Amara had a smile on her face as she walked into the hotel. A few people sat in the waiting area, some typing on their phones, others watching the movie showing on the television, but she hardly noticed them. Her mind was full.
Her heart felt light, like it was dancing. She was happy. Happier than she had been in a very long time.
It still felt like a dream. That morning, she had woken up with her stomach tight and her chest heavy with worry. She had stared at the ceiling for a long time, wondering where she would go next and what she would do.
Although Michael's mother had promised the previous day to help her, she had not exactly taken it to heart. She had been worried, but she had also prayed about it, choosing to trust God to help her this time.
And God had shown up for her.
Now, she had a new apartment key in her bag and a brand-new phone in her hand. Most importantly, she felt overwhelmed by God's love. She knew nothing she had said or done made Michael's mother help her. She knew it was all God.
She wouldn't have believed this day had happened if not for the key in her bag. She would've thought she imagined it.
She reached the reception desk and smiled at the young girl behind it. The receptionist looked up, her face lighting up with recognition.
"Good evening, sist," she greeted warmly as she handed her the keycard. "Someone came to look for you earlier today. He waited for a long time. He said I should tell you that Emma came."
Amara's eyes lit up at the name. "Oh! Emma," she said, a little surprised she had forgotten that he had said he'd stop by.
The girl leaned forward. "He told me to call him so you could talk to him, since you didn't have a phone," the girl said, and Amara smiled as she showed her the new phone with a small smile.
"I got one today. You can just give me his number," she said, and the girl reached under the counter, pulled out her phone, and called out the number to Amara.
"Thank you," Amara said, and the girl nodded.
With her keycard in hand, Amara turned away and headed down the quiet hallway to her room. She dialed Emma's number as she walked slowly.
The phone rang, but there was no response. She decided to text him when she got inside the room.
She was about to slide the key card into the slot when she heard the high sound of a lady's laugh coming from the hallway behind her.
Something about the laugh made her pause, and she turned to look at the person who could be laughing so carelessly in public.
She saw a young lady and a man walking past, laughing and whispering, arms tangled together.
The lady's hand was pressed against the man's chest, her head thrown back in laughter as he kissed her neck right there in the hallway.
Amara's eyes widened, and her hand froze on the door handle when the lady turned slightly, and she saw her face. She was completely lost in what she was doing that she didn't notice Amara at all.
For a few seconds, she just watched them as they stumbled toward a room down the hall, laughing loudly.
Amara didn't call out or say anything. She only turned back to her own door and pushed it open.
Because who was she to judge?
She, who had done things she wasn't proud of. She, who just days ago had been lost, too.
She stepped inside and gently closed the door behind her.
Amara walked to the edge of the bed, sat down slowly, and dropped her phone beside her.
Her mind was still on what she had just seen.
She had thought Sister Faith was interested in Michael because she had been all over him on Sunday. She had also seen how she had led worship and the choir's ministration on Sunday.
How could she be here doing this?
Even if it wasn't her place to judge, at least she had left the church and the choir before indulging in her sins. How could she lift holy hands in church on Sunday and then do this during the week?
She shook her head. "Focus," she whispered to herself. "You're not here for gossip or to judge anyone. It's not your business. Let God judge."
Her phone rang. She looked down, and when she saw it was Emma, she received the call.
"Hello?" Emma's voice came through.
"Brother Emma, good evening. It's me. Amara. Sorry, I forgot that you were coming today. And I was busy."
"Oh! I've been waiting to hear from you. Is this the receptionist's number? Cut, let me call you back…"
She smiled despite everything. "No, it's my number. I've gotten a phone."
"Great! Since it's late, let me call you tomorrow, then. That way, we can talk better. I'm sure you're tired now since you were busy all day," he said.
Amara nodded, noting that she wasn't exactly in the mood to talk and had only called because she was sorry he had come to see her and waited for her.
"Yes, thank you. Let's talk tomorrow."
"Goodnight, sister Amara."
"Goodnight, brother Emma."
She hung up, and the room fell quiet again.
Amara lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She smiled when she remembered that by this time tomorrow, she would be lying on her bed in her new apartment.
Immediately, she sat up and began singing, 'It's amazing how you love me.' After singing and dancing for a while, she knelt to pray and thank God for making provision for her and connecting her with Michael's mother.
After praying, she decided to shower and then send Michael's mother a message to thank her again because the woman deserved a million thanks.
She decided to try her best to access her Piggyvest account that night before going to bed. If she could get the money out, she would be able to buy materials to make dresses. Most importantly, she wanted to make a nice dress for Michael's mother to thank her before the woman left.
Away from there, Michael was surprised when he walked into the house and saw his mother in the living room watching television. "I thought you would be asleep by now," he said, suspecting she wanted to talk with him.
"Sit down, let's talk," she said, gesturing to the seat beside her.
Michael groaned. "What do you want to talk about again that you have not said?" he asked as he sat down.
His mother smiled softly. "How did you know Amara is your wife? What did God say to you? And when?"
"Why are you asking me that now? Will you support me now if I say I don't want to marry her?" he asked, and his mother laughed.
"I'm going back next tomorrow after I make sure she is settled tomorrow. I want to understand the situation so I know how to tell your father about it when I get home."
"You don't have to tell him anything. I will tell him myself when I'm ready," Michael said, but went on to tell her all about how he had heard God tell him that he would meet his wife that night at the vigil and how he had gone there full of excitement only to meet Amara outside the church.
After he was done, his mother smiled. "This makes me think about the story of Samuel in Jesse's house in first Samuel chapter sixteen. You know how God sent Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint the next king of Israel and Samuel saw the huge and fine looking sons and thought it would be one of them, but God said 'the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart'. God can see what we can't see in people," she said, and Michael agreed inwardly, but he didn't let it show on his face.
"By the way, I asked Amara to prepare your meals going forward," she said, and Michael stared at her in disbelief.
"Why will you ask her to do that? I'm a pastor. She can't come here to cook for me, besides, it is somehow for her to cook for me! No. Tell her not to come."
"Relax. I didn't ask her to come to your house to cook. She will cook at her place and give it to you at the pharmacy to take home and put in your freezer. I don't want you to always buy food, and I don't want those single sisters in your church to cook for you either. You see how that girl is getting close to your cousin and trying to insert herself into your life by force? Avoid it. I know her type. She is not a good girl. Also, you don't have to marry Amara immediately..."
"I don't remember telling you I'm going to marry her at all," Michael cut in, even though he agreed with what she was saying.
His mother laughed. "I know you, Tega. You're just doing initial gragra. I know you're going to marry her after you cool down. I still remember when you told me and your father that God said you should relocate to Warri. We both know you planned to remain in the UK after your master's, but when God said you should move to Warri, you did it. Do you remember what you said then? You said you wanted God's will in every area of your life and that even if you didn't understand His will and even if no one supported your decision, you'd do God's will regardless. I know this isn't exactly easy, but I also know you will do the right thing because you know God's will is the best for you. Amara is a good girl. Trust me, if she weren't, I wouldn't have accepted it so easily either. Maybe I would have had to fast and pray and ask God to help me understand and accept it. But the more I talk with her, the more I love her and see what a lovely wife she will be. She is even beautiful the way you used to like them. I remember you used to carry fair slim girls a lot," she added with a laugh.
Michael sighed inwardly, wondering what kind of mother he had. He decided to just tell her what he had decided to do so that she would let him rest. "Mummy…"
"Anyway, the purpose of this conversation is not to try to convince you to accept her. That is not my work. That one is between you and the Holy Spirit. I just want to tell you that I want you to keep an eye on her for me when I return. Take her to weekly activities with you and ensure she gets involved in church activities. I will talk to her, too." She paused when she received a message notification and picked up her phone to check it.
She laughed when she saw a long message from Amara thanking her for all she had done for her and telling her she was texting her on WhatsApp because she wanted her to be the first person she sent a message to on her WhatsApp.
"It's a WhatsApp message from my God ordained daughter-in-law," she said, turning her screen to Michael.
"Goodnight, Tega. Dream of Amara. Don't dream bad dream sha," she said with a laugh as she rose and walked away.
Michael shook his head as he watched her walk away.
So, Amara was on WhatsApp now, Michael thought as he took out his phone to see if she had sent him a message, too.
When he didn't see any he scowled.