HUNTED

An Mma Moses mindset

"What happened Enem, why are you dressed like this I thought you are following me to church?"

"Ehhhn. I no go fit go Rita. I came to cancel"

"let me guess, you're going to club... Again, tonight. I thought you gave your life to Christ last week and the week before last. What suddenly changed?"

"I have been following you to church for 3 months now, every single church activity, I have been in attendance. I have given my life to Christ more than 15 times in this 3 months. Yet, I'm still single. I have tried very much to get the attention of some of those over zealous brothers in your church. But, they seem to be more concerned on shouting hallelujah, amen and I receive papa than settling down despite their age. Me I'm tired ooo, I cannot come and kee myself. All those church stuff are just so boring and I've been putting up with it. Let me go back to clubs and check. Who knows?"

"Enem, God isn't a magician. Besides, you didn't truly repent. You are only looking for a husband. God isn't a gambler Enem. He can't be fooled. You have to be grounded in him, he has to see your heart and then no one tells him what to do or when to do it. Enem please, church is the place you should be on a Friday night like this"

"God is seeing everything except my age. Even the Bible said that a thousand years is like a day in his eyes. How then do you expect him to understand that I'm 35 and still single. In less than 6 months now I will be 36. I will go wherever to find a serious man Rita. And it mustn't be in the church before he provides one"

"and it has to be in the club?"

"can we continue this conversation when I get back by morning? And please when praying, cry to him for me. What are friends for?"

"Enem. Oh Enem. I wish I could help you. Don't you even dare talk down on God because you are single at 35. He gave you all the chances, all the time, all the men. What did you do with your 7years in Unical?... Answer me!"

I looked at Rita, my best friend that is 2years younger than I am and left in tears. I don't know why I'm still with Rita. I think maybe because she's got most of the things I'm still scrambling to get. Except for a husband, both of us where in same ship but she's never as bordered as I am. Maybe because she's younger. But then I forgot to tell her something. So I went back

"you talk to me about my wasted years in Unical? You are 33 and still single. I bet you will clock 40 single and frustrated with all these your long skirts. I will marry before you. Let's bet. Nonsense"

She just shook her head and watched on as I disappeared into the night.

My name is Eneminyene, Enem for short. Meet the baddest girl that ever liveth.

I was raised by strict Christian parents alongside my 2 older siblings and 1 younger of blessed memory.

We were instilled with all Christian virtues and you could swear we will all be nuns or reverend fathers. 1 of my siblings is still like that, and she is married. My immediate older sister turned wild in the University but got married before she graduated. I, I am the baddest of them all.

After my second year in school I turned to something else, smoking, clubbing, cultism, night life and everything rough and silly you can think of.

I kept having carry overs and that's how I ended up spending 7years in school instead of 4. I slept with every dick and Harry for money, for pleasure, for game and for many silly reasons.

This is 9years I left school. I have worked in several companies, but this attitude of mine keep making them lay me off. Till Rita linked me up with her former boss who I work with as a PA. The pay is good but not as good as Rita's pay.

I am currently sleeping with my boss but he's an old man and in marriage.

Last year when I checked my calendar and realised that I am no longer as pretty as I used to be, time was against me and if care isn't taken I would live the rest of my life mocked, frustrated, lonely and abandoned. I began to look for ways to settle down. I value family life alot, but the part I choose didn't help me at all.

I am of the school of thought that a single woman cannot be fully repented until she's married. So, I told God to give me a husband and I will change all my ways and become a new creature in Christ. I tried few churches and ended up sleeping with either the pastors, usher, choir masters or deacons as the case maybe. Until Rita took me to her church and started breaking my spirit with the word of God.

I really wanted to change, but, if I change without getting married what next?

God disappointed me. The pastors lied to me because, the first day I went to the church the pastor who welcomed I and other new comers said I will testify just like Obed Edom who God's ark was taking to his house and in the space of 3 months things turned around for good for him.

I was so hopeful because he assured us that if we are consistent, the rest will be history.

I thought my problems had been solved, hence the reason I never missed any service at all. But it's over 3 months now and nothing to show, infact, the number of toasters I usually get are beginning to reduce.

Rita made me wear some long clothes, though I find ways to slim fit mine a bit. Na man I dey fine no be spirit.

But now, I have given up. God is taking too long and that pastor is a bloody liar. I'm going to check other avenues, go out a lot more often and maybe, just maybe, something might click. Even if I just see someone to get pregnant for, I will be very happy. Even if you don't have money to marry me, just be willing to marry me, we will sort the remaining. But, all the men I meet are either coming for friends with benefits or one night stand.

And this night, just like before, I am out to have fun somewhere in Abak road. God please provide me a man, even if he's bad, I will manage, after all, am I good?

I continued going out with friends and Rita continued with her church activities.

I went to club one night and while I was smoking shisha alone. Someone walked up to me and sat beside me.

"what is a beautiful damsel like you doing here all by yourself?" he said.

I looked up to see a handsome black man, in his early 40's maybe. He looked like a big fish, so I smiled.

"all my friends have been taking for the night" I said almost laughing.

"that makes the two of us. Care to be taken?"

"I'm dying to be taken" we laughed.

"dance, shall we?" he said extending his hand. I took the hand and we hit the dance floor. After dancing we smoked and drank.

I began to do all manner of nonsense, when we were both high. He took me to his hotel room where I shamelessly did all manner of things with him till we were both exhausted.

In the morning I was amazed at how rich he is. In my head, he might fall in love with me and marry me, after all I have seen it in movies where men marry whores they pick from the streets. I was planning on being in my best behavior when I saw his wedding band. Pure gold, sitted like a king on his fourth finger. I hissed. Well, money will be involved. If a relationship isn't taking you to the alter, it should at least take you to the bank.

"I came for my father's burial which was last week Saturday. I just came into town last night to look for someone who would keep me company for 5days and I saw you... Baby you're good. You took me to cloud 9 and left me there" we laughed.

"sorry about you father. Why do you need company for just 5days, what's happening after that?"

"I will be flying back to my base, Netherlands, to meet my wife and kids. I miss them so much"

I wanted to ask him if his way of expressing that he missed his family was by sleeping with me. But I decided to mind my business.

"so how much would you want to be paid for that 5days?"

I thought hard. Abroadian? Lemme charge him jare.

"150k"

He chuckled and shrugged.

"let me give you 250k. You know why I wanna add extra 100k? I know you'll need the money and I want you to give me your best. What we had last night was the best I have had in a long time and I want you to continue for the remaining days. Meanwhile, my name is Francis and you are?"

"Enem"

"quite a beautiful name"

What? Did he just add extra 100k cash when I was thinking he was gonna push me out for calling such an outrageous amount. God, you know how to bless someone ooo.

It's true that I need a husband urgently, but I also need to make money while waiting, pending on when the husband will come. I no be ashawo ooo, I no be runs girl ooo. I am just a very smart girl who knows her onion. Period!

Rita called me to enquire of my whereabouts and I told her.

"did you even truly give your life to Christ even just once or you were just coming out to be noticed by men?" Rita asked angrily.

"madam Georgina please don't start with me this morning oooo. Stay there and be wearing long skirts. Money you no make, husband you no get. Kettle calling pot black" I angrily ended the call and jumped on Mr. Francis for a feast. Am going to make this man release his brain, if him no shout make the entire hotel lodgers gather for here, me, I no go leave am.

I gave him styles oooo... We were even racking our brains for styles. We downloaded so many blue films to study the styles and practice it. We did that till 5days of his stay in Uyo came to an end.

I was leaving for work that morning when Mr. Francis told me that he would love to pass me over to his friend Mr. Uche who comes to Uyo for business every month. He said Mr. Uche was a big fish too, if not a bigger fish and that he would love me to be his permanent side babe.

"I'm surprised that you are passing me on to your friend. When you said you'll like us to be meeting whenever you come to Nigeria. Doesn't that make you feel somehow?"

"not at all. Why would I, one thing I know for sure is that, if I leave here now, you jump onto the next man whom I do not know. So, since I would always want to have you whenever I come into Nigeria, I would love you to be with someone I know and you'll make huge money too from it"

Hmmm these rich Abroadians reason so differently from us here in Nigeria. Well, I don't mind. I wanted to pretend to have some dignity and reject the offer but when he mentioned that the man was a rich man, I kuku dropped the pretense and accepted I was the baddest girl ever liveth. And he is an igbo man too. There's no tribe of this world that knows how to throw money on women more than igbo men. Their care language is money, romance is money even good morning is money. So, abeg, I cannot come and kee myself. I thanked God of creation for always providing.

In the evening while I was rounding up in the office to go home, a call came in, the caller introduced himself as Mr. Uche, friend of Mr. Francis... Awwnnnn, his voice sounds like a million dollar bill already.

"so should I go back to the hotel to wait for you?" I asked him

"no, that hotel is local, I don't use it. Wait for me at the tantalisers at Abak road there. I will pick you up in the next one hour"

Hmmm, this man sounds like the oga of all the big fishes. I better hurry down to the tantalisers and wait for him, I don't even mind waiting for the whole night. We are talking about money here oooo. Hmmm, I hurried down to the market and bought few dangerous lingerie. Then to the tantalisers and ordered just a plate of ice cream to keep myself busy.

I was licking my ice cream jejely ooo when Someone walked up to me. A handsome young man in his late 30's and introduced himself to me as Basey.

Another customer... Wow, he looks rich too, God be blessing me too much these days. Infact I need to maintain this soap I'm using now ooo. Like play like play now, I go meet husband. But remember, I no be ashawo, I no be runs girl, I am just a fvcking smart ass woman who knows her onion. I smiled and quickly adjusted my shirt to reveal the top of my breast.

He offered to buy me food and I accepted. Them born me well to reject? After paying for the food

He slipped his card into my hand and asked that I call him later and left. I watched him drive out of the compound in an exotic jeep.

Men like Basey do not settle for their age mates, they go for younger girls of between 18-25. They only come to cargos like us for advice and sexual satisfaction. So whatever Basey wanted, it will be satisfaction and not marriage. And I won't decline whenever he asks. God should shaa give me husband soon. So long as say e no dey disabled I go manage am like that

27mins after Basey left, Mr. Uche drove in in a Benz and when he saw me, he was satisfied.

Mr. Uche isn't a man of many words. Unlike Mr. Francis, he is someone you can't even gist with. If he's not on phone with this phone calling long figures that will confuse you, he's on phone shouting for one of his boys for not doing something right. Everything about him is business and if he said 50 words in a day 43 was for business and in those 43, 35 was figures in millions. I'm sure his wife and kids are business to him too. But e no concern me, na make I service am collect money Waka go meet Basey be my own.

"I will be staying for 3days here. In those 3days, I only want you around tonight and the night after tomorrow. How much?"

"give me 100k for the two nights sir"

"I will give you 200k. Make sure you keep our affairs and meetings secret. If I see otherwise, you're in trouble. Whatever you need during our time together feel free to tell me"

Hmmm, this one is a strict and straight to the point man. I understand why he spoke that way because I was hinted of how rich he is. He's obviously being security conscious. Hence he would rather have a girl certified by his friend than try a new girl who he can't trust.

God thank you for your blessings this period ooo. I am a small girl with a big God ooo.

Mr. Uche gave me my 200k and a shopping voucher that night. And when I was done with his deal, I remembered Basey.

I called Basey and we started rolling. It was sex the first Friday, Saturday and every other weekend and he settled well. Basey was a contractor. A big fish in the business and he was doing well.

He wanted morethan one night stand. but, I didn't attach any feelings of entitlement to Basey. I was still searching seriously for a man to no avail.

On my 36th birthday, Basey proposed to me. It came as a surprise and to say I was shocked is to say the least. I nearly ran mad. I almost wore my engagement ring on my forehead.

God is really good. I could have gladly managed whatever kind of man he sent my way. But he choose to send me a kind of man that I don't deserve, an every woman's dream man, a wealthy, handsome, caring, understanding man. Ahhhhhhhhrrr, who would have imagined. ThankGod I stopped frequenting that church and faced reality.

I ran to Rita and she was so happy for me. She even took me out and spoiled me silly. She shared the word of God with me again and just like everytime we ended our meeting with quarrel. But we know very well that we love and care deeply for each other and never take those things to heart.

My walking step changed, infact I told whoever cared to listen about my engagement and seized every opportunity to show off Basey. Except on social media because he isn't a social media person. He had even forgotten his facebook password and refused to create another because he has no time for all that. While I showed him off online, I was pained because I couldn't tag him and there was no profile where he too could show me off. Sigh.

Basey was 39 and wanted to have kids before 40. So, he hastened every preparation up and 3 months later we were traditionally married and wedded in church.

Oh God! I'm now ready to repent.

I give myself away, so you can use me. Make me a radical instrument for use. I surrender all to thee, my blessed savior!

Ehen Rita, we can now share the world of God without fighting.

© Mma Moses