Madame Doris P.O.V597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiATSCA6q8I
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I cleaned the kitchen shelf with vigor. I dug the cloth into the bowl of water; I wrung it twice and started cleaning. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpdwfUFxEb
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All of a sudden, I started crying. This Thursday will make it two weeks since my baby girl left the house. I missed her so much. What made it worse was that I 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpejzn0t08
couldn't even know how she was doing. I was in the dark about her well being. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXfMnLFtz7
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If she had been here, sitting down at the kitchen stool she would have stuck her nose in a book. Even if she didn't say a word to me, her presence was enough. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslO4BVUEiN
"Honey, we have a visitor!" My husband shouted. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEeo52Zo1N
I sighed. Who was it this time? "I will be there in a 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePdl8LYg4H
minute!" I assured him.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoG32Kg9Wn
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I rinsed my hands in the basin and quickly dabbed it on my apron as I hurried out of the kitchen. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYJxlKpNXa
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The visitor had his back turned to me, but I knew it was our District Pastor. What a pleasant surprise. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVKvnw3Jf7
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"Good day, sir," I curtsied as I greeted. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0geKGpf7XB
He looked up with a smile lighting his features. "Ah, Sister in the lord. How are you?"597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj9bNF1heb
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"I am doing well, sir," I said with a smile.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH7JlJqFsi
"What of your family? It's been long I saw your wife." 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFE66Mqg32
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"She has been extremely busy with church meetings and keeping the home," he explained.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxsQEDa6PF
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I sighed. "I can't imagine but thank God for His grace to lead a good life."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydg1befnb9
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"Yes, yes. That's the most important...," he nodded continually. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkb2yio2bm
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"Welcome, sir."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gyNmUkU2D
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"Thank you," he greeted cheerfully. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4d7euScY3
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I made a move to go.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOoW21J6dm
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"Don't go, Madam. I want to talk with you and your husband."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5in2TvKAJ
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"Is there something wrong?" I queried.
"Not at all. Please sit down."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFc6ZvrRPR
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I sat down beside my husband on the couch. I exchanged looks with him. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLsNbcKuwE
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"It's about your commitment to church activities, he began. I have noticed that you both have been backsliding." 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwbvc1TdX9
I inwardly groaned as I pretended to smoothen up my apron. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12wQnK8O5m
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"We have been so busy with work," my husband said shortly. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHMLxCrnTh
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The man smiled and said, "work isn't everything. God gave you that work you have now taken as your first love."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU2YCdQuPk
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"I am sorry, pastor. Things have been hectic. We only manage to attend church services. But hopefully, we would start to attend service fully," he promised.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9WrELerVn
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Pastor Ndubuisi just nodded. "I believe God is your strength. Start coming to church to feel the lasting impact of God. I haven't seen your daughter for two weeks now. Where is she?" He asked curiously. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jBCvWJoOk
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"Boarding school," my husband answered nervously. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGgqI8muvi
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"Why?" The pastor exclaimed.
"My husband thought it was for the best since she was getting a bit fuzzy around us," I said to him. Shortly after, I forced a smile. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci0opg8z3P
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"Yes, she needed to be among her peers so that she can open up," I added.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZZT4kncio
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I watched as Pastor Ndubuisi shook his head in disapproval. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfqXo9dd8w
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"I must say you've got it all wrong," he told us emphatically. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWMlP1yDUC
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I watched as my husband squeezed his face in irritation. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1qJs5hE2q
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"Before you say a word, listen.” He held up his hand... “Her peers would make a move to her through friendship in school. But more than friends, she needs her parents' love. Taking her to boarding school is a life sentence, because of her condition."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcabexBn4Jp
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The room grew silent, with my husband and I deep in thought. At last, my husband sighed noisily. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA25aPmth3K
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"What if we are making matters worse by pulling her close to us?" he asked.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsx2JAIK5IJ
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Pastor Ndubisi smiled softly. "Do you now see the reason to come closer to God's throne? In that school, she would be bullied and therefore her autism won't go but stay."
"You have a point. I and my husband would come to the right decision about this as soon as possible."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzihu9p3hjz
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"Worldly people can't help her, but Godly people can. Always remember that. Read the epistles more for guidance," the pastor said, rising from his seat. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwEzUwxzFd
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"Won't you take anything, sir?" I asked in dismay. He smiled at me, took his Bible up, and said, "not at all, thank you. Let's pray."597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ0JhKOfnk
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I quickly used the shawl on my neck to cover my hair as we all bowed in prayer. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3UquSIEOo
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"Dear Lord, I thank you for giving this family a second chance to know you more. Let them grow deeper through your word. Give them the wisdom to handle the affairs of their lives." He kept on praying for a while. Eventually, he closed. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BoZ5ixvUb
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"Thank you so much, pastor, for coming," my husband said as they both shook hands. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GSDHiXHe5
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"We thank God for not leaving us empty in this world. Your little girl will be alright. But know that she needs all the love she can get," he admonished. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxprisXlNh
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"Greet mama for me." I was referring to his wife. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O49jJs1Wi
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When he had gone, my husband held me close to him. I rested my head on his chest. Times like these, it was really amazing that we had been married for 11 years and could still share such intimacy. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7PNK1qirm
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"It will be fine. I am sure God will make a way. It isn't over until it's over. What's today's date?" He queried. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxXnFmPYTv
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I almost laughed at the question. Here we were, talking about an important issue and he was asking me today's date. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwqOxZmWen
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"Saturday," I said softly, holding him close to me. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8oscIBP2C
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"Just last two weeks Saturday we planned to take Gaby to boarding school and now we are planning to bring her back as a day student," he told me.597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUkT8UZdSx
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"You mean, she is coming back here?" I almost shrieked. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvmNlTgf85
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He laughed at my reaction. "I know that's what you've been looking for." He touched the tip of my nose fondly. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBwvqch84l
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"Leave me joor," I said childishly. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sQM1zFkDR
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I knew he wouldn't mind because he enjoyed it so much. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK15jn0Swhb
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"I am never going to leave you alone," he vowed. We both had a good laugh over that. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuCxxJfA3j
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"Uhm, on a serious note...he scratched his beard... You need to make out time for services. You don't need all that stress at work anyway. It's my responsibility to make the money. Hopefully, by next month, I wouldn't be working like a maniac, so I can be with you and our apple. I miss her so much," he gushed. 597Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FMGrFIqlY
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"I would gladly do that and take her along. I miss her too." With that, I held him tighter.
