Thy Will, Not Mine

Chapter {20} Destiny

John 11:25-26

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.

One more year was added to my years of life and the greatest gift I could still live with till this day was the gift of eternal life, bigger than any other gift anybody else could give me, nobody could give me what my Lord and Saviour had done for me and given me. It was a day to rejoice and be glad because on this day I had entered this world and left the comfortable yet little world of my mother's womb. The day the world of colour filled me with awe and wonder, when my mother's voice sounded like a sweet melody for the first time in my life and her arms acted like a protective shield, shielding me away from the evil world and her warm eyes staring down at mine with so much love, I could not comprehend it. and for me to be here today was only thanks to one person, God.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear bestie..." My one and only best friend barged into my room, singing the infamous birthday song her huge smile brightening up the room, my favourite chocolate cake secured in her arms, as I patiently awaited the moment I could feel the cream between my teeth and sweetness on my tongue as I savoured every bit of it.

An automatic smile stretched its way onto my face, Thato eagerly walked through the room before settling the cake on my table and rushing towards me and in no time I was enveloped into a loving hug which spoke a lot from its silence. Reluctantly, we pulled apart and Thato just looked at me or rather stared at me, a ghost of a smile on her face as she tried to find something different about me this specific day but when she didn't she just smiled and moved to get the cake, coated in chocolate and caramel sauce, topped with macadamia nuts filled with vanilla flavouring, it just looked mouth-watering.

Nine lit candles sat ablaze on the cake as Thato called me to the table once she was done setting everything up.

"Blow the candles, birthday girl!" She said over-enthusiastically, one would even assume that it was her birthday.

Just as I was about to blow them all out and kill the little flames they had bore Thato gasped as though she had just remembered something, "Don't forget to make your wish, birthday girl," she instructed and I smiled whilst shaking my head at her overexcitement.

I wish that Nio gets all his heart's desires.

And then I blew out the candles making Thato clap her hands in merriment. "What did you wish for, birthday girl?" She asked curiously, slicing up the cake into moderate-sized pieces.

"Uhm... Your not supposed to t-tell anyone your wish or else it will not be fulfilled," I concocted an excuse as to why I could not tell but I'm sure she could see right through my lie because she narrowed her eyes briefly before nodding.

She cut up a slice of cake because she wasn't a cream lover and left all the rest to me and I made some tea and drank it over some of that delicious cake.

"Let me go get ready," Thato announced after eating her last bit of cake and before you ask, I did not expect any gift from her, the mere fact that she had bought a cake and taken her time to wish me a happy birthday was more than enough for me, she had put in a lot of effort into making my day special.

Just as I was about to enter my en-suite my cell phone began ringing, vibrating against my already-made bed. Since dawn, I had been getting messages from my family group chat wishing me, and blessing me with their words some even sending me some money and vouchers but the one person who hadn't wished me was my mom.

"Mma?" I giddily said, excited to receive this call from my mom.

"Wait before we talk, switch to video call," she responded, surprising me as we hardly spoke through video call but I had to remind myself that today was a special day so I obliged and the screen went dark before the blurriness faded away and my mom's face got closer and closer until all I could see was her in an updo hairstyle, her melanin filled skin glowing ever so brightly and a proud smile painted on her lips.