Monday came swiftly, bringing along all it's anxieties. It was the day of the hearing when she'd either lose or gain custody of Junior. This awareness of a possibility of a daunting reality hung like a cloud of despair over her head.
The day began quite uneventful and the cold chewed into her. She had dressed in polo and jeans, dressed Junior in chinos trousers, a t shirt and sweater while Phoebe donned a suit skirt and blazer. Together, they waited at the junction for Derek to pick them up.
“You should have taken a sweater along. You know Portharcourt weather.” Phoebe half queried as she shook under the cold.
Jane mumured something under her breath and held Junior close, her empty stomach grumbled under the vibrant breeze, Phoebe had offered her tea earlier but she had rejected it. She just couldn't eat when her house was on fire.
Jane tried to be hopeful as Derek suggested but within her, doubts was rearing up it's ugly head and like an ignorant victim, she was giving in to it's suggestion. She wiped the tears that were trying to form as she waited. She had spent the entire night crying to God for mercy and confessing how of a fool she had been in hoping in the universe.
After minutes of waiting, Derek showed up in his father's car. He waved at them, his smile was genuine and his eyes bright, he beckoned on them to come sit at the back of the car.
“Jane,” he called calmly after they had seated.
“Yes,” she answered limply.
“How do you feel?”
“Scared,” she voiced her mind. “What if Emeka wins and Junior is taken from me?”
“He won't.” Derek assured.
Jane cried. “We're fighting a losing battle.”
“The only person I see losing here is Emeka. No one is taking your child from you.” he said again like he was so sure of it.
“Everything will be fine Jane, don't worry.” Phoebe chipped in, rubbing her back.
Derek turned to look at Phoebe and noted almost immediately that she looked so confident, so professional.
“Junior greet,” Jane scolded.
Junior shifted uncomfortably under her glare. “Good morning sir.”
Derek touched his cheek and smiled. “Good morning Junior.”
The drive was slow. Cold air slapped Jane's face through the partly opened window where she sat. Wazobia fm was on commercial break and so they listened to the commercials. When they arrived the court, Derek halted at the car park and released a long sigh.
“We’re here.” he announced.
Jane felt her heart nearly explode in her ribcage for fear at his announcement.
“Can we pray?” she asked. “Maybe Jesus will have mercy and grant us victory.”
Derek and Phoebe looked at her with their eyebrows pulled up in surprise.
“Pray?”
“Yes, sure.”
Their replies came simultaneously.
Jane settled on the chair, released a shaky breath and closed her eyes. She didn't care what anyone felt because at that moment she knew all she needed was God's mercy.
“Derek would you pray please?”
“Yes, sure.” he said again and began to pray.
He thanked God for everything, then asked for mercy, favour and justice. They said Amen.
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SILVER LININGS (Christian Romance)
Spirituelles"Every cloud is silver lined." When Jane gets pregnant in high school, she becomes the black sheep in her family, all filial ties are cut and she has to drop out of school. Everybody believes she is a slut and worse, the person responsible for her p...
