After the encounter with Mrs. Jackson, I tried my best to avoid Greg. For some days, I didn’t go to my business place because I knew that he would come there. He also visited the house but I pretended that I was not at home. My greatest challenge was that I never wanted to cause a problem between him and his mother.

I was confused on the best way to handle the situation so I decided to visit our pastor’s wife to tell what I’m passing through. When I narrated everything that happened between me and Mrs. Jackson, she was silent for a while. Later, she started talking to me.

“My dear, it is well. If Greg is meant for you, no power will stop it. Even his mum cannot stop it. The only thing is that there may be delay. Mrs. Jackson is not a bad person, she is only acting as a human being that she is. That woman love you so I’m surprised that she is standing against your relationship with Greg,”

“I’m surprised too ma,”
“Please don’t hate her because of this issue. Concentrate on praying to know the will of God. If you are sure that Greg is the will of God for you, then you need patience. It will surely come to pass. But let him know that his mother’s consent is compulsory. Then, go into prayers. The Lord will work on her.”

In the evening, I recieved a phone call from Pastor to come to his office. On getting there, I was surprised to meet Greg and his mother. That , made me uncomfortable. I wished that daddy had hinted me on why he invited me. I would have begged him to excuse me from the meeting. The series of events that happened that period threatened to drive me crazy and made me wished to be left alone. I was contemplating running out of the office when Pastor noticed my confused state and helped me out.

“Judy, you are welcome. Please sit,” Pastor told me. That was when I remembered that I didn’t greet them.

“Thank you daddy. Good evening sir. Good evening Mummy.”

“Judy, this evening will be good for you and I, if you will agree to leave my son alone,” Mrs. Jackson told me.
As she was talking, Greg reached out to me.

“J-girl, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine and you?”

“I’m not good at all,” Greg responded and it made his mum very angry.

Pastor took over and we all kept quiet. He said a brief prayer before addressing us.

“I invited the three of you here for an important discussion. That was because Greg brought a report to me. Judy, why have you been avoiding Greg? He said that you refused to take his phone calls. What is going on?”

“Mummy warned me to stop seeing Greg,” I answered.

“Sis Jackson, is it true?”

“Yes daddy. I don’t want my son to marry Judy.”

“This is interesting. Are you the one to choose a wife for Greg?”

“Daddy, Greg will make the choice by himself but I have to give approval as his mother.”

“He has already made a choice and his choice is Judy. Why are you withholding your support?”

“Daddy please can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“If Greg is your biological son, will you allow him to marry Judy?”

“I will happily encourage any of my sons to marry Judy if she is the will of God for them. Now listen to my own question; if Judy is your daughter will you not want her to get married?”

Mummy Jackson kept mute; she didn’t answer the question till Pastor reminded her that he is waiting for the answer.

“She can never be my daughter,”shebsaid firmly.

“Did I hear you well? Does that mean you never wished to have a daughter?” Pastor asked her in shock.

“Daddy that was not what I meant. I was trying to say that my biological daughter will not behave like her. If she was to be my child, I would have trained her well. She lacked home training and that was the fault of her mother. I should not be made to suffer for another woman’s error.

On hearing her faulting my mother tears escaped from my eyes. It was unfair to refer to my mother as an indulging mother. That I was stealing was never as a result of negligent on her duty as a mother. She tried her best to give us the right upbringing. The only error was that Jesus was left out in the equation. If they have even been under the umbrella of a living church, may be the grace of the pastor would have covered us. However, they felt that they could do it all alone but they paid dearly for it. Of course, I was the greatest casualty.

“What kind of home training does she lack? Is she disrespectful or does she prostitute? What made you feel that she cannot make a good wife for your son?” Pastor asked.

“Hmmm daddy, you shouldn’t be asking the obvious let it not be that it was heard from my mouth. We all know that she cannot keep her eyes off what does not belong to her. Was that not the reason John refused to marry her?”

“Sister, that was in the past; she has been delivered. Is there any sin that the blood of Jesus cannot wash away?”

“Her case is different; her type of stealing runs in the blood. Any child that she gives birth, to will also steal. Another is that she is under a curse. Imagine someone stealing God’s money.”
Pastor quickly interrupted her.
“Sister, please stop! I am highly disappointed at the kind of words you are speaking. I used to rate you high spiritually. Though I still thank God for this kind of situation, it gives people opportunity to show their true colour. All the same, I advise that you go and pray over this issue. Don’t take a rash decision.”

“Daddy, thank you so much for your intervention. Keep praying for us. As for me, my mind is made up. Whether Judy steals or she does not steal, she is my choice.” Greg told Pastor.

“Your mind is made up to do what? Ah! America has finished me. I sent my beloved son Gregory to America. But who do I have here? ……… Greg the Americana. Listen to me Gregory, it is over my dead body that you will marry this thief. If I ever see you around her again, I will lay a curse on you and commit suicide afterwards. You want to destroy the good name that your father and I have laboured over the years to build. It will not happen while I am alive. You have to kill me before you marry her.”

She stormed out of Pastor’s office.

I decided to take some leave and visited my parents hoping that it would help me to forget what was going on. Greg kept calling on phone but I told him to sort things out with his mother.

One evening , my dad invited me to the living room and started discussing about one of his friends.

“Judy, do you remember Dr. Gbenga the one that used to call you his daughter in law when you were growing up?”

“Yes sir I remember him. He was always buying snacks for me,” I said with smiles.

“You are right. Do you remember his son Femi? The one that studied law.”

I never wanted to respond to my daddy anymore. I could sense the direction that the discussion was heading to.

“It’s like you didn’t remember him. But he is always talking about you.”

“Daddy I remember him. He is so arrogant.” I replied.

“No you don’t talk like that. He is a good boy. He just came in from the states and he will be visiting us in the company of his father tomorrow. Please delete whatever bad thought you have about him. His father told me that he is interested in marrying you. ”
“Daddy please, I cannot marry Femi,”I said firmly.

“Why would you not marry Femi?”

“I don’t love him. Beside, he is not a child of God.”

“Look at this girl. What do you know about love? Your mother should come and warn you. If you miss this opportunity, then you must bring a man to me in the next one month. Those ones that are children of God, how many times have they disappointed you. Nonsense!”