Too Late

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 20

Everyone who saw Chioma knew she was sick. She complains of pains all over her body. Day by day she began to notice changes in her body. She was fast loosing weight, her hair pulls and she looses appetite easily.

“Are you sick?” The proprietor of her school asked her one day.

“No ma. I don’t know ma.”

“You look sick. Go for check up” She said.

The salary she earns could barely take her to the end of the month. With the assistance of her sister Chinenye, she went to a hospital. She was subjected to different tests and at the end, the doctor told her nothing was wrong with her. She told her sister what the doctor said.

Chinenye took her to other different hospitals, but the result was the same. Chioma panicked.

“How will i be told nothing is wrong with me yet I am dying slowly” She queried.

Then Chinenye suggested they go to “Alagbo”. She took her to an elderly woman who gave Chioma some mixture of herbs and black soap. She gave instructions on how it is to be used. Chioma used the herbs and soap as instructed. As she used it, the more her health deteriorates and at the end she abandoned them.

During break one day, the proprietress sent for her and broke her heart.

“How often do you bath?” She asked her.

Surprised by such demeaning question, she gave a loud laugh.

“I am not joking. Please answer my question”

“Well, I bath before coming to work and also bath immediately I get home”

The elderly woman listened to her talk and sighed.

“I asked you the question because you smell. Even as you stand before me, you stink. The more you open your mouth, the more you smell. You smell of rotten flesh” She finished

Chioma just stood there listening to her.

“I think you have a spiritual problem. Madam haven’t you noticed that other staff don’t like coming close to you. The pupils are also talking to their parents. Please, I have no grudge against you. You are a great teacher but I have the responsibility to protect the pupils and staff of the school. Your services will no longer be required. I will pay two months salary into your account now”

Chioma couldn’t even say “Thank you” as she turned to leave, but before she stepped out of the door the proprietress stopped her.

“When you get better, return to work”

Chioma left the office without uttering a word. She entered her class and sat down crying with the pupils staring at her.

She had noticed three days ago that her room smells. She had turned the whole room upside down looking for the cause of the smell. When it persisted, she bought air fresheners.

She noticed also that the moment she enters the class, it booms and she ensures the whole windows were opened. Now it has dawned on her that she is the source of the smell.

Feeling so tired already, she struggled out of the chair to her son’s class. She told the teacher she was going home with her son. As she walked home, her heart was far. It was racing. As soon as she got home, she cried. She couldn’t understand why things are going wrong in her life. She was already depressed with the way her marriage turned out. Now unknown sickness was ravaging her. She opened her windows wide to allow fresh air in.

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Lily has been pained and depressed for months. For nine years she has been a full-time house wife. Kam had told her there was no need to work since he gives her all she needed.

She would just eat, sleep and wake. If she was bored, she would visit her friends, family or recreational centers.

Kam pays her salary monthly.

“I don’t want you to work for anybody. I don’t want you to stress yourself. Focus on getting pregnant” He would tell her.

Her friends and family had told her to get herself busy to avoid boredom and depression but she would tell them.

“My husband said I should focus on getting pregnant”

Lily settled herself as a housewife. Now that Kam had succeeded in bringing in another lady, she became depressed. She started working on all the aspects he had complained of. Even though he would not admit that she is trying, she knew she was.

In order not to die of boredom and depression, she had been leaving home to DANNY’S KITCHEN. Daniel, a member of the church she attends and her childhood friend, owns the restaurant where people settle for their meal.

Lily opened up to him and he started counseling her. He pointed out the areas where Lily failed. How Lily cried.

“I failed and I am sharing my husband with another woman.”

“Crying is not the solution. You need to change positively. You need to be the wife God want you to be. You need to be submissive to your husband Lily.”

Daniel taught Lily so many things that she is grateful for. He also succeeded in sharpening Lily culinary skills.

It was as if she was attending school again. Everyday she learns new things from Daniel. It was Daniel she confided in. He would listened to her as she talked and cried.

“I blame myself for how my marriage turned out and I am ready to change. I want my husband to love me again. I drove him with my bad mouth and bad character” She would cry.

Daniel understands and he made it his responsibility to help her. Aside brushing her culinary skills, he opened his bible and began to teach her what God expects from her in general.

“Allow Jesus to work in Your life. Start praying. You must learn to pray. Start studying God’s word to know more about God. You must be disciplined. You must be patient. Shape your marriage the way you want it to be…”

Daniel taught her so many things and she began to put them into practice. She seek for the help of the Holy Spirit. She started praying for her husband and marriage. It wasn’t easy initially but she persisted. The bitterness in her heart began to wash away. She stopped abusing her husband. She would sit with him to watch his favourite programme. Lily ensures he eats breakfast before leaving home. Rather than keep him malice over any argument, she would prefer they trash it and leave it in the past. When Kam returns from work, she would make it her business to know how things went in the office. She began to be connected emotionally with her husband again.

She stopped allowing Karen’s presence to hurt and hunt her. The only thing that bothers her now is to carry her own child.

Since she had that fight with Karen, Kam had only entered her room ones. He never asked her own part of the story. She would set the table for breakfast but Kam would ignore her and the food. Hand in hand with Karen, they would leave the house and still return together.

Daniel called her to his office after work one day.

“I noticed you are not cheerful today. What is it again?”

All the tears she had been trying to hold, came pouring down.

“I am barren” She said.

Daniel allowed her cry, perhaps she will be relieved of her pain. He watched her sob until there was no more tears.

“The woman sitting before me is a fruitful woman. You are not barren Lily. I see seeds in your womb. Your mouth is a weapon of blessing. Henceforth, use your mouth to declare fruitfulness in your womb, your marriage. Declare fruitfulness in everything that you do”

Lily nodded and began to wipe her tears.

“Don’t condemn yourself when God hasn’t done so”

“I think Karen is pregnant for my husband” she said crying again.

Daniel frowned deeply.

“Really?”

“I…I.. met my husband on his knees kissing Karen’s stomach. They were in the sitting room and I had to retreat to my room”

Both of them were silent for a long time.

“I want you to focus on your self now. Pamper yourself. Do things that makes you happy. I will suggest you open your own restaurant if you are financially buoyant”

For the first time Lily laughed.

“Are you sure I am good enough?”

“Of course you are. For months now you have been the one in charge of my kitchen. You are even better than me” He said laughing.

“On a serious note Lily, set up your own restaurant and watch it grow. Both of us will go round to find a strategic place and put all the necessary things in place. When you come tomorrow we will work out the cost implications”

Lily was so happy. Daniel prayed with her before leaving for his house.

Lily was happy. So excited was she that she couldn’t sleep well in the night.