A Door Ajar

Episode 1
"We'll make sure the whole world knows about this wedding," Mrs. Vivian Maurice
exclaimed.
"It's going to be the talk of the town! I can't wait for next month," she continued.
"You know, honey, this wedding will bring us a higher rank in the church and the
hospital. Next month can't come soon enough!" Mr. Thomson Maurice, also a pastor
and doctor, chimed in.
Bethel, Martha's younger brother, noticed her distant expression. "Martha, Martha..."
he called out, trying to get her attention.
Martha snapped out of her thoughts, "Huh?"
"Are you alright?" Bethel asked, concern etched on his face.
Martha denied anything was wrong, "Of course, I am. Why are you asking?"
Her mom, Mrs. Maurice, also sensed something was off. "Martha, sweetie, is
everything okay?"
Martha brushed it off, "Mum, I'm okay. Can you people stop asking me questions?"
Mrs. Maurice knew better than to push her daughter's buttons. "If you say so, honey."
Martha tried to deflect attention by mentioning her table manners, but her dad's
serious gaze made her feel uneasy. She muttered under her breath, "Can Mum just
shut up for once?" She caught her brother's eye but remained still, not wanting to
draw more attention to herself.
Mrs. Maurice, undeterred, continued to prattle on about the wedding plans. "And then,
we'll have the reception at the church hall. I've already spoken to the caterers, and
they'll provide a sumptuous feast for our guests."
Martha's mind wandered, her thoughts consumed by the looming wedding and her
own uncertain future. She couldn't bear the thought of spending the rest of her life
with a man she didn't love, but her parents seemed more concerned with their own
status in the church than her happiness.
As the dinner conversation continued, Martha's frustration grew. She felt like she was
trapped in a never-ending nightmare, with no escape from the wedding plans that
suffocated her.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the dinner came to an end. Martha excused
herself, claiming fatigue, and retreated to her room. She felt like she was living in a
prison, with her parents holding the keys.
Martha went to her room after the night devotion, feeling tired after the dinner
conversation. She ran a quick bath and got ready for bed, but didn't forget to pray. Her
phone rang, and she hesitated before answering the video call from Daniel.
"Hi babe," Daniel said, and Martha felt uncomfortable with the term. She preferred to
keep things formal.
"Hi Daniel," she replied.
Daniel noticed her tired eyes and asked, "Were you sleeping?"
Martha didn't respond, thinking it was unnecessary to answer.
Daniel showed her two white shirts and asked which one suited him better. Martha
was puzzled, wondering why he called her so late to ask about something so trivial.
"The one in your left hand is better," she said, trying to end the conversation.
Daniel disagreed, saying the other shirt was better. Martha rolled her eyes, thinking he
was being ridiculous.
Daniel explained that as the general overseer's son, he needed to look presentable for
the upcoming youth revival program. Martha felt frustrated, thinking he was full of
himself.
Then, Daniel dropped a bombshell: they would be sharing flyers together the next
day. Martha felt trapped, realizing she had no choice but to conform.
The conversation ended with Daniel telling her to dress nicely and look like "Mrs.
Ambrose." Martha felt uneasy, wondering if she was making a mistake by marrying
him. She felt like she was losing herself in this relationship and that her future was
being dictated by others.