The footsteps approaching her small cubicle made Joan drop the call, wipe her face, and stop her intermittent sniffing. She heard a knock on the door. As the door slowly opened, she saw the opened letter that had caused her tears and she quickly squeezed it and threw it in the direction of the waste basket behind the door. It didn’t fall in though, but rolled away from the bin. She sighed in another round of frustration.
Someone popped their head in first. It was Emeka, the cleaner on their floor of the Ajakaye Trade Center.
“Oh, Ma’am you’re back.” Emeka smiled, showing the nice gap between his two front teeth. “How was the hospital? Was it malaria or typhoid?”
She smiled involuntarily. Emeka was a nice fellow and almost everyone on the floor loved him. He always had a kind word to say and was quite helpful. When he had seen her leaving the office earlier, she had told him that she wanted to quickly go see the Doctor for a routine checkup.
She shook her head in response to his questions. “No. He said I am just fine.”
He left the entrance and came into the cubicle, closing the door behind him. His mop bucket, broom, and mopping stick accompanied him inside. He gave a cursory glance around the space before settling his gaze on Joan. He must have noticed her red eyes and blotched nose, because his expression changed into one of concern.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked.
A sniff let itself out involuntarily. “Of course.”
He nodded and began his cleaning. He started with the long broom and began to sweep the small enclosure. He suddenly stopped in front of the waste basket, bent down and retrieved something. It was the rumpled paper Joan had tried to throw in the bin. Before she could stop him though, Emeka unraveled the sheet and began to read through the now straightened letter. When he was done, he looked at Joan, and without saying a word, drew a seat in front of her desk and sat down.
“The test says you’re not pregnant. Is that why you’re sad?”
She was unable to say a word as fresh tears poured from her eyes. She nodded instead.
“How long have you been trying?”
“Six years.”
“That’s not so long.” Emeka replied.
Joan snorted. “Not for my husband’s parents. He’s also worried, especially after we have both been certified healthy. His parents though, they have been quite vocal about their disapproval of me and my barrenness.”
“Don’t you ever use that word to describe yourself again.” Emeka admonished. “Jesus did not go into hades to conquer death, just for you to keep claiming all he has battled.”
“I’m sorry Emeka. I am just so bewildered. They say nothing is wrong with me, but my body keeps giving me symptoms of pregnancy but there’s nothing there. The one time I had one there, I managed to miscarry. What have…” She couldn’t finish her statement as he body wracked with sobs.
“And you’ve prayed about it?”
She nodded before wiping her tears. “Yes. Several times. I even accepted different invites to different church programs. I have drank oils, water, read Psalms, did vigils, climbed mountains, and fasted multiple times. All have been for naught. I begin to wonder if the Lord can even hear me. Maybe there’s a sin I have committed that is too great to be forgiven.”
Emeka grabbed her hands and held them in his larger ones. “Joan please. Do not give in to despair.”
It was the first time he would call her by her name and it touched her. “I am just so weak.”
“Then its time you drew strength from the Lord.” He released her hands. “I belong to an association of believers. We gather to pray, talk, and even hangout once in a while. We have members from across all denominations. We will be having a program tomorrow, Good Friday, and it’ll end on Easter Sunday. If you won’t mind, can you join us?”
Joan shrugged. “At this point, I have nothing less to lose. I’ll be there.”
Emeka stood up with a smile, grabbed his broom and resumed his cleaning. “You’ll be amazed.”
******
“Mr and Mrs Oluyide. Please have a seat.” Mrs. Adelakun offered.
Joan and her husband dragged two plastic chairs closer to the robust woman while other people in the auditorium discussed among themselves. It was Saturday evening and they had just concluded the program for the second day. Mrs. Adelakun was one of the leaders of the beautiful fellowship.
“Thank you.” Timothy, Joan’s husband responded.
“Mr. Oluyide…” Mrs. Adelakun began.
“Timothy, please.” Timothy interrupted.
Mrs. Adelakun nodded with a smile. “Okay. Timothy. I asked Joan here to come with you today, because it takes two to make a family.”
Timothy nodded. “Absolutely.”
“I’m glad you understand.” Mrs. Adelakun responded. “From my discussions with her yesterday, I realized she believes the problem might be from her because of the symptoms she seems to be having. The irregular periods, the nausea, the full breasts, and even the one time miscarriage.”
Timothy looked pensive. “Yes. Once, she was diagnosed with high estrogen levels and it was treated. We thought things would go back to normal after that, but the symptoms came back in a few months.”
“You are a strong couple.”
“Thank you.” Joan and Timothy both answered.
“Nonetheless, what I have realized is that you both think this battle is yours when it is not.” Mrs. Adelakun said.
“I don’t understand Ma.” Joan murmured.
“I’ll Explain.” Mrs. Adelakun smiled at her. “By virtue of suffering and finally dying on that hill, Jesus battled death and all our sins and suffering. He rose on the third day, to assure us of his victory over death and suffering. Why do we still log our sins and pains around then? Are we trying to say we can do a better job of carrying them than Jesus?”
Husband and wife shook their heads.
“Then lay it at his feet. Lay it at the foot of the cross on the hill and claim your victory. By virtue of His victory, he has made us conquerors. All you have to do now is let him know you’re ready to embrace your victory because he has done the work for you. You don’t need candle, oil, or mountains. Just embrace the cross.”
As Mrs. Adelakun repeated the words that made up the bulk of their sermons and prayers in the last two days, Joan felt her heart soar as tears fell down her cheeks. She felt lighter and devoid of all the heaviness she had been carrying around. She was finally ready to let go of all she had thought was her battle to fight.
“I have someone who’s fighting for me.” She whispered.
Taking her hands, Timothy corrected. “No, we have someone who has fought and won for us.”
Mrs. Adelakun smiled in contentment as she looked at the young couple sitting with her. “You’re triumphant already.”
*******
Joan could barely stop her legs from shaking as she waited at the entrance of the radiology room for the result of her scan. She was worried and confident at the same time.
“I am a conqueror. He has won my battle on that hill.” She kept repeating to herself, as she paces the corridor.
“Joan Oluyide.” The attendant called.
Raising her right hand, Joan answered. “That’s me.”
She rushed towards the woman and took the stapled paper with gratitude. Her heart was beating rapidly as she approached the Doctor’s office with the result in her hand.
“Joan. You’re a conqueror. Jesus has won the battle for you.” She kept muttering as she walked.
A few persons looked at her strangely, but she paid no attention to them. When she got to the door of the consultation room, she knocked. A voice from inside told her to enter, and she heeded that by opening the door. The room was just as plain as she had seen it earlier that morning. The Doctor, a beautiful young lady smiled and pointed at one of the empty seats in front of her table.
“Mrs. Oluyide. I guess the scan result is ready?” She asked.
Joan took her seat and extended the paper into the waiting palm of the Doctor. “Yes Doctor.”
The Doctor took the result from her, removed the stapling pin, and began to peruse the contents. Her morose face tightened something inside Joan, but she began to whisper again. Her words made the Doctor raise her head to smile.
“Yes, you’re a conqueror, and you’ll conquer this.”
“Doctor, what is it?” Joan asked.
“The scan has revealed that you have five uterine polyps. I wonder how and why the scan has been unable to detect them all these while.”
“Uterine Polyps? You mean something is finally wrong with me?” Joan asked with a loud and excited tone.
The confused Doctor looked at her with a strange gaze. “Uh… you want something to be wrong with you?”
“Yes.” Joan nodded. “I mean no. But this is the first breakthrough in a long time. Detecting a problem is the first step at solving it.”
“Very true.” The Doctor nodded. “They must have caused your last miscarriage, and they have been giving you all those symptoms. Don’t worry, with a minor surgery, you’ll be good as new and in a few months, you will be ready for conception again.”
Joan smiled from ear to ear. “Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.”
“I am not Lord, but I’ll accept the thanks too.” The Doctor joked.
Joan laughed. “I am grateful to you Doctor. You know that.”
“Of course I do.” The Doctor returned Joan’s smile. “So, let me schedule you for the procedure later this week, and we’ll have you shiny as new in no time.”
*******
It had been a whole year and a few months since then. Joan smiled as she opened the door to her cubicle and was surprised to see a vase of fresh flowers on her office table, with a big card that read ‘congratulations’. The baby in her arms gurgled, diverting her attention back to the bundle of joy she was cradling.
“Look sweetheart. They are glad Mummy is back from Maternity leave.” She held the baby closer to her chest.
A knock on the cubicle door made her move back a bit as Emeka’s head popped in almost immediately.
“Ma’am, welcome back. Congratulations once again on the birth of your son.” Emeka greeted as his full body came into view.
He was wearing a corporate attire with his tie knotted perfectly. Gone was the cleaner attire she was used to seeing him in.
“And congratulations on your new appointment also.” Joan responded.
“All thanks to your recommendation.”
“Oh please. You would have gotten it without me. Have you forgotten the battle was won already for you?”
Emeka laughed heartily. “Of course. And what is the name of our bundle of Joy”
Raising the baby higher for Emeka to see, Joan answered. “Meet Kovesh Oluwasegun Oluyide, my son.”
“He’s absolutely beautiful. I know Oluwasegun means Christ is victorious, but what language is Kovesh? I thought your husband is also Yoruba.”
“He is. Kovesh is Hebrew for conqueror. My boy is a conqueror, just like the one who brought him to life.” Joan responded.
Emeka smiled and stared into the beautiful eyes of the baby in his mother’s arms. “Absolutely. He is Kovesh.”
“Emeka.” Joan called.
Emeka looked up.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Emeka smiled at both mother and child.
