SUNNY WEDNESDAYS: IVIE (IV)

Ivie Thomas came expectant. She hadn’t come all this way, physically and emotionally, just to spectate. If she wasn’t serious about meeting with the God her Personal Assistant, Rita Adedeji, spoke of with childlike certainty and unwavering passion, then why had she come at all? The usher who greeted her at the door was a small-framed woman with a bright scarf and a smile that lit up her entire face. Her energy was warm, almost disarming, and before Ivie could overthink it, she found herself being gently guided to a seat in the third row. She obliged with a soft nod and a careful, deliberate step, one hand instinctively resting on her protruding belly for balance. As she lowered herself into the seat, she took a moment to soak in her surroundings. The church was not what she had expected. No gaudy chandeliers or intimidating religious symbols. Instead, the space was defined by simplicity and airiness. The concrete ceiling slanted in elegant angles, forming a concave canopy that curved ...