The Illuminant

Chapter 26

I pull up my hair in a bun and smoothen out my dress. It's a long sleeved knee length army green dress with some flower shaped embroidery along the front and all the way down the sleeves.
It has a high neckline and a little keyhole detail at the back and I love it.
I strap on some nude heels I just stumbled on and I must say, they're really cute.
I apply some sparkly green eye-shadow to my eyelids and line my eyes, choosing to go only with lip gloss on my lips.
This is going to be my first appearance in church since I entered college. That's a really long while ago and I'm really trying to look my best.
I grab my brown leather handbag and push open the door to my room and make my way down the large winding stairs.

"Honey you look great." My mom exclaims once I walk into the sitting room. She isn't looking so bad herself because she's also dressed for church.
She'll be going with Stella because she's still a little bit handicapped considering the wheelchair.
Since the stroke, she has had to miss church a few times but now she's recovering and most of the effect from the stroke is worn off, she insisted on attending church this Sunday.
Stella who was previously eating some cereal in the kitchen is now in the sitting room staring at me with a bowl of unfinished cereal in her hand.

"What?" I cock my eyebrow at her.

"Nothing, it's just you look really nice." She
smiles suggestively wiggling her eyebrows and I groan.

"Why is there so much fuss about what I'm wearing when we're all dressed for church?" I hiss.

"Oh yes we are, you just look extra nice." She lays emphasis on the nice and shares a look with mom then laughs her way back to the kitchen obviously to finish up her bowl of cereal.
Once she's gone, I sigh and knead my forehead in frustration.

"You two are some very disturbing people." I slit my eyes at mom who is smiling at me like a Cheshire cat.

"You're just a real fuss pot honey." She chuckles and beckons for me to hug her and I sigh, lowering my torso to her sitting height as she wraps her arms around me.

"I'm so proud of you baby."

"Thanks mom." I smile and pat her back soothingly as she pulls away.

"You need to invite him over some time for a proper dinner. I need to thank him personally."

"What do you need to thank him for?"

"He got my daughter to attend church! I was beginning to think I wouldn't be around to witness God answer that prayer of mine." She laughed and I smiled.

Yesterday, when I told them that I would be going to church with Brian this Sunday, mom dropped the cup of ice tea she was sipping and just stared speechless at me.
Stella, who was preparing dinner at the time almost burnt herself the moment those words left my mouth.
After a few minutes of the uncomfortable silence, Stella strode over to me and hugged me tightly till I was gasping for air. When she pulled away, she beckoned to my mom who now had tears streaming down her face.
She just sat there shaking her head still not uttering a word before she gestured for me to bend down so she could hug me.
I willed myself not to cry and thankfully, my will prevailed and I didn't cry.

Tomi, on the other hand was a whole different case altogether. Before I called her to break the news, I made sure to remember to keep the phone off my ear in case of screaming and I was right because like I anticipated, she screamed.
It was so loud that I still had to cup my ear with my free hand even though the phone was at arm's length. I don't know if I would still be hearing properly if that phone was on my ear.

"Tomi, I can't start using hearing aids because of you! Don't scream like that!" I yell.

"I'm so sorry about that, but what did you say?"