Pastor’s Second Wife- Part Thirteen

Part Thirteen

A Story by Ayodele Adeoye

We got to Lagos and another phase of trouble started. Mummy Pastor and Deji had days of fights over my case. While she insisted we live together in their three bedroom flat, Deji wanted me to live separately. I guess he had not relinquished my apartment in Ikeja. Deji wanted to start his secret game with me again, but mummy pastor wasn’t going to allow that. She seemed to have made up her mind to let the church know everything Deji had done.

During one of the fights, the argument became so hot that I had to come in. I was shocked to my marrow when Deji began to beat Mummy Pastor. The way the whole fight happened, it was obvious Deji had been a serial wife beater. That wasn’t his first time of beating this woman. Is this how he will be beating me too? Well, I had noticed the tendency of a violent man in him during the several encounters we had. But why hasn’t Mummy Pastor exposed him all this while? Why did she cover up for him all this time he had been abusing her?

Since I came back from Kabba, I haven’t stepped out, not even to the balcony. Life became so boring for me. Deji wasn’t talking to me; Mummy Pastor only spoke to me when food was ready, or when it was time to bath Shina, and so on. I was practically shut out of the world. My life became meaningless and worthless. I couldn’t go out for fear of being seen by people I know. More so, I had grown so lean due to all the things I had been through lately. Church members who come to see Deji never crossed my path because my room was hidden, and I hardly came out for any reason. I was able to hide for three weeks before the cat was let out of the bag.

I started coming to the sitting room to watch TV once in a while. When I noticed that someone was at the door, I would carry my baby and run inside. I knew this hiding game would not last forever. On that fateful day, I didn’t hear a voice or a knock at the door. I rushed into the sitting room, backing Shina, when I stumbled on the women leader of our church. She screamed my name, “Sister Mercy!” then she went mum. Mummy Pastor joined us as we both looked at each other in total surprise.

The women leader broke the silence, “Mummy Pastor, what is happening here?” She asked.

“Daddy is in the best position to explain ma,” she replied, as I shamefully walked back to my small prison. When Deji came back, I guess Mummy Pastor told him all that had happened when the women leader visited. He rushed into my room, “You foolish woman, you want to destroy the work I have been doing for fifteen years? You are a bad luck and a witch,” he ranted. He removed his belt and flogged me like his child. Mummy Pastor rushed in to rescue me but he descended on her too. She left after taking her own share of the beating. I was very angry; this time around I made up my mind to expose him. Enough of this evil, I told myself.

The next day, church members started trooping into the house, obviously to see and confirm what the women leader told them. I heard their voices but I made sure that they didn’t see me. Three days later, Mummy Pastor brought a letter for me. On opening it, I saw that it was a letter summoning me to a meeting with the G.O. At this point, I knew it was over for Deji and his many years of lies.

(Story copied from another source)

To be continued in part fourteen…