“Who is Francis?” Biola’s question made Sis. Alloy’s heart run a mile in a second “Where did you hear that name from?” She answered Biola’s question with a question in the most composed way that she could and Biola explained that it was a name she overheard in a conversation between Sis. Alloy and the late Rev. Mother when she was a girl
“Oh… that Francis? He was an accountant for the church once but he is late now” fear made her stomach swell. She was glad when Biola changed the topic by telling her of her plan to move to Lagos.
“When are you moving?” Sis. Alloy couldn’t finish the food in front of her
“When I come back from Dubai” Biola was turning 27 on new-year day and for a change she wanted to treat herself with a trip to Dubai. They discussed her plans for the future and lack of ambitions as well; Sis. Alloy told her to remain calm and not be too hard on herself in any decision making process.
She was very supportive of Biola moving “Lagos is a city field with ambition, you will figure things out when you get there” Sis. Alloy looked at Biola still inquisitive about her looks. Biola told her earlier that she went on a diet and changed her body products to good ones to gain her new look but it was very hard for her to believe.
“Biola” she held Biola’s face in between her hands looking directly into her eyes. “You have changed, your soul has been tainted” she said as she let go of her face; Biola felt very exposed so she didn’t inquire further and her silence was a confirmation to Sis. Alloy’s fear. But only time would tell, she thought.
“Make sure you tell her the truth when she turns eighteen” Rev. Mother Ile’s voice was very vivid in Sis. Alloy’s memory, she was now late but her memories were vibrantly living in Sis. Alloy’s heart.
When Sis. Alloy decided to marry Francis, it was the best and worst decision she ever made in her life; she could still see Francis dancing like a little boy when she told him she wanted to marry him. They had it planned, she was going to tell Rev. Mother Ile the whole truth and beg the Rev. Mother to help her tell her parents then the rest would be as easy as pie but things took a different direction.
As the days went by it got harder and harder for her to say the words to the Rev. Mother; although Francis was very patient she got very impatient with herself and then decided to marry him secretly. “If we are already married then I would have to tell them” she said with her wide eyes beckoning at him to agree; he felt she was crazy but agreed anyway. The day they got married officially, Sis. Alloy snuck away after mass and told Sis. Maria to cover for her; things were going out of hand and she couldn’t hide it from her roommate anymore. Maria was not judgemental instead she helped her gain calmness everytime she felt a panic attack coming on.
“We are married” her smile was that from pure bliss, Francis picked her up and turned her around kissing her all over her face, they were a giggly couple with too much affection to give each other and often forgot people were around them.
“Francis’s love made all her troubles go away”
“We have only thirty minutes” they were in a fast food restaurant having a mini celebration and Francis wanted to get her back in time but unfortunately for them the Rev. mother had picked up on things. “You should have come to me, do I look like a lion that you cannot tell things?” the Rev. Mother had come to check on Sis. Alloy in her room as she packed her things to leave the convent for good, she faced the disciplinary panel and was dismissed from the sisterhood.
“No mother” “Then why the disrespect and lies? You were taught better” “I was afraid”. Sis. Alloy was happy she was now free to leave but she felt guilty for leaving as well and sad that the Rev. Mother was disappointed in her “I’m here if you need help” the Rev. Mother put a piece of paper in her hand and left. It was a phone number.
It was amazing how Francis’ love made her untroubled about everything that happened outside them. Her parents disowned her for her behaviour “you got married while still in the convent… you have disgraced the church and your family” her mother was the forerunner of the decision to have her disowned.
“Are you okay?” was a question Francis asked her constantly because of everything that was happening to her, she always smiled and kissed him “you are all I need to be okay”. They lived in a small apartment in Lagos far away from Enugu where all the sadness was. It was just a month together and she got pregnant, Francis was the happiest man in the world, he pampered her enormously and made sure she was comfortable at all times
One day as Francis drove them to the supermarket a truck came out of nowhere and rammed into their car. It was fatal, Francis and the other driver died instantly; miraculously she escaped uninjured not even a scratch was on her body. The pain losing Francis caused her was unbearable . She wanted to take her life many times but the baby in her didn’t allow it.
Sometimes the grief affected her vision and she would be blind for hours; her family refused to accept her back and Francis’ mother blamed her for his death. She was alone dejected and hopeless, that was when she remembered the piece of paper Rev. Mother Ile gave her and she found her way back to the convent.
Rev. Mother Ile sent her to her sister’s place to be looked after until she gave birth and she got the church to accept her back as a postulate, this time she stuck by it and became a reverend sister Rev. Sister Mary Aloysius.
“Make sure you tell her the truth when she turns eighteen”
“What if she hates me?”
“It is for her to decide but you must tell her the truth”.
This was the conversation between Rev. Mother Ile and Sis. Alloy when Biola was born.
It was way past the due time for Biola to know that Sis. Alloy was her biological mother but Aloysius was not ready to tell.
