VESSEL

V She knew before she saw the sweat beaded on Rita's forehead that she had an unwanted guest in her office. “I am so sorry Ma, I really tried stopping him from going in,” She knew how violent he could get and nodded knowingly.  “It is okay, thank you for holding the forte, move my 12pm meeting to 4pm okay?” Rita nodded anxiously, she wanted to ask if Ivie would be fine all alone but then she held her tongue. ^^^^^^ “Good morning Osaze,” Ivie maintained her calm as she dropped her bag on the couch and watched the man in front of her. The rascal in school looked quite sharp in a tailored suit and a restless demeanour. “What kind of people do you employ?” He fumed in anger as his dark skin turned a shade darker. “ What can I help you with,” she silently muttered a prayer, Lord give me strength. “I reckon that I am the father of our child, and I wanted to try to be present” he snickered as he pulled off, possibly, a mid-lunch piece of gum from in-between his lower tooth and pinned it o

IV Ivie Osato came expectant, why bother coming if she was not serious about having an encounter with the God her Personal Assistant, Rita Adedeji, passionately spoke of. She was led to the third row by a rather bubbly usher and kindly obliged. Making a mental note to tell Rita that the church was quite decent with its well ventilated tilted concrete on a concave-shaped plan with bare walls and little vases of freshly plucked flowers arrayed each rows. She was here for God. ^^^^^^ Rita Adedeji could barely contain her joy when she saw her heavily rounded boss walk into her home church, Living Fountain Springs. The same church she met Tunde, and the same church she chose to be a vessel to be used by God to reach others. She remembered the day before she went for the interview at Ivie’s Startup company, she knew that she was to be a change in the company somehow but she had not envisioned it being a source of light to her Boss. Even with the black sequined buba that Ivie wore, and her li

BACKSEAT   She kept it at a minimal, she just wiped her face with a detox facial wipe and put a glossy lip gloss, bathed her eyes in a partially dried mascara she found beside her bedframe, wore her only nice dress remaining, a floral adire mini length gown. Bugo sighed as she wondered what propelled her to talk to Madam Atinuke or better still accept her invite. She took the flyer from her broken legged dresser and took the back door to avoid Baba Salami, the landlord targeting her for insults this morning, She was only owing two months rent. The church looked decent as she sneaked in and spied to see if she would see a familiar face. She regretted instantly the minute Madam Atinuke waved her over, she pretended like she didn't see her and felt a tap on her shoulder.  “Ma'am, we have a special seat for you in front,” Bugo smiled and knew it was Madam Atinuke's handiwork that she was taken from the backseat. She saw her smiling and muttered a greeting, “Bugo, I am so glad

III    “Ma, you should be resting, I didn’t hear you come in” Ivie smiled as she took the remaining cookie dough ice-cream from the fridge and gestured to Rita to join her. “And you shouldn’t be cleaning my apartment Ivie, you have done so much already”. Rita smiled as she made sure to put the blankets in the washing machine right across the hallway that led to the balcony overseeing the glittering five-star resort. She took the spoon her boss offered and dug right into the sumptuous ice-cream. “And I intend to do more Ma, don’t try to stop me” Ivie laughed as she put her hands up in surrender. Ivie made sure they had settled on a couch as they watched the final episode of Reasonable Doubt. "I will like to take you up on your offer," "What offer, Ma" "I will love to attend service with you this week, if you don't mind," Rita could not hide her joy, she leaped out of her seat and yelped. Ivie laughed heartily and stared at her assistant who recently was

       FRONT ROW "We believe that our God is faithful and through his faithfulness, we enjoy the manifold gift of grace," the Guest Pastor pranced as he delivered his message titled 'The Manifold Grace of God'. Her rosy cheeks was her distinctive feature as it enhanced the big round glasses that reached the tip of her nose.  With her elfin height, Mama Thembe jumped, held unto her pink feather straw hat before it could jump off her cornrows and chorused "Hallelujah! ! ! The Word works, Glory." Atinuke smiled as she watched her.  Mama Thembe, and her hats of many colours and styles,  was a spice to look forward to every Sunday Service, she retraced her focus on the sermon. ^^^^^^ "A, Wait up," Mama Thembe moved easily through the crowd that had gathered immediately service closed.  "Where are you rushing to na, don't you know it is wrong to make Mama T out of breath? You women walk so hurriedly out of church, how do you expect a man to catc