Tangled is a short series that narrates the story of a Christian sister, Lizzy, trapped by lust and other strategies of the devil. She goes round and round for a long time, entangling herself. Did she triumph at last?
Read Part 1 here
I stood up abruptly.
Apparently, I had not tied my wrapper firmly so while I stood up out of shock, it fell. My short, pink,
transparent nightgown was what I had on. Out of embarrassment, I bent to pick it up. Because my
gown was very transparent, my naked body was revealed under that gown. At that moment, I
regretted buying that gown.
I really wasn’t expecting a guy to show up. I stood up whilst tying back my wrapper and
simultaneously biting my lips. It is what I do when I’m extra embarrassed.
As I stood up, I saw that Bro Tobi had turned his back towards me. Phew! Which made me believe
that he hadn’t seen much.
The atmosphere became really awkward. I couldn’t tell him to turn around. I guess he figured I was
very embarrassed so he just dropped the bag in his hands. Still turning his back at me and facing the
door, he says, “Bro Bayo, said I should drop this with you on my way home”.
I said nothing and he didn’t even bother to wait for a reply, he just walked out of the door, just the
way he came.
Oh God! What have I done?!
While I was thinking about all these, Ronke came in.
She walks to drop a big loaf of bread on the table beside her wardrobe and turns around to see me
still in my shock. This time around I was just thinking of how much he saw. Nobody is supposed to see my nakedness. I mourned within me.
“Did you see that new brother that came to drop something for you from Bro Bayo?” she said in her
usual mischievous way whenever Bro Bayo’s issue comes up.
She thinks of us as the perfect couple. “You guys pray together, fast together, go to really nice
places, he buys stuffs for you and surprises you. Not to mention that he is ready to wait until marriage
before even hugging you. Mehn! For me that’s perfect love made from heaven”, she would say while
fantasizing of how she wants all of that and more in her own relationship.
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“Yes, I saw him. That’s what he dropped”, I replied and pointed at the bag without any enthusiasm.
She ran to the bag, picked it up and was about to open it.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” I jumped up, with full speed, went to went to where she stood
and jacked the bag out of her hand almost causing it to tear. Everything happened in like a second. She stood there looking at me with her mouths opened and her hands still in the sand way it was in while she held the bag, obviously surprised.
“I’m not stealing it na.”
I dragged myself to the bed with the opposite energy I used to stand up. I really don’t know why I
acted that way. But then, what if the gift was from Bro Tobi and not Bro Bayo.
Ugh! That’s true. What if it was? I was grateful I did what I did.
What if Bro Tobi was feeling me the way I was?
Jeez! I shook my head. What am I thinking? The gift is from BRO BAYO, not BRO TOBI. I reassured
myself.
“… na wa o”, was the last thing I heard Ronke say. She’s been talking and I was absent-minded.
“Ronke, why didn’t you tell me Bro Bayo was coming and where did you go to?” I snapped at her to
justify my previous action.
“But I told you na. I came to wake you up to tell you to dress up that you have a male visitor and that
he’s the new guy in church. I even mentioned he brought something from Bro Bayo. I asked him to
give it to me but he insisted that Bro Bayo said he should give you directly”, she shrugged.
“And me I’m hungry, I no kuku get husby wey dey bring food come for me so I went to buy bread”,
she was teasing me now.
I smiled.
She thought I was smiling at what she said so she laughed. “I’m coming, I want to use the toilet so
that my food will enter well well when I want to eat. I made ewa goyin and I bought bread, will you
eat?”
I shook my head in response.
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All the while I was waiting for her to just leave the room. Immediately she left, I grabbed the bag
Tobi brought. This time, I was very sure the gift was from him, not Bro Bayo. I was so excited to see
what he got for me. I poured out the content of the bag on the bed. A wrapped content fell out and a small paper.
I chose to read the content of the paper first. I see you too. Tobi. It read.
Awww. My heart melted. I couldn’t wait to see the wrapped content. I tore the wrapper
aggressively. A small box was in it so I opened the box.
Immediately I opened the box, my mouth opened. It was a key holder in the shape of a small red crystal teddy bear that had I LOVE YOU inscribed on it and it blinks whenever you rub it. So thoughtful.
I dropped it on the bed and picked the small paper. I turned it around to see if I missed any
information on it. He had written his number at the back of it so I just copied it. Immediately I was
done, I put the paper in my Bible. The one Bro Bayo got for me.
Jeez! I didn’t have to think of my fiance now. I immediately felt guilty but I shoved it up and picked
up my gift. Just as I did that, Ronke came in.
With so much excitement, she rushed to see what the bag contained. She dragged it from my hands
I was just looking at it with the look you give to a newborn baby.
“Na wa for una love o!” I was just about to say, it’s not Bro Bayo that bought it for me when they took the light.
Phew! Thank God I didn’t say that.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
It’s been four days since I got the gift from Bro Tobi. After thinking about it over and again, I decided to return the gift to him today, in church. It’s Sunday, so I left the house by 6:30 am. Choristers have to be in church
very early for practice.
On my way to church, I realised how much the devil almost got me with lust. I had prayed to God to forgive me and I was returning the gift he gave me. I was all geared up and I wasn’t going to give room to the devil. Asides that, I have a fiancé who every lady I church wished was theirs.
Bro Bayo is handsome too. He is well to do and very comfortable. At least, comfortable enough to take us out almost every weekend. So, what more can I ask for? Besides, Bro Tobi is a new member. I kept giving myself reasons why I shouldn’t give in to this guy but in my subconscious, I was not convinced.
Come to think of it, I’m a chorister in the church, he’s just a member. I try not to make it look common; at least, he’s a fervent member. God have mercy. I whispered as I entered the church.
Service is over now, I can see Bro Bayo talking to some other choir members. I left during the last prayer to ease myself. That’s what I made it seem like but I was really looking round for Bro Tobi. I didn’t see him in church today so how am I going to give back the gift?
I walked straight to Bro Bayo immediately I entered the church.
“Sis Lizzy, how are you?” he shifted his attention to me the moment he saw me. He calls me sister only when he’s in the midst of other church members. When we’re alone or whilst texting, he calls me honey.
“I’m good, we thank God.”
“Did you enjoy the service today”
“Sure”.
By this time, I was looking for how to chip in the real reason why I came.
“I prepared Efo, I wanted to ask if I should send some to you.”
“So thoughtful but I won’t be around this evening. Some of the brothers are going to visit Bro Tobi,
he lost his mum over the weekend.”
“Wow! Really?” I was really shocked. I didn’t see that coming. “Please send my regards to him”.
“Sis Lizzy, the sisters’ rep is asking of you” a fellow chorister chimed in.
By this time, I was very worried. What must have caused his mum to die? Was he close to her? Does he feel bad about it? I just had to push it behind me. I’ll text him later. Just to send my condolences.
As I followed the sister, Ronke passed me and winked. She obviously was going to see Bro Bayo.
“Bro Bayo!!!” She was just a few steps away from him, yet she had to shout. This girl ehn… I shook my
head. She’s the direct opposite of me. I’m gentle, Ronke is totally not, yet we vibe.
“Sis Ronkeeeee”, he turned around and smiled.
“You ehn! I saw the gift you bought for Sis Lizzy again o. You will just be showering her with gifts.”
Confused, he replied, “which gift?”
“The shining key holder na, that you sent that new brother to bring for her. You even told him to
give it to her directly not even through me. Na wa o. It’s not easy to love o.”
Now he was really confused, “but I didn’t buy her any gift na”.
Ronke wasn’t having anything of that.
“Abegi, don’t worry, you don’t have to hide it. You know Lizzy and I are very close. Anyway sha, ba
bye o. Keep sending gifts o”, she added mischievously and walked away from him leaving Bro Bayo
extra confused.
Did you enjoy reading this episode? Watch out for part 3.
