Dedicated to delouxeon ❤

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The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. -- Psalms 34:17 (KJV)

The d-day was here and Posi was a bundle of nerves. She checked and rechecked the arrangement, changed the positions of the food stand, rehearsed her Welcome Speech till she had it memorized and couldn't stop wringing her hands.

She wasn't nervous because things were not in place. She was because she hadn't organized an exhibit before and it had been a while since her work was under scrutiny from anyone.

"Posi." She turned towards Funmi.

"Yes."

"Please, stop frowning and go change. It's almost time to begin."

"Yes, I will. I just want to che--"

Funmi interrupted. "You have checked everything like a thousand times now. If you adjust one more frame or move the refreshment table one more time, I will tape your butt to the chair in your office."

Posi laughed. "I'd love to see you try."

Funmi moved towards her with her arms spread wide like she wanted to lift her.

"Okay, okay. I'm going to my office. If you need anything, --"

"We won't need anything and if we do, we will handle it. Óyá, be going."

Posi moved to adjust a frame but Funmi intercepted her movement and glared at her.

"Alright. Alright. I'm going."

Posi shuffled to her office and sat there, whispering words of prayer.

"Abba. I commit this into Your hands. Let the purpose for it be fulfilled. Teach me the words to speak."

She continued to pray for a few more minutes before she began to dress up. Funmi came in at some point to help her with her makeup. After some minutes, she was good and ready to go.

"Osé! See my beautiful friend," Funmi gushed.

Posi twirled around in her burgundy-coloured one-arm-off-the-shoulder jump suit and silver-coloured heels. "Emí niyén (That's me)."

At some minutes to 4pm, Toyin peeked in. "Awwwwn. You look so beautiful."

"I know, right. A certain someone is going to be stunned into silence today," Funmi said, eyes glinting.

Posi raised her brows in question, but Funmi only turned away to continue what she was doing.

"You can come into the auditorium now. Our guests are arriving already," Toyin said.

"Okay." She picked her phone. Then, turned towards Toyin. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes, ma'am. All set."

As they arrived at the entrance of the venue, Posi sighed. "Let's do this."

********

After greeting everyone who came in for the exhibit, it got to the time to give her Welcome Speech.

Posi walked as steadily as she could to the middle of the room and clicked her glass of cocktail with a spoon. Once she had everyone's attention, she cleared her throat and began.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It's my pleasure to welcome you to tonight's exhibit. I'm not one for long speeches or any words at all. My bathroom wall may disagree though, " she paused as people laughed.

"However, this exhibit was placed in my heart by God. It wasn't decided on a whim or for the fun of it. It's a story I'm sure a lot of us, or some of us will be able to relate with. I want to thank God foremost for calling me His own. My mum for her support. My best friends, Gerald and Funmi. Mr Tayo Sijuade who I wrangled into modelling for this. Toyin and the rest of my staff." She made eye contact with those present before she continued.  "That said, let's proceed down this hallway as the exhibit begins."

With her right arm, she beckoned to the crowd to follow the ushers dressed in black. According to Toyin,  there were roughly 30 persons in attendance and that was just perfect for what she had planned.

As they got into the hallway, they met the first picture tagged The Hurting. In the frame, Tayo was seated in a room with dark walls and bent over like a person in pain. The look on his face was indecipherable. The lower half of the picture was the painted part, with shadows all around and a tiny lone leaf with what looked like eggs on the underside.

Some people lingered while others moved to the next tagged The Longing. Tayo was lying down in the grass with his right arm reaching out. It looked like his hands wanted to dig into the earth. The upper half showed the sky with a lone leaf bearing a caterpillar.

The Searching and Revealing was the next frame showing Tayo standing at a t-junction of a road with his hands cupped over his eyes looking far away. The upper half was painted showing the caterpillar changing into a chrysalis and light shinning overhead.

The final frame was tagged The Healing. Tayo was standing in a field of flowers with his arms spread out and his face turned up towards the sky. The lower half was the painted field of sunflowers and a lone butterfly in flight.

While people lingered trying to put the pieces together, Toyin and the other ushers moved forward to arrange the frames from the first to the last one with The Hurting first, The Longing placed below it, The Searching and Revealing placed beside and The Healing on top, all forming a larger frame. The new arrangement highlighted the painted parts and showed the life cycle of the butterfly while it's in the shadows and in the light.

Then, the spoken word began, filtering in through the speakers.

"Where am I? Who am I?"
I cried out with a voice broken.
"Why am I here in this abyss of despair?
I don't know what I'm doing here.
Did I walk in here on my own?
Or was I born into this?"

Questions and more questions pour out from my pain-addled mind.
I try to scream but my voice is gone.
I try to whisper but it seems too much work.
I claw at the walls as they close in on me.
But it doesn't stop. It doesn't crumble. It doesn't budge.

Sigh.

I have done nothing to deserve this.
Or so I think.
Moving in the vicious cycle of pain:
Wake, weep, toil, sleep, repeat,
I wish it could be better.
But wishes weren't horses and for sure I wasn't a prince.

There is a longing of my heart.
Crying, hoping, yearning for more.
Praying that I won't perish in this pain that threatens my life.
My heart longs for a life devoid of hopelessness; a life filled with joy and freedom.
A life in which I won't have to grovel for love or wish for death to take me away.
A life I can live with a smile on my face and a swagger in my step, happy to live the life I know deep down is mine.

I search in books and none could quench my thirst.
I engage in vices but I feel more lost.
I gird up my self-will only to fall again.

Tired and with the last breath I can muster,
I whisper,
"Help me."
And I lay there,
Spent, unmoving, on the verge of lifelessness, at the end of myself.

Seconds passed,
My eyes fluttered shut
And open like a flickering lamp.
Fighting to stay awake, alive
Holding on to the last bit of hope that someone, anyone will come to save me.

Heart rate slowing down,
Hope fizzling out like air out of a deflated balloon,
I heard the sound of running feet.
It's probably my mind conjuring sounds, I thought.
But then I felt a touch and a caress
Feeling like a balm to my wounds and bruises.

I felt a breath on my face
My eyes swung open
And then shut.
The brightness of the light burning and soothing
"I am here," He said.

With an embrace of love and hope,
I felt brand new and rejuvenated.
Without a word, I knew I was where I belonged.
I was where my heart had longed for,
Where my soul would find succour,
Where my spirit would soar
And where the life I once knew would be done away with.

After the last word was spoken, people milled around to check the frames again.

"I hope you enjoyed this exhibit." Posi paused. "As shown in the frames, no matter what stage you're in on your path to healing, there is still beauty in you. You're a masterpiece irrespective. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. And the only place you can feel that and more is in the arms of the One Who made you. Thank you for coming tonight. God bless you."

There was a thundering applause. Posi was humbled and truly elated by what had happened. She was surrounded by people who wanted to ask her questions or just speak with her. This went on for about 15 minutes till the crowd dwindled and she was left with her circle of friends and the cleanup team.

Thank You, Abba. She whispered with her eyes shut.

*********

Tayo had arrived an hour before the exhibit started. He saw Posi briefly when she walked in and went to greet her. She looked absolutely stunning.

He knew she had a lot of things to do and he wasn't going to stand in her way. So, he watched from the sidelines. For someone who didn't give speeches, she had a way with words and it was indeed enchanting to watch.

He had been stunned himself when he saw the frames. Posi didn't let him see the pictures or painting when they were ready. He had to experience the feeling of seeing them for the first time along with others, she had said.

And oh, was he glad. The frames were just exquisite and well done. Maybe I should consider modelling.

He remembered that Doubra had mentioned it to him countless times. Even the guests he invited had said the same thing.

And the message that was passed across by the frames was just beautiful.

He moved to stand by a corner to watch Posi interact with her guests. Just then, Toyin walked passed him.

"Hey, Toyin. Well done. And good work on the spoken word," he said, beaming at her.

"Thank you, sir. Hope you had a great time?"

"Yes, I did."

They chatted for a while before Posi, Funmi and Gerald joined them.

"So, this is where you have been hiding," Posi said in a mock accusatory tone. Her arms folded, she fixed a playful glare on her face.

Tayo was full of smiles as he said, "I didn't want to be in your way. Anyways, this was spectacular. Well done."

She returned the smile and with her hands clasped, she said, "Thank you. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you guys. So, thank you."

She looked at all four of them and gave them a hug each.

"So, I think we should call it a night. We have church tomorrow. And we need rest as it is," Funmi said.

Everyone nodded and went to gather up their things. The cleanup team was done and they could all leave.

Toyin left with Funmi and Gerald while Tayo insisted on dropping Posi off. Besides, she had no choice in the matter.

*********

As Tayo drove towards Posi's home, Posi stayed quiet in her seat. He guessed she was ruminating on how the day had gone.

"Tonight was indeed amazing. And you looked stunning too. For someone who doesn't like crowds, you did remarkably well. Congratulations, " Tayo said, as he glanced at her.

She laughed. "I know, right. I kept wondering if it was me that was addressing the guests. And thank you."

"It was well-deserved. So, I have the aso ebi for my dad's birthday with me. I'll drop off Funmi and Gerald's too."

"Yeah. That's true. It's next month, right?"

"Yes. On the 20th."

"Okay." She looked out the window. "We are here. Thank you for dropping me off."

Tayo alighted with her to pick the materials from the boot. He handed them to her. "You are welcome. I will see you tomorrow."

With his hands in his pockets, he stood facing her like there was something he wanted to say. No, needed to say. But now isn't the time.

Yes, hold on.

"So have a great night."

"You too. 'Night." She gave him another hug.

"And it couldn't have been only me that saw the way Tayo was looking at Posi tonight," Funmi began as soon as they left the studio grounds.

Toyin giggled from the back seat. "I did too."

Gerald grunted. "How was he looking at her? You people have started again o. Only you sees what everybody else doesn't."

"He obviously likes her. It was shining through his eyes. It was so sweet." Funmi's face took on a dreamy look. "I'm so happy for Posi. My efforts are finally yielding results too."

They stopped at the traffic light's red signal. Gerald turned to Funmi. "And how is it your effort?"

Funmi gasped, with her right hand on her chest. "Why would you say something like that? They met because I arranged it."

"Yeah, right. Anyone hearing you will think you actually made it happen."

"Well…"

"I thought so."

Toyin snickered and they all dissolved into laughter.

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

First of all,

Posi's outfit: