REMOULDED

Chapter Thirty Six

Robert Milkoff could not believe his eyes. Beads of sweat were soon gathered on his forehead while his bemused brain battled for what action to take.

Should he just bring out his cell phone and ring the police but Pastor Douglas was there with her and also she was the mother of his child.

He just sucked in a breath and his eyes flared in limitless anger.

"I understand the feeling,Mr Roberts. But can you please allow us in and talk things out". The solemn voice of the clergyman rasped along with the whistling of the window-side shrubs and the helpless Roberts pushed the door wide for them to come in. The voice of the pastor was just one he could not dishonour.

He took them into an airy room with a well designated centre table,two sofas and a settee and a pair of windows revealing the snow-stained street.

He fell on the settee with the anger still evident on his youthful face. He was a man well into his forties but the smooth curls of hair and tender skin could cast a doubt to that.

" I was surprised when I saw her too. It's been years and I could hardly believe she could still trace and locate the church". It was Pastor Douglas who had joined them together as a couple about eighteen years ago and he was the one who had been in charge of the christening of their baby girl not long after. He had been a pastor and a close friend to their family before the marriage suddenly broke down. So,it was not a big surprise it was him that the prodigal wife had sought for at the moment.

"What do you want me to do now,Pastor?". Roberts rather asked in a voice that could not be classified as angry or soft. He had tried to control himself to remain as calm when speaking to the reputed man of God.

" I want you to listen to her explanations. She told me some things and I will like you also to hear her out". The clergy man pleaded.

Okay. Roberts only muttered and shut his eyes against her as she talked.

"I'm sorry Roberts. It was Sadou that forced me to take all those actions. He threatened me with phonecalls and I was too foolish to heed to him, I ---".

" You hear that, Pastor. Senseless explanations. Well,I've heard. I've heard. That's all,then leave my house now". Roberts fired,his escalating anger now out of bound. He could not bare the unpleasant words any longer. Sadou forced her to take the actions?. Sadou also forced her to file a divorce and abscond with him?. How can she ever think he would believe that.

"Roberts,I've told her also that she has no good excuses. I've told her the unblemished truth that she only took the actions because she wanted to and not that someone forced her. And she had accepted and repented. She had taken all the blames for it. For Christ sake,please find a place in you to forgive her. Consider the love our Lord Jesus has for us that he suffered for our sins." The clergy man preached and Roberts made an uncomfortable shift on the settee.

"Okay. Forgiveness?. I've forgiven her. That's all,isn't it". He shrugged and immediately stood to his feet," Then tell her to leave,Pastor. I've forgiven her and I don't want to see her again". He fired.

"Sit down,Mr Roberts. At least if you don't respect me,please respect Christ and sit down". The clergy man said solemnly and the words took the angry man like a storm.

He never wished to get rude at the man of God but the sight of the devilish Mbaina still in house kicked up an inestimable anger in him.

He fell back on the settee and breathed an apology between his teeth.

" Be ye angry but sin not. And let not the sun sets on your anger,". The clergy man drew a scriptural line after few seconds,"Is there anyone who will not get angry in your case?,I haven't seen one. If you get angry,really really angry at what happened, you're still forever right.".The man stopped to allow another few seconds of silent digestion of his words before he continued,

"But you might never be right if your anger cause you to sin. You might be wrong if you don't forgive. Consider the story of the prodigal son who was still welcomed back despite his unwise attitudes. Consider that and take your wife back".

" No. Pastor. No. No"Roberts spat out in a second and then gave a reaction of calming himself down before his next words,"I respect you a lot Pastor. I respect Christ too. But taking her back won't be ever possible. I don't even know where she was coming from. I don't even know what she had been up to over the years". He concluded in a mollified tone.

"I know where she's coming from," The man of God said and Roberts cornered a confused look at him, "She's coming from big regrets and repentance". The man continued and Roberts felt his head burn with the smart answer," I even know what she's up to at the moment. She's up to see her child and husband again. The best honour you can ever give me,Mr Roberts,is to take her back. I can stand for her now. She has repented and will not go back to her vomits". The man assured and Mbaina immediately fell into her knees,crawling slowly towards her weeping husband.

She reached for his legs and he shrank them back. She moved closer and held again, now tightly that he could not withdraw them. And then she wept over his feet.

"She changed me Pastor," Roberts found himself crying out after her warm tears landed on his skin,"She made me hate the black people. She made me paranoid. I showed her rare love and she betrayed me." He sobbed and lifted her head to his wet face,"Mbaina why?. Did I ever do you wrong?. Is it a fault that I showed you love?. These questions have haunted me ever since you left."He confronted in profuse tears.

"I'm sorry Roberts. I regretted everything. Sadou made me suffer and I felt pained for all I've done. I know I don't worth to be a wife to you anymore but you can take me as your maid in the house. I just want to be seeing you and my daughter everyday. That's the only thing that can ever bring back joy to my sad soul"

She pleaded and Roberts drew her face into his chest. Her tears trickled into his shirt and he realized he still loved her. The love of eighteen years was still there forever. The love that had made him choose her over the tons of ladies in New York had not died. And the addiction to her that had made him refuse to remarry ever since their divorce was certainly eternal.

She was the mother of his only child too and he loved the child she had given him. She had given him a beautiful and intelligent daughter and he had hoped they would live a lovely,smooth marital life before...

Okay.

Maybe things could return to normal now. Maybe he could forget all those pains and love her like before.

They held each other still,weeping and remembering the years apart and hoping life together could be promising again.

While Pastor Douglas just stared in admiration as cold air from the snows whistled through the pair of windows.