light & Darkness

CHAPTER ONE: CHRISTIAN FAMILY WAYS

Mayo’s POV:

I sat in the middle row of our brightly decorated church with my parents, listening with rosy attention to the bible study being anchored by my pastor’s wife; Mrs. Kemi Adedigba.

She was a person aside from my parents whom I looked up to, she put in every ounce of her being into the glorification of God. I hope that someday, I’ll become a strong woman like her.
After the Bible study, on my way back to my seat from the altar during thanksgiving, I was dragged out of the church by my best friend, Marianna.

Once outside, she let out a loud sigh, which she had been holding and said, “Thank God, I couldn’t bare one more second in there. I could’ve passed out from listening to her boring lecture”.

Marianna, my closest and only friend, know to be the queen of exaggeration and overdramatic with a charming personality, went on rambling about how boring the Bible study I enjoyed was. Unlike me, she wasn’t overly righteous, but a fun, outgoing, and brutally honest person. I would have never met anyone like her if not for fate. We were an uncommon duo, who initially only hung out because our deacon parents dragged us to their meetings and left us both alone.

A snap of fingers brought me back to reality and I was met with an annoyed looking Marianna, “I cannot believe you zoned out on me girl”.

I rolled my eyes, “Why wouldn’t I? When you’re ranting about the same thing you rant about every bible study Sunday”.

She argued, “But I’m only saying the truth Mayo, She’s preaching about what we both know is not applicable in her life”.

“Well, it’s not her fault that one of her own is the rebellious type” I defended.

“Exactly my point, she preached about how a good Christian home should be when hers isn’t as perfect as she thinks. She’s being hypocritical if you ask me”. She retorted, crossing her arms.

I opened my mouth to respond when she cut me short, rolling her eyes, “Oh, great. Speak of the devil and he appears”.

As he approached us, I wondered why most pastors children rebelled against their parents teachings and they were always blind to it. Like most pastors children, Joshua Adedigba was your typical bad boy, with the looks to go with it. Something I would never say aloud to boost his already large ego.

“Hey there princessa” he acknowledged Marianna with a smirk knowing that his presence irritated us and her especially.

“Hello to you too Devil”, She said in response. “Come Mayo, let’s go” My best friend who hated him with passion replied as she dragged me by the arm and walked back into the church.

“See you in school Princessa” he yelled as we walked back into the church.

****

I was in the car on my way home from church with my parents. After our encounter with Joshua “The devil” Adedigba, we both went back to our seats in church and after service, bid ourselves goodbye as there were no rehearsals or meetings on the last Sunday of the month.

My mother looked back from the passenger seat beside my father and asked, “Did you enjoy the service today darling?”

I nodded, “Yes mummy I did. It was spirit filled and I was blessed”.

Moments later, I fell asleep. After an hour on the road, we arrived home and I went up to freshen up, then joined my mother in the kitchen to prepare brunch.

We all sat on the dining table to eat the food after it was blessed by my father. We ate in calm silence, while my parents made small conversation and asked for my input every now and then.

My family was a perfect example of a Christian family where love, joy, and peace reigned ; where one was brought up in the way of the Lord, a life most found boring but I enjoyed living.

****

After playing several rounds of chess, Ludo, and many other games with my parents, with me beating them several times, family game night came to an end with them making up excuses that I only won because I was younger and my brain was a product of both their brains. We said our prayers and I retired to my room.

When I got to my room, I flopped down on my bed, picking up my phone and dialing Marianna's number. She picked up on the second ring and yelled, “What’s popping Bitch?”

I sighed being the righteous person that I was and said, “How many times have I told you to stop calling me that ehn? You know I hate swearing, it’s ungodly and unladylike”.

I could picture her rolling her eyes, “Yeah, yeah, it doesn’t show good behavior and all that shit, come off it abeg”.

I laughed it off deciding to let it go since I was probably wasting my time trying to convince her to stop swearing. I replied her previous question, “Anyway sha, what’s popping is the usual game night with me topping as always and them making excuses saying that I only won because I’m younger”.

She laughed and said, “Adults sha, I don’t know why they’ll never just accept defeat instead of coming up with flimsy excuses to defend themselves”.

“My dear it’s their ego ooh, that’s their problem” I replied.

We continued talking the rest of the evening till my credit finished, after which I went to bed.