COMING HOME

Chapter 25

~~For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
John 5:21(NKJV)~~

The early morning walk to the hill took a different turn. The road had never been calmer, it was as if the birds and creepy animals had gone on strike. One reason she'd left this early was to hear them and help distract herself from thinking. Now, she had no other choice than to think.

Three more steps and she'd be on top of the hill alone. Today, sadness replaced her fear. Maybe if she pondered enough, it could bring some of the rage bad and fill the hole in her heart.

'Pa Solomon?' She pouted seeing her company. 'Are you stalking me now?'

'Yes!' He replied laughing loudly. 'Come and join your old man here.'

She hesitated watching round them to see if anyone might jump into the darkness. 'I don't trust you.'

'Really?' He presented a cup to her. Sighing, she moved towards him and sat. 'How did the program go?'

'How did you know about the program?'

'You told me yesterday when you came here to disturb my quiet.'

'I didn't attend.'

They sat down choosing to pick the morning breeze over a conversation.

'My wife died suddenly too. I had fifteen children, I watched ten of them pass away mysteriously. I say that because they weren't sick and neither was their mother. I concluded God hated me and I hated him too. I believed it for years. Till this very moment grumpy, I still remember those dreadful years and she'd tears. But you know, something I cannot explain, something, I shouldn't call it magic but it's so good and it keeps the pain away. It's like a wall. Every year on their death anniversaries, I have to be alone to that I don't get nasty to people. One thing I know is that, God keeps me from the pain that might consume me. If He does that much for me, I don't see why I shouldn't serve him.'

Her concentrated was half on him and the rest in the humming birds.

'So, in essence grandpa, you don't feel sad anymore?'

'I do alright, many days but there's also comfort. It wasn't until last year I decided to break out of it. I'm very old now, I shouldn't be crying over events of decades ago.'

'You're strong. When did they die?'

'My wife and my first three children died in the same day.'

'Which is?'

'Today?' Tobi's brows rose. She looked at him and true to his word, he wasn't looking the least bothered. Maybe age and time had healed him.

'Let me tell you a story. It's a story from the Bible. The Prodigal Son. A rich man had two sons, the younger of the two sons decided to leave and asked for his share of properties. His father gave him and the boy went away to squander his money. After it got finished, the boy became dirt poor that he began to eat the pigs food. Can you believe that?'

This sounded a lot like her story. She folded her legs and arms thinking what it would have been like for the boy.

'Anyway, he decided to return home and was even willing to accept being a servant if his father agreed. He set out and when his father saw him from afar, he asked his servants to kill the fattened cow he'd been keeping.'

'Wow, that doesn't sound real.'

'It is, in many ways. Jesus used stories to make a point. The point here was to show us how He's waiting for us and that anytime we return home or even if we have never been home before, He's still going to take us in.' He hadn't expected Tobi to keep quiet. She was always so defensive but today, she sat with her legs crossed listening. Maybe his prayers might get answered today. 'How do you feel about going home? Do you think you'd get forgiven and welcomed back home?'

Her head was up in an instance. Unfolding her legs, she got up as if to run but she didn't. She stood watching the dark piece of land spread before them. 'That's what I fear. I hurt my family so much and I don't think they'd want me back. That's why I'm afraid to go home.'

'They will!' He sounded too sure of himself. She wanted to argue and tell him he didn't know that since he'd never met them.

'Oh, you're an angel now? You see the future too?'

He made a loud smirk. 'I just know it grumpy. As a father, I think I'll forgive my lads. Your parents should understand what you were going through.'

'My parents, yes, but not the God you're propagating.'

'I understand you alright Tobi. I know that you feel something or rather, you want to feel what Mrs Ade feels but you're scared. Too scared of what might happen when you finally believe. You've been hurt before, severally. It's not because you don't want to believe.'

'Really? What if after death you realize that none of these you believed were real?'

'Then I haven't lost anything. I lived a good life here. Happy, free of baggage and guilt, I didn't need to battle drugs or a failed marriage or erring children. What if you die and realize there's heaven and hell?'

'Then I'll face them!'

'Yes. You can't escape it then. I choose to believe because it cost nothing to believe.'

'What about not believing? What does it cost?' She asked defensively and walked back to sit down.

'It also cost nothing.' He smiled when he saw that he'd caught her off balance and spread his arms to welcome the fresh air. 'I know there's something better waiting for me, I feel it. Sometimes, it's almost as if I've seen it and frankly, it'd be painful if wicked people die and they don't get eternal punishment.' Tobi threw her eyes to their sides and then the front again making Pa Solomon laugh.

'But seriously, I believe in the promise. I know this is very cliche but focus on the good in life Tobi. Focus on God because He gives those good things and because I know heaven is real. He's shown it to us, me and you inclusive. You might not see it but the day you will, you'd get the best feeling ever of hope. Death is the only way to encounter that glory so take it that Akin has gone home, not died.'

Pa Solomon rose up to stretch before extending his right hand for Tobi. Her hand collided with his and he lifted her up. She felt so much strength surge through his body as he raised her up. Too unusual for a man his age.

They climbed down the hill as the sun set walking Pa Solomon to his usual juncture. She handed him his sweater and the flask he brought with him without saying anything and turned to leave.

'Tobi.' She stopped to look at him. 'Try to see what good believing does for you. God made us, whether you believe it or not and He loves us. He's more interested in loving us than in punishing us. I'll be praying for you.' She didn't move, she watched him as she stood in astonishment. He walked some more feet before turning abruptly to face her. 'Don't give up on Akin just yet.' And he continued going his way.

She thought she saw him jump once to tap his legs against each other in the air but she decided not to think too much of it or what he said last. He couldn't have possibly said that concerning a dead boy. She might have hit her head against a rock without knowing.