08/09/2022
BETTY’S PERSONAL AFFAIR
SCENE ONE
“What is it, Linda? Why do you stare at me like that.” Betty asked Linda, her friend who had kept staring at her.
“I am just wondering.” Linda answered, looking very serious.
“What are you wondering about?”
“I am wondering about you.” Linda said. “I am wondering if you are truly my best friend. Really, what kind of a human being are you?”
“What have I done again?” Betty asked, rolling her eyes playfully.
“I only travelled for three months and I returned to find out you are engaged. I thought I would have a role to play when you would make a choice.”
Betty laughed.
“Of course you have a role to play. That is why I asked Michael to come today. It is your opportunity to assess him. If you disapprove of him, then I send him away.” She snapped her fingers and giggled.
“You are not serious, Betty. But I am talking seriously here. You cannot do this all by yourself.”
“And, why not?”
“We have rules in the Church. The pastor and the Church committee have to be involved.”
“I am not getting married yet for crying out loud.” Betty bellowed. “Why should I get the whole world involved in my little affair? This is my personal affair. I am not a kid anymore, you know?”
“You know, you are too hard for your own good. All your choices always seem to challenge the norms.”
“What do you call the norms, Linda? Some of these practices in the Church are archaic, belonging to the last two generations. For instance, if I involve the pastor in this, he will invite Michael over to the Church and stand him up in front of all the youths so that he would introduce himself.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with that." Linda countered. "The same thing was done when my relationship with Ben was to start.”
“You know how nosy some of our youths could be. Tongues will begin to wag immediately and some will start asking me silly questions. I don’t have any time for all of that.”
“I still insist that you do the right things. You should abide by the rules of the Church for as long as you are a member.”
Betty stood and bowed comically.
“Yes, ma’am. I will think about it.”
“Silly girl.” Linda hissed.
Just then the door bell sounded.
“That must be Michael. Give me a minute.” Betty said, excitedly.
Betty ran to the door and opened it to let in her tall, square shouldered and handsome fiancé. He beamed brightly like he always did.
“I am sorry I am a bit late.” Michael said in his husky voice.
“You don’t have to be sorry, just come in and pay your fine.” Betty said, jovially.
Betty led Michael into her sitting room.
“Just mention anything you want. I will do anything for my angel.” Michael replied.
“No, it is not my call. You have kept my ‘bestie’ waiting, she is the one to fine you.”
“Alright then, I am ready for anything.”
Linda stood on seeing Michael. She smiled sweetly at him. Betty looked in Linda’s eyes to see if she was really impressed and Betty was satisfied at what she saw in her friend’s eyes.
“You are welcome, Brother Michael.” Linda greeted. “It is my pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, really. It’s so nice to meet you. I have heard a lot about you. Betty thinks the world of you.”
Linda gave Betty a teasing look.
“I am glad to know she told you good things about me. She could be naughty sometimes.” Linda joked.
“Yeah, I kept the bad things until later.” Betty joked too.
They all laughed.
“Please sit both of you. We have so many things to discuss and we can’t do it standing.”
They all sat and they spent the next three hours together talking, eating, playing and later praying.
SCENE TWO
Six Weeks Later
Michael worked on some documents on his desk in his office. He was clad in black suits atop a white shirt with a gray tie to match. His large-framed reading glasses made him look quite older than he looked when he was not wearing glasses. Betty sat across the desk. She had come straight from her office after closing to catch an appointment with Michael. She looked rather unsettled as she watched Michael work.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Michael asked, without taking his eyes off his documents.
“I don’t want anything, Michael. I am a bit anxious. This is the first member of your family I am meeting. I just hope he will like me.”
Michael looked up from his work now.
“Oh,” he giggled, “so you are anxious about meeting my Uncle Rufus? There is absolutely nothing to be anxious about. Uncle Rufus likes anything I like. He is the best of my uncles and the closest to me. I am sure he will adore you.”
“I really pray so.”
“See, Betty, you don’t have to be bothered about such things as this. Everybody in my family respects me and they always respect my choices. Don’t you see that I am a full grown adult? No one can tell me what to do.”
“Hmm,” Betty sighed. “For how long is your Uncle staying?” She asked.
“He will be gone in two days. He said he has to leave on Sunday.” He replied. “Let me quickly finish work on these documents and we will go. One of my subordinates is waiting to pick them up.”
“Okay.”
Michael continued to work. After a while he picked up the intercom phone on his desk and dialed a number. Then he spoke to someone on the phone.
“Tell Amos to come to my office now.”
Michael dropped the phone and looked at Betty.
“You look really gorgeous in this jacket.” He smiled lavishly.
“Thank you. It was my twenty sixth birthday present from my dad.”
“Wow!” He exclaimed. “It’s so nice to have a dad that cares. I really wish my dad were alive too. He died prematurely at ninety.” He joked.
“Sorry.” She said, half mockingly.
A young man in suits entered the office and walked towards Michael.
“Yeah, Amos, the papers are ready.” Michael said.
“Alright sir.” Amos answered.
Michael picked up the documents he had been working on and pointed them as Amos approached him. Betty was surprised to see Amos. He was a member of her Church and they both belonged to the youth fellowship.
“Brother Amos.” She called.
Amos turned to the sitting guest.
“Oh, Sister Betty, I didn’t know it was you seated there. How are you doing?” He greeted her excitedly.
“I am fine. So, you work here?” She asked.
“Yes, I work here. Are you here for business or just to see Mr. Mike?”
“Well, I am here to see Mr. Mike.” She answered, hoping Amos would probe no further.
Michael looked from Amos to Betty. Amos is one of his subordinates in the office and they got along quite well. He had not imagined that Amos would know Betty.
“I can see you both know each other.” Michael said.
“Very well sir. Sister Betty is one of our ‘spiritual mothers’ in the youth fellowship in my Church.” He joked.
“You are not serious, Brother Amos. Who is your spiritual mother?” Betty countered playfully.
Michael stood and walked towards Amos.
“Give me a minute, Betty and we will go.” Michael said. “I need to explain some things to Amos about those documents. You guys can continue your fellowship when you get to Church. Come with me, Amos.”
“Okay sir.” Amos replied before turning to Betty again. “I will see you around, Sister Betty.”
“Okay, Brother Amos.”
Michael led Amos out of the office. Betty heaved a deep sigh of relief. She was grateful that Michael took Amos out. She was also hopeful that he would not tell him about their relationship. Amos was the type that would probe into other people’s matters and talk. She did not want to tell anybody about her relationship with Michael yet, and she was not sure the news would not filter to the pastor if someone like Amos got to know. Only Linda could be trusted as far as she was concerned.
SCENE THREE
It was Saturday morning. Betty awoke from her sleep suddenly. She had been having a long, strange dream. Towards the end of her dream she had fallen into a very dirty swamp and she was wallowing in the mire when she woke up. She opened her eyes to discover she was in a strange bed. She looked around and it was a strange room. She was jolted. She noticed she was under a huge duvet. She lifted the duvet and saw that she was almost naked.
“Oh my God,” she exclaimed.
Looking around the room again she saw Michael’s picture hanging on the wall. Then she remembered what had happened earlier. She had come into the house with Michael but Michael’s uncle was not in the house. Michael put a call through to his uncle, or so he claimed, and the uncle said he had taken a walk and would soon come. Michael then served her a drink. She took the drink and began to be drowsy. Then she woke up on this bed.
Betty felt in her body and on the bed with her hand. She discovered that Michael had taken advantage of her. She let out a very loud shriek.
SCENE FOUR
Amos stood on the balcony of Linda’s house and waited. Sounds could be heard from within the house of people talking and laughing. It was Saturday afternoon and Amos had come to discuss something very crucial with Linda. The two of them were members of the same work group in the Church and they got along with each other quite well. Amos was not so close to Betty but he was friends with Linda. Linda soon came out from the house dressed in a sky blue blouse on top of a navy blue jean skirt.
“Hello, Brother Amos.” Linda called cheerfully.
“Good afternoon, Sister Linda.” He responded.
“Why are you standing outside here?” she asked. “Why won’t you come into the house?”
“When I came I noticed that you have guests in your sitting room, and so I chose to stay here.” He replied.
“Those are my cousins, not any special guests.”
“I want to discuss something very sensitive with you. We need to talk in privacy.”
“Really? I hope all is well? Your face looks too serious this afternoon.” She said, smiling.
“It is well.” He managed a smile too.
Linda pulled two chairs from a corner of the balcony and Amos quickly helped her with them. The two moved a little distance away from the house and sat under a tree in the compound.
“It is about your friend, Betty.” Amos started.
“Oh, Betty? What happened to her?” Linda asked anxiously.
“Well, she came to my office yesterday to see Mr. Michael, one of my superiors. Mr. Michael is an Assistant General Manager in our company.”
“Okay?”
“I was about to ask her what she was doing in our office when Mr. Michael dragged me out of the office, pretending to want to discuss official matters with me. He took me to an empty room and pleaded with me never to discuss anything about him with Betty. He said they are in a relationship and that he is deeply in love with her and would want her beside him all his life.”
“I am confused, Brother Amos. Why would he ask you not to discuss him with her if he is deeply in love with her?” Linda asked.
“You don’t understand, Sister Linda. Mr. Michael is married with three children.”
“Jesus Christ!”
“His wife and children live in the UK and he goes to visit them from time to time. I saw the woman and her children when they came for Mr. Michael’s fortieth birthday celebration last year.”
“Oh my God! Did you say forty?”
“Yes, Mr. Michael was forty last year.”
“But he told Betty that he is thirty five.”
“He must have told her many lies. Although he looks a lot younger than his age, he is forty plus. I am sure of that.”
“No, no, no, this should not be happening to Betty.” She stood. “Let me get my phone, I need to call her immediately.”
Amos pulled Linda back.
“Not so fast, Sister Linda.” He said. “Don’t you see what is at stake? It is my boss we are talking about here. I could lose my job if he found out I said anything.”
Linda sat.
“Oh God! So what do you want me to do? I have to do something.”
“I could not sleep throughout the night. I was wondering what Mr. Michael could want with Betty. He certainly has no plan to marry her. He could only be thinking to take advantage of her.”
“His wicked plot will fail in Jesus name.”
“I know my job could be on the line if I talked, and I need this job very badly. But at the same time I cannot bear to see a daughter of Zion’s life ruined because I am protecting my job. I don’t know what to do.”
“Hmm,” she sighed. “I understand your position, but we need to do something fast.”
“But, I just wonder why Mr. Michael was never introduced to us in the Youth Fellowship by the pastor. That is the custom in the Church whenever any of the youths is starting a relationship, isn’t it? Could it mean that the pastor knows nothing about this?” Amos asked.
“See, that is a story for another time.” Linda tried to dismiss the subject.
“If the man had been introduced in the Youth Fellowship, at least some of my friends that know Mr. Michael very well would have spoken up even if I couldn’t.” Amos continued, refusing to give up.
“We need to concentrate on how we can quickly get Betty out of this mess without implicating you.” Linda said.
“So what do you suggest that we do?”
“I need to think.” She said, shaking her head. “Please give me a few minutes.”
“Okay.”
Linda stood and went into the house. Amos sighed deeply.
SCENE FIVE
Betty laid on her bed and whimpered like a child. Her bed was not laid and her clothes were scattered everywhere. Her hair was ruffled and the skin around her eyes dark from incessant crying. Soon Linda’s voice could be heard calling from the sitting room.
“Betty! Betty!!”
Betty gave no response. Linda then entered the room to find her friend in that terrible state. She threw her handbag on a stool and rushed towards Betty.
“Betty! What is it, what is wrong?”
“I want to die, Linda, I want to die. I am going to die today.” Betty cried.
“Will you stop saying that?” Linda snapped at her. “You will not die in Jesus name. Just tell me what happened.”
“Betty, I promised God, I promised my mother, I promised myself that I would be a virgin on the night of my wedding. But it is all gone, it is gone.” She cried bitterly.
“What are you talking about, what is gone?” Linda is visibly shaken.
“Michael drugged me and took advantage of me. He destroyed the life that I have kept for all these years.”
“Oh my God!” Betty jumped. “He r***d you? Do you mean that animal r***d you? No, no, no. Why God, why?”
Linda too started to cry. She drew closer to a sobbing Betty and embraced her. They both cried together. After some time Linda spoke again, still in tears.
“You should have done all the right things, Betty. You should have told the pastor and the church committee about this relationship. You should have allowed the pastor to introduce you and Michael to the youths as is the normal practice in the Church.”
“But, how would that have prevented this from happening, how?” Betty asked, also in tears.
“At least someone would probably have told you that Michael is above forty, and that he has a wife and three children in the UK. Then you would have known he meant no good for you and you would have left him.”
Betty is shocked.
“What, what are you talking about, Linda?” she asked incredulously.
“I am so sorry. I just found out today. That is what I came here to tell you.”
“Haa! Haa!! Haa!!!”
Betty screamed again and again. She became hysterical, threw herself on to the bed and rolled around frantically until she fell off. Linda had to labour hard to hold her down.
End.
Coined from a true life story. All names and photograph are fictitious. Please share with friends.
David Ayodele
© 2022
BE GUIDED
Spiritual leaders and the Church system are God’s gifts to Christians for guidance. Don’t despise the system or disregard your spiritual leaders when making a choice of a marriage partner. It is only a fool that doesn’t listen to advice. There is safety in the multitude of counselors.
Sometimes the rules of the Church might seem harsh to you, but I tell you they are usually results of very grave experiences or divine direction. If the rules of a Church are generally not scriptural, then you are in the wrong place and you should leave. But if it is a matter principles and directives when it comes to your relationship, then you have to submit to the rules of the Church as long as you are a member. It is very wrong to remain and rebel.
Don’t forget, God can use anyone and anything to awaken you to realities. Your marital pursuit is your own affair as long as things are smooth. But if things go wrong, then you realize just how much you need the people you have ignored.
(Prov. 26: 12; Eccl. 4: 13; Prov. 11: 14; 1Cor. 12: 25-26)
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