The few days after Vera left Nigeria was very difficult for Stanley. The worst part was that Vera never communicated to him as promised.

A week later, one of Stanley’s neighbours who was a member of Christ Ambassador’s students outreach CASOR invited him for a programme in his fellowship. That was not his first time of inviting him to a programme. Stanley had always told him that fellowship was not for big boys like him. However Ben never gave up. He kept on disturbing Stanley.

“Stan how far now? I’m hungry”, he told Stanley.

“O boy, you know that I don’t cook. My girl has also travelled, so I don’t have any one to cook for me. Besides, I don’t have the appetite to eat.”

“I noticed you have been so quiet and reserved. What is the problem? Do you care to share it?”

“Ben, I am missing my babe. She just travelled out of the country. I never knew that I loved Vera to this extent.”

“Don’t worry get ready let’s go to my fellowship,” Ben told him

“Ben you know that I don’t do all these church stuffs in school. I only go to church at home, just to please my parents.”

“I understand. But trust me in this. Let’s go together. You will never regret it.

Stanley reluctantly wore his cloth and joined Ben in his car. As Ben was driving to the fellowship venue, he was seriously praying in his heart that God would arrest Stanley. Of course, he had always prayed for Stanley’s salvation .

The preacher preached powerfully. The Word kept hitting Stanley that he wept all through. When the preacher finally made an altar call, Stanley was the first to run out and surrendered his life to Christ.

Afterwards everything about Stanley changed. He truly surrendered all.

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

“Why is this girl showing up again after all these years. I hope that she has moved on with her life” Stanley thought.

He had been worried since Vera spoke with him on phone. The worst was that she wanted them to meet.

“Anyway I don’t think she expects me not have moved on with my life after these years,” Stanley murmured.

He quickly dressed up and headed for the place they agreed to meet.

Vera was already at the venue before Stanley got there. She was with a little girl. After the exchange of pleasantries, Stanley asked about the girl.

“Is she your child?”

“Yes, she is my baby,” Vera answered.

“That’s nice,” Stanley commented. That piece of information gladdened Stanley’s heat. He was happy that Vera already have a child. At least it means that she was not thinking of coming back to him.

“How are you girl?” Stanley reached out to Vera’s daughter.

“I’m fine sir” I’m fine sir she answered with smiles showing off beautiful set of teeth.

“What’s your name?”

‘I’m Bella”

“That’s nice. Bella, you’ve got a beautiful set of teeth,” Stanley told her.

“Just like yours,” Vera chipped in.

As they kept discussing, Stanley started getting worried about the little girl.

“This girl looks like me ” he thought.

“Stan, there is something I actually wanted us to discuss.” Her voice jolted Stanley out of his reverie.

“It’s okay.”

“Few days After I left Nigeria, I discovered that I was pregnant. It was a trying time for me. That was why I couldn’t get back to you on time. After few months I tried to reach you, to tell you but I couldn’t reach you. After few years, I came back to Nigeria to search for you. But I couldn’t locate you. I have to come again this time. Luckily I met your friend Mike. He was the person that gave me your phone number. Bella is your daughter. Bella this is your father.”

The little girl ran to meet Stanley. He carried her and placed her on the chair beside him.

“Baby girl please wait for us. Vera I need to see you” He stood and moved a bit far from the girl. Vera joined him.

“Vera are you crazy! Are you raving mad? You disappeared into the thin air, without caring how I fared. Your absence would have caused a great damage to my academic career if not for the grace of God. Now that I have picked the pieces of my life and found a girl that loves and cherish me. You have appeared again with your cock and bull story. Let me warn you, I am not interested. I have a girl that I am dating. We are getting married soonest. Please I want to beg you , don’t cause me pain again” Tears were flowing from his eyes as he was talking.

Vera joined in the cry too.

“Stan please I am sorry for everything that happened. I never planned to cause you pain and I will never cause you pain. My mission is not to cause problem in your relationship; Never! I have wished that we come together again. I have been wishing and praying that God will keep you for me.

Therefore I take whatever happens after now as the will of God. You knew that I was not a wayward girl before we met. After I left Nigeria, I had an encounter that changed my life. I gave my life to Christ. Since then, I have been faithfully serving him. Bella is your child. We can go for a DNA test to confirm that I am telling the truth. All I want is for you to accept her as your child. Afterwards, I will take her back to the states and continue with my life.”

“See I need to leave this place so that I can think. I will get back to you, ” Stanley said firmly.

He made an attempt to leave but Bella called him.

” Daddy where are you going to?”

He stopped on his track and turned.

“Bella, I will be back ” He told her and left.

Tega was in the compound when Stanley drove in. He just waved at Tega and went inside his house. Tega followed him immediately because he sensed that all was not fine.

“O boy what is going on?”

Stanley looked at him and tears flowed from his eyes.

“Guy be a man. What is going. On ?” Tega asked in anxiety.

Stanley still kept mute. Tears continued flowing from his eyes.

“Is it about Nnenna?”

Stanley shook his head.

“Then talk to me. The silence is killing.”

” There was a girl that I was dating back in school before I repented. She later travelled out of the country and we lost contact. Surprisingly she showed up today with a girl. She said the girl is my daughter.”

“Why didn’t she tell you all this while?”

“That is the major issue,” Stanley snapped.

“Don’t worry, I think she has a hidden agenda. She is trying to blackmail you but we will outsmart her.”

“No! That girl is my child. Apart from the fact that she had a striking resemblance with me, I feel it within me that she is my child.”

“So what does she want. Is she expecting you to start all over with her?”

“Not really. She is not forcing it. But her body language shows that she is still interested in me.”

” Of course she should. You are the father of her child. But I wished you told her about Nnenna,”

“I did. I made sure she understood that there is no vacancy.”

“That is the best. Since that has been established, the discussion should be on how to go about  co-parenting the girl.”

Tega it is not as easy as you sound. There has been this hidden fear in Nnenna. She might not be able to take this.”

“You are right,” Tega corroborated.

“Tega, I don’t want to hurt Nnenna. That girl has been through some stuffs. I don’t want to hurt her again. I know that she loves me. I love her too,” Stanley cried.

“You have to take things easy. You didn’t plan for this. The past came calling and there is nothing anyone can do about it. We all make mistakes. I advise that you tell pastor what is going on. He is the right person to talk to Nnenna.”

“I think that you are right”

Stanley’s phone started ringing. He looked and it was Nnenna. He raised the phone and showed Tega.

“Come on, pick up and talk to her,” Tega encouraged him.

“Hello dear, how are you” Stanley asked.

“I am fine. What of you?” Nnenna replied from the other end of the line.

“I’m good.”

“But your voice doesn’t sound so. Are you sure that all is well!”

“I’m very sure .”

“It’s okay I just wanted to check on you, to know how you are doing”

“That’s so thoughtful of you, thanks”

” Please don’t allow anything to bother you. If there is anything I need to know don’t hesitate to let me know”

“Sure, thanks. I will get back to you soonest”

“Alright thanks”

“Awnn! So sweet. I love love,” Tega gushed.

“Tega when will you grow up?” Stanley asked in feigned anger.

“Immediately you and Nnenna grant my wish of me being your best man, I will grow up.”

Stanley sighed.

“O boy don’t worry. Everything will be fine” Tega encouraged him

“That’s my prayer,” Stanley said with a sigh.