Chapter {32} Destiny

"Are you sure that you want to go there today?" Thato asked, examining me from head to toe. She had not failed to show her discomfort with me going out with Samuel which baffled me, because out of everyone, I expected that she would approve of our relationship but clearly not.

"What is wrong with me going out with Samuel?" I moved from my full-length mirror, moving my pillowcase to the side and taking a seat next to my best friend on the bed.

"He just gives me some weird vibes, yes, I am also a friend of his but don't you think his sudden disappearances and appearances, just don't add up? And besides he used you in a very weird way just to shield himself behind the fact that he could not properly approach you," she arched a brow awaiting my response but all that was going on in my head was that she was speaking absolute sense but it was not like I was walking into a death trap.

"John 7 verse 24 says 'Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement.' So he could have a very weird look but a pure heart who knows? And besides we are only getting to know each other," And that got her thinking about my bold statement.

I knew that I was standing up for someone whom I barely knew but why judge or accuse without the right facts?

"I guess your right but don't overlook any bad signs that come from him," she warned me, pulling me into a warm embrace.

"I won't."

"Okay, let me go make some lunch. Would you like anything?" She asked breaking the hug, a trace of tears visible in her brown eyes but she hid it by rushing on her feet for a quick escape before I see how much she cared for me but little did she know that I already counted myself blessed to have such a sister.

"No, thank you. I will have something at the restaurant," I smiled at her as she gave me a nod and left my room, shutting the door behind her, and leaving me with disturbing thoughts.

What if she was right?

As my eyes wandered around the room, in thought, my pink Bible caught my eye. It shone brightly and a pit grew in my stomach, knowing how much I was leaning on my own understanding and ways instead of trusting the Lord, how was he going to straighten my paths? The guilt ate at me.

I quickly grabbed it, from my nightstand, asking the Holy Spirits' guidance as I heard what the Lord was saying;

                  Psalms 38:21

  Do not abandon me, O Lord! My God,    do not remain far away from me!

What did the verse mean? What did the Lord want me to find out from this one specific verse? Was I straying away from the Lord? No! I read my Word daily, prayed whenever I could and praised the Lord as though my life depended on it. There was no way my faith was wavering.

I uttered a short prayer of protection and guidance from the Lord before swiping my purse containing my phone from my bed and making my way to what would either be an eventful afternoon or a peaceful one but I could never know now could I?

As I turned into the living room, the aromatic smell of oregano, an Italian spice and freshly baked bread was all my smelling senses could smell, eventually leading me to the kitchen where my best friend was seasoning some basil and oregano leaves in a dose of olive oil. It was a sight to behold, she looked like one of the chefs you would only see on television. From the way she lifted the pan, and tossed the spices in the air without a fuss, to the way she cut the parmesan cheese into thin slices placing them on the open bread slices that were buttered to perfection. Calling me to them.

"Oh, exquisite Chef. May you help me to some good old oregano," I tried out my British accent,  coaxing her into giving me some of her delicious Italian bread. Which I had come to love after trying at an Italian restaurant we had travelled to when we first arrived.

She shook her head, "You know, you could've just asked for some bread." She added the spices to the bread adding a pinch of salt before delicately placing a rosemary leaf and cutting it into half, steam rising from the bread before condensing on the countertop.

The countertop was clean as though Thato had never baked, I loved how neat and clean she was so I did not have to worry about finding the house untidy or the dishes unwashed because she would do so without a single mummer. She would always say, 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' whenever I left a mess in the kitchen or put the cushion on the carpet instead of the couch.

"Here you go!" She handed over the well-presented bread with a side of mashed potatoes, which by the way were my favourite and some cooldrink.

"Thank you, my good ma'am," I tried keeping a straight face, till she burst out laughing and I followed suit. How I loved this girl.

******

The reception of a posh upscale that looked more like a hotel was where I currently was. Everything looked too expensive to touch but good to admire from afar. Businessmen and women alike brushed past me, in quiet murmurs and staring gazes from perhaps seeing a person of my skin in such a sprauncy establishment. Such people made me feel unsafe under my own skin, though I was only a few shades darker than them and had slightly thicker hair did not mean I was not made in God's image, it did not give them the right to stare down at me in disgust and surely it did not give them the right to gossip and giggle behind my back. But I would keep quiet because the Word of the Lord taught me to be meek as my Lord and Savior was.

"Destiny?" A voice called from behind me. And upon my turning, I was not surprised to see Samuel in a form-fitting grey suit, and a pair of smart shoes.

"Samuel," I smiled, though it came out more forced than natural. I could not even bring myself to admire him because unfortunately, I was not attracted to him in that sense but who said it had to be love at first sight? Maybe someday I would view him as more than just a friend.

"You look magnificent," he commented in a husky whisper that made me inwardly shudder in disgust, moving a tad bit closer to me as I toke two steps back. This game when on till I bumped into a wall, and he rested his hands on either side of me, his overwhelming smell making me feel nauseous and his arms unpleasant around me. I lacked freedom. And his smirk only made him look like an antagonist, a predator trying to catch its prey. Where had everyone gone?

One breath... Two breaths... Three breaths. I tried to take in as much air as I possibly could without passing out as he moved his face closer to mine.

Lord, please deliver me.

"Sir," someone who sounded like a young woman cleared her throat before continuing. "Your table is ready."

Samuel angrily sighed, as though highly upset to have been interrupted for harassing and moving into my personal bubble without permission but by the power of God he stepped back until I had enough room to scramble a long distance away from him. I didn't think I would ever be comfortable with him. He had crossed a line that he shouldn't have dared to cross. It was the twenty-first century and about high time women were given the respect they deserved. Jesus also did not believe that women were meant to the silenced, or confined in the kitchen, so I would not be taking this laying down, evil triumphs when good people do nothing.

"I am not happy with what you just did," I confidently spoke my mind, not caring what his reaction would be. The young lady who had come at the nick of time had already left. I could only give God all the praise and thanks because had it not been for him, I don't know what would've happened.

"What are you talking about?" He tried to act oblivious to what had formerly occurred but if he wanted to act as though he did not know what he had done, I would gladly remind him.

"You trapping me and trying to kiss me without my permission, that is what I am talking about," I stood firm, knowing that I was not alone in this. It was my first time arguing with a man on such a crucial topic.

"I did not see anything wrong with that, in fact, you were the one who initiated that," he smirked, his once kind blue eyes holding an evil glint.

"How so?" I asked perplexed on how I was the one to initiate such a bold intolerable act.

"By dressing like that, you seriously thought you could dress like that and expect me not to make a move on you?" His eyes slowly moved up and down my body in a lustful manner.

"Christ is my firm foundation, he is the rock on which I stand and when everything around me is shaken, I have never been more glad that I put my faith in him. Though the rain may come and the wind may blow, I will not be shaken, neither will I be silenced and stop singing his praises and right now you have just disrespected me, demeaned me, insulted me. I am downright going to tell you the truth that nobody else might've, I don't need you. You are not the air that I breathe. You are simply the rain that's sent by principalities to make me fall short but I will not allow you to do so. Thato was right. You are nothing you portray yourself to be," And with that, I turned on my heel, with my confidence and virtues still intact, and I made my way to the exit of the restaurant. I did not like it there anyways.

But like a lost puppy, he came running after me. His hasty steps caught up to me as my hand landed on the door knob.

"Look, Destiny. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what came over me, it might've been the nerves. I was scared that something would go wrong and guess what, I was the one to mess up," he ran his hand through his blond hair as he did when he was stressed or angry. He looked genuinely apologetic.

"Okay, but know what you have officially lost my trust," I said, because I could not find it in myself to hold in such a grudge, it was not good for me spiritually and physically.

"And I will win it back, only if you give me one last chance, I will not disappoint you." We were all human and deserved second chances besides as a child of God I wrestled not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities so I could not completely fault him. At one point in my life, I had done something to hurt another person so I could not hold that against him, especially after he apologised.

"Okay, but only one last chance. If you do something else, you can forget my name,"

"Thank you, I will not hurt you ever again," he was filled with determination but for how long?

****

We had been here for over an hour, and I had decided to put the problem behind my back and enjoy myself. Now and then, he would crack a joke that would get me babbling up in laughter as I sipped on my chilled lemonade.

"So do you believe in God?" I asked the question that the Holy Spirit had been gnawing at me about.

"Uhm no, but I could give it a try," he responded as his usual soft smile toke over his face.

"That's good because God gave his one and only begotten son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life," I replied with my own genuine smile. Speaking about the Lord always gave me such beautiful peace and joy.

"That seems so cool," every now and then his American accent would show itself, showing how young he truly was.

As I was about to respond, the last voice I ever thought I would hear called out to me.

"Amore?" He was near me, his intoxicating smell enveloped me like a blanket as I turned and looked into the steel grey orbs I had come to love.

"Nio?" His name came out as a mere whisper, as I  stared at him in his immaculate black suit and matching tie. His hair slicked back as usual.

"What are you doing here?" His stormy eyes moved from mine to Samuels' as they had a stare-down, both refusing to back down.

Samuel beat my answer with his own, "As you can see, we are on a date," he said motioning to the both of us, taking my hand in his but as soon as he toke it, I retreated it, rubbing it on my long skirt.

Nio's stormy gaze returned to mine and they seemed to soften a bit before he asked something that had me rooted to my seat.

"Can we talk privately?"

"I'm sure whatever you want to say to her, you can say in front of me," Samuel responded without a second thought. Though I did not like how he had lied through his teeth about how we were on the date, Nio needed to respect him enough not to call him away.

"Amore?" His hands balled up into fists at his side.

"As he said. Please speak," I responded, I guess I was still upset over how he had rejected me, though he did not share my feelings, I at least expected a different answer.

"Destiny," he sighed pulling up a seat from a  vacant table, and taking a seat right beside me, his orbs looking at me as though staring at the depths of my soul before gently taking my hand into his, the sparks he always gave me, still there as his thumb rubbed the back of my hand. I knew what we he wanted to say would leave me either happy, sad or flabbergasted. My eyes looked into his grey ones, as everything else around us faded away.

"You are a beautiful girl and have an even more beautiful heart. A heart I never thought anyone could ever possess but you proved me wrong. You showed me that life was not black and white, that it was more than just pain, it was more than just money, it was about family, friends and... Love."

My heart leapt in my chest... Beating a million beats all at once anticipating what his next words would be.

"Destiny, you hold my heart, and you do not even know it, you fill up my thoughts and you don't even notice, you changed me and you don't even see it. Amore, I love you," and my heart stopped beating as I stared at our hands in shock, pure and utter shock.

Did he love me?

How?

Samuel uttered something that simply passed by my ears, as I was too occupied to even listen to whatever he had to say. Nio loved me! He really loved me, should I cry or should I do a happy dance around the restaurant? But my happiness was short-lived as I thought of Samuel, he also loved me. What was I to do?

"Destiny who do you want to be with?" Samuel asked shocking me to the core, what were they arguing about that I had to choose between the two of them?

Nio looked at me with such intense emotion; love, his hand still in mine and Samuel looked at me with expectation.

Lord, please guide me.