It was twelve years ago when Derek left the town. He was about to turn twenty-two when the news about his departure came.
“Your mother and I have decided to send you to Canada to further your education." His father had said to him one morning after the family devotion.
Derek had slept through the devotion, with his aunt, Miriam,repeatedly smacking the back of his head, making him to jerk up from his slumber and saying ‘Amen’ when the rest were listening to his father’s powerful baritone voice as he gave his morning sermon.
“But why? How? I am in my second year already. Why do you want me to abandon my studies here to go to Canada?” Derek asked his father.
He hardly questioned his father’s decision. The old reverend was always right. He was an epitome of righteousness and the god in his life. But that morning, Derek couldn’t help but wonder why his father, who had always spoken about how the devil has possessed the whites and how any parents who allowed their children to go to the white man’s country is as good as losing their children, would suddenly come up with such decision.
“You will go to Canada to stay with your Mother’s sister. You will start your University over again." His father answered.
“I don’t understand, Father.” Derek said.
“You don’t have to understand. It is for your own good. Get ready.You are leaving first week in next month. Everything has been arranged.” His father had said and that was final.
That was twelve years ago.Twelve years was long enough to forget how it felt to breath in the dusty air in a dry Harmattan. As Derek stepped down from the plane, the wheezing sound of the January dry wind hit him and he masked his face with the newspaper he was holding while walking towards the arrival hall for his luggage. He spat out dusts that flew into his mouth.
“Derek!” He didn’t see his mother racing towards him until she screamed his name and crushed herself on him.
“Mother!” He cried out as he returned her embrace.
“I have missed you,my child. How are you? Hope the Lord has been good to you?” Mrs Justine turned her son from side to side and gave him a thorough scrutiny. “Ah! You have lost some weight. See your cheeks. What happened to my once chubby boy?”
“Dear,” The Reverend admonished his wife.“Leave the young man alone. He is just coming in now.”
The reverend gave Derek a bear hug, took his hands and placed it on his forehead.
“Bless you my son, I have waited for this day to come.” He said.
“You look good, Father.” Derek complemented and the reverend laughed.
“Come” He said. “Everyone is waiting for you at home.”
********
“Father.” Derek said.
“Yes?" The Reverend replied.
They were in his father’s study. Friends and church members had all retired to their homes after the long prayers of thanksgiving and heavy feast. Derek could hear his mother’s voice singing loudly in her room.
“Why do you want me back?” Derek asked for the third time.
Reverend Justine sighed and leaned back into his seat.
“I am getting old, my son. Someone has to take over the ministry and take care of the Lord’s people.” He said.
“Father, I can’t.” Derek frowned.
“You have told me that earlier but I believe that you don’t know what you are saying.I wanted you to come back to see the hunger in the souls of men for yourself…” The Reverend began.
“Father! I am a Lawyer now. I am doing well for myself. I have a life in Canada! I can’t take over from you.I am not going to be a Reverend.” Derek shook his head in disapproval.
His father was surprisingly calm.
“I am not asking you to. I am giving you the opportunity to do the work of the Lord here in this vineyard.” Reverend Justine said.
"Father.." Derek was about to protest but his father cut him short.
“No, son. Go to bed. Think about it. By the time two months elapses, you must have been convinced by the Lord.” The Reverend said.
Derek sat confused for a while, then he stood up and walked towards the door.
“May the lord speak to you tonight, son.” The Reverend spoke.
“Hmm.” Derek muttered.
But the Lord didn’t speak to him. What spoke to him was the guilt that followed him to Canada and had burdened him for the past twelve years: Bianca.
Bianca, the naive new girl that was in the choir whom he slept with twelve years ago. The betrayal and denial when she got pregnant and accused him of being responsible.
“It is best you say nothing concerning that pregnancy, son. You cannot own responsibility to that girl’s pregnancy. It is not good for the ministry.” His mother had told him.
And when Bianca came with her mother, he had said nothing, but his parents had sent them out of the compound, calling them daughters of Jezebel who had come to pull the ministry down.
He wondered what had become of the lanky shy girl, Bianca, and what happened to the pregnancy.
*******
The music was too loud even from the outside of the popular Casablanca night club. Bianca threw her cloak over her shoulder as the night cold hit her and made her shiver.
“See you tomorrow, girlfriend!” Her colleague shouted from the entrance.
“I am not coming tomorrow! My son is coming back and I need to be home!” Bianca shouted back.
She bent to zip her boot and walked rapidly to the side of the road to wait for a taxi.
“Hi lady, how much for the night?” A car slowed in front of her and a man peered from the window.
“I am not for sale, mister.” She snapped and walked towards the other side.
The driver brought the car to a halt, stepped out and followed her.
“Hey, I know you. You're the girl that shakes her naked butt cheeks in that club over there.” He grinned and pointed to the popular building.
Bianca picked her pace and kept walking but the driver held her by the shoulder and turned her roughly.
“Leave me alone, minster!” She growled.
“Shut your mouth, young lady. I finished my money on you tonight while you shook that thing.” He slapped her butt.
“Leave me alone!” She cried out loudly this time.
“I deserve some of you, don’t you think? At least a good time for the night.” He tried pulling her towards his car.
“Help! Someone please help me!” Bianca screamed as loud as her lungs could allow her.
The intruder got scared and left her. She took her cloak from the ground and ran as far away from him as she could.
That wasn’t the first time she was experiencing such molestation from men after her pole dance. It probably won’t be the last.
