Since I was a victim of a casualty, I was expecting that my insurance bond would cover up for breaching the contract and I wouldn't have to pay a huge fine but I costed them way too much, enough to be paying a fine for the re-casting and re-shooting of the film.
Monetary losses, litigation, long-term career damage... Quitting mid-shoot was going to ruin my life, I knew it.
I didn't even want it anymore. I was tired of everything. I was ready to give up.
The media carried my story and it was everywhere on the news and on social media. The police relented when they could find no trace of the culprits and they believed that I sold myself for sexual gratification. Everyone had a different opinion of my story; there were falsifications of articles and blogs on the internet regarding what happened to me that night.
I greatly desired for Nicole to be exposed by just anyone wise enough to see her diabolical activities around me but no one saw that. No one payed attention to the celebrity's daughter; they were all focused on bringing me down, calling me names—a wannabe, a foolish and a reckless teen, naive, selfish... Selfish?! Oh, c'mon internet!
I deserved it. She used me, deceived me and went away with it.
***
My father was on his way back from Nigeria, he heard about everything. Who didn't?
We were back in Olive Valley, in Melody's apartment.
Melody was there to alleviate the depression within my soul. I was so glad that I had her around. It was unusual how peaceful I felt in her presence, forgetting about my shame and problems. We engaged in conversations and her words were more pacifying than anything else.
"Tea?"
She placed the cup of tea and biscuits on the table before I even got the chance to respond.
"Thanks."
I sat upright on the bed and she began to admonish me.
"Let me tell you the story of a young boy who dreamed dreams," said Melody. "He was about your age and he dreamt of being great. Not a hope or a wish kind of dream but an actual dream while he slept. So, he told those around him. However, they scorned him because they didn't understand, but he continued to dream that which was connected with his purpose in life.
"One day, he was asked to check up on his brothers at a field as he has been directed by his father but when he got there, he was wandering as though he had lost his way. The young lad would have easily returned home and told his father that he couldn't find his brothers, but instead he found a man that would tell him exactly where to find his brothers. Now, if the young lad had returned home, he wouldn't have met that man, and if he didn't meet the man, he wouldn't have found his brothers and if he didn't find his brothers, he wouldn't have fallen into the doom that awaited him, being planned by his envious brothers. That's not the end—if he hadn't fallen into that doom, he wouldn't have fulfilled his dreams.
"Eventually, when he found his envious brothers, they gripped hold of him and sold him into slavery, to a strange land. At this point, the young lad must have been confused and sad and overwhelmed. All he knew was that he had an honourable dream but where he found himself was somewhere quite ignoble.
"By circumstance, he went to a foreign land. Now, this happened to be the place where his dreams would come true, where his purpose lied. Just as it is during every season of great fulfilment, there comes a great temptation. He was tempted to follow lust and pleasure but he remembered God and would not sin.
"This was like a test for him, to see if he was ready for the victory ahead. And he passed the test! Though, it seemed like he had failed at that moment. What mattered the most was that he was on the right track with God and his heart knew it.
"He had to pass through a prison gate to fulfill his purpose. The wait seemed long and slow but at the end, in such situation, there lay a great mystery towards fulfilling his purpose. And his dreams did come to pass. The end."
"Isn't that the story of Joseph from the Bible?"
"Oh, yes."
"Wow... I've never heard the details of it in such an interesting way."
"Do you understand every significant event that happened to him and how it relates with you, and in fact everyone of us that has dreams?"
"Yes?" I replied. "Hey, what about the movie?"
"I died, remember?"
We both laughed.
"I quitted... For you... And for me too—acting sucks."
"Oh, Mel," I said emotionally and she reached in to embrace me. I felt the warmth of her love.
Suddenly, her phone beeped. "Excuse me," she said and attended to the text. I played with the biscuit and gave her some time to chat on her phone. Definitely, I didn't have the gut to take my phone, I knew what was waiting for me in there. That little room, that comfortable bed was my safe space. I could stay in there forever and hide from the world.
"Um, Steph?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know a guy called Emlyn?"
I froze and sealed my lips. We stared at eachother for a moment and she continued texting. Later on, she said, "Steph... I need to go out to get something. I'll be back in a jiffy."
"Alright."
***
There I laid. The surroundings of the house was suddenly quiet. I gazed at the ceiling above me and I spoke words from my heart, hoping my Creator would hear me.
"I'm sorry. I know that's not enough to make you forgive me but... I'll change, I'll change if you take away my guilt and shame. I'll be a better person, a better Christian... A better daughter to you. I can't do this without your help. I'm too weak. That's why I need you.
"I'm ready, I'm ready to do it Your way. I'll be patient. I'll let You lead me and even if the road seems too slow and rough, I'll clutch your garment and be safe."
I shut my eyes and stiffened them while they dripped tears from the sides of my face unto my ears. My heart was heavy and I needed consolation from a divine source. A non-human consolation.
I locked myself in that room, from the world for days. That little room was my place of safety, I never wanted to leave, ever.
I opened the Scriptures for a study session and that Presence landed me right into the verses I was familiar with, in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Immediately I saw it, I broke down into tears again, and my body was experiencing the same vibration I felt that day, even when I listened to Mr David's speech.
"I should have known this was the sign. My heart was longing for something else that wasn't you and I let it overpower me."
He had tried to warn me about Nicole's company; I would have seen it if I payed very much attention. He didn't stop there, he tried to show me the temptations that I could have been able to bear and overcome with His help.
I let my dreams, become desperation then lustful desires and ultimately doom.
I shut my eyes and wept on the bed. Instantly, I fell in a trance.
That Presence, I felt Him enter my room. The atmosphere was cold and warm at the same time and it gave me a pleasurable feeling.
He said to me, "Why are you crying?"
I responded weakly, "Because I am broken."
"Why are you broken?"
"Because I failed. I failed You and everyone else. In my heart was a longing to discover and fulfill the reason for my existence, using my talents and abilities, to be somebody and to make you proud—I wish this was at the top of my priorities."
He said, "Don't be dismayed. Haven't you read that part of the Scriptures that says that 'All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose?' What seemed like a bad beginning will definitely end well. You did it your way and it was chaotic, now let's do it My way."
"What is my purpose? Why am I here?"
"I gave you the desire and ability to dream. I gave you the abilities and gifts, as you've always known, to inspire your generation, to be a voice and to glorify Me."
"So, what do I do now that things have gone awry with my story?"
"I write the stories. I am the Author. I am the one who writes the scripts. I am the Author and the Finisher of your faith. I know every character with profound understanding, better than they know themselves and I know just how I want the story to end. I am intentional about the role of each character. From the beginning, I predetermine the plans of the future. The character doesn't know where he will land at last, but he can trust His proficient writer. My stories always end with a HAPPILY EVER AFTER."
I laughed with tears in my eyes. Then I wondered if I was actually going crazy speaking to the air.
"I send you someone, he has the key to what you seek. Your dream has been to act out somebody else's story. How would you like to act your own story and inspire others with your story? It had been my plan from the very beginning until you strayed.
"See, I gave him those inspirations. I myself directed him. Now, you will take that project and I will put it in the hands of a man who is capable of bringing it to life. You just sit back and watch. At the end, I will make you an industry."
I had never been baffled in all my life. I knew not what any of this meant.
Then the Presence said, "Someone's coming."
The Presence left yet He was still around. I was awoken and immediately, I knew that I had been in a trance.
Abruptly, I heard faint knocks on the door. My heart skipped and I thought of whom it might be; perhaps the Presence has come to take me to the other side!
The knocks increased and I braced myself up on shaky legs and went to open the door. It was only Melody. I heaved a sigh.
"Hey. Some people are here to see you."
"No," I said firmly. I wanted to shut the door but she forced herself in. "You can't stay in here forever."
"Oh, yes, I can."
"You're gonna wanna see these people, Steph. Just come outside. It won't last even five minutes, I'm sure."
"One minute," I said and with hesitation, left for the living room.
"I'm right behind you," I heard that same invisible voice say again and I was shaken with fear.
I arrived in the living room and to my uttermost shock, it was Arthur, Emlyn, Delaney, Richard, and Andrew. I was dewy-eyed at the moment and before I knew what was happening, Arthur rushed to me in an embrace, then Emlyn, then Delaney, and the boys.
I could only sob like a baby in the circle of real friends. Now, that became my little place of safety, I didn't want to ever leave that shield.
"I'm sorry," I could only say. The grip was stronger and tighter.
I stayed there on the couch and cried my eyes out. The tears just wouldn't cease. They looked at me with sympathy and embraced me once again.
"It's fine. Crying won't solve a thing," said Arthur. "You're okay, you're good."
"Actually, my doctor says that crying relieves the heart," said Andrew.
"She doesn't need to know that, champ," said Richard.
Delaney wiped my eyes with her scarf and I was comforted.
"Okay, I was hoping to introduce you too but, oh well," Melody shrugged. "Steph, this is Emlyn, my close friend whom I've been telling you about. Turns out you guys know eachother and this is just awkward."
Melody wanted to make the environment comfortable for me so she decided to bring something up, a distraction.
"Emlyn, tell us about the book you've been working on and how it has totally transformed your life."
Emlyn was unprepared, he wanted to talk about my mental health. "Oh... Sure," he said. "So, I met Melody at camp and we had a lot in common. She was oddly interested in me and my works. One day, I caught her snooping through my stuff."
"I wasn't snooping. I was just curious."
"Curiously snooping," Arthur said and everyone gave a short laugh.
"She found my book and was flipping the pages searching for only God knows what, until she dumped it in a water mistakenly."
"Damn," said Delaney.
"A spider crawled up my hand," Melody defended, "I panicked and forgot that I was holding an object that could be damaged by the river near me."
"Serves you right," Emlyn commented.
"Well, who got his book torn apart?" Melody mocked.
"Yeah. It was mysterious how every writing in every single page got faded by the water—"
"I panicked again when that happened."
"I found my stuff wet and the pages plain. I was confused and angry."
"Then I promised to help him re-write his book and he was happy about it."
"I wasn't happy. I just didn't have a choice."
"So we spent every day together recollecting his old ideas. But, Emlyn wasn't satisfied yet. So I asked the Holy Spirit to inspire him."
"It was through her influence that I built a relationship with God. I started praying more often and studying the Bible. To think that that happened because of my ruined book. However, it was more fascinating how I would have dreams and gain inspirations for my book. I knew immediately that God has plans and in fact, it's not a coincidence that I met Melody.
"I think I wanna make this a movie. Well, that's how meeting Melody changed my life forever."
"Awww," Melody crossed her hands over her chest.
Emlyn grabbed the book from his bag and released it to me.
"Sunshine and Rain," I said, reading its cover. "It's the same title."
"Yeah, but with a different content—transforming."
I flipped the pages of the book and glanced through only to find some events similar to things that happened to me back in Nigeria and even when I got to the USA. I was bowled over.
"Emlyn?" My voice was faint and my face, dull. "What is this?"
"You mean my book?" He smiled.
"What is all of this? The-the events?" I looked up, into his eyes. He expressed surprise and didn't have the answer to my questions.
I opened the book and settled for a chapter, a page and it was closely related to the events that happened on my sixteenth birthday.
I was completely overwhelmed and baffled by this. I broke down in tears and looked up at the ceiling, saying few words to heaven in my heart. "No, this can't be real."
The others didn't move a muscle; they studied my countenance alarmingly.
Arthur tapped Emlyn on the shoulder and they both went somewhere private, where anyone could hear them.
"What is that?"
"The manuscripts for my book, bro."
"We came here to cheer her up and make her happy, not to give her memories through your tragic book ideas."
"This is my tragic book ideas... And it's not tragic," I answered from a distance. "Emlyn wrote about me. He wrote about every event in my life, some before they ever happened."
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed.
"All of this is similar to my experiences, don't you see?
"God's Holy Spirit was in my room earlier. I saw in His word that the thoughts He has towards me are of good and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope. He told me that all things would work together for my good, including my mistakes. Then He told me that he would make my story inspire others using what I love—acting—and this time, I wouldn't have to act out someone else's story but mine. He said He has everything planned out already. He used Emlyn through Melody and there's a man he is preparing for us to actualise this dream.
"Truly, Emlyn, you didn't meet Melody by chance. She was sent to you for that purpose and then she was sent to me that at the end, she might unite us and bring us to the fulfillment of God's plans, which is not fully clear to me. But I know it's big and global. And I know that it'll shake the planet.
"Melody, you said you wanted to help people through therapy, well that could be your career but here, you just fulfilled the purpose of God for your life by meeting us."
After these confessions, everyone was utterly shaken by these words. It brought tears to the understanding eyes and reverential fear fell upon everyone who heard these words.