*ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:*

EPISODE 8

Reverend Leo woke up to see almost 200 missed calls on his phone. He was both surprised and scared because he just decided to sleep for two hours and then this. At first he feared that someone had died but then he decided to change his thoughts to positive thoughts only. He wanted to call the callers one by one but he didn't know whom to start with. Finally, he decided and picked one number. His heart was pacing up and down as he waited for Sister Rita to pick. Finally she picked up.

*Leo:* Hello Sister Rita, how are you? I missed your call.

*Rita:* Hello Reverend, good evening sir, how are you and Mummy?

*Leo:* We are doing great by the Grace of God! I missed your call, I hope all is well and there is no problem?

*Rita:* Of course sir, there is no problem, I called because I wanted to tell you congratulations sir. I saw the good news online.

Leo who was surprised and had no idea what Rita was talking about and decided to ask.

*Leo:* Thank you, but what good news are you talking about?

*Rita:* Reverend the good news about Mummy. I am so happy, after so many years of waiting God has finally blessed you and Mummy. This is a fufillment of scriptures and a proof that they that wait upon the Lord will never be disappointed. Papa you have no idea how you have built my faith and that of so many persons.

Reverend Leo who was still confused, was trying to understand what Sister Rita was saying.

*Rita:* Papa my prayers for you and Mummy is that with this pregnancy, God will give you double or even triplet as a prize for all your waiting upon Him in Jesus name.

It was at this point that Reverend Leo understood what Sister Rita was trying to say. So Rachael was pregnant and he didn't know about it? Who was responsible for the pregnancy? Did she go ahead with her plans with Alfred? Or was he the father of the baby? Leo was so lost in thoughts that he didn't hear the last words of Rita, not until she asked.

*Rita:* Reverend are you there? Did you hear what I said.

Reverend Leo quickly remembered he was on call and answered.

*Leo:* Yes sister, Thank you so much, I really appreciate, we appreciate your call. May God bless you.

*Rita:* Yes sir, my regards to Mummy and please tell her to take plenty of rest, we don't want to hear stories now that God has finally done it for us and answered all of our prayers.

*Leo:* No problem sister, she will hear.

After Rita ended the call, Leo received 7 other calls all of which was to congratulate him on the pregnancy of his wife, which he was not even aware of. He decided to call Rachael who was in the kitchen cooking. They've not really been intimate as husband and wife since the Alfred's saga, they just lived like two strangers in the house. Leo barely speak with her. But after hearing this news he decided to call her.

She grudgingly walks up to him without answering his call.

*Rachael:* So, you still remember my name. I thought you have totally forgotten.

*Leo:* Rachael are you pregnant?

Rachael looks at him. And started rubbing her stomach and smiling.

*Leo:* Answer me Rachael, are you pregnant?

*Rachael:* So, you finally noticed, I thought you would never ask.

*Leo:* So, it's true, you are pregnant and the whole country knows about it except me your husband.

*Rachael:* The whole world. What do you mean by the whole world. I've not told anyone about it.

*Leo:* You've not told anyone yet the whole country is calling me to congratulate me.

*Rachael:* Well, I don't know anything about that.

*Leo:* So, who is responsible? Who is the father of the child you are carrying?

*Rachael:* What kind of question is that?

*Leo:* Rachael, I haven't got angry with you in a long time that I can remember, don't make me get angry now because if I do, it won't be funny, just answer me, who is responsible for your pregnancy?

*Rachael:* It's our baby Leo, yours and mine...

Just then her phone starts ringing. Leo picked up the phone and sees the caller. It was Alfred.

*Leo:* Pick your call Rachael.

She bends and takes the call. Leo listens as Alfred congratulates her, he watches his wife as she smiled and grinned from ear to ear. After the call he spoke with pain in his voice.

*Leo:* So, it's Alfred's baby?

*Rachael:* No baby, it's ours, Alfred may have been the instrument that God used to put in this child but the baby is definitely ours. 

(Leo was staring at her) Baby, nothing has changed. We will just relocate from here and have our baby in peace. Alfred will not bother us. God has answered our prayers, ain't you happy?

*Leo:* Shut up, just shut up!

With tears in his eyes, he stood up and walked away.

________

Leo returned to the house very late at night, his eyes were swollen from crying too much. He went straight into his room and fell on his bed. Not quite long Rachael walks up to him.

*Rachael:* Are you sleeping?

Leo ignores the question and laid still facing the wall. Rachael quickly goes on her knees and starts crying.

*Rachael:* Honey please, I don't want us to live like this anymore. I know you are angry with me but I want you to know that whatever I have done I did for the two of us. I want us to have our own children, I want us to be parents like other people too. You know on a normal circumstance, I will never allow any other man touch me. Please Honey, I am not happy that things went this way but please let's let go and move ahead with our lives. Honey please.

*Leo:* I begged you Rachael, I pleaded with you but you allowed the devil take possession of your heart. You allowed impatience overwhelm you and you lost yourself in sin. The sin of adultery.

*Rachael:* I am so sorry dear, I am really sorry, I was desperate, I was determined.

*Leo:* Now, you are pregnant. This is why you have suddenly realized you are sorry. If you weren't pregnant you wouldn't have come to your senses. You wouldn't be begging right now. You insulted me, you threatened me, you even blackmailed me, you disobeyed and ignored me just because you were blinded.

*Rachael:* I am truly sorry my husband. I have begged God to forgive me and I know he has, so please forgive me too and let's plan our lives together just like we used to. Please Honey, for the sake of our unborn child.

*Leo:* Your child Rachael, your unborn child, that child is not mine and I will never accept it as mine. That child is a product of sin and I will never be part of that sin.

*Rachael:* (angry) Stop talking like that, ah ah. Don't call my child such please. We did this together. We are in it together. Now, I am begging you so that we can come together and ask God for Mercy and build again like we used to, you are bringing in the past.

*Leo:* I am not part of your sin. Don't rope me in.

*Rachael:* But you are Leo, you are. You brought the money we used in settling Alfred, so you are part of this.

Leo smiled and then raised up his head.

*Leo:* Rachael, you are so lost and I will pray for God to redeem your soul. Yes, I took the money from church and I quickly realized and wanted to return it, but you stole the money. You stole it! I never gave it to you.

*Rachael:* You had it in mind and that was why you signed it and kept it carelessly for me to steal. Whatever you say we are in this together. So let go the drama and let's plan on how to take care of our baby.

*Leo:* Your baby Rachael, not mine. And don't you think you will blackmail me once more with the 7million naira from church. Because I already returned it.

*Rachael:* What?

*Leo:* Yes dear, I returned it already. Look outside, I have sold my car, I also took some loans and by the Grace of God, I have returned it same way I collected it.

*Rachael:* But how would you be moving around. You can't be entering bikes or cabs up and down.

*Leo:* I am not like you Rachael, I will wait on the Lord to bless me when He deems fit.

He stands up and walks away.

*Rachael:* Buh, buh buh...

*Leo:* I forgive you Rachael. Ask God to forgive you too, and be truly repentant from your sin and change your ways.

Leo walks away with Rachael staring at him as if she's seen a ghost.

WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 9

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*ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH:*

EPISODE 13

Grace had not slept ever since she left Chief Ike's office. She remembered all he did and everything he said to her and she regretted ever going to him. But she had to go because the money he gave her was finished and she needed to talk to him to employ her as a cleaner in one of his companies. At least that way she won't have to rely on anyone or beg anyone for money again. No matter how small her salary might be.

Chief Ike welcomed her into his office and offered her tea which she refused. She then told him of her reason for coming. Chief Ike told her it was a brilliant idea and promised to help her and give her a better job than a cleaning. 

Then he stood up from his seat and went over to her and place his hands around her neck and starts fondling her ears and her hair.

Grace was not comfortable with this but she kept calm so as not to blow her little opportunity of getting a job. She needed this job for herself and her little boy. But then Chief went far by putting his hands through the neck of her slacked Polo shirt down to her breast. He squeezed her breast gently and she jumped up from the seat.

"Sorry sir, what are you doing? Why did you that?" She asked. 

"Relax Grace, I am only playing with you, see eh, the whole of this company is mine and I can give you any position you want. I can even go as far as making you the manager of this company, so long you are very hardworking and you make me very happy. Chief Ike said while smiling foolishly and walking towards Grace again.

A shocked and scared Grace moved backward as the Chief moves towards her. 

"Please Chief, as you know I am already a single mother, I have nobody in this whole world. It's just me and my little boy. I need this job mainly because of him, so that I can at least provide his little needs. Please Chief I cant do this, I can't afford to get pregnant again when I have not got over the first. I really need this job sir. Please daddy!

A smiling Chief Ike looked at her again before he spoke. "The more you speak, the more I want you for myself. See how calculated your words are, and this is the reason I am now in love with you. See eh, you will not get pregnant okay? I will make sure of that, and stop saying you don't have anybody in the whole world. You now have me all to yourself and I will take very good care of you. You can confirm from any of my wives, nons of them is regretting why they married me, I will send you and your son to any country of your choice, you will drive the best cars around, you will sleep and wake up in money. Just come to me dear. And even if you get pregnant, I will marry you and you will be my number seven hehehehehe" he laughed foolishly at himself. 

Grace was irritated by his laugh but did not show it. "Chief number seven?" No ooooo, I don't want to be number seven wife o, God said one man one wife. How can I marry you and be number seven? What will Reverend Leo and the church say to me? What will God think of me?

Which Reverend? Which church? I am the church and the church is me, without me that church will cease to exist don't you know that? I am the pillar of that church and nobody can challenge me there, not even your Reverend. My money is what was used in building that church, I can wake up and decide that they all should get out of my property one day because I built it with my money and no one will be able to challenge me. Do you know how much tithe and offerings I give in that church? That is why they respect me and can't cough when I talk. If I want to be the Pastor of that church today I can be the Pastor all I need to do is voice it out. But I don't want that for now. 

Do you know that when I don't go to church they will all troop to my house and start asking me why? Then they will start kneeling and begging me to come back and using sweet words on me. Do you think they do that because of love? It's not because they love me, but because they love my money, the money I give to the church. I am the sustainer of that church you see today. The Pastor and almost all the members they don't know God, they are all pretenders. In fact all the churches you see today they don't know God, they don't go to church to worship God, they go to church to worship man and money. So my dear, forget the church. I rule the church, my money rules the church. 

Chief Ike walks towards her and she tries to open the door and run away but the door was locked. The Chief smiled as he caught up with her at the door. He held her face and kissed her pressing the whole of his big body over her. Grace could not breathe or fight him off because he was far bigger than her. She struggles to get herself free from him but she couldn't. The Chief went further and starts pressing her breasts tearing her bra from her chest and then sucking on her breast. 

Grace screamed so loud that it got him terrified.

"What is it? Why are you shouting like that?" The Chief asked. 

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't so this. I really can't. Please don't help me anymore. Open the door for me let me go. Please sir. Grace pleaded with hot tears gushing from her eyes. 

"You are very stupid. A very stupid girl. Do you know how many girls are begging me to marry them? Even in the church there, do you know how many twist and bend their waist at me just so I will notice them? And here you are getting a free chance from me and you are turning it down. You are really stupid.

He took out his brief case brought out fifty thousand naira in bundle and threw it at Grace.

"Take this fifty thousand naira and get out of my office and don't you ever come here anymore. Stupid girl! The money is for your smelling bra that I tore. Now get out!

Grace took the money and ran out of the office. It was when she was outside she realized her cloth was torn badly and she can't really go home like that with exposed breasts, and so she hid behind the big beautiful building to wait a little till the day was dark before going home. 

Thank God she left her boy with Nkechi her friend, so she knew the boy was safe. 

She sat behind the building crying and thinking of all that life had thrown at her and before she knew it she had slept off.

_______________________

It's been two months since the death of Reverend Leo and the church has taken up the responsibility of the burial. Pastor Jim who has automatically become the Pastor and General Overseer of the church has made himself the coordinator and the one in charge of the burial arrangements.

"Pastor Jim, don't you think the budget for this burial is too high? How can we buy coffin ordinary coffin for 750k, it's too much na. And you also budgeted 3million naira for just food and drinks. Don't you think it's too much? It's a burial not a feast. And if we are not careful people might just start thinking we are celebrating and not mourning." It was the Treasurer talking. 

"But of course, it's a celebration of life. Our Reverend has gone to be with the Lord and so we have every course to celebrate despite the circumstances surrounding his leaving. What is most important is that he is with our Father in heaven." Replied Pastor Jim.

"I know this Pastor, but the budget is still too high. You've drawn a budget of almost 10million naira. Is it not too much?" The Treasurer asked again.

"Why are you sounding like this? Reverend Leo was a highly respected man in this society. He was a king and should be buried like a king. That 10million naira is just management compared to what I have planned for him. My very Reverend? God forbid that we bury our Reverend in a small way. God forbid it. Listen my dear, the money is there, our Reverend worked so hard to raise this money. It's so unfortunate he was not wise enough to spend it when he was alive. At least now that he is dead, let's give him a befitting burial. After all he won't enjoy from the money anymore will he?"

"No, he won't!"

"Ehn! So let's bury him well and stop complaining about money.  Jim concluded.

"Ah, but Pastor, it's so surprising that Reverend Leo is actually gone. Just like that. His killers will never go unpunished in Jesus name.

*Jim:* Amen and amen. I feel so bad for him o, they didn't even wait for him to carry his unborn child. It's so pathetic.

"Now, what will happen to his wife, the church and everything he left behind?'

*Jim:* Well as for his wife, I really don't know. She is still a very young and pretty woman. After having her baby she might decide to marry who knows. Then for the church, obviously I will be the new Pastor of the church. And the one in charge of everything. The account, and all.

"Wow! Pastor you don hammer be that o, there will be no fear of anything or anyone again abi? It will just be me and you running the accounts and everything. And maybe you will get an assistant too." The Treasurer said excited

Jim smiled for a while before speaking out. 

*Jim:* Well about that, I really can't tell for now, I don't think I'd be needing an assistant for now, I don't want anyone coming to oppose me on anything or any decision I take in this church. So, I won't be needing any assistant. And even the post of a treasurer I don't think ..., well I am still thinking if I'd be needing a treasurer in the church. 

"How do you mean?" The Treasurer quickly asked. 

*Jim:* Well, I don't know yet, I've not really decided, I will make that decision after the burial. 

"Are you planning to discard me now? After all we've been through together in this church?"

"Discard you how?" Did I say anything like that? Why are you getting yourself worked up over nothing? I just said after the burial, we will decide on that. Those things are really not in my head right now. We have just two months to the burial. It may seem far to you but is really not far. Please come let's continue with the planning. After the burial we can discuss this." Jim replied. 

They both sat down and started writing some things down with Pastor Jim stealing glances at the Treasurer. He already made up his mind to drop him after the burial. He does not trust him enough to leave church fund with him. But he was going to relax and endure till after Reverend Leo has been buried. 

WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 14

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