Dear Jesus,

Kathy left.

I, rooted to the spot, was still as shocked and stunned as I was since the unfolding.

I was in a dilemma. Should I go after my bestie or should I follow my cousin in? I felt pulled in both directions, on the verge of being torn, much like how the rope must feel when its in a tug of war.

Wearied and confused, I entered back in, a thousand questions floating through my mind.

Kathy knows my cousin? How on earth?

Aunt June hit me with a tsunami of questions the moment I entered back in.

Sigh... She's a pro at the interogative talent. Sometimes I feel she should have gone on to be a detective or something. It would have suited her more than her real estate business.

I successfully managed to scale through her myriad of questions.

All the while, I was itching, restless even, to go find Hirena who seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

Mom told me to go back out and bring in all their travel stuff. It took all the restraint of the Spirit in me not to sulk and grumble.

I went out to the Jeep and opened the boot.

A gasp escaped my lips.

Their luggage was a handful. I wondered what the reaction of the air hostesses must have been upon sighting their luggage. Surely, they must have payed extra for all this *I made a sweeping gesture at the mass of luggage*.

But actually, that was not the exact reason why I gasped. No, not at all. I'm quite used to the 'girl power of packing as if we're moving out' syndrome, as I am also a girl.

With my hand still on the uplifted boot, and my mouth still slightly agape, I looked at the most exquisite bed upholstery, presently dissembled, and the most tempting, skin-friendly matress I have ever seen. It was curled nicely beside the luggage.

"Wow!" I breathed out, my slight irritation at being asked to carry all this load evaporating as joy spread through me.

With new vigour, I proceeded to drag in all the stuff right in.

I enthusiastically thanked my Dad and Mom. They said that Aunt June also contributed to the purchase. I thanked her also.

I took all the bed materials into my room in three trips up and down our single flight of stairs. Still I didn't see Hirena. I was already getting worried.

When I took my last piece of upholstery into the room, I noticed my balcony door was slightly ajar and the harmattan breeze was beginning to slightly sway it.

Jerry's whimper was what gave her away.

I went out. Hirena stood silently, looking out into the garden down below.

I could feel her anger and sadness. It was evident, etched on her stoic face.

I didn't know what to do. I had no idea how sensitive this issue was so I resigned to the only thing that came naturally to me. I stayed beside her, put both hands on the silver railing bordering this balcony and looked straight ahead, pouring prayers to you in my spirit.

Silence reigned. The sun was beginning to recline and its rays splattered beautiful shades of orange, pink and yellow on the sky. The garden looked pristine down below.

"She left?" Hirena's voice quavered like she was holding back tears.

I looked sideways at her. She was beautiful, the evening glow made it more so. But there was something else. Something that made her clench fist and tighten her hands over the railing. Something that made her sideline jaw twitch. Something that I felt I had no idea of or no control over. Something of the past.

Lord help me.

"Yes," I said, not knowing what else to say.

"I thought as much," she mumbled as she turned back and sat on our swing which was tucked in the corner of the balcony.

Lifting Jerry onto her lap, she started swinging, her face still giving me no other clue save that she was embittered.

Sighing, I went over to her and sat too when the tempo of the oscillation reduced.

"Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Who's she to you?" She answered my question with a question.

"She's my best friend."

She gave a sardonic chuckle, followed by a tsk tsk sound, a shaking of her head, and slapping of her palms together in disbelief, all simultaneously.

"Really? Kathlyn Taylor, the girl who almost wrecked my life and left is your best friend?"

I was confused.

"Kathy has done nothing but build my life ever since I've known her. What did she do?"

"Genetics." She forced the sound through her gritted teeth like that was the most vile word of all time.

"Huh?" I had no idea what she's talking about.

"It all started with genetics in Biology class."

"Wait! You went to the same school?"

"Yeah, Cliptonwer High, USA."

Kathy had sometime ago told me briefly about the school she had transferred from.

Her mom, Mrs Taylor, being a nurse, had been working in the school's infirmitary. There was a discount for all staff children enrolled in the school.

When I asked Kathy then why they had relocated to this West African Island all the way from the US, she said due to unforeseen circumstances. I didn't prode further cos I had no reason to disbelieve her.

"She was once my friend. We were in Grade 5. I confided in her 'bout some personal issues," Hirena continued. She was stroking Jerry's fur over and over like the action would help to calm her down.

"What exactly?" I pressed.

"I told her I was in love with this cool guy in our class named Kevin."

I grimaced. Uh-oh! That was the name of Kathy's former crush. I remember vaguely Kathy telling me about that a while back. On her birthday, I guess.

"Two days afterward, I came to school and saw a bunch of people clustered 'round my locker, whispering, casting furtive glances in my direction," Hirena said.

"When they saw me, they parted. Plastered to my locker was a caricature drawing of me chasing after Kevin like a mad wolf. And there were the words: Hirena is madly in love with Kevin."

"I knew immediately. That it was Kathlyn's doing because she was the only one I told and she loves to draw."

"Ok, so... What does genetics class have to do with all this," I asked, still trying to get a grip on this whole story. Surely something was off. That didn't sound like the Kathlyn I know.

"I really wasn't angry when I discovered that. In fact, though I was wary because of the other other girls who was falling for this same Kevin guy, I was secretly happy for the publicity. Maybe now Kevin will notice me, I thought."

She gave a sad snicker.

"How wrong I was!"

She stood up from the swing. Jerry plopped to the ground.

"That same day, we were having Biology. The topic was genetics. Our teacher asked a question I'll never forget. What is genetics? Kathlyn stood up, smiling snuggly and said: Genetics is when a person has the traits of a female wolf looking for her alpha male."

I closed my eyes.

"The whole class burst into a roaring laughter. All eyes were fixed on me. My chances were destroyed. My reputation tanished. I don't think I have been more humiliated in my life."

I opened my eyes again and looked at a sad Hirena pacing slowly in front of me.

"I cut all ties with Kathlyn, with anybody. I stayed alone. But that only increased the torrents of bullying I began to get. Honestly, I was happy when I heard Kathlyn was leaving."

"Then one day, she came to me when I was 'lone in the class during recess. She said she was sorry, that she did it naively because she was jealous, that she's now a new creature. I yelled at her to get lost. I never saw her again."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. That explained it all. That was the old Kathy. I met her as the new Kathy.

"Rena," I called. "I'm really sorry about what happened to you and I know you have every right to be mad. But still, you have to forgive."

Hirena snorted.

I stood and went over to her, putting my arm on her shoulder and looking at her straight in the eye. Her light green eyes glowed with bitterness.

Years of knowing my favorite cousin had taught me that if I want to convince her about something, I should look her straight in the eye.

"She's now born again. In fact she's the one who God used to lead me to Christ."

"Really?" Her expression and voice held sheer unbelief.

"You said she apologized. She's sorry."

"I didn't give her a chance to speak. I thought she was evil. Still, the memory lingers. It won't be easy to forget."

"But you can forgive... Even as Jesus forgave us."

"Yeah! I can do that, I guess. And I think Jesus is cool, you know for him to have been able to change Kathy and even you."

"Yes, He is. He's my boyfriend," I blurted out.

Hirena burst out into laughter. She laughed so hard that tears escaped her eyes.

I smiled. Now that's more like the Hirena I know.

"You're so funny. I know you're a PK and all that... But Jesus being your boyfriend? That's epic news!"

"I'm serious."

"Ok, ok. I hear you, gurl." She lifted her hands in a poise of surrender.

"What about you?"

"Me?" She pointed her index finger at her chest.

"How is your relationship with Jesus?"

"You know... So so. I barely have the time pray or read the Bible but I do go to church."

"It's dangerous to assume, dear. I also thought I was a Christian cos of my PK status. But then I realized I wasn't really serious. Jesus is fun. He loves you. Try him out."

"I will. I guess I have to," she said solemnly.

"That's better. We'll see Kathlyn soon. Let her know she's forgiven."

She nodded. I gave her a big smile.

"And I can't imagine how a genetically mutated version of you will look like. A wolf-Rena? Do you have a copy?" I asked, wriggling my eyebrows and smirking.

"Urgh! Ray. You have not changed," she said slapping my shoulder.

"Ouch! That hurts, you know," I said rubbing the spot.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes.

"Girls! Come eat dinner." Mom's voice echoed up to my room. It sounded faint.

"We're coming..." I yelled back.

Hirena latched Jerry's chain to the railing of the balcony. I wanted to object. I didn't want to come back to meet dog poop littering my balcony. Hirena said I shouldn't worry, that he's now trained.

When we re-entered my room, she drank in the view.

"Did you recently repaint? Everywhere reeks of paint. And Kathlyn."

"It's a long story. And how did you know it was Kathlyn?" I asked, my brows raised up in surprise at her accuracy at guessing.

She smiled and ran her finger over a sun like floral design that Kathy drew on the wall.

"I remember. It's her signature."

"We sure have a lot of fixing to do." She was referring to the dissembled bed rack.

"Let's hurry down before Mom thinks we've hibernated or something."

We scurried out the room and we were hit by a wave of delicious catfish pepper soup aroma.

"Pepperish!" We said at the same time, faces lighted up with wide smiles.

It was our childhood chorus for the special pepper soup recipe our Moms' combined effort produced. That appetizer is second to none.

"Race you there," Hirena said and sprinted off. I gave up the chase even before it started. Hirena is a super fast. Years of close cousinship had taught me not to try competing with her in that aspect.

"Hey! Don't you dare take the best part," I yelled after her and followed.

**********
Hello guys! Hope you're staying safe. And I do hope you enjoyed this chapter.😁

Forgiveness is a virtue that we must all possess as believers. No matter how hard it hurt us. 😌

Stay tuned for more.🤗

God bless you. ❤️