"The worst of my fears has come true, what I've dreaded most has happened. My repose is shattered, my peace destroyed. No rest for me, ever-death has invaded life." --Job 3:25-‬26 (MSG)

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"Hey, you."

Godswill called out as he opened the driver's door and folded himself into his seat. It was Sunday and he had given Fola his car key so she could wait in the car for him. Fola had the passenger seat reclined and she had had her eyes shut which fluttered open when he called out a greeting.

"You look great. Very nice," he added. Fola was wearing a beige trouser suit with brown camisole and nude-coloured stilettos. He had seen her when she made her way into the auditorium that morning and he had been blown away. He had almost seen her as a model moving effortlessly down a runway. How does she make every outfit look great?

"Hey, Bro Godswill. You look great yourself," she replied as she eyed his navy blue trousers, the sparkling white shirt he had rolled to his elbow and his navy blue Parsley tie. "Were you going for the Obama look?"

I believe I'm more handsome than Obama but I'll keep that to myself.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Thanks. But when will this Bro Godswill thing stop?"

"I don't know. You started it. I don't think you should be complaining. Uhm?" She answered with a too sweet glare in his direction. She sat up as she adjusted the seat back into its proper position.

"Hey, Mr Efe. Happy Sunday."

Godswill turned to the direction where the greetings came from only to see his department members winking and smiling mischievously at him. He knew what they were thinking and he just laughed before returning their greeting and shutting the door.

"I think we should leave now."

"I can see why," Fola replied as she looked out through the side mirror to see a look of triumph on their faces. Triumph at what though, she didn't know.

"You're very popular in church. Everyone knows you."

"That's just an exaggeration, you know. I think every steward knows almost everyone. We were taught to treat each other like family. So... "

"Hmmmm. I see."

Godswill just shook his head as he drove towards the church exit.

"So, what are we having for lunch?"

"It's a surprise."

"What surprise? Won't I know by the time I see the ingredients?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Psssh."

Godswill sent her a glance. "You seem to know the sounds of various objects. Tch, pffft, and now psssh. Well done."

"Go away."

"I know you don't mean that. Besides, if I go away right now, I'd have to drop you off by the side of the road. We don't want that now, do we?" He smirked.

Fola just stuck her tongue out at him and looked out the window. "Let's pick up something to munch on. The zoo animals in my tummy are beginning to growl and snarl at me. They can't wait for lunch."

"Sure. We have to feed the zoo if we don't want you making strange animal noises. I made a batch of cookies and cupcakes two days ago. They should do while we cook."

"Okay."

Her phone rang and Godswill could decipher that it was Vwede. After a moment, Fola dropped her phone.

"Vwede said she's already on her way and close to my place. We may be able to pick her up."

"Ookayy."

******

Fola could tell what their Sunday lunch was immediately she saw Godswill begin to pull out the ingredients.

"We're making Oha soup!"

Godswill couldn't hold his laughter. "I love your enthusiasm. Did you bring another outfit to change into?"

"Yes, I did. I can't eat this in a suit. That's doing the meal a disservice, in my book."

Godswill laughed again.

I must be funnier than I think. Fola thought as she rummaged through her handbag for a nylon bag. "Where's your restroom?"

"It's the door on your left in the sitting room."

"Okay."

"Where's Vwede?"

"That one. She's lying on the sofa like a fat seal on the edge of the shore, munching lazily on the cookies."

"I see. I guess it's not only you that needs a pick-me-up this bright Sunday afternoon."

Fola didn't give him an answer as she strode towards the restroom.

****

After a delicious meal of Semovita and Oha soup, the four worked together to clean up the kitchen and put everything back in order. When they were done, they moved to the kitchen with their saucers of cake and glasses of orange juice before starting up a conversation.

"Today's message was meant for me. All through the message, I felt like God was speaking directly to my heart," Godswill began.

"Me too. It was almost surreal," Fola spoke up as Tunde nodded in agreement.

Vwede asked, "What was the topic?"

"Pastor has been teaching on Everything Good from Romans 8:28. And today he concentrated on Waiting Patiently for the Good," Fola answered.

Vwede's eyes widened along with her lips. "My pastor taught on Patience too, today."

The other three answered in various tones of 'really?', like they were in awe.

"Yeah, really."

"Wow. That's... ," Fola trailed off.

Tunde cleared his throat as he prepared to speak. "The one thing that struck me was when he said that waiting wasn't a passive thing. That it was an active process because it engages our faith in God and our belief in His word that He has the ability to make good on His promises. That hit me."

"Yes, it did. So like, we already know God is goodness personified and He has promised all through scriptures that He only has good things planned for us. So, even when the bad happens, we know it's not from Him and we are also assured that what He has told us is still going to come to pass, no matter how long it takes," Fola began.

"So, it serves as a form of premise that we are not wasting our time serving Him. And it allows us to be actively engaged in what He is doing in and through us. We don't just sit down or sleep and say 'I'm waiting on God'. We are also doing something, not because we think we can help the word come to pass but to help us build patience in our own hearts," she finished.

"Hmmmm. I totally agree. The fact that we are waiting patiently for the good also helps to build patience in us. Such that if one wasn't patient at all before, waiting on God will make one an embodiment of patience," Vwede spoke.

"Yeah. And we should have it at the back of our minds that God isn't intentionally not answering our prayers. It could just be about the timing or our capabilities. So that we don't get the promise at a moment when we are not even ready to handle it," Godswill finally chipped in.

"I agree. But what are the practical ways to be actively engaged while waiting on God?" Vwede sat up as she asked.

"I believe having a hunger and desire to receive from God is important. Jesus said blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. He promised that they shall be filled. So, a desire must be in place while waiting on Him because one understands that the waiting process isn't a frivolous thing," Fola answered.

"Yes, that's true. One should also speak and hear faith-filled words, rather than words of discouragement or fear. So, studying the word, listening to messages, praying and all that must be a part of one's daily life," Tunde spoke this time.

Godswill sat forward and said, "Yeah. And also developing a heart of thanksgiving. A grateful heart will see all the things God has done, rather than the things He hasn't. And that will help bolster one's faith even when things don't seem to be going right because one can see that He has done good before, so He can still do it again."

They all went silent for a few minutes, each with his or her thoughts as they pondered on their discussion. One thing that was common in their thoughts was how blessed they were to have this sort of circle that could freely talk about their faith in God.

After some minutes, as if someone had snapped a finger, they all looked at each other and broke out in wide smiles. The look they all had on their faces was pregnant with meaning.

"Where have you guys been all my life?" Vwede exclaimed all of a sudden, making the others jump slightly.

"That was scary but you took the words right out of my mouth," Fola commented. "Having godly and like-minded friends is so underrated."

Tunde nodded. "I agree. And to answer your question, Vwede, we have been right here. I guess it was just high time we met and we did."

"And to think we met because Miss Is-your-delivery-coming-from-outerspace came to loudly proclaim her displeasure at T.M.W. Isn't God good?"

Vwede turned to Godswill and eyed him up and down while the others burst into peals of laughter.

"Was that really what she said?"

"Yes o. I was doing everything to calm her down but she had already said that. I wanted to escape that day," Fola answered Tunde's question.

"I guess she was very hungry that day as we have learnt that Vwede doesn't play with her food. Even today, Fola described you as a seal but the moment I said food was ready like this, Vwede developed amazing speed and was at the table in a nanosecond."

The being of their joke only rolled her eyes and proceeded to steal Godswill's intact slice of cake. Then she stuck her tongue out at him, making them laugh again.

"I'm a foodie. I love to explore different tastes and aromas. Is that an offence?"

"No, it isn't, ma'am. Carry on," Tunde responded, making a hand gesture that showed what he was saying.

"Thank you."

All of a sudden, Godswill exclaimed, "Greatest Vwede!"

Fola jumped so high that the others noticed and had to ask what the problem was.

"I was just startled. You, why are you shouting?"

Before Godswill could defend himself, Tunde jumped in. "That's how he does sometimes. I guess you can only take a person out of a school but you can't take the school out of a person."

Fola tensed up as her palms became sweaty as the feeling she had had since the moment she met Godswill came washing over her again. "What do you mean?"

"Did you school in Ife?" Vwede asked.

"Yes, I did. Of the greatest Ife!" Godswill had his right arm pumping the sky as he exclaimed again. "And I studied Chemistry there."

"Really? You don't look like a Chemistry student," Vwede was saying as she polished off Fola's remaining piece of cake.

"Do I look like a Dramatic Arts student then?" Tunde asked.

"You? I totally believe that. You're the king of Drama."

"Can you imagine?" Tunde turned to Fola who had been quiet for a few minutes. "What did you study and in which school?"

"Fola? Are you okay?" Godswill asked when she didn't reply.

"Oh, yes. Yes, I am. I studied Chemistry in Ife too," she replied with a low voice.

"What?"

"Really?"

"Are you serious?" Godswill asked, with a smile on his face. "You were definitely not my year. What year were you?"

"2010 set."

"I was in the 2011 set. Greatest gbàgbà!"

With a lazy fist pump, she answered, "Gbàgbà."

The other two responded in laughter at her weak exclamation and continued to reminisce about their University days. Vwede had the most fun things to talk about while Tunde had them in laughter over his various mishaps during their drama nights and rehearsals.

*******

Godswill noticed that Fola had gone quiet from the very moment they began talking about their university days.

Maybe she didn't have pleasant memories about that time.

He moved closer to where she was seated and tapped her on the arm. She jumped again and he became worried. "What's up? Are you good?"

"Erm. Y-yeah."

But she didn't look good to him. She was even avoiding his eyes.

Just like the first time we met. What is going on?

"You don't look that great though? Are you sure you are okay?"

"I guess I'm just feeling sleepy," she said. This time making an effort to meet his eyes.

"Okay. Do you want to lie down in the room? Because these ones will not let up on their shouting." He pointed at Vwede and Tunde.

He watched her as she looked at the wall clock, which read 2pm. She looked in Vwede's direction too before she said okay.

"Give me a minute." Godswill stood and dashed off to his room to put it in place. He adjusted and smoothened out the wrinkles in his laid bed, put down the curtains and turned on the air conditioner.

"Fola," he called. "You can come in here to sleep."

Godswill watched as she picked up her bag and walked towards him lethargically. He really didn't know what was wrong but he hoped she wasn't coming down with a fever or any illness.

As she got close to him, he didn't know when his right hand found its way to her forehead.

"And what are you doing?"

He removed his hand. "Checking for a fever."

"Hmmmm. I'm okay." She looked around his room. "Your room is nice."

"Thank you. You can sleep in here. Vwede will come get you when she's ready. You can lock the door behind you."

"Okay. Thanks." She gave him a weak smile and shut the door.

He waited for a few minutes before he moved to meet his rambunctious friends.

Vwede looked up first. "What's up? Where's Fola?"

"She's in my room. She said she was feeling sleepy but I think she's not feeling too good."

"Really? Let me check on her."

"Ah, no!" He put his hands out to stop her. "She just went in. Let's give her some time to rest. I told her you would come to get her later."

Without another word to him, Vwede faced Tunde. "Don't you think he's being too protective? She's my friend, right? How come he won't let me check on her?"

Like he was absent, the two carried on.

"I was about to ask the same. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Vwede?"

"I believe so."

With that, they both turned to him and began to raise their brows at him, knowingly.

"You both are like two peas in a pod."

"Hmm, Tunde. He isn't accepting or denying anything."

"I can see what he did there. We know the truth. Let's not bug him too much yet."

"You guys should leave me alone and watch TV or something. Don't bother Fola either." He wagged his index finger at them.

"Yes, Bro Godswill," they replied in unison.

"I can't with you guys." Godswill moved to the dining area and sat as he brought out his planner for the month.

********

This has to be a dream. A nightmare even.

Fola had just opened her eyes after one hour of fitful sleep. She had never ever thought she'd meet anyone who could possibly know her from her school days, but here she was. She had run smack into a junior colleague. She now understood why she felt so uncomfortable when she first met him but there was nothing she could do now. Godswill had become too much of a part of her life in such a short time that she wasn't sure what to do.

She had been trying to forget that part of her past but it seemed her memory was intent on bringing back every gory detail of that life to the fore of her mind. She thought she had but it was now apparent that she hadn't forgiven herself for her past mistakes.

You're forgiven, child. You're washed clean and your sins blotted from my memory.

A tear trickled down her face as she heard the soothing words from her Father.

But people's memories are still intact. I bet they can even remember more than myself. It doesn't matter that I have changed.

Who you are now is not sourced from them. You're a new creature. The old is gone.

But, Abba-

No buts. Forgive yourself. If these people can't see past your past, they don't deserve to be in your present. I, your Father, have forgiven you.

And that's all that matters.

Yes. That's all that matters.

Another lone tear found its way down her face. She sniffled as she sat up and finally looked around the room she had called nice. She had just wanted to say something at that moment and that was the word that came to mind. But looking around now, nice didn't do justice to it.

Godswill's room was en suite, with a coffee brown bed frame holding a king-sized bed and covered with a blue-coloured bed sheet. The wardrobe was about two feet away from the bed frame with his shoe rack against the wall that held the door into his bathroom. The walls were painted in off-white. The black and gold-coloured curtains covered the lone window in the room.

Fola figured he was one of those who couldn't stand to be hot because he had both a ceiling fan and a one-horsepower air conditioner in his room. She smiled. The first one since discovering that she had more in common with Godswill than she ever imagined.

The dilemma she was faced with now: To tell him or not to tell him.

Fola heard a knock on the door and Vwede's entrance into the room pushed the thought out of her mind.

I'll think about it later.

**********************************

Hi, guys! One chapter to enjoy this weekend. We have a few chapters left!

Can you guess what's going to happen? Let me read your guesses here👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾