I need to know

I have the permission to share this wonderful story written by Onose Adeleye Inino. The story will help to curtails the happenings around us; in churches or mosques as it were. I believe we can learn something from this…

I Need To Know!

Jerry Johnson or JJ as everyone called him was a very, handsome man. He knew it and everyone who saw him knew it. He was dark skinned and his skin had this glossy look, his nose was pointed and his slightly pink lips were just the perfect shape and size. He was also a little over six feet with a great physique and thanks to the weight lifting equipment in the gym where he patronised, his shoulders were broad and his muscles taut. He also liked to pride himself on his ‘six pack abs’. Not quite like the ones in the movies though but a good one nonetheless. Before he gave his life to Christ, he had been modelling men’s underwear and also featured in many adverts that didn’t require the guys to put on shirts; but after his conversion, he settled for modelling men’s clothing.

Singing was JJ’s passion. He sang beautifully and also played the keyboard; little wonder he joined the choir. He would take praise and worship and the whole church would be spiritually charged; jumping, singing and dancing unto the Lord. Then during the worship session, he would kneel down on the altar or better still, lie down flat and just speak in tongues and cry. Whenever, he took a solo in Church it was very unusual to see anyone still sitting down or dry eyed. On some occasions, he would take a special number and play the keyboard himself. He made a very lovely picture and if you asked anybody who knew him what they thought about him, they would say, “JJ loves the Lord.”

It wasn’t so surprising then to see that he received a lot of attention from the sisters. After service, they would stay back to see him for one reason or the other. ‘JJ, please what do you think about this song that I’m trying to score?’ ‘JJ please could you help me play the keyboard for my solo?’ And from the spiritual things, they would become friends.

Anita met JJ when he was invited to minister in her Church; she also ministered that day and after the programme, her Music Director introduced her to him. They exchanged pleasantries and phone numbers and a friendship kicked off from there. JJ at 30 years old was self-employed and that was part of his allure to the ladies. Asides modelling and doing adverts, he was also into some legitimate money making businesses. He lived alone and his house was in one of the highbrow areas of Port Harcourt. He invited Anita to visit and as their friendship progressed, he gave her a spare key. Whenever Anita came around, she would help him cook, clean and dust the house and if she saw clothes lying around, she would put them in the washing machine. He didn’t have to ask her to help him do those things; she believed that if she was going to be his wife, she should show that she wasn’t just a pretty face. Of course, JJ as any single man would, usually enjoyed all the meals and ‘help’ he received from her.

During his cousin’s (Alan) birthday party, he pleaded with Anita to help make the fried rice because her fried rice, said he, was ‘to die for’. That day, she had to literally run from the office because her boss wouldn’t permit her to leave. She pretended that she was ill and rushed home to cook. Many of JJ’s friends and some of his family were at party and JJ introduced her as ‘his best friend’ and ‘the lady behind the awesome fried rice’. She had expected something more than that but she guessed he felt that that wasn’t the right time or environment.

In Anita’s Church, there were about three brothers who were interested in pursuing a relationship with her but none compared to JJ in her opinion. JJ was everything she wanted and some more. So she told those brothers that she was already in a relationship. Yes, they all knew JJ because he came around to her Church often. He also drove her home from work most times and they spent a lot of time together.  Everyone who saw them affirmed that they made a beautiful couple.

A year later, JJ met Becky. The media house where she worked approached him to be the face of one of their client’s product. It was ‘love at first sight’ on JJ’s part. While she discussed with him on what the job would entail, he kept smiling at her sheepishly and completing her sentences. At first, Becky wouldn’t even have lunch with him but he was persistent and because of the job at hand, they were always in one meeting or the other together. Becky’s resistance didn’t last; she finally agreed to visit him at his place. JJ was ecstatic. He cooked for her himself, ordered small chops and chicken and bought wine. At exactly 5pm, the doorbell rang. He took one last look around, rubbed his hands together in glee and rushed to open the door.

“Hi dear...” Anita.

“Anita.”

“Hi baby. You’ve not been answering my calls and messages for days now. I was worried.” She gave him a quick hug, then gently pushed him aside and went into the house. “Something smells good. What is it?” she made her way to the dining table.

JJ looked towards the gate, scouting for Becky before he closed the door and hurried to Anita. “Anita, wait…”

“Why?” she opened one of the glass bowls and went “”Mmmmmm, smells so nice. Who cooked?”

“Me.” JJ said, glancing at the clock.

“You can cook? How come I didn’t know? Besides how did you know I was coming?” she pulled out a chair to sit down.

“Wait, Anita. Wait. Please this food is not for you. I’m expecting a guest.”

“What guest? From work? I could join you guys.”

“No. not from work. A friend.” He scratched his head, “A lady.”

Anita lifted her eyebrows in surprise, which quickly turned to disbelief and finally, anger. She jumped up from her seat. “What the meaning of this? What are you talking about? Are you cheating on me?”

“Well, Anita I can’t be cheating on you when we are not in a relationship.”

“Not in a relationship? We are going out. My folks know you. My church and yours know we are in a relationship. How can you be saying that we are not in a relationship?”

“Anita, calm down. You say we are going out? To where? Have I ever said I’m in a relationship with you? Did I even ask you for one? Have I introduced you to anyone as the lady I love?”

“But you said…” the doorbell cut Anita off.

“That would be Becky. I should go and open the door for her.” As he spoke, he moved out of the way and gestured to Anita to move to the door. “And please, when you can, bring my house keys back.” Still in shock and without a word, she picked her bag up and went to the door. She flung it wide open and with a scathing glance at the lady whom she presumed was Becky, she left the house.

“Welcome, please come in.” JJ hurriedly said. “You look really lovely.” His eyes took in her casual but chic green knee-length gown and her flat red sandals; her makeup was light and her accessories were silver.

“Thanks. That lady looked angry. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything?”

“Ah, no. She’s a sister in my church. Sorry from another church. Long story. Please come straight to the table.”

“Oh, you cook?” Becky asked, smiling.

“I do.”

“Can’t wait. Thank you.” She sat on the chair that JJ had pulled out for her and dropped her bag on the floor beside her. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

§       §

When Anita got home, she went straight up to her room and there she cried her eyes out. She really had thought that this was it; her last ‘bus stop’, and that JJ would one day be her husband. Looking back now, she could see that indeed he hadn’t made any move towards committing to her. She had given him her all and this was how he was going to repay her. Her head jerked up when she heard the room door open. She quickly wiped her tears but she wasn’t fast enough. It was her friend, Zoe.

“Hi, Anita. Your brother Rex asked me to come up. I came to get the CDs.”

“OK. How now?” her voice didn’t sound as clear as she would have wanted it to be.

“What’s the problem? Are you crying?” Zoe sat on the bed beside her and put her arm around Anita’s shoulders.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“Talk to me please. What’s wrong?”

“JJ.” She didn’t hold back again, she needed to let it out.

“Ehn, what happened to JJ? Is he ok?”

Anita managed to tell her everything.

“Hmmm. Anita. I don’t even know what to say. Did you guys define anything?”

“Not officially, we just knew we were going out and everybody knew too.”

“But he didn’t make any commitment?”

“Not really.”

“And you never asked, ‘What are we doing?’”

“Did I have to?”

“Well, because as harsh as this may sound right now, he really didn’t make any promises to you. He just callously led you on.”

Anita shrugged Zoe’s arm off her shoulders and sat up.  “What was I to think? We were an item, doing everything together. How would I have known that he didn’t feel the same way that I did?”

“Please don’t be offended. I’m on your side here. Did he ever tell you that he loves you?”

“Yes! Always after we make…” she kept quiet and fixed her eyes on the wall above Zoe’s head.

“After what Anita? Did you sleep with him?” her tone was firm but not judgemental.

Anita bit her lip over and over again. “I didn’t want to. He kept asking. He was my first, honestly.”

“Hush.” Zoe reached out to her again and held her. “It’s ok. But you need to talk to God. There’s also something that I should have told you and I’m sorry I kept it from you all this while. I thought I was being a good friend. ”

“What is it?” she leaned on the wall and folded her legs beneath her.

“Ok, when you started this JJ thing, someone from his Church told me that JJ is not someone you would like to settle down with. Apparently, he has broken quite a number of hearts in his own Church and outside too.”

“You heard this and you didn’t tell me?”

“I’m sorry. You know how they say that you shouldn’t tell your friend if you discover that her guy doing this or that…” Zoe said lamely.

“Seriously? That’s your excuse? I would have wanted to know and if you are my friend, you should have told me! Leave my reaction to me. That’s not your business.”

“I couldn’t have even…”

“Zoe,” Anita interrupted her.

“Yes?”

“You should go. Like you said, I need to talk to God.”

§       §

JJ knew that he was in love. He had never met a lady like Becky. She was beautiful, intelligent and had a great sense of humour. He soon realised that she was also very disciplined. The few times he had hinted at sleeping with her, she had been very angry. “What do you take me for? I am a child of God. Like you are supposed to be, by the way.” He had covered up by saying he was just joking. As for cooking, cleaning and washing his clothes, the way she carried herself wouldn’t even allow him ask her to. Once though, she had cooked in his house, when she taught him how to prepare coconut rice. She didn’t sing but she was worded and deep in the things of God. JJ was in love. The day he had told her that he loved her, she replied, “Thank you JJ. I’m really grateful.” That didn’t deter him. He knew she loved him. He could ‘feel’ it. He was finally ready to settle down. Excited, he went to the Jewellers’ and bought a gorgeous ring.

The next week, Becky called him one morning, asking if they could talk later in the day. He told her he would be home and that she could come over, then he started making plans for the evening. When Becky knocked at about six pm, she discovered that the door was open, so she went in. The first thing she noticed was the candlelight, and then the rose petals leading to the sofa, where a bottle of wine was nestled in a bucket of ice. There was soft music also playing somewhere in the background and the aroma of fried chicken and something she couldn’t quite place, assaulted her senses.

“JJ.”

“I’m coming. Please make yourself comfortable.”

Instead of sitting, she paced around the sitting room, unconsciously stepping on the rose petals as she went.

“Hey, Beautiful.”

She turned to see JJ standing behind her; his handsome face in a breath-taking smile. She had been so intent on her thoughts that she didn’t hear him come up behind her.

“Hey, you.”

“Come, sit.” He led her to the sofa and pushed her gently to sit while he knelt beside the sofa.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

“Let me start by saying that ever since I met you, I have not been the same. You complete me. You are the perfection of my imperfection. There’s nothing I want more in life than to spend the rest of my days loving you and …”

“Wait JJ.”

“No my love. I’ve waited long enough. I got a long speech prepared but it seems to have vanished from my head. I love you Becky. Will you marry me?” he brought the ring box out of his pocket and sprang it open.

“JJ, I wish I had known what you had up your sleeve, I would have told you not to bother.”

“Bother? Nothing is too much for the woman I love.”

“That’s the problem.” She got up and pushed past him. JJ got up and went after her, confused. She stopped suddenly and turned to face him. “I don’t love you.”

“What do you mean? You do, I know you do.”

“A few months before we met, my fiancé had just been transferred to the UK. He asked that I go with him and I couldn’t. Not then. That led to so many things and we decided to hold the relationship off for a while, see how it goes and all that. But, I still love him, always have, and always will. He came into town just yesterday and I’m ready to move anywhere to be with him.”

She looked up at JJ and saw the disappointment and the tears shinning in his eyes. There were tears in her eyes too but for a different reason. She loved Donald, her fiancé and she was ready to be with him.

“But you led me on Becky.”

“I’m sorry if I did but we didn’t really define anything. Did we? I’ve got to go now. I’m so sorry JJ.”

Written by Onose Adeleye Inino .