#;; but also even in the way she prepares for the ritual?? she cleans herself. anoints herself with oils.

[kaerinio]

sitting here vibrating over the fact that dany placed the dragon eggs at drogo's head, heart, and legs on the pyre. this is representative of the mind-body-spirit connection present in various magical systems. and ofc drogon's egg was placed above his heart, signifying an almost direct transfer of spirit. ( though, dany sees drogo's actual spirit on a fiery stallion in the fires so it seems he's somewhere in the nightlands, but drogon does seem to take on some of his characteristics ).

[mostlydeadlanguages]

Two Rapes, Two Murders (2 Samuel 11-13)

Image: "Amnon and Tamar," by Steve Tucker

These three chapters depict the pivot point of King David's life.  Having completed his seize of power from Saul's lineage, he seems to be at the peak of his career.  But he grows complacent and stays home while his soldiers fight a war, leading to the decision to rape his subordinate's wife and murder her husband.  From there, things begin to unravel: he receives harsh prophetic condemnation, then becomes (unknowingly?) complicit in his daughter's rape by his heir, who would himself be murdered in revenge.

2 Samuel 11: The Rape of Bathsheba  

At the turn of the year, the time when kings go out [to war], David sent out Joab — and his officers with him, and all Israel.  They obliterated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.  But meanwhile, David stayed in Jerusalem.

It was evening time.  David got up from his bed to wander the roof of the palace, and he saw a woman bathing on the rooftop.  The woman was very beautiful.

David sent someone to ask about the woman, and he said, "Why, that is Bathsheba, Eliam's daughter, the wife of Uriah the Hittite." [1]

David sent messengers, and they took her; she came to him, and he slept with her.  (Yet she declared her own innocence during her defilement.) [2]  Then she returned to her house.

But the woman had conceived, and she sent someone to tell David, "I am pregnant."

.

David sent to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite."  So Joab sent Uriah to David.

Uriah came to him, and David asked him about the wellbeing of Joab, and about the people, and about the war.  Next, David told Uriah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." [3]

Then Uriah exited the palace, bringing the king's gifts after him.  But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace, with all his lord's officers, and he did not go down to his house.

They told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house."

So David said to Uriah, "Haven't you come from a journey?  Why didn't you go down to your house?"

Uriah said to David, "The Ark and Israel and Judah are staying in huts, and my lord Joab and my lord's officers are camping out on fields.  Should I go to my house, to eat and drink and sleep with my wife?  As you live and breathe, I swear I shall not do such a thing!"

David told Uriah, "Stay here for another day; tomorrow, I will send you back."

So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day — and the following one.

Then David invited him to eat and drink in front of him, until he got him drunk.  In the evening, he went to sleep on his couch with his lord's officers.  But he did not go down to his house.

That morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, and he sent it by the hand of Uriah.  In the letter, he wrote, "Put Uriah in the very front of the fiercest fighting — then draw back from him, so he gets struck and dies."

.

When Joab surrounded the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were mighty warriors.  The city's people came out and fought Joab, and some of David's officers were among those who fell.  Uriah the Hittite also died.

Joab sent someone to tell David all the details of the fighting, and he ordered the messenger, "After you finish telling all the details of the fighting to the king, if the king grows angry and says to you, 'Why did you approach the city to fight it?  Didn't you know that they would shoot from atop the wall?  Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubaal?  Didn't a woman throw an upper millstone from atop the wall, so he died at Thebez? [4]  Why did you approach the wall?' — then you should say, 'Also, your officer Uriah the Hittite died.'" [5]

So the messenger went, and when he arrived, he told David everything that Joab had conveyed.  The messenger said to David, "The people had gained an advantage over us, and they came out to meet us on the field, but we prevailed over them at the entrance to the gate.  Then the archers shot at your officers from atop the wall, and some of the royal officers died, but your officer Uriah the Hittite also died."

Then David said to the messenger, "Say this to Joab: 'Don't let this matter upset you; one way or another, the sword devours.  Strengthen your attack on the city and destroy it.'  Give him encouragement."

When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her spouse.    But once the mourning had passed, David sent for her and added her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

The thing that David did was evil in YHWH's eyes.

[1] We see elsewhere that Eliam was one of David's close allies; Bathsheba was not only the wife of David's warrior but the daughter of his friend.

[2] This line is traditionally interpreted as "she was purifying herself after her period" (NRSV).  While women were considered impure during their period, neither of the words are quite the right ones for that meaning.  "Impurity" meant any kind of ritual uncleanness, and (as in Numbers 5:19) could refer to the impurity of engaging in adultery/illicit sex.  As for "purifying herself," the verb form literally means, "to declare/ensure oneself as holy."  So I follow Auld in viewing this as an act of resistance by Tamar: even in the midst of apparent adultery, she declared herself not a willing participant, making David's action unequivocal rape.  This parallels Tamar's similar actions in chapter 13.

[3] Washing his feet was probably a euphemism for sex, perhaps because it signified cleaning up before going to bed (cf. Song 5:3).

[4] The death of the hero Abimelech (depicted in Judges 9) was apparently a well-known illustration of why one should keep enough distance from a city wall when attacking.

[5] Note the machinations of Joab, who is one of the Bible's most wonderfully amoral characters.  David said nothing about fighting next to the city wall; that was Joab's strategic decision, and one that cost him many officers.  But he defends himself preemptively against the king's criticism with an observation colored by a hint of blackmail: he knows that David's own actions were not blameless.

2 Samuel 12: An Allegory of Accusation

Then YHWH sent Nathan to David, so he went to him and said to him:

"Once there were two men in one city: one was rich, and one poor.  The rich one had flocks of sheep and herds of cows — very many of them.  But the poor one had nothing at all, except for one little lamb that he had bought.  He raised her, and she grew up with him, together with his children.  She ate from his scant provisions, and drank from his cup, and slept in his arms.  She was like a daughter to him.

"A traveler came to the rich man, but he hesitated to take from his own flocks or herds, to prepare for the guest who had arrived.  So he took the lamb of the poor man, and he prepared it for the guest who had arrived."

Then David grew very angry at the man, and he said to Nathan, "As YHWH lives, the man who did that is a dead man!  As for the lamb, he must restore it fourfold, because he did that thing and showed no compassion."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man!  Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel: I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the power of Saul.  I gave you the house of your master, and the wives of your master into your arms, and I gave you the houses of Israel and Judah — and if that was insufficient, I would have added just as much and more.  Why have you scorned God's word to do evil in his eyes?  You struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and then you took his wife for yourself as a wife!  As for him, you killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.  Henceforth, the sword will not pass from your house for all time, because you have scorned me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own wife.

"Thus says YHWH: Look!  I am raising up evil against you within your house, and I will take your wives in your sight, and I will give them to your neighbor, and he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this very sun!  For you have acted in secret, but as for me, I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun."

Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against YHWH!"

Nathan said to David, "Yet YHWH will overlook your sin; you will not die.  Still, because you utterly scorned YHWH [1] in this affair, the son born to you will surely also die."  Then Nathan went back to his house.

Then YHWH struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he grew sick.  David pleaded with God on behalf of the boy, and David fasted and went to lie on the ground.  The elders of his house rose up against him, to get him up from the ground, but he refused and would not eat bread.

Then, on the seventh day, the child died.  David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child had died, for they said, "look, when the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he wouldn't listen to what we said; how can we tell him that the child is dead?  He will do something bad!"

But when David saw that his servants were whispering back and forth, David knew that the child had died.  Then David asked his servants, "Did the child die?," and they said, "He died."

David got up from the ground, washed himself, anointed himself, and changed his clothes.  He went to the temple of YHWH and worshiped, then came back to his house.  He asked for food, so they put it before him, and he ate.

Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you've done?  For the sake of the living child, you fasted and wept; once the child died, you got up and ate food."

He said, "While the child still lived, I fasted and wept, because I thought, 'Who knows?  YHWH may show me favor, and the child may live.'  But now he is dead; why should I fast?  Am I capable of bringing him back again?  I can go to him, but he cannot return to me."

Then David consoled Bathsheba, his wife, and he went in to her and slept with her, and she bore a child.  He named him Solomon. YHWH loved him and sent a message through Nathan the prophet, naming him Jedediah ["beloved of Yah"] because of YHWH.

.

Joab fought at Rabah of the Ammonites, and he took the royal city.  Then Joab sent messengers to David, and he said, "I have fought in Rabbah, and I have also taken the 'water city.'  Now, gather the remainder of the people and make camp against the city, and take it.  Otherwise, I will take the city myself, and it will be called by my name!"

So David gathered all the people, and he went to Rabbah, and he fought it and took it.  Then he took the crown of Milkom from atop his head; its weight was a talent of gold, plus a precious stone, which went on David's head.  (He also brought out very abundant spoil from the city.)

As for the people in it, he brought them out, and he set them with saws and iron picks and iron axes, or passed them along to the brick kilns.  He did this to all the cities of the Ammonites.  Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

[1] Literally, "the enemies of YHWH." This peculiar phrase (hasn't David scorned YHWH, not his enemy?) has various explanations and alternatives, but appears to be a form of oath euphemism; see also 1Sam 25:22.

2 Samuel 13: The Rape of Tamar

This is what happened next.  Absalom, David's son, had a lovely sister; her name was Tamar, and David's son Amnon loved her.  It distressed Amnon to the point of illness because of Tamar, his sister — for she was a maiden, and Amnon fantasized [1] about doing anything to her.

Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah.  Now, Jonadab was extremely clever.  He asked him, "Why are you listless, king's son, morning after morning?  Won't you tell me?"

Amnon told him, "It's Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom; I love her."

Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed and act sick, so that your father comes to see you.  Then tell him, 'Please, let my sister Tamar come and feed me — she'll make comfort food in my sight, so that I can see and eat from her hand.'"

Amnon laid down and acted sick, and the king came to see him.  Then Amnon said to the king, "Please, let my sister Tamar come and make two bosom-cakes [2] in my sight, so I can eat comfort food from her hand."

So David sent home for Tamar, saying, "Please, come to your brother Amnon's house and make some comfort food for him."

.

Tamar came to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying.  She took dough, kneaded it, and made bosom-cakes in his sight.  Then she boiled the bosom-cakes, took the pan, and turned them out in his sight.  But he refused to eat.

Amnon said, "Send away from me every man." [3]  So every man went away from him.  Amnon told Tamar, "Bring the comfort food into the inner chamber, so I can eat comfort food from your hand."  

Tamar took the bosom-cakes that she made, and she brought them into the inner chamber, to her brother Amnon.  But when she offered him them to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come on, sleep with me, my sister!"

"No, my brother!" she told him.  "Don't violate me!  It isn't done like that in Israel.  Don't do such a disgusting thing!  And what about me — where could I take my disgrace?  And you, you would become one of Israel's disgusting men.  Now then, please, speak with the King; he won't refuse me from you."

But he refused to listen to her cries, and he was stronger than her, so he violated her and slept with her.

Then Amnon hated her with a terrible hatred, so that the hatred that he hated was greater than the love that he had loved.  Amnon told her, "Get up and go!"

"No!" she said.  "For this evil act is worse than the other that you did to me." [4]

Yet he refused to listen to her.  He called for the youth who attended him and said, "Please, take *this away from me; send her out and lock the door after her."

(On her was a long-sleeved tunic [5], for that was how kings' maiden daughters dressed after adolescence.)

So the attendant sent her outside, and he locked the door after her.

.

Tamar put ashes on her head; as for the long-sleeved tonic on her, she tore it.  Then she put her hand on her head and went away, weeping.

Her brother Absalom said to her, "Was your brother Amnon with you?  Well then, my sister, stay silent; he is your brother.  Put this matter out of your mind."  Then Tamar stayed, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house.

When King David heard all these matters, he was enraged.  [Yet he did not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.] [6]

Absalom did not speak with Amnon, either positively or negatively.  For Absalom hated Amnon, on account of him violating his sister Tamar.

.

It had been two years.

Absalom had some sheep-shearers at Baal-Hazor, near Ephraim, and Absalom called for all the king's sons.  Then Absalom came to the king and said, "If you would, your servant has some sheep-shearers; please, let the king and his officers come with your servant."

The king told Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, so we are not a burden on you."  He urged him, but he would not go, though he blessed him.

Absalom said, "If not, then please, let my brother Amnon come with us."

"Why should he go with you?" the king asked.

Yet Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king's sons with him. [7]

[Absalom prepared a kingly feast.]  But Absalom ordered his servants, "Please watch for when Amnon is drunk with wine.  I will tell you, 'Strike Amnon' — then make him die. [8] Don't be scared; haven't I myself given the orders to you?  Be strong!  Be brave men!"  And Absalom's servants did to Amnon just what Absalom ordered.

All the king's sons got up; each one mounted his mule and fled.

.

While they were on the word, news came to David, saying that Absalom had struck all the king's sons, and not one of them remained.  So the king got up, tore his clothing, and lay on the ground, and all the servants waiting on him tore their clothes.

Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, replied, "Don't let my lord think that they killed all the young men, the king's sons — for only Amnon is dead.  This was determined by Absalom's command, ever since Amnon violated his sister Tamar.  Now then, my lord the king should put this matter out of his mind; don't think that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead."

(Absalom then fled.)

The young man on watch looked up, and he saw (look!) many people coming from the Horonaim road on the mountainside.  Jonadab said to the king, "Look!  The king's sons have come.  Just like your servant said, it happened."

When he had finished speaking, (look!) the sons of the king came, and they lifted their voices and wept; the king and all his servants also wept inconsolably.

Absalom had fled, and he went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Gesher.

But [David] mourned his son every day.

Absalom had fled, and he went to Geshur.  He was there for three years.

Then the king's [passion] to go out against Absalom ceased, for he had been consoled over Amnon's death.

[1] "Amnon fantasized": Literally, "It was marvelous in the eyes of Amnon to..."  The verb "to be marvelous" can refer to something literally impossible/miraculous, or to something wonderful/desirable.  "Fantasized" is my attempt to convey both desirability and surreality.

[2] "Bosom-cakes" is my translation of a word that literally means "hearts" and has often been translated as "heart-shaped cakes."  The modern "heart shape" originated in the Middle Ages, so a "heart-shaped cake" would be an uneven lump — possible, but hardly evocative.  Instead, I theorize that the cakes were breast-shaped, which is a recognizable shape (cf. the Italian "Minni di Sant’Agata"), naturally comes in a pair, and could be euphemistically be called "hearts" due to their similar anatomical location.  (Cf. Nahum 2:8 and Exodus 29:29 for similar usage.)  The name would also make sense for the cooking method of boiling, which results in a smooth, pale loaf (still brown from wholemeal flour, but not additionally bronzed).

[3] "Man" (/îsh) can refer to people of either gender, or to males specifically.  Given that a woman stays behind, I interpret this as meaning the latter.

[4] Rape, though considered wrong, was a one-time offense.  The Bible's laws show more concern about the social status of the rape victim, who would be considered unmarriageable and therefore lack economic support for the rest of her life.  Indeed, the Bible contains laws that mandate that a rapist must marry an unmarried victim.  This fits with Tamar's assertion that David would have let the two marry; Abraham and Sarah had famously also been half-siblings.

[5] This is the same type of garment that was historically translated as Joseph's "coat of many colors."  Its actual meaning (other than indicating a special garment for royalty) is unclear, but the modern consensus is for a "long-sleeved/modest" dress.  Incidentally, the word for the garment (ketonet) may be etymologically related to English "cotton," via Arabic.

[6] The Hebrew text of Samuel is infamously bad; the version we have was, at some point, passed on by a poor copyist who made many errors and omissions.  For the most part, I have tried to stick with the Hebrew text as is, despite the excellent efforts of others to reconstruct the missing segments from ancient parallels.  Here, however, an entire sentence has dropped out of the Hebrew, and it's very important to the passage's narrative, so I have added it in brackets.  The same applies a few verses later.

[7] There are a lot of linguistic parallels here to Tamar's rape — especially around David's role in sending the victim to their doom.  Just as Tamar was silently obedient, so is Amnon.

[8] "Make him die" — this is not the normal verb for simply killing someone.  Rather, it has connotations of execution and divine punishment.  Absalom is encouraging his servants to view themselves as righteous executioners, not murderers.

[defavouredkings]

Shades Of Deceit Episode 6

Shades Of Deceit Episode 6   THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th, 2014. Garki, Abuja. 10:23AM Chika ran his hand on his head in a sweeping movement as he fixed his gaze on the laptop on his desk. The design was proving to be a much more bigger challenge than he had anticipated, his eyes squinting as he tried to fashion out fine details in the work in front of him. Incoming Call – Sylvia He hissed. It was the fifth time she was calling in less than three minutes, obviously to let him know that she had left his office. He had left an instruction with the receptionist barring her from seeing him, after the last time she visited. He smiled as the thought of a ‘restraining order’ seeped into his mind. It sounded like a good idea but definitely not in Nigeria. The police that is supposed to effect the order would actually be the ones to escort the person you are seeking to restrain, to you, maybe even blaring sirens as they come. ‘Stupid people,’ he muttered as he swivelled in his chair, distracted from work by the funny thoughts in his head. Why was he even wasting his thoughts on Sylvia and the police when he had real issues to deal with? His eyes fell on the planner on the table, with the green circle drawn around 26 immediately seizing his attention. It was his birthday but it meant nothing anymore. He had drawn green circles around special days earlier in the year to remind him to spend it with his family, but it just didn’t make any more sense now that there was no family. The saying finally made sense to him; special days are special, because of special people. ‘I miss my boy,’ he said to himself. He would have loved to switch that to ‘I miss my family,’ but he wasn’t so sure about his wife. He missed her, but he just couldn’t bring himself to forgive her now. The sting from the tape still felt fresh. You know you’re such a proud fool, right? The familiar voice that had become his companion since the separation, whispered in his head. What stops you from making that call now? It continued. Like he was on auto-response, Chika reached out for his phone, too drained to argue with the voice like he would normally do. He tapped a button and watched the screen of his phone as it dialled his wife’s number. She was still on his quick dial. He plugged the phone to his ears and soon enough there was that familiar buzzing sound from the other end. He paused as he searched his mind for the right word to say after the ritual of hello. His mouth felt dry as he drummed his fingers on the table with his free left hand. ‘Hello,’ she said, from the other end. Her voice composed and strong. ‘Hello,’ He replied, not sure what his next words would be. The only thing he was sure of at the moment was that he missed his son, and just maybe, his wife. *** Lugbe, Abuja. 11:05AM Priye ran her fingers on his chest, snuggling up to him as she felt his hand wrap her up some more. This was the best part of their meet-up. It usually made her feel like he was hers for real. How she coveted him. ALSO READ: LOVE AND LET GO ‘I’ll miss us,’ she said, her lips vibrating on his chest as she spoke. ‘I’ll miss us so much,’ she repeated. ‘Are you relocating?’ Michael asked, his head propped up against the pillow on the bed. ‘Relocating? No!’ ‘So?’ Michael questioned further, ‘you sound like you’re going somewhere, cos’ I’m not.’ ‘Ben proposed,’ Priye breathed, as she lifted up her hand to display the ring on her finger. ‘What!’ Michael gasped, as he rose up to a sitting position on the bed. ‘When? How? Why?’ He spluttered. ‘On Sunday, I told you we were dating.’ ‘Not formally. And Ben also never spoke to me about it,’ Michael replied with an air of lordship. ‘Besides Ben cannot adequately provide for you.’ ‘Hmmn,’ Priye grunted as she lifted her head from his laps to gaze at him. ‘And he’s a pastor in your ministry?’ She asked defiantly. ‘I know someone who can take care of you,’ Michael continued, ignoring her question. ‘He has come to take permission from me to speak with you, which is the proper way to go about such things. His name is Harrison, he’s a deputy manager at…’ ‘Ben has proposed to me and I said yes,’ Priye cut in, not interested in hearing the full story. ‘Do you love him?’ Michael asked. ‘Atleast I know him and I like him,’ she answered. ‘Besides, what has my loving you all this while fetched me, apart from being a mistress?’ Priye asked, her eyes blazing as she spoke. ‘Mistress?’ ‘Yes Pas-toor,’ Priye replied, with a slur on the ‘Pastor’ to amplify the sarcasm in her voice. Michael’s eyes brightened up as Priye’s words hit him. He made to climb down from the bed, but Priye grabbed him, holding him back. ‘I’m sorry,’ She said, her voice soft and sensuous. Her grip around him tight. ‘I’m not surprised at your attitude. After-all, you have seen the nakedness of a man of God,’ Michael said as he unlocked her arms from around him and climbed down from the bed. Priye held back her chuckle at ‘nakedness of a man of God. ‘I’m very sorry,’ she repeated, her head lowered. Michael’s fingers worked mechanically as he buttoned up his shirt, his eyes wearing an angry stare. He didn’t see Priye’s descent from the bed as she closed him up in her arms from behind. ‘You’re becoming too familiar with the anointing,’ he said, his palms closing up the knots formed by her hand. ‘I’m enjoying the dispensation of grace,’ Priye whispered into his ears, as she teased his ear lobes with her tongue. ‘All the scriptures you know are for seduction.’ Michael teased, as he turned to face her. Priye laughed. ‘I love you,’ she said as Michael closed her up in a bear hug. She didn’t get a response as usual, but it did not matter to her, as him being so close, felt so good that the walls in the room disappeared and she could feel herself sailing in space. He did not need to say anything, if he could just hold her like this in his arms, forever. If words were ever needed to be spoken between them, she would do the talking for both of them. *** FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th, 2014. Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja. 10:45AM Yewande Johnson heaved a sigh of relief as she hung the last piece of clothing on the line. She was beginning to feel the bite of hunger but she had just one last chore to take care of before settling for breakfast; her sister’s room. Laide always insisted on fixing her room herself, almost always stopping her from arranging the room, but now that she was home alone with Jeremiah, she could go on to sweep the room at-least, as it was almost always very well kept. They were a very neat couple and she adored both husband and wife. She smiled at how her brother in-law being from Benin had influenced her decision to go out on a date with Osas two years ago and with him now being her fiancé and the man with whom she will exchange marital vows come December fifth and sixth, she could truthfully say, she had no regrets about her decision. As the youngest of four girls and the only one yet to be married, she had the privilege of visiting her sisters’ homes and even though they all seemed happy in marriage, the person’s home she would like to replicate was this one, her eldest sisters’ home. Inasmuch as her choice could be mistaken to be solely based on the very special relationship she enjoyed with her eldest sister, to the extent that everyone in the family referred to them as mother and daughter, it was also very highly influenced by Uncle Michael. ALSO READ: Shades Of Deceit Episode 3 Who would not want a husband that is not only God-fearing but also dotes on you when you’re together in public places? Who would not desire a man that possesses so much knowledge and yet shows so much humility? Osas was presently not so far off the mark as he was very expressive about his love for her, but he paled in comparison to her brother in-law, Uncle Michael, who was just on a class of his own. She respected him that much. ‘Aunty Yewande, come and take me on a spelling drill,’ Jeremiah said, as she stepped into his room to check up on him. ‘Not now.’ ‘When?’ The boy asked, tugging at her fingers as he tried to woo her to join him. ‘Jerry boy not now,’ she said, rubbing her hand on his head fondly. ‘Just give me fifteen minutes, I should be through with cleaning up your parents room, then we can do the spelling drill for as long as you want.’ The room was looking very well arranged, with every item seemingly placed in their proper positions and the bed well spread out with no visible crease on the bed-sheet. Yewande sighed. ‘What a couple,’ she said as she scanned the room to find out what she could possibly do to make it look better. She just couldn’t help but wonder who amongst the couple was responsible for making the room look so good. It could have been either of them as Uncle Michael was not a man to shy away from cleaning up the house as she has so often seen him do, while her sister, even while being heavily pregnant still insisted on doing some house chores as she claimed it made her fit and prepared for her due date, calling it delivery day exercise. Her eyes caught the gift bag sitting idly on the ground by the corner of the bed and her curiosity was stirred, forcing her legs to move in the direction of the bag. She had seen Uncle Michael bring it in with him on Saturday, the same day she had arrived from Lagos, but she had not yet had the opportunity to see its contents. The bag was empty, save for a black velvet case and a card. Her instincts went immediately for the case and as she opened it, her eyes lighted up as the glitters from the diamond pieced jewellery, twinkled at her. ‘Wow,’ she gasped. ‘This is beautiful.’ Her hands quickly reached out for the card, wanting to see the beautiful words scripted down in it as she made to recreate the emotions and the atmosphere in which the presentation was made. She salivated as she opened the card, her being trembling with anticipation as she imagined the magical words that her eyes were about to behold, but as she read out the words in the card, the look on her face switched from delight to shock as she blinked in disbelief at what she was seeing. The diamond pieced jewellery suddenly felt cold and the last shred of belief in fairy tales which she had kept with her since she was a young girl, vanished. ‘This is not true,’ she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she read out the words in the card slowly, like someone in a trance. I’m sorry I hit you again. This definitely is the last time. And even though I know I have said that before, I promise to keep my promise this time. I love you booboo. You’re ‘MyGoodThing’. Read the full article