MISCONCEPTIONS- Under the Vestment

Bishop Okolo strolled from the Pastors' office into the church.  Today was choir practice and he needed to admonish the choristers on the importance of serving God.  The church was preparing for it's annual convention and the role of the choir could not be overemphasized.  Lately,  a lot of them were undeniably lackadaisical towards the things of God and it was only right,  that he remind them of the benefits of serving God. 

Brother Pius the choir master saw the Bishop walk in with two protocol officers. He had been expecting him for over 45 minutes; this meeting was called solely because the Bishop wanted to admonish everyone of them. 

He rushed towards the Bishop to collect his Bible from him and eyed one of the protocol officers.  Why allow our lordship carry his Bible, what disrespect he thought. 

He genuflected, bowing, so the Bishop could lay a hand on his head-this was fresh anointing.  There was no way he was letting it go.  He rubbed his forehead as the bishop touched and spoke in a few unknown tongues...This was it,  the 'Watson moment' he wanted.  Even Mark Zuckerberg didn't have the kinda holy grace he had just tapped. 

Sister Annabel saw Pius rush to carry the Bishop's bible...She tapped  the lead alto singer Ebere. They had to stand in reference of his presence. As she stood,  others followed suit. Standing meant respect.  They'll stand till he sat,  or he asked them to sit.  That way,  the fresh auction of the spirit would move in their favor. 

"Hallelujah" Pius raised his hands

"Hallelujah" the choir echoed

"We have the most honored bishop in our midst"

Shouts and screams filled the air

"I'll like for us to stay connected to the spirit. God is about to do a new thing in our midst." 

Pius bowed as he ushered the Bishop to the personalized rostrum. One of the protocol officers,  rushed to place his Bible on the pulpit as the Bishop walked towards it. 

............

Mrs Dabiri checked her time.  How would Annabel stay out this late? She had gone for choir practice and wasn't back home at the ungodly hour.  She picked up her phone to call Annabel.
  

"Annabel where are you?" she asked 

"Mum I'm still in church. Bishop came around to admonish us. You know we are preparing for the convention"
 

"Oh that's true. I hope you listened and keyed to the word?"

"Yes mum I did; I may not come back tonight. Pius wants  us to do a final practice on the songs we would be rending on the opening day"

"No problem. Did bishop approve of the night rehearsals?"

"Yes ma'am he even explained to us the Importance of giving our all to God."

"Alright stay safe. I was beginning to get worried"

"Good night ma, Remain blessed"

"Remain blessed too." she hung up

Mrs Dabiri was a single mother. Raising children alone was quite a difficult task but she was grateful for the influence of the bishop on her children's lives.  Annabel was a dedicated chorister,  Praise her only son was a guitarist and he never missed any services.  Joyce her first daughter was the black sheep of the drove. Several vigils had been held to save her soul yet,  she remained a dark goose.  Growing up,  Joyce was a sweet child; One who had the fear of God. Her transition, was related to an ungodly incident that had happened a few months after her father's death. It had turned Joyce into a monster.  Mourning the loss of her husband and handling a rebellious child had been difficult but thankfully,  Bishop and Bishop Mrs, had come to her rescue.  No matter how long it took, she knew, Joyce would come around.  Mrs Dabiri picked her bible from the sofa and climbed the stairs to retire for the night

................

Pius yawned as he found his way out of the church building.  He looked at the tiny watch on his wrist, It was 2.13 am.  He had joined the choir since he was 12 and continued even after he graduated from school.  He loved to sing; though he enjoyed the other perks of being a choir master - Uncontrolled Access to the bishop; this was a rare privilege and then he could gain the favors he wanted.  He was an orphan, and he had survived  life by remaining in the choir.  Most rich members took pity on him and blessed him with various gifts.  He didn't have a job, yet he drove a flashy car, lived in a posh apartment on the better side of town and wore the best clothes. Perks of being a dedicated servant of the Bishop indeed.  He saw a body lying by the bench at the door. Who could it be at this hour? He walked closer; It was Ebere. He had eyed this lady for months but was too scared to approach her. Ebere's father was a Deacon. One of the few principled and straight forward ones. He had hung around long enough to know who was worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Some of them including him, used God as a means to an end! 

He tapped on her smooth arm. She looked pretty even in the dim light. "Ebere" he whispered

Ebere snored lightly. 

He swallowed the quickly gathering saliva induced by lust and tried to walk away but he couldn't

"Ebere" he whispered again

Ebere turned, and continued snoring

He moved down his zipper,  bent low and dragged her skirt...Ebere woke up

"What are you doing!?" she screamed 

"ssshhhhhhh" Pius urged

"I'll scream; leave me alone!" she pushed hard

Pius knew there was no going back...Her soft bosom had been revealed when she pushed hard and that turned him on. He pushed her and pinned her to the ground. "I'll break you neck if you dare me" he threatened 

He pressed his hand over her mouth...restraining her arms in the process, he slid into her. That moment, he realized he had gone where no man had been...He had known a pure soul.

.....................

"Annabel you look sick; what's wrong?" Joyce asked

"Nothing. I'm fine"

"Well, I don't really care!  I'm just surprised you refused to go to church with mummy and Praise"

"I'm sick" Annabel spat

"Sick?  Joyce laughed hysterically I know you aren't sick. Enough with the lies"

Annabel eyed her and ran upstairs 

"Someday,  you'll spill the beans. I hope you won't be as broken as I am by then" Joyce shouted after her

Annabel stopped by the last Stair; She sat and wept.  Who would believe her? She was gradually dying of depression yet no one understood her.  Who would believe that she was raped by one of the untouchables? she closed her eyes as the dark images rushed through her mind. 

"You should speak out" Joyce was standing in front of her

"Speak out about what?" Anabel defended 

"I know what it is you are crying about- I've been there too speak; I just might support your claim who knows?"
 

"You think it's about having a couple of boyfriends? you have no idea what it is i'm going through" Annabel said as she walked into her room

"No, you have no idea what this will do to you...."Joyce whispered and went back to the living room

.....................

"Ebere you are a disgrace to this family!" Her father spat

"How dare you bring this shame upon me?" he fumed Ebere cried softly.  She didn't know what to say no one would believe her. Who would? Pius was an untouchable son of the altar. He wore the vestment of the singing ministry.  No one would believe her rape claim.  It'd be her word against his. 

"You won't talk right? Obiakpor, your heart is hardened" her mother spat

"Get out of my house. When you are ready to talk, come back" her father spat. 

Her mother joined her in begging her angry father but he remained obstinate.  She left her house and decided to pitch her tent with her aunt, Mrs Dabiri.  She was a calm woman and an understanding one; She'd talk to her.

Ebere walked into her Aunt's compound. Usually the compound was quiet, but it was extremely noisy this afternoon. She heard ruffled noises and wondered what could be happening. As she approached the lobby, the ruffles became clearer and she sensed there was a lot of wailing going on.  She pushed the door and it made a shriek noise as it opened.

"Annabel, why are you sitting on the floor?" Ebere asked. 

Everyone was sitting. Aunt dabiri sprawled across the floor; her scarf in her hands as she dried her tears with the hem of her maxi dress. 

"What is happening here?" Ebere asked

No one answered.  Praise stood, Hissed and rushed out. "I'll kill someone today!" he said as he rushed out of the house. 

"Go with him Joyce...please go with him" her mother pleaded with a teary eye

Annabel just sat on the floor weeping. 

"Annabel stand up,  Kosi(that was aunt Dabiri's first name)  we have to go to that church.  I want to see the son of mankind that did this!" uncle Efe, Aunty Dabiri's brother in law said.  Aunty Dabiri was her mother's younger sister.  

Ebere walked to the car with the furious members of her maternal family.  She would keep her problems to herself. Apparently, these ones had bigger fish to fry. 

Sooner than expected, they arrived at the church. The banner of the church which read "Welcome to Ascended Dove ministries" beamed with lights.

Annabel retreated as her family members flocked into the church. She ran back into the car

"What's wrong Anna?" Ebere asked

"I was raped!" Anna cried profusely 

"Wait, by that hypocrite?"

"Yes..." Anna sniffed

"Oh my God! he did the same thing to me..."
  

"What?" Annabel was bewildered

"I'm even pregnant. My parents sent me out of the house....i had to run to yours because i felt your place would be peaceful"

"Pregnant,who's responsible?"

"Who else? the serial rapist of course...Minister Pius" she spat

Anabel smirked; Pius- the apple does not fall far from the tree after all

"He's responsible for your rape too i'm sure" Ebere was defiant

Annabel nodded she couldn't bare to talk...he was the one, whose name cannot be mentioned

...............

Deacon Albert and his wife became restless,  Ebere had left a few hours ago and they couldn't reach her.  "Let's go to the church to check for her.  That's probably the only place she'll run to" His wife lamented

"Get dressed then" Deacon Albert said to his wife. 

He drove his old Volkswagen through the street to the church. God was  Merciful towards him.  He might not have all the material things, but he was thankful.  He lived in health and all his children were graduates, save  Ebere whose graduation dream could be cut short as a result of her present circumstances.  "There are so many cars parked outside" Mrs Albert observed 

"The church is always busy; they probably have meetings today"

"This looks like Kosi's car"  She pointed 

"Get down let's find your daughter." Her husband spat. 

They walked in, to find the elders seated.  Apparently, a town crier had called the elders. Something serious was going on, deacon Albert worried.  He saw Ebere seated by her maternal aunt. Was this gathering because of his daughter?  If it was,  he'd have her killed. 

"Elders we are sorry my daughter called this meet in our absence; I sent her out of the house due to my anger which stemmed from an heated argument."  He apologized 

"Sit down Deacon Albert. There are a  lot of issues here" one of the elders replied him

"Ebere talk since Anabel is too shaken to talk" another beckoned on Ebere

"Mummy daddy,  I was raped. The night I stayed back for choir practice, this choir master named Pius raped me!" she cried..."he took my virginity" she wailed yet again

Pius looked to the ground for his lost pride. He had none left but he gazed shamefully at the floor,  probably to regain a mite of the pride someone had trampled on in the course of this hullabaloo.

"Pius why??" Bishop's wife screamed.  She preached endlessly and promised that Pius would be dealt with 

"I want him prosecuted Bishop Mrs. Rape is a crime" deacon Albert spat

"Deacon, we will handle it the spiritual way please" Bishop Mrs cut in sharply 

"Annabel too was raped by Pius that makes a double case" Praise spat.  Pius suddenly looked up at Annabel

"Me, Did I touch you?" Pius had found his lost voice

Annabel sniffed and cried 

Everyone was shocked.  Dabiri looked embarrassed 

"Annabel what's going on?" Joyce asked 

"I... Can't..  Say who did it. He'll kill me" she cried
  

"This girl is a useless girl" everyone murmured "she wanted to pin this on Pius" they said
  

Dabiri was soaked in shame I am disappointed In you she spat. 

The case was adjourned and Bishop Mrs promised to table the matter in front of bishop when he got back from his crusade in Abuja

...............

"I won't have you bring this shame upon me in my home" Dabiri spat. "Since you are shielding the man who raped you, i'll make you talk"

Annabel cried. All she wanted to was to be happy.  She couldn't speak.  She walked into her room picked up her diary and penned the history of her life. 

 Haven found out she had been pregnant a few days after she broke the rape news to Joyce who had rushed to tell her mother, she had kept the pregnancy a secret. Her mother, brother and sister were still in shock over her inability to name the rapist. She wasn't going to talk about her rape until Joyce had pestered her into talking. She would keep this pregnancy under wraps till she found a solution to it. The father of 'her thing' had suggested an abortion.  She was ready to go through with it and start a fresh page.  She walked out of her house, turning to look at her once peaceful home one last time before she exited.

Annabel had died on the table. She didn't make it. Joyce who had gone to clean her room, found her diary...It was the untouchable one after all.  Same person who had lured her when she was only 15. The pedophile.....

She left her sisters room to join her mother and brother in the living room

"I know who did it and I think I'm ready to talk" Joyce's tears flowed freely. 

"What's it..." Her downcast mother asked 

"I know who killed my sister" she broke down in tears

"Who?" Praise asked

"He's the pedophile under the vestment"

"Why all the riddles" her mother grew inpatient

"The Bishop raped me a long time ago and he did same to Annabel."

Mrs Dabiri jumped form the chair "that's an awful allegation" she screamed 

Joyce handed her sisters diary, now autobiography to her mother

Her mother screamed as she read through a few gory details 

"Oh no!Why didn't she say something, why didn't you speak up?" she asked 

"Who would believe mummy, who'd believe that the highly anointed one had a shortcoming of defiling young girls. Who'd believe that he stole my innocence and continued severally after the first time, Who'd believe he's the reason I don't trust in any super being? He ruined me, he ruined my sister and he's ruining a lot more" Joyce suddenly broke down crying

"I'll go confront him!"  her mother suddenly stood

"No you can't mother....He's highly protected. No one would believe, Everyone would crucify us. Crucify my late sisters name. I'd rather this sleeps " Joyce begged

Her mother hugged him and cried....Praise stood transfixed. His idol on earth, his role model had been a defiler all the while
 "I am indeed broken....I can't believe this" he cried 

"Please do,  You have to believe this; for 'under the vestment lies a Man', Under the cassock lies a bloke" his mother stroked his head

DISCLAIMER: This story isn't related to anyone. It's simply fictional. Names, places and incidents were borne from creative writing. They are all figments of the writer's imagination

Copyright Okhomina Becky, 2017(kingbeccawrites)