UNWITTING VESSELS (sequel To Vessels Unknown)

TWENTY THREE

But he fought to stay in control against Lashula. My mind was flipped through excuses till I found no more to give.
My phone buzzed. I answered and it was Jackson on the other end.

       "Thank goodness! We have been trying to get hold of you. How did it go?"

I shut my eyes to the light above me and calmed my very exhausted self.

         "Just got in now." I explained.

I heard them gasp in the background. "But, why?" Its been almost three hours and you are just getting home?" It was Zulema who complained.

The phone rustled in my ears, I guessed they where snatching off each other.

           "Is it you Dad again?" Diri asked with her tiny voice.

Air whooshed out of my mouth. How to answer that question perturbed me so much that I took my time before responding with a yes.

The phone moved again. I was in that room with them immediately. This time Ezekiel grabbed it from Diri. "So what happened?"

I heaved a sigh and focused on the screen of the phone before placing it on my ears. "Lashula happened."

The team gasped again. "Who again is Lashula?" Ezekiel asked.

I could already hear them arguing among themselves.

            "I said Lashula not shukura. So stop arguing whether you heard me right. And why is Nelson still zoned out?"

He couldn't have known that. I heard the phone crack in my ears again. Chuks voice came on. "How did you know that?"

That was when it dawned me that I have exposed myself. Let's talk tomorrow before you leave, okay? I didn't wait for an answer, I just hung up.

           Morning came with unexpected peace.  I turned to the other side of my bed and exhaled deeply. "Thank you Jesus!"

Thirty minutes after my morning prayers, I laid back down to stretch my long legs before the days job.
Something vibrated under my pillow, startling me.  I fished out my phone from where I hid it under my pillow. Isaiah 's name was on the screen.

           "Hello?" I spoke into the phone.

          "Good morning, Brother Jacob. Senior Pastor would like to see you."

My insides twisted at the mention of my father's title. I steamed in silence for a minute.

"Isaiah?" I called. "How about later? Now is not a good time."

His easy breathing on the phone showed he was willing to put his patience to work today."

He sighed, giving me that disappointed sound. "Oh! Bro Jacob, you are making this difficult."

    Distant shuffling and murmuring in the background intimated me that he wasn't alone in that room.

        "Brother Jacob? Could you hold for a second?" He asked.

Now it was my turn to be nervous. I didn't want to speak to him, my father.

        "Yes, I could do that. "

He placed me on hold. I patiently watched the clock across the room tick away.

        "Hello, Jacob." My mother's voice came through.

I swallowed hard. Then my mouth mute. Lord help me! I pleaded internally.
Another shuffling echoed in my ears before her voice chimed again. 

          "Jacob, are you there?"

I held my breath. I didn't really want to speak to anyone in the family. What i needed was time, time to figure this out on my own.
This morning, I'd planed to move into one of the rooms in the hostel, until things made sense to me.

        "Yes Mom, I'm here." I finally answered . Keeping the conversation short.

        "Come home." She pleaded.

My attention moved back to the clock on the wall. I just didn't want this circle of lies and mystery going on any further and the drama wasn't funny anymore. It'd become toxic and stifling.
          In addition to that, my spiritual life wasn't up for sale neither will it be the sacrifice for my family's redemption. In recent months, it'd been nothing but visible and invisible wars. I just couldn't take it.
Those times wasted on casting and binding, I could have invested it in my education and ministry.

        "Mum, I can't." I paused.  "At least not at this time."

My mother's breathing could be heard loudly over the phone. She was gulping air as if she was drowning. I felt her frustration, disappointment and trepidation.

       "Please Son, we are still your only parents. Come home." She desperately pleaded.
Before now, my mothers words were gold. I did every and anything she asks me to do. Even if she never spoke, one glance at me, and I'd be doing her bidding.
But things changed dramatically. I had to start thinking about myself too.

      "Mum, please keep Lena on the payroll and on her Job. It's important that she stays in that house. But when I'm ready, I will come home." I responded.

She stifled a sob and let out a deep groan. "Jacob, please." She sobbed.

A pool of tears had started gathering in my eyes, I pushed the emotion back. My fingers danced across the phone, settling on the red button.

Finally, I convinced myself that I made the right decision and hung up. I stared at the phone that hosted my mother's voice  a few minutes ago and pushed it back under the pillow.
Blinking away the tears from my eyes, I said a quick prayer and shut my eyes to the turmoil surrounding me.