With This Ring
( A novel by Pastor Taiwo Iredele Odubiyi )
Cont’d – 3
Holding up the paper in her right hand, Ibie read from it, “About the theme, we have three suggestions. One, ‘How important is money in a relationship?’; two, ‘To hold on or walk away?’; three, ‘Can secrets hurt a relationship?’ Which one would you want us to choose sir?”
“The three are okay. Er – let’s see,” Femi paused to think, “I think I rather like the second one.”
“To hold on or walk away?” She asked, then quickly balanced the phone between her left ear and shoulder, and passed the paper to her left hand.
“Yes.”
She took the pen and ticked number two on the paper. “Alright Pastor. And about the venue, the people suggested HotBytes, it has a very big hall. You may not know where it is, it’s at -”
“I know where it is.” He said. “I think it’s okay, it’s a nice place. And as a matter of fact, if I’m not too busy on that day, I might join you.”
“Oh!” She exclaimed. “That would be wonderful, Pastor! The singles would love to have you come and share some of your experiences with them.”
He laughed. “Hey, I’m not promising yet -”
“Please, Pastor,”
“I don’t know but it’s a possibility.”
“God will make it possible. We will pray.”
They laughed.
“When is the programme?”
“It’s the last Saturday in June.” She said.
“Okay.”
“I have contacted the guest minister you suggested and she has agreed to be there.” She told him.
As they talked, Ibie felt as if she had known him for at least five years and not five months. The whole church felt the same way as well. The rate at which Pastor Femi had quickly blended surprised them. Ibie wasn’t surprised though. The man started the parish in New York from the scratch and grew it to a population of over five hundred members before his relocation.
“Fine. I’ll be there if I can.”
“Thank you very much, Pastor.”
“You’re welcome. How was work today?”
“It was okay, thank you.”
“Tell me about it. What’s a day like for the General Manager of Jones Cosmetics Manufacturing Company?” He asked.
Wow! He still remembered the name of the company where she worked and that she was the General Manager. She had given him the information about herself when she gave his family some of the products of the company. That was a couple of weeks after his family joined the parish. He was obviously very smart with a good memory, she thought and laughed.
Just then, Grace emerged from her room wearing her beige robe.
Ibie waved at her in greeting.
Seeing her mother was on phone, Grace waved back. She walked across the room, pushed aside the sliding door that led to the balcony and stepped out to get the pair of slippers she put there in the morning. She soon returned into her room.
Femi
Femi was lying on the black three-seater leather sofa in the living room of his four-bedroom bungalow with the day’s newspaper on his chest. He wore a white snap-button shirt on jeans shorts. The TV was on but on mute. As he listened to Ibie, he smiled.
“It’s very busy for me.” She told him and laughed.
“I can imagine. As the GM, the health and well-being of the company rests on you.”
“Yes, you can say that again. I’m responsible for all areas.”
“Oh, I was going to tell you. My children and I like the hair care products, shower gels and lotions you gave us when we just got to the church. They are what we’ve been using.”
“Really?”
“Yes. They are really good.”
“Yes, they are. I’m glad you like them. Please let me know whenever you need more and I’ll bring them.” Ibie said.
“Okay, thanks. I’ll do that. Aside shower gels, toothpaste, lotions, body creams, and er … the hair care products, the shampoo, conditioner and hair cream, what other things does the company manufacture?”
“We have a wide range of products. We have perfumes and colognes for both men and women, shaving creams, after shaves, lip balms, and a variety of soaps. We also have makeup such as lip gloss, lipstick, eye shadow, nail polish, and so on.”
“Wow! That’s a lot. Where is the headquarters?”
“It’s in Paris.” She told him.
When Femi eventually got off the phone, he chuckled. He definitely felt something for Ibie. Is she the one, Lord? He asked silently, looking into space in a thoughtful manner.
To be continued.
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