THE SMART CHILD - JOY

"Tabitha, you returned from the hospital barely four days. You need to stay back and have proper rest, so that you can regain your strength. Why are you in a hurry to travel back home?" Mrs Peter persuaded Tabitha.

"I have to reach out to my family with the word of God. My heart is heavy for them." She answered faintly.

"Don't forget you have told me a lot about your family; how you have been thrown out all these years and left to suffer alone. Are you sure going to them right now will be the right choice?" She asked.

"I was their daughter, thrown out as their daughter, but now I want to reach out to them with the message of Christ's offer of Salvation for eternal safety.

Please I want you to do me a favour. If Joy can stay back with you while I go and return." She requested of Mrs Peter.

"Ah, you shouldn't in anyway worry yourself about that. I want you to take me as Joy's mother too. It takes more than the efforts of one woman to raise a child, and of course not considering the fact that you are a single mother in this case." Mrs Peter admonished.

"Thank you so much mommy Vic. I will be leaving for the village early morning tomorrow."

"Okay, since you insist, what will I do?" Then she paused and placed her arm around her;

"Tabitha, I want you to forgive I and my husband, the way we must have treated you before now. We are truly sorry and I also apologise on behalf of every person in this compound."

"Ah, ah, Mommy Vic, you don't have to be asking for pardon, for what? You and your husband have not offended me anyway. By the way, thank you for allowing the Lord use you both to save my life." She appreciated.

"Ah, Tabitha, it's not us o, it is God who made it happened this way." Mrs Peter answered and left for the door to welcome in Mr Peter who just returned from work.

When he notice Tabitha in, he smiled and greeted her with all sense of humor.

"When is evening devotion?" He asked Tabitha as he fell on the center cushion.

"Six o'clock sir." She answered.

"Alright, I am anxiously waiting for the hour of six." Mr Peter answered.

Later that evening, his sitting room was packed full with neighbors trooping in for evening devotion.

The excitement in their faces could tell that they were truly enjoying the time spent studying the word of God together.

The study ended 8pm and Tabitha returned to her apartment with Joy to attend to some other needs

There was a knock on the door. Tabitha not expecting a guest at that odd hour of the night, she opened the door and found Tony standing there like someone's who had been caught with a stolen yam in his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with all seriousness.

"Babe, I am sorry for everything that..."

"Hey, please hold it there. I don't want to have anything to do with you hence forth. Please leave my house." She issued an instruction.

Reluctantly, Tony took a step down from the stairs and stoped.

"I am sorry. I came a long way to visit you and Yuhwen..."

"Point of correction, my daughter's name is joy not Yuhwen."

"I don't understand, when has her name become Joy?" Tony asked.

"Well, you don't need to know. If you don't mind, I am shutting my door. Please and please Tony, let's not be seen close again. For the sake of Joy, I will grant you access some times but get it rightly that there is nothing between us, never! I am now a child of God opting for a new beginning.

Meanwhile, I want you prepared for the legal undertaking so as to put this mess to a proper end through the law."

And with that said, Tabitha shut her door against Tony.

Flabbergasted, he turned around quietly and struggled away.

"Mommy, is that daddy?" Joy asked as soon as Tabitha was back into the house.

"Yes my child, you don't need to bother. I love you." She answered trying to wave the matter away.

"Mommy, do daddy loves me?

You always tell me that, but daddy doesn't.

Mommy," she called again tapping her.

"Why is daddy not staying with us? Vicky's dad stays with her and her mother.

Tell me please, why is daddy aways away?" The little one asked persistently.

"Joy, this is why I always urge you to eat much food and grow up fast so I can tell you somethings."

"But mommy," She called in her childish voice.

"I eat much. I always finish my food." She defended defiantly.

"You and I know that's not true. You know you are a child of God, and children of God should always say the truth." Tabitha taught with a beaming smile as she wore ribbon on her hair.

"Okay mommy, I'm sorry I lied. Henceforth, I will finish my food. I want to grow up so mommy can tell me somethings." She accepted defeat.

"That's my girl." Tabitha teased.

"But mommy, I'm grown a little, please tell me. Does daddy loves me? He has not tell me that. I want to hear him say it mommy." She persuaded again.

"Okay, I am sure daddy loves you. It's just that maybe he'll have to learn to say that."

"Okay mommy.

So my second question mommy; why is daddy not staying home with us?"

"Okay, I and daddy are not yet married. Victoria's mom and dad are married. That's why they are staying together.

God only permits people who are married to stay together my child." Tabitha explained.

"But mommy," She called climbing the chair to play with her hair.

"I and you are not married. Why are we staying together?" Joy asked again.

Without control, Tabitha broke out laughing. She graped her and pull her into her arms;

"Joy, I and you are mother and daughter. Mother and daughter cannot marry each other, so they can stay together." She explained.

"Okay Mom, I understand. You see, I'm grown up now." She said jubilantly, throwing her hands into the air.

"Haha, you this girl.

But you have to eat much and grow bigger. Once you are bigger, mom will teach you more things."

"Okay Mom, I will finish my food henceforth, I want to grow bigger." She answered excitedly.

"That's my baby girl. Let me make you tea so you will take a little and go to bed okay?"

"Yes Mommy!" She paused and called again; "Mommy, I love you."

When Tabitha heard that, she startled, returned and went on her knees giving her a tight hug.

She slide her fingers behind and wiped off tears from her eyes, in order to prevent Joy from asking why she cried.

When she released her and left for kitchen, she bent over the sink and appreciated God for the new life she had found.

Moment later, she was back with a cup of steaming tea which she placed on the stool to get cold.

"Baby girl?" She called out to Joy.

"Yes mommy." She came running from where she sat watching cartoon network.

"I will be traveling to the village tomorrow. I will spend two days approximately. I want you to stay back with mommy Vic until I am back." Tabitha announced to her.

"Okay mommy. But mommy, why am I not going with you?" She asked.

"You will go the next time I am going, but for now, I want you to stay back with mommy Vic. I promise to come back to you, only promise me that you will be a good girl and make mommy proud."

"I promise to be a good girl mommy. Mommy, will you go with Jesus?" She asked causing Tabitha to smile broadly.

"Yes my baby girl, but Jesus will also stay back to be with you. He is everywhere we find ourselves."

"Okay mommy." She answered.

"Oya, go and get your tea and drink so that you we will pray and go to bed."

"Okay Mom." She answered and ran for the cup of tea.

When she was done drinking, it was bed time, but Joy insisted for a bed time Bible story, which Tabitha told, and they both went to bed.

And the curtains rolled.