Greg was the only child of Mrs. Jackson. He was a replica of his mother: tall, fair and handsome too. Greg was living abroad but his mother invited him home to come and take over the family business after her husband’s death. It was dream come true for me when Greg started showing interest in me. It all started on a day that Pastor asked me to lead prayer in the church. At the end of the service, Greg came to meet me.

“I’m impressed with the way you handled the prayer session. Keep it up.”

“Thank you sir.” I was so excited that someone found an activity I performed in the church interesting. Apart from Pastor who believed that I was a changed person and tried to encourage me. Majority of the members always find ways to pick holes in my activities.

“Another is that I noticed that you speak flawless English. Have you lived outside the shoals of this country?” Greg asked.

“I have visited the States a couple of times in the company of my parents.”

“That is quite interesting. Which parts of USA have you been to?”

“I’ve been to Washington, Canada and California. Actually, I and my only brother are US citizens. The plan of my parents was that I will have my tertiary education over there. My younger brother is currently schooling there. But an incident that happened in my life made my father turn his back on me. All of a sudden, I started stealing. All the efforts of my parents to stop me from stealing did not yield any result. I was constantly causing them embarrassments to the point that my father almost chased me out of the house. He rented an apartment for me with the warning that I should never visit them. The first day I came to this church, I attempted stealing money and was caught. But that incident lead to my deliverance.”

“Ha! So you are the person involved? I heard the story. But it’s not a big deal. I will like us to be friends,” Greg offered.

“It’s okay sir,” I responded in excitement.

“Please cut off that sir stuff, I don’t appreciate it,” Greg said with smiles.

“It’s noted sir,”I responded.

“There you go again, with your sir,”he joked.

We both busted out laughing.

“I’m so sorry for all you passed through. I will advise you not to mourn over it. If there is life, surely there is hope. But who have been taking care of you?” Greg asked.

“My parents of course. They never abandoned me. My father just wanted me a bit far from him to lessen the heart ache I was causing him.”

That was how I and Greg became friends. Before I could say Jack, he proposed marriage to me. It seemed like the marriage was a sealed deal from the point of the proposal. The good news was that Mrs. Jackson loved me so much. She has been a source of encouragement to me. Her encouragement, that the future is bright, made me to forget about John’s disappointment. All these signify that the coast was clear. However I set aside time to seek the face of God, to know if Greg was the will of God for me. I was still on that when Mrs. Jackson visited my house. I was overjoyed as I ran to hug her.

“Mummy you are welcome. Ah! you remembered me today. I am so happy.” I was jumping around in excitement like a child that received new set of toys. You don’t have to blame me because my sweet mother in law visited. I was ready to do all it would take to impress her.

“Judy it’s alright. How are you?”

“I am fine Mummy what should I offer you? Whatever you want to eat just let me know. I will prepare it right away,” I offered.

“Thanks but I don’t want to eat anything. I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. That was why I came.”

“Okay Mummy.”

“What is going on between you and Greg? I have been noticing unusual moves and communications.”

The question caught me unawares. I was not expecting it because she was supposed to get any information she needed about the relationship from her son. I faced the ground and could not talk.

“Talk to me. Why are you keeping quiet?” she asked softly.

“Mummy I don’t know what to answer; I am feeling shy. Why not ask Greg?”

“I asked him but he told me not to bother for now. That is why I decided to ask you. I know that you will tell me the truth.”

“Mummy, Greg proposed marriage to me.”

“What was your response to him?”

“I have not given him any response. I need time to think and pray over it,”I answered.

“Why will you be wasting time, when you already know the best reply to give him?” Mrs. Jackson asked.

I smiled to myself. I know that Mrs. Jackson can’t wait for me to become her daughter in law.

“You mean I should have told him yes? But Mummy I need to seek the face of God. Marriage is a lifetime affair,” I told her.

“Who is talking of yes? Are you dreaming?”

The statement threw me off balance.

“Am I dreaming?” I repeated after her in utter dismay. “Mummy I don’t understand.”

“What is hard to understand in this matter? My son cannot marry you,” she said firmly.

“Mummy I don’t know why you said that Greg cannot marry me. But I feel the first thing should be for us to pray and know the will of God.” This statement made her angry and she flared up.

“Did I hear you say ‘will of God?’ why didn’t you consider the will of God before you went about stealing? Is stealing will of God? My son is not a thief so the will of God for him cannot be a thief. Please leave my innocent son alone. Don’t come and contaminate the pure blood that runs in my lineage,” she warned.

I gasped at her cruel words. Beads of sweat streamed down my face. I felt it was a bad dream that I needed to wake up from.

“This is not real; Mrs. Jackson cannot be the one talking,” I told myself.

“Mummy, I am surprised at what you are saying. You have been praying that God should give me a good husband. This could be an answer to your prayer,”I told her thinking that it would help to calm her, not knowing that I have poured fuel on fire.

“You must be very stupid to have said that. So, I wronged you by praying for you. I didn’t know that you are an ingrate. Even if I asked God to give you a good husband, are you not sensible enough to know your level? If the one that is more than your level comes, wisdom demands that you quickly dismiss such one. Anyway, thank God you still remember that I am a prayer warrior. I will destroy whatever charm you are using on my son with prayer. But I need to warn you; if I see you an inch close to my son, I will abuse you physically,”she threatened.

“Mummy it is me, Judy; your favourite daughter. Please don’t come in between me and Greg, I beg you in the name of God. I have always loved you since I joined the church and I know that you love me too. I wished to have you as my mother-in-law. Please join me in prayers to know if he is the will of God for me. If God say we are not meant for each other, then we can go our separate ways.” I begged her in tears.

“Thanks for all your love and wishes, gold-digger! Unfortunately, the feeling is not mutual. Stay away from Greg. I will not warn you again.”

“But mummy, it was Greg that proposed marriage to me. I never went close to him till he approached me. Please go and discuss with him and leave me out of it. ”

“Listen to me Judy or whatever you call yourself. If you tell Greg that you will not marry him, there is nothing he can do about it. I want you to tell him that you are not interested in marrying him. Don’t involve me in it. Don’t cause problem between me and my son. ”

“Mummy, I am still praying concerning Greg’s marriage proposal. If I pray and he is not the will of God for me, there is no problem. But if he is the will of God for me, then he needs to know what is going on. I will not tell him lies.”

“Really? It’s okay the battle line has been drawn” she threatened.