Continued from Saturday, October 28, 2023

“What should I do now?” Stephen asked himself rhetorically. Tears had gathered in the eyes of Stephen and it flowed down his cheeks. He didn’t know what to do. He was confused and in a dilemma. The bald-headed man that was romancing Biola had sneaked out of the room unnoticed and disappeared while Biola was still begging Stephen. Stephen continued to sob heartrendingly.

Tears of sorrow continued to flow. He thought over it again and again. The more he imagined the scenario, the more his heartbeat went faster and he felt so sad and wept. This was one betrayal too many. ‘Damn it,’ he thought in a flash, ‘I had already printed invitation cards for the wedding and distributed it to people. What should I do?’ He asked himself. Really, it was a very disappointing and shameful thing. Stephen made up his mind that he wouldn’t cancel the wedding ceremony.

“Please, Stephen” Biola pleaded, “don’t tell anybody or let anyone hear about this development… forget about it darling, for the sake of love.”
“Hmn…hmn…for the sake of love… okay.” Stephen said gently while mopping the tears off his face with his handkerchief. However, he had resolved on the next line of action he would take.

The wedding day started getting closer. Stephen had made up his mind to go along and do the wedding with his fiancée despite the terrible and devilish betrayal of trust. Biola had no idea whatsoever how Stephen was going to deal with her. Two days to the wedding ceremony there was no reason to doubt that all was well and okay for the bride and groom. Preparation was in top gear and there was no negative inkling and premonition.

The wedding day finally came amid pomp and pageantry. The bride and groom were ushered into wedlock and holy matrimony. It was a great day. Biola was very happy during the whole procession. She giggled, laughed and cackled with delight while greeting well-wishers and friends. Actually, it was a memorable day for the bride but for Stephen it was like any other day. He was just quiet, looked grave and forlorn; sad was the apt word to describe his mood. People wondered why the groom (Stephen) was withdrawn and looked desolate and gloomy. The fact was that his heart was really hurt and bleeding. At times he would feign a smile just to make people think he was in a happy mood. But deep down in his heart he was contesting with a blistering scar that failed to heal. None among the in-laws knew what was going on in the mind of the newly wedded couple. Only God knew what would happen or be the outcome of this wedding, when the groom was truly aggrieved and sad.

After that eventful wedding, days kept rolling to weeks, and weeks to months. Stephen didn’t make love to his wife. At first Biola thought it was a joke and nothing serious. She thought Stephen would have a change of mind. She did all the tricks in romance encyclopaedia, thinking that Stephen would change his attitude, mellow down and come back to her. But Stephen wouldn’t budge; he was as adamant and unmoved as a wounded horse with a bleeding hoof.

Another dimension to the morbid drama was that Stephen wouldn’t even speak to his wife. This dumb attitude and behaviour hurt Biola so much that she would cry and cry. She could remember that the last word she heard from Stephen was the ‘I do’ he said on the day of the marriage ceremony when the officiating pastor asked him if he really wanted Biola as a wife. The first year rolled by, the second, the third and the fourth; still Stephen would not make love to his wife or even speak with her.

They were like two opposite people in wedlock. When the fifth year came and Stephen didn’t change his behaviour Biola started sending people, family and friends to plea on her behalf but this didn’t make Stephen change his attitude. Biola didn’t tell people the plain truth and reason behind her husband’s aloofness and strange behaviour.

Stephen’s parents and family often came to him, asking why his wife hadn’t conceived since all these years but he had a ready-made answer for them. He always told them they were waiting for God’s time for that to manifest.