We all sat down at the dinner table, my mom and dad was around, they sat down next to one another.
My parents were always supportive of me. They welcomed me back home after I explained to them how Thane had been maltreating me. My mom was the kind of brazen fellow who would approach Thane and pay him tooth for tooth for all he had done to me. My dad filled up with empathy and compassion gave me a huge amount of capital to invest in any business of my choice.
He must have thought that owning and focusing on the growth of a company would be the best thing for me to forget the trauma that I had been through.
I was happy to have them at the table and have them around regularly every month but for the past few months, my mom has been diligently setting me up with so many blind date partners.
She looked at my dad, and they seemed to want to tell me something but they were hesitant about it. since they did not want to tell me, I decided to continue eating, I did not know what they were up to and I had no plan of asking them what was on their mind. Their pepper soup was extra spicy for today's dinner so I decided to take up a glass of water.
" I invited Luther over for dinner today hon."
The water I gobbled down hooked at a particular part of my throat and the ones that were still in my mouth entered my nose. I had to gasp for air, I could feel a hurried pat on my back. It must have been miss Tolu who had been standing at standby near where I sat.
The children probably stood up from the chair because I could feel four hands now rubbing my back slowly.
I opened my eyes and I could see a look of concern on their faces.
"Children, mrs tolu, I am okay." I still felt pressure in my throat but I could squeeze some words out.
Nancy jumped up and down."Grandma, is it true that uncle Luther is coming?"
" Yes, my sugar plum" she placed her hands on their lips and threw the triplets a kiss. Her face went from a look of concern to a look of exuberance immediately Luther was mentioned.
" Nelson and Nathan, what do you think of uncle Luther?"
" I think he looks super cool when he comes to pick us up from school in his white coat."
" He is like an Angel, he is so gentle with us grandma"Nathan held the end of his shirt and looked grandma in the eyes.
" Right?" she squinted her eyes and her crows feet could rake a farm, her vociferous chuckles were soon interrupted by a "ding dong"
"Will you go and get the door Peace?" Father had not said anything since we sat down on the dinner table. He seemed very pensive and his aura was enigmatic. I wondered what was going on in his mind. My dad always wanted the best for me and I know that every of his decisions was too keep me safe.
During the first week of separation, Thane rented a hotel nearby our family house and made sure to come check if I had returned, my father did not disclose where I had been. He was trying to protect me. It reminded me of the way God loved me.
Though they had my best interest at heart, I was not going to let their decisions nudge me into falling into a nadir again.
" All right papa."
" Everyone sit down at your sits, mom is going to open the door for Luther." Nelson pointed out, chairs began screeching against the floor and there was silent halt from the noise.
It had been a month since I saw Luther, the last time was when I had to take this children over to the hospital. I moved from Lagos to Abuja and I think he sought permission to be transferred to Abuja. He told me that he wanted to monitor my health and being in the same geographical location as I was would help him appease the guilt that he had for being one of the reasons for my marriage's separation.
I opened the door and his eyes were as enigmatic as always, his gaze conveyed a lot of emotions. His hands stretched forth, like he wanted to welcome a hug from me. I just stared into his eyes, I knew everything he was trying to do but I pretended not too. His eyes told me how much he missed me.
" It has been a long time Peace.."
" Yes luther, it has." He was trying so hard to be there for me, he did not get the message when I pretended not to see his missed calls, neither did he get the message when I told him that I wanted to switch family doctors. I often felt guilty whenever I was in his presence. I had been discarding his feelings for a very long time. I looked away and then looked at my hand which was on the door handle.
" Can I come in?" Luther asked with a wry smile
I stepped a feet back and he entered through the door, his palms held my wrist that was on the door handle and he closed the door for me. He attempted to drag me slightly but I halted.
" I have to check something in the kitchen"
" I see, I will head into the stiiting room first then."
Luther walked through the hallway and when I could no longer see him. I could hear my mom screaming and crying, my mom was so melodramatic.
I went to the kitchen to catch my breath and I got a glass of water to drink, the spiciness from the soup still bothered me. I could find a way to stay in the kitchen and I avoid Luther. It would be the best.
" Peace! Peace! Darling please come see."
I went to the sitting room in a hurry because the tone of my mothers voice was that off urgency and awaiting danger.
I walked in only to see Nelson, Nathan and Nancy with three books of the color pink, red and blue. The children were reading instead of eating.
" what happened mother?" I had already guessed that it was something related to the books that the children were given attention too on the dining. Immediately the children were aware of my presence, they raised the books in the air for me to see, it was the holy Bible in different colors.
" Yes kids, that is your reward for keeping up with your hygiene last time you came for check up. He smiled at them and pinched Nathan's cheeks slightly.