BEHIND THE SMILE - Episode 1

That morning, While Benny was knotting his tie he tried all he could to keep the conversation simple and short.
Dorcas, his dear wife was in her usual mood again that early morning, sitting on the bed with bible in hand.
She wasn’t actually reading, she only opened a place and kept staring at it.

“…He can punish me with everything but not with this, not with this heavy laden he pulled on my shoulder…is too heavy. what else does he want that I haven’t done…”

Benny shakes his head sadly as he turned to his wife
“Honey, please let’s not go to that direction again this morning again. I have told you to stop beating yourself nonstop. Is not going to change anything until God decide is time…”

Dorcas sighed heavily and wiped off a tear ” you are not really bothered. Is obvious you don’t care. You have young beautiful women flocking around you day by day so is…

“… stop it, stop it right now…” Benny interrupted his wife.
“… why are you always doing this. We have tried so many things, followed every doctor’s appointment and instructions, we have done everything within our power yet nothing worked out maybe is high time we leave it on God. Let him give us a child at his own appointed time. After all the bible said children are gift from the Lord…so let the Lord bless us with this gift at his own due time. Beside honey, you’re my wife and I only got eye for you alone, we’re together on this… You should trust me and stop being so imaginetive…”

Dorcas became quiet as she bent her face over the bible again.
“seek first the kingdom of God and every other thing will be added on to you. It says every other thing will be given
when you seek first… We have done exactly that yet nothing…”

Benny, all dressed walked closer to the bed waving a finger in the air.

“No..no.. no. God has actually added every other thing like life, health, money that keeps us going and careers too. The only thing that he is yet to add is children… but his timing remain absolutely the best. We will continue to wait with hope. I have 9am class to take and I’m already running late..I will see you later honey…”

Dorcas sighed and replied “see you later, I will probably stop at the hospital to get some meds. My body is acting up…it seems like is not even mine anymore. It must be malaria or stress. Don’t know which exactly but I want to be sure before treating anything. Is been a while I treated malaria though…”

“Alright, try and do that honey, I will call you once I’m out of lecture hall…”
Benny said as he picked up his backpack and walked out of the room.

**************
Bianca looked at the pictures she just printed out of the internet and start grinning from ear to ear.
She turned to her friend who was standing impatiently and said

“Isn’t he cute…look at him very well Geni, take a long look..”

She turned the pictures over to Geni who seems uninterested.
“Bianca stop with the obsession, that man is married. There are so many single men out there that you can fantasize over.. leave this one alone…”

Bianca got angry with her friend and barked at her.
“Geni, let me make this very clear, if you still want to remain my friend try not to go against my ways. And for your information I’m not obsessed with him. I just can’t help admiring his cute eyes, sweet button nose and soft black lips. See, I don’t care if professor Benny is married… that’s not my problem at all. I’m just his secret admirer that’s all…I wasn’t asking him to marry me but if he offers I will accept…”

Geni tries to change the topic but Bianca as usual was not ready to drop it.
“We will be late for history lecture Bianca, it starts by 8:30am if we don’t leave now…we may miss the class, let’s go please…”

Bianca picked up a book with other additional things and her laptop and packed into her backpack.

“I won’t be attending history class, I will be changing some things and adding new ones too. I’m substituting history for religious studies…”

Geni seems surprised as she asked her why
“Because professor Benny takes religious and international studies. Don’t look at me like that… I’m not really interested in his teaching, I just want to sit where I can gaze at him…if possible everyday. I will be getting some of his books from the library and bookstores. I will do anything to have him notice me. I’m not only beautiful, I’m smart and outspoken too, is just a matter of time and he will notice my existence… who knows we can take it up from there. I may even get to get pregnant for him and give him his first child. I learnt that him and his wife are looking for child. They have been married for seven years with no children. Is an opportunity I will gladly jump at if it present itself. But I will take my time and until he notices me first..”

Bianca said the last part with a fat grin as they step out of the house.

Geni managed to smile at her friend’s weird idea.
They both left for lectures.