Madame Doris P.O.V681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc8V6SMQIv
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTl1gaPyhPH
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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 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzrHR73iWf
couldn't even know how she was doing. I was in the dark about her well being. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0OYnTPQH4
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrL82g12DXt
"Honey, we have a visitor!" My husband shouted. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOobiaeYk1
I sighed. Who was it this time? "I will be there in a 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdRAtVFtHB
minute!" I assured him.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VYErMFQf6
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIPJ4X2R2N
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The visitor had his back turned to me, but I knew it was our District Pastor. What a pleasant surprise. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JcQqVglz0
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"Good day, sir," I curtsied as I greeted. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoICS7ZQl2
He looked up with a smile lighting his features. "Ah, Sister in the lord. How are you?"681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKODVISMmQp
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"I am doing well, sir," I said with a smile.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxw7hQVC2X
"What of your family? It's been long I saw your wife." 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjK1uPmjU7
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"She has been extremely busy with church meetings and keeping the home," he explained.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5EZbDHRHe
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I sighed. "I can't imagine but thank God for His grace to lead a good life."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68qMUwulRu
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"Yes, yes. That's the most important...," he nodded continually. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXakcVNqr3
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"Welcome, sir."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOsz6xzJTS
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"Thank you," he greeted cheerfully. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX8pyXC2Pn
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I made a move to go.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnyI1oZbbO
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"Don't go, Madam. I want to talk with you and your husband."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzuIU6rlZN
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"Is there something wrong?" I queried.
"Not at all. Please sit down."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMe1Gx901P
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I sat down beside my husband on the couch. I exchanged looks with him. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogjY0LU3zr
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"It's about your commitment to church activities, he began. I have noticed that you both have been backsliding." 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdiy7waSKz
I inwardly groaned as I pretended to smoothen up my apron. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RWr3VgMcd
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"We have been so busy with work," my husband said shortly. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgwqTbBAWh
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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."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw3Y164pyw
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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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T2oKQCqfd
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA28W46JLZ
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"Boarding school," my husband answered nervously. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJpvpRRaEj
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWG6tknXQ6Z
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"Yes, she needed to be among her peers so that she can open up," I added.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwLLlYyUun
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I watched as Pastor Ndubuisi shook his head in disapproval. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZqqBLaBNq
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"I must say you've got it all wrong," he told us emphatically. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiuHxVf7Ti
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I watched as my husband squeezed his face in irritation. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvqZM3OMhj
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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."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl501oPzllT
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The room grew silent, with my husband and I deep in thought. At last, my husband sighed noisily. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoZMcpMNvi
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"What if we are making matters worse by pulling her close to us?" he asked.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml6Azvk0yh
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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."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0t7oq4IIf
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZImgs2VqBl
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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."681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfXX5BeY6U
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I quickly used the shawl on my neck to cover my hair as we all bowed in prayer. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwMmqqYavI
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWsfd8TjaO
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"Thank you so much, pastor, for coming," my husband said as they both shook hands. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkDzCHCDsF
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQbip1tqiH
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"Greet mama for me." I was referring to his wife. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrecuBMTYMQ
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5AuOrTqPR
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcqpY4LC14
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLSXRqKelM
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"Saturday," I said softly, holding him close to me. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANYBNQtMFr
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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.681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbTdMy2BiD
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"You mean, she is coming back here?" I almost shrieked. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TCtcR15uq
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWNyZFSDls
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"Leave me joor," I said childishly. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2Q8Z3a8Vb
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I knew he wouldn't mind because he enjoyed it so much. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJ2TauDsOR
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"I am never going to leave you alone," he vowed. We both had a good laugh over that. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVUn6Ze4no
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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. 681Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTvgqKuyqm
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"I would gladly do that and take her along. I miss her too." With that, I held him tighter.
