Chapter 61 CONSPIRACY 102

Sobrina's emotion was sawn in half. For days she couldn't sit, sleep or eat. She shamefully avoided her room and her new roommate like a plague, preferring to stay at her favorite spot - around Donald's place - all day long. She couldn't speak either, and couldn't confide in her friends - Donald and Osano.

Her nipples and between her legs, hurt terribly. She had bruises all over her sensitive areas.

Few days later, she tried telling Donald and Osano about what had happened, but caught herself lying instead. She had to give herself some dignity.

"Pastor Melvin invited me to his house and something happened, he said I should leave my husband so we can get married, he said he would refund him for all he had spent", she lied.

"I saw him this afternoon with that girl from church. They were laughing and walking towards the campus", Osano informed her.

Pastor Melvin had called her on the phone incessantly, from the night it happened, till yesterday. First he said he wanted to know if she got home safely that night.

"Soby, I will take responsibility for what happened", he had added.

But what does it mean to take responsibility? He was already back with another woman, being happy all over the school environment.

Pastor Melvin was only actually trying to calm her enough, so he could kick off with the next phase of his plan. He had sworn that by the time he was done with her, she would be totally destroyed.

Sobrina sent her new roommate away. Partly because she rightly blamed her for everything, and partly so that she could have some privacy in her own room.

It was now the third day since it happened. Sobrina couldn't go to evening midweek service for shame. Pastor Melvin called her that night, after church, with the same slogan, "I will take responsibility for my actions".

Sobrina was enraged. She had been raised with the mindset that sins were to be confessed to the authorities. She had been expecting him to probably report himself by now, as taking responsibility. But it had been three days, and all he had done was call her morning and night, like she wasn't married, and he was still her boyfriend; saying how he would take responsibility for his actions. She called Pastor Davies on the phone.

"Good evening sir,"

"Good evening Sobrina, are you alright?", she was crying.

"No, Pastor Melvin invited me to his house and... And... And",

"And what Sobrina?", she couldn't bring herself to speak.

"He kept hugging me... And... And",

"You had sex?", Pastor Davies impatiently questioned.

"Yes", she couldn't bring herself to say the truth. She felt like she had to protect him, or at least her image of him.

"Are you sure about this?",

"Yes",

"I will question him", he was gone.

She contacted Pastor Melvin and told him she had reported him to Pastor Davies, he said nothing in response.

Sobrina was left alone to suffer, it was like nothing had happened.

When she was able to take herself to church again, the following Sunday, she saw that Pastor Davies had promoted Pastor Melvin into his Pastoral team. After advising her over the phone, within the week, to run away to her husband, without a wedding, or finishing her academics, or informing her parents. She was from a religious home, and a marriage hadn't happened until after the wedding.

Pastor Melvin never contacted Sobrina again, he kept moving around with the girl - a Pastor in Gracedome, and a high profile member of the underside - he had attached himself to. He had skillfully confessed what he had done to her and they had moved on.

Osano tried his best to support Sobrina emotionally, he spent time attending to her needs, listening to her, and consoling her. They became closer and closer, always walking side by side, to and from Gracedome.

Osano understood the game the others were playing, but they were yet of different families - cult groups. It wasn't his business what the other's did, all he had to do was never expose them to avoid the consequences.

Donald had started working, and was now always away. But he called Sobrina from time to time, over the phone.

Sobrina was tempted on different occasions, to take her own life, but because she couldn't find an effective painless means, she couldn't do it.

Sobrina felt very guilty, used and worthless. She was seen weeping at every church gathering, but she never stopped attending out of frustration. Pastor Melvin watched from behind and was always satisfied. His new girl didn't care either. She hoped Sobrina would quit being such a baby, or quit worshipping in Gracedome entirely and sooner too, before she caused Pastor Melvin to start feeling guilty. She had taken her time, when ever they were together, to teach him how not to feel guilty, but instead rejoice in his salvation. She was well over 33 years old and desperate for a husband. She hoped Pastor Melvin would marry her, and knew exactly how to make him. It was a belief in Gracedome, that it is the duty of a woman to choose her husband, and she had chosen hers. The only problem had been Sobrina.

She had been relieved when Sobrina had gotten traditionally married, and she would see to it that Pastor Melvin remained hers to keep.

Sobrina's marriage became shaky, she began to suspect that the man had a wife abroad when she tried to obey Pastor Davies and join him over there. She forgave him and held on desperately. She visited his village in preparation for her wedding, and his brother scared her away. She had her secret, which he hadn't cared to pay attention to, but instead he - a supposedly married man - tried to compensate her by bringing the wedding closer.

The marriage became unwholesome in Sobrina's mind and she broke it. Partly because of all that, and partly because she decided she loved Pastor Melvin.

She hoped he would eventually return to his right senses, and to her. She visited the market, accompanied by Osano, and sold her wedding invitation cards.

Sobrina went back to being single.

Gradually she began to heal. She forgave Pastor Melvin and began to ignore him.

But he wouldn't have none of that, how could she just forget about what had happened between them? How could she live like he didn't exist? Who recovers from a thing like that? How did she manage it?

Pastor Melvin began to go closer to her again, his aim had not been achieved. He began to approach her publicly in the church, with flimsy excuses.

Sobrina would gradually fall for him once again.