THREADS OF DESTINY

CHAPTER 92: A NEW BEGINNING

Richard truly believed in demonic attacks if you announce your plans beforehand, but for Lani who struggled when he suddenly disappeared without warning, he made an exception to the rule as long as it was kept between them. Lani, therefore, was surprised when she returned to church the following evening and his van wasn't in its usual parking spot. It was possible that he was running late, the man not nearly as punctual as she was as he often received calls as he was heading out the door. Lanecea, distracted by his absence, didn't notice the group of women approaching her until she was surrounded and was even more taken off guard when the woman who had made her a few meals after discovering she was living in a homeless shelter began to shout at her, demanding she throw herself into oncoming traffic as they stood in front of the church near the busy road.

"I don't understand," Lanecea stepped backward, glancing over at the crazy amount of traffic whizzing past. She wouldn't survive if she obeyed. "Why do you want me to die? I thought...you brought me food..."

Lanecea recalled how Richard had immediately taken it from her, throwing the contents in the garbage while announcing his worry that she had poisoned it. Where was he? Richard had been right to worry.

"You've destroyed the church," the woman shrieked although the church was far from destroyed. "You've cast a spell on our pastor and he isn't fit to lead our church now. You are a sorceress and seductress. Jump out into the road - it will be over quickly."

"No, I won't. I have done anything wrong."

More women crowded around, pushing Lanecea toward the road until within seconds Lanecea was panicking in earnest.

"Where's pastor? Please help me," Lanecea tried to see past their heads, looking toward his empty parking spot.

They'd succeeded in pushing Lanecea to the edge of the sidewalk when Lanecea screamed louder for help just as one of the deliverance ministers stepped out of the church and spotted Lanecea surrounded by the women.

Sticking his head back into the church door, he yelled something in Yoruba before two more men ran out of the church, breaking up the females, but the first man was the one who had been the husband of the woman Lani had once called "Mom" - the man who accused Lanecea of the same thing and had joined Stephan's new church. He had more authority than the younger men and one look at him informed Lanecea the was out of luck as he stepped forward.

"That man is not coming to save you, but your murder will not be on our hands - not tonight. Leave, Lanecea, and don't return. You have seduced the pastor and have brought an evil spirit within the church. We have tried without fail to cast it from you. Go, or you will be killed."

Lanecea glanced between the deliverance minister and the woman surrounding her before she ran as fast as possible without looking back. There was no way in a million years she would step foot within that church unless at Richard's side.

Lani kept her inner promise as she bolted and chained her apartment door the second she returned home, then quickly sent a text.

"I forgot to tell you I'm going to be away. I'll deal with what happened tonight when I return, but you know they hate you. I've warned you many times to stay at my side and don't let anyone touch you. Stay away from the church and wait for my return. I love you, Lani. You've done nothing wrong. You're my answer to prayer, so don't take what they said to heart."

"Alright, but please, I hate it when you abandon me suddenly like this. Now you know why. Something bad always happens and it isn't just because my dad did the same. Please, please, can you remember to tell me when you need to leave me?"

"I promise. I have to go."

It wasn't a huge deal that Lanecea wasn't attending church as she really only attended for Richard's sake. It was almost a relief when she didn't have to darken the church's doors. In the meantime, she attended therapy but returned to her parents' home as well to spend time with her brothers.