"The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible but to know God." —James Merritt

Promises are meant to be upheld but Fola couldn't get herself to fulfill the promises she made to her sister and the one she made to Bisi.

Her eyes drifted to the box that lay hidden behind the curtains in her study. She dropped the journal she held on the wooden table in front of her and took a few steps to where the box lay. Her knees connected with the ground as she knelt in front of the box. She pushed away the curtains and pulled out the box and rose to her feet. With gentle hands, she carried the box to her seat. Her hands grasped the latch and she opened the box with one pull.

A breath left her lips as her eyes connected with the contents of the box.

A brown dairy locked by a little rusting padlock stared at her. Moisture filled her eyes as she thought of the words written inside. Words penned down by her beloved mother. She gently pushed it to the side and gazed at the next book. A lump formed in her throat as she looked at the words in gold cursive writing.

Holy Bible, she silently read and her stomach flipped. She traced her hand over the black cover.

Sis, promise me you will try and rebuild your relationship with God.

The words of her sister drifted into her head and her stomach churned with unease. Her eyes remained on the Bible as different thoughts raced through her mind.

She might have forsaken God but she remembered her Sunday School teacher once said that the best way to know God was through His word, the Bible. And she was going to try that.

Her hands trembled as she gingerly brought out the Bible and placed It on the table beside her journal. She refused to look at the remaining contents of the box because she wouldn't be able to stop her tears from rushing out. So she quickly closed the box and placed it back in its hiding place.

She returned to her seat and picked up the Bible. Her hands trembled as she opened the first page. Tears gathered in her eyes as she read the words written.

This Bible belongs to the Gregory Family.

Tears stung her eyes as she read all their names written in the spaces underneath. A tear rolled down her face at the realization of the incompleteness of her family.

No more Papa. No more Mama. And no more Kit. She thought with bitterness. From a happy family of eight to a sober family of six.

She sniffled and used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. She willed herself to stop crying but more tears poured out. Finally, a few minutes later, her tears dwindled to light sniffles, and her vision cleared.

What next? She wondered. Where should she start? She asked herself.

If you don't know what to read in the Bible, start with the book of Psalms.

Fola's heart lurched as she heard the voice of her mother loud and clear in her head. Her mother had given that advice on a hot night a year before she died. However, after her mother's death, she had forgotten all about it.

Her breath hitched as it dawned on her that she had been recalling the teachings of her mother more than she had in the last eight years.

The weight on her lap brought her back to reality and her eyes drifted down. Whether her mother was there or not, she vowed never to ignore her words. So she began to flip through the pages of the Bible until she got to the book of Psalms. Her eyes scanned each chapter as she searched for something that may help in her quest.

She didn't have to search for long because moments later, two verses in Psalm 25 jumped out at her and she whispered the words in the silence of the room.

"4 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You, I wait all the day."

Her lips trembled as the words struck a chord in her heart. The words were words of prayer. Something she hadn't thought of in years. A myriad of emotions surged through her and left her feeling helpless.

Questions arose in her mind leaving her more disturbed.

Did she have the strength to face the truth?

Was she ready to wait for God to guide her?

She was unable to clear her confusion because a knock on the door shattered her meditation. A frown marred her forehead as she wondered who could be at the door. She gently closed the Bible and placed it on the table. Her heart raced as she ambled towards the door. She pulled the door open and surprise surged through her.

Two pairs of eyes stared at her with anticipation gleaming in them.

"Tobi, Olivia!" she exclaimed, "what are you doing here?" Her eyes widened.

"Can we please come in?" Olivia asked in a small voice.

Fola's heart lurched. Her mouth opened and closed as she stared at the little girl. Banke's warning flooded her mind. But how could she turn away the innocent children?

"Can we please?" Tobi sent her a pleading look.

Fola's stomach churned but she couldn't bring herself to say no. So she opened the door wider and moved to the side.

"Come in," she whispered.

The children grinned and raced inside. Fola closed the door and stood behind them. She couldn't stop thinking about the consequences if Banke found them fraternizing with her. She made up her mind that after a few minutes, she would gently send them away.

Something in her heart squeezed as the children occupied the two available armchairs. Years ago, when she stumbled upon the room as a new wife, she decided that whenever she had children, they would spend a lot of time in the room, playing, reading, and generally spending time with each other.

The irony wasn't lost on her. For the first time, children were there with her. But they didn't belong to her. She couldn't relax and have fun like she once planned. Banke's furious face acted as a constant reminder.

A squeal broke her musings and her eyes darted to the children. Her brows wrinkled as Olivia beamed at the leather-bound Bible on the table. Tobi also wore a similar delighted expression. Fola's amazement increased. How could a mere Bible cause such excitement?

They turned to face her with wide smiles.

"Your Bible is huge!" Olivia exclaimed and opened her arms wide to indicate the size.

Fola shook her head. "It's not my Bible." It's my mother's Bible. She thought. "I am just borrowing it," she murmured.

"That's not a problem. Would you please read to us?" Tobi asked.

"Please," Olivia added.

Fola's breath caught up in her throat as she digested their request. How could she read to them when she had not read the Bible in years?

Her mouth opened to say no but she was unable to utter the words.

"Pretty please," the children said together.

Her mouth closed and she found herself at a loss for words. Finally, her shoulders dropped in defeat. She could not fight the pleading look they sent her.

"Okay, fine," she breathed out. She took a step forward but stopped. Her eyes darted between the two children. "There's no place for me to sit," she declared and held her breath, hoping the excuse would help her get away from going through with the plan. However, luck was not on her side.

"You can sit on the chair and I can sit on your lap," Olivia said with a grin.

"That's a great idea," Tobi remarked with a hint of a smile.

Fola sighed and headed to the armchair Olivia sat on. There was another jolt in her heart when Olivia slid onto her lap. A sense of yearning filled her and she wondered what it would feel like to carry her own child.

"Come on, Auntie." Olivia's voice broke her thoughts.

She produced a smile of apology and looked at the Bible. Her hand trembled as she picked it up. A lump lodged in her throat as she stared at it. She forced the lump down and turned the first page. Her voice cracked as she did something she hadn't done in years.

She read the Bible.

                      ★★★★★

Oooh, screams in excitement! 😁😂😂

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Until next time, be happy. XD