GARNISHED MEAL

It was day break, yet Agnes sat in the cushion unmoved as the other two girls moved about in preparation for work.

"Ah ah, Agi baby, are you not going to work?" Cynthia passed by and asked.

"Mmm, no! I took an off yesterday to stay back, rest and prepare something for the house.

I have been stressed for the last two days of voluminous work." She shrugged to say.

"I can see. You really deserve some rest. That means you will be garnishing something really nice for your girls today - Please make it yummy." She said smiling as she rushed into the bathroom.

Victoria passed by and the same mode of communication was established as she rushed into the dressing room to dress for work.

Thursdays were for counseling in Revival City Ministry.

Agnes knew that the Apostle would be in the office attending to people as they would come in their large numbers.

On some days, the crowd becomes so much that he would have to do an emergency mass deliverance for those whom he could not attend to one on one.

She had already crafted in her mind the line of things she would be doing to get Apostle's attention.

She wasn't going to be pushy about it but play her role sensitively and carefully, hopefully she would be recognized by Apostle and once he shows interest in her, she would pretend as if it was never her making so that the girls won't sentence her over winning the fight over the man of God.

After her friends had left for work and it was all silent, Agnes waited a little and left for the market to get ingredients for the kitchen.

She took her time to carefully do the selection of what she needed for her meal. It took her quit a time but it was worth it. She needed to be excellent in preparing the said meal so it could sell her intensions and bring her fortune.

She returned home tired and worn out. She took something herself and rested for few minutes.

After becoming strengthened, she walked into the kitchen and began to stew her meals to the very taste she desired.

There were two varieties of meals prepared;

Pounded yam with egusi soup, prepared with every nature of ingredient to give it the excellent look and taste.

Fried rice with heavy pieces of fried chicken and every touch of branding matching a world class delicacy.

To balance the diet, she had some fresh juice nicely blended; Orange juice, cranberry juice and apple juice, exactly the balance of what anybody would expect.

When she was done, she had all the meals arranged and made set.

Satisfied with the work of her hand, she went into the bathroom and showered and then stuffed her car with the food. As she sat to drive, she checked her time and wouldn't believe the it was against her.

She failed to realize that a nice meal would cost one money and time.

She had the money but the time was against her. She couldn't believe that it was 1pm.

What time would she arrive the office and present herself to the Apostle? well, she would have to try her best. it was late, but never too late.

Arriving there 2pm would be a nice time only if he had no other engagement than to stay aboard in the office. By then he must have been hungry, stressed and needful of something to refresh himself, then the meal would have served it purpose.

In the midst of much thoughts, she drove against traffic to cover a twenty minutes drive in ten minutes.

As she approached the entrance of the church, she saw apostle Aondofa Daniel's car moving out of the gate. She tried to speed up but it was too late. The Lord's Apostle was gone out of sight.

Those who had come for counseling in their usual numeracy were seeing walking out with gloomy faces.

"Pee peee!! She honk to stop a member and inquire from her.

"Hello good afternoon my sister." She greeted.

"Good afternoon ma." The sister answered sadly.

"Please I noticed Apostle's car leaving the premises. Is there no counseling today?" She inquired.

"Well, he has been counseling since morning till now when he passed the announcement that he needed to attend to an urgent matter." The member replied and Continued moving her way.

Agnes felt hurt, sweat almost streaming down her skin.

She turned to the meal beside her and became greatly discouraged.

What will she do now? she questioned herself. An idea dropped in her mind. She drove in and parked, then came out to search for a closest confidant of the Apostle.

"...Sister Agnes, I'm sure of what I'm saying. Papa won't be back to the office today again." Apostle Aondofa Daniel's assistant got angry and threw a reply after a stubborn conversation with her.

"But sorry can I..." She wanted to say something but thought of how impossible it will be and kept mute.

"Sister Agnes I'm sorry. Maybe you can turn up tomorrow, probably papa will be in the office, but for now, there is nothing I or any other person can do for you." He said and turned to join others in the church who were interceding with fervency.

Agnes was frustrated. She glared over her neat appearance and thought about the food.

She wanted The Lord's Apostle to see how beautifully dressed and nicely adoring she was - she wanted the fragrance of her body to permeate his nostril - she knew at least some basic things Apostle loved to see in women by virtue of his preachings and that's how exactly she appeared with her meal.

If she would have access to him, she would use the opportunity to present the meal and possibly serve him, during which she would entice him and cause him to fall in love with her.

From there, opportunity would avail itself for her to engage in a conversation with the man of God and if chance has it, that would be all that is required and she would be the beloveth of the Lord's chosen Apostle.

All that was now on the negative page seeing that she could not have access to him.

She thought of calling his number and informing him that she had brought something for him but she felt that would sound too disrespectful considering that there wasn't yet a cordial bond between them - what she was fighting so hard to establish.

Against her indecisive heart, she sluggishly trailed her feet after her worried emotions and permeated through the doorway of her car like a cat stealing into an opening.

She touched the food and inhaled then sighed heavily as she ignited her car engine and zoomed back home.

With all her plans, investment and time spoiled, she took the food into the kitchen and retired to bed to catch some sleep upon arrival.

She tried sleeping, but her sad mind would not allow her. She brought out her phone and played some clips of Apostle Aondofa Daniel wondering what on earth could make her to be so insane about the man of God whom probably wasn't making any move for her.

After watching the clips for a while, she laid them off and slide through her photo gallery to view some collections of the Apostle's most epic pictures.

As she watched, her desire of him increased. Without a thought, she went on her knees and pleaded with the Lord to make her his.

She didn't know that the time had gone so fast and it was already the hour for her friends to be back home. Upon remembering, she went into the kitchen and saw all she had prepared for the Apostle.

Imagining that Victoria and Cynthia would be the ones to end up feasting on the meal caused her heart to ache.

what would she do? she asked herself. Just as if the answer was available, there was a knock on the door. She went for it, opened up and her eyes fell on Victoria.

"Who's in here?" Victoria asked in a light mood.

"Wait, what's happening? Why is your face like that? Who offends you?" Victoria asked persistently when she saw her countenance.

Agnes had to hide all her bitterness and express happiness no matter what, otherwise the girls would dig out the answer and she would be castigated.

As Cynthia walked into the room to change before heading for the kitchen, Cynthia too arrived. She was so hungry that she couldn't wait for long talks. After all her mind had been in the kitchen right from the time she left for work in the morning.

"Agi baby!" She shouted out Agnes's name as she walked in.

"Cynthia are you back?" Victoria asked from the bedroom still pulling off.

"Yes o." The kitchen has been calling my name since morning. Where is Cynthia?" She asked.

"I guess she is in the kitchen." Victoria replied coming out to join her.

The two girls walked into the kitchen and mate Agnes uncovering all that she had taken for Apostle Aondofa Daniel.

"Ah ah!" This one that the food is heavily packed, who is it for?" Victoria asked salivating.

"For you girls of course." Agnes lied. "Actually I wanted delivering the food to you girls at work but I was stressed out. My apologies." She lied again.

"O girl, see food o" Cynthia said jumping to give Agnes a hug.

"Thank you thank you thank you. I am so hungry. Tonight is for eating, drinking and partying." Victoria said as she rushed carrying what she could carry to the sitting room.

Agnes was angered and bittered, yet she had to fake her countenance by smiling.

Soon they began to eat and cheer in joyful harmony and merriment.

"Ah ah, Agi baby, why are you not eating with us." Cynthia asked throwing a surprising face.

"I have been eaten since morning." Agnes lied.

"You should expect na. The lady is filled. Please agi help us play some music." Victoria ordered.

Unwilling, Agnes went to on the audio device as the girls enjoyed the meal to the fullest.

It was a good day for Victoria and Cynthia. They had not enjoyed a meal such as the one they enjoyed that day.

After all and done, Victoria invited the two of them and they three had a brief meeting.

".....Thank you Agnes for what you have done today to show us the love that hasn't be expressed in a while.

Making such a great feast for us is beyond my fathoming. God bless you." Victoria concluded joyfully.

When Agnes retired to her room to have her sleep, it was at that moment that she had to empty herself of the tears that had gathered for the frustration she endured.

She felt very pained and vowed that she wasn't going to give up.

She would keep up with all her strategies until she was the only woman that Apostle would desire to be with.