day, I waited. I waited for days, hoping you would just come back.” He began, his voice calm and solemn.

Sonia dropped her head, feeling the pain of leaving him afresh.

“When I got discharged, the doctors told me that you had paid for everything. The private ward, the drugs, everything. So I thought, maybe, there was a chance you still cared. But after weeks of calling, and texting with no response… I gave up.” He said, his voice breaking a bit.

“I never stopped caring, David. I thought I was… saving you from a bad decision…” Sonia replied, sniffing softly.

“That’s the thing, Sonia. I didn’t care.” David said, finally lifting his eyes.

“Love doesn’t cherry-pick. It doesn’t appear when it’s all good, and then disappears when the bad arrives. Love chooses to stick around when things get tough. It doesn’t look for the best. It looks for anyone and brings out the best in them. Love doesn’t run away from the storm, love goes through it. It endures, till the very end. It’s not an emotion. Its not something that can be ruled or affected by experiences. It doesn’t fluctuate. It is constant. It is reckless. Love…is God.” He said, his glistening eyes holding her sorrowful gaze.

“I understand that now…” she replied. “And I need you to know… that I wish I could take it all back-“

“-But you can’t.” He said, lowering his gaze again.

“I know…” she replied, taking in a shaky breath. Wiping her tears, she moved towards him. She stood right infront of him, and placed her palm on his cheek.

“But for what it’s worth… there’s something I have to tell you. And I know I never told you this… but that’s because I thought I wasn’t capable of it. But now, I have been awakened to an ability put in me by the Father. I can tell you now… that I love you, David Okafor. And, I want to be a part of your life.” She declared, her voice laced with passion.

David swallowed hard, fighting the emotions tumbling within him. He still loved her. He knew it. There was no denying it. But, he was also hurt. He needed time. He needed space.

“I know, it may be hard for us to… move on from all this. But I just want you to know… that I regret bringing you this much pain…” she said finally, dropping her palms from his face.

Lowering her head, she turned and made for the door.

“I forgive you, Sonia…” He blurted out, his eyes still on the ground.

Her hand on the door knob, she turned and gave him a sad tight-lipped smile.

“Thank you…” she said. Twisting the door knob, she opened it and left, closing it gently behind her.

David remained there, leaning against the wall while his emotions waged war in his soul. He shut his eyes, tuning in to the Spirit of God within him.

“Well done, Son…” the Spirit echoed.

“It took everything I had…to let it go.” David muttered, the tears now spilling from his eyes.

“Not at all, Son. I have made you capable of so much more…” the Spirit whispered.

Wiping his tears, he took a deep breath, allowing the peace of God overwhelm him. He walked over to the couch and sank into it, placing his palm over his face.

“So, what now, Lord?” He asked innocently.

“Now, you should help her grow. Be there for her, because she will need you…” The Spirit instructed.

“But, I don’t think I can..” He whispered.

“You won’t do it alone, Son. I will be with you every step of the way…” the Spirit whispered. David could feel God smile at him. He breathed out, feeling the love of God overwhelm him.

“I shouldn’t have asked her out…” He whispered.

“True. I may have said she was the one, but I never told you she was ready. Now, you know better, my Son…” the Spirit replied.

David shut his eyes, receiving the correction with humility.

“I love you, Father. Thank you… for everything.” David whispered.

“I love you more, my Son.” The Spirit replied.

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Five years later…

Maldives, Southern Asia

10:05 pm

Stars lit up the moonless night like fireflies stuck on the dark blue canvass. The opera of the ocean hummed in harmony with the whistling wind, echoing nature’s rhythm into Sonia’s ears. She stood at the edge of the wooden floors leading to the vast ocean blue, allowing the cool night breeze gently ruffle her Silk Satin beach dress. She closed her eyes, allowing the serenity of nature wash over her.

A sheepish smile tugged at the side of her lips when strong arms gently wrapped themselves around her waist. She leaned into his frame, taking in his Armani Code scent as the wind blew against her hair.

“I was wondering when you’d come around…” Sonia chuckled .

“I’m sorry, my love. Jacob Anoure called about the project we were working on. Abigail says hello.” David replied, burying his head next to hers.

She giggled softly, feeling his beards tickle her neck. Twisting her frame, she turned to face him. Wearing a warm smile, she placed her palm on his cheek.

“I’ll be sure to give her a call. By the way, I overheard you talking with the kids. Are they giving your mum too much trouble?” She asked jovially.

“Zoey and Debby are just fine. They are enjoying my mum’s company…” He whispered.

“Well, in that case, I hope there would be no more interruptions…” Sonia whispered with a naughty smile.

“None, my love. It’s our fourth year anniversary, work can wait…” He said with a warm smile, gazing into her beautiful eyes.

“That’s what I was hoping to hear…” she whispered, blissfully captured in his smouldering gaze.

“So, you ready?” He asked.

“Definitely…” she whispered.

He pulled away from her, holding her hands as he looked into her eyes.

“I know they say ‘ladies first’ but, I wanna go first…” He said, his eyes still on her.

“Well, last time I checked, ‘they‘ aren’t exactly here right now…” she giggled.

David gave a hearty laugh, silently thanking God for the kind of woman he was married to.

“Alright, I memorized mine, so I could look into your eyes while I say them…” David said softly.

Sonia felt the heat rush to her cheeks and didn’t fight it. She loved this man so much.

“Well, go ahead. Don’t you know it’s rude to keep a lady waiting?” She joked. They both shared a laugh.

“Alright, here it goes.” David said, clearing his throat. Sonia braced herself, hoping she wouldn’t break down before he finished.

“I could stand in a room full of paintings, and you’ll still be the only art worth looking at.
I can afford to miss the sunset everyday, because I’ll always get to see it in your lovely hazel eyes.
Sculpted to perfection by our Father,
Who clothed you in glistening caramel just like He did your mother.
He has gifted me with the greatest of wives,
A woman who many men wouldn’t get to be with even if they lived a thousand lives.
My love, there are beautiful women, but then there’s you, ‘the’ beautiful woman.
And so, I do not seek the fairest of them all,
Because I have been given the best of them all.
Loving you, is a duty I love to fulfill,
Indeed, it is the noblest of deeds for me to love you like Christ loves the church.
And so, under the watchful eyes of Heaven,
I affirm this day, that by God’s grace, I will always love you, Sonia Adaeze Jackson.”

Sonia’s eyes blinked rapidly, his words leaving her completely scatterbrained. She watched him in disbelief, a tear forming in her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. With quivering lips, she mirrored his warm smile and placed her hand on his cheek again.

“It’s a good thing I memorized mine too…” she finally said, almost sounding breathless.

“Well then, your gentleman… awaits.” David whispered, basking in the warmth of her hazel gaze.

Swallowing hard, she arranged her thoughts and began.

“I remember a girl who was a prisoner of the night,
A girl who spent her days being chased by the darkness of her past,
A girl who struggled to be free of evil’s might,
Seen as an unworthy plague by men, and to her fellow women, a sorry sight.
But then, along came a Son of the One true Light,
Bearing on his lips the song of liberty the Morning Star brings.
He was armed with a sword forged by the heat of God’s word,
Clothed in an Armour of attributes one could only call Love,
He looked upon her when everyone else turned away,
He led her to the One who set her free, to the King whom he still serves to this day.
Now this girl stands before the Lord’s Knight,
Born anew, she now stands under this beautiful night.
To affirm, that she loves this man called David,
And by God’s unending grace, she will stand by him, even in the face of any Goliath.”

David’s eyes threatened to water, seeing the love and passion in her eyes. He cupped her face gently, closing in for a kiss. Shutting her eyes, she received his lips into hers, wrapping her arms around his body and pulling him closer. The world around them faded away, their satin clothes ruffling in the whispering wind. Ecstasy coursed through their bodies, and they’re souls lit a fire together that warmed their entire beings.

Pulling away gently, David locked eyes with his wife, their warm breaths entangling in the cold and windy night. Sheepish smiles crept onto their faces. Right then and there, there was no other place they’d rather be, than in each other’s arms.

THE END

We would love to remind you that love is beautiful, when it’s God that sponsors it. Who better to show us how to love, than the One who is Love? Love still exists in this broken world, and can never be swept away by these evil times. It is powerful enough to change lives for the better, no matter how wrecked they may have been by this fallen world. God’s Love keeps chasing after the ones He Loves, and that’s everyone, you and me. It is free. All you have to do, is receive it.

This series was aimed at showing you just how reckless God’s love is. We wanted you to see how relentless His love is for you. And we hope, that you have seen, just like we have, just how deeply loved you are by God.

I’d like to thank two special people, whose contributions to this series being a success cannot go unnoticed. Toluwani Maxwell and Obeta Chinonso, the greatest editors a writer could ever have. I love you guys, for all the effort you put into this. Thank you for your undying support. I’d also love to thank my brother, and the president of Wordhouse Global, Sir Kelvin Cromwell Ibie for his love and prayers towards this. I love you, brother.

And to you, the readers who have made this worth it, we “The Penthouse” would like to say thank you. Thank you for all the support and energy, for sharing constantly and giving your feedback. You mean a lot to us, and we promise you more good content.

PS: If you want to be a part of this great cause, spreading the gospel through literature, feel free to contact us. Our Whatsapp details are up on the contact menu.

From the editors and I, we say God bless you❤. It’s a wrap.