IN BETWEEN - EPISODE 8

She dropped the phone after the call and when she was about to walk away another call entered.
Her heart skipped, things were becoming unbearable.
Anytime her phone rings her heart will start racing.
Is either the people that they are owing were calling or some other person’s in need of one thing or the other.

She peeped at her phone to see the caller.
Mrs Benson, her children’s school proprietress.
She had double mind in answering the call because she knew what the woman was about to tell her.
She finally picked up the phone and after few exchange of pleasantries the woman reminded Veronica that the children’s fees were long due for renewal.

Mrs Benson said to her that she had been patient all this while because the kids have never owned a dime in the past and is quiet surprising that the debt was rising and she had sent messages which she never got a reply
She called severally since last term to the present one and despite all the promises nothing was done.
They haven’t paid for last term and this present term was almost coming to an end yet no payment.

Veronica who does not know any other answer to give pleaded that the school should be patient and she promised to pay off the fees soon.
Mrs Benson agreed but asked her to hurry because after next term and the money is not cleared then she will have no choice than to ask her to withdraw the kids.
Veronica replied that it haven’t gotten to that. She assured her that she will pay off every single thing that she was owing

After the call she breathed deeply, stared at nothing as her mind traveled far.
The whole thing is making her go deep in thought.

Pete retuned back and before he travelled again she was able to get some money out of him which she used in paying off the cook, the swimming pool maintainance man that was on her neck and the mechanic.
The remaining balance went into buying small food stuffs for the house.

Some bills remained pending and more are still coming up.
The whole thing was driving her crazy.
She wish there was a place or person she can borrow from.
She can no longer sleep with her two eyes closed.

The mistake she probably made in the past was not having enough savings or secretly set up a business because of times like this.
She would have still be a house wife and have something running in her name.
She only need to employ able hands to supervise the business on her behalf.

She had such opportunity severally, those days that Pete would drop or transfer enough money for upkeep and other expenses.
she used to have some savings but she gradually spent the whole money during the early days that Pete wasn’t dropping enough money like before.
She paid some of the bills even some domestic workers from her savings but as each month comes by more debt pops up and she was back to having nothing except to depend on Pete for everything.

Pete have been gone for six weeks and hardly takes her call because he felt the only reason she calls was to whine and complain about bills.

Veronica can only hope and wait for some sort of miracle.

In one hour time she will be driving to school to pick up the kids.
She suddenly remembered that she needs to fuel the car first and there was not enough money to do that.
Veronica walked into her room, she sat hard on the bed, held her head in her hand while her eyes traveled round the whole master bedroom.
She saw her big jewelry box and went right to it.
After opening and seeing gold, diamond and other expensive jewelries she gasped.
She had so much and didn’t even realized it untill now.

Veronica decided within her that she was going to sell off some of them.
She will be able to raise money to pay off some things.
She selected the ones she was going to sell and put them all in a different box.

The remaining ones she will be managing them until things are back to normal.
She took pictures of the selected ones for sale and forwarded to one of her contacts who deals in original jewelries and pure gold.
The man was ready for business the moment he saw the pictures that Veronica sent.
He promised to get back to her the following day because he needed to confirm from his main boss if they can buy all.

Veronica wish that the man can transfer the money right away but she will have to wait because she had no choice.

She opened her bedside cabinet while searching for any other valuable item that can be sold.
She saw a Bible which she hardly pick up
Is only on Sundays that she takes the Bible to church and drop it right back whenever she returns.

She felt that she had no serious need of it within the week
She was no more coordinating the teenage class, she rather asked her assistants to take fully charge because she will like to be attending the main service, where she will have to sit in a front pew and everyone will get to see her exotic wears and expensive jewelries.
A special seat for the designated ones.

She had contributed so much to the church, both in cash and kind and the seat was well deserved.
She no longer bothers herself in teaching and coordinating the teens.

The pastor had ones asked her to please return to being the teen teacher but she told the pastor that she was still their teacher the only difference was that she will be monitoring them from afar while her two assistance will do the major talking and guiding
She thinks the church equally needs her and she did not want to be limited just in the teen class.

Veronica picked up the Bible, she can’t remember the last time she studied the word.
It has become a Sunday thing only and it doesn’t supposed to be so.

“God… God….”

Emotions filled her heart.
She remembers the good old days before meeting Pete, She had never joked with God or his word.
She took it with all seriousness.

Whatever happened to her old God Loving self is a mystery.
Now her whole life was turning into something else that she can’t explain.

“… God please make things to return to normal… just as it used to be. Please… I know you can. I’m sorry I have been distanced from you. please let there be miracle and make my husband wealthy again. I want things to be back as it used to be, I don’t know how to cope with this sudden change staring at me in the face. I’m struggling with the whole change. God, please do something before things get out of hand. I promise to serve you better…with everything I got if you can just make it happen again. I will keep to my promise this time…”

She felt so distanced from God and even as she flipped through the Bible she couldn’t think of anything or verses that will hit her at the right spot.

God must be really disappointed and she is totally disappointed in herself.
she abandoned the highest being that her entire life depends on.
Never acknowledged or thanked him for his numerous blessings upon her and family before and now she was asking for more of his blessings.

Veronica dropped back the Bible, it was almost time to go pick up the kids.

She will have to drive to the nearest gas station to refuel her car.

She picked up few notes from the remaining money she had left, picked up her purse before leaving.
She will try to avoid the proprietress of the school until she pays off the children’s school fees and other necessary fees.

And that was what Veronica did.

The following day she was able to sell her gold and jewelries off the Goldsmith.

It was worth more than what she sold it. she couldn’t get a better buyer and also needed the money urgently.

She quickly transfered the money to the school, it was not upto but it was almost half of the school fees.
She will find means to clear it all off.

After two months, Pete did not return home and his number was no more reachable.
Veronica got worried but was hoping that he will show up soon.

She had nothing left and had to sell more stuffs in the house to raise money.

She called Jane one day to know if she can get something from her.
Ever since Jane made it clear that she wanted to be a wife to a wealthy man and was already dating one.
Veronica felt Jane will be able to help her.
Is embarrassing that she had to ask Jane for financial help.
It used to be the other way round but the table had turned and she was left with no choice.
She called Jane but she didn’t pick up.
The following day she called again and Jane texted her that she was busy at work and will talk to her later but she never called.

Veronica decided to send a message to her asking for her help but Jane never replied.

She kept trying Pete’s number but it wasn’t going through.

Veronica sold off all her gold and continued selling more things around the house just to keep up with the expenses.

The third and fourth month came and went by and yet no sign of Pete.
It became alarming and scary because Pete had never stayed this long in his journey without coming home.
Highest he had stayed is three months plus and he always communicate during his absence.

Veronica was not only worried but scared that something bad might have happened to her husband.
She was worried about her financial status and how long she can keep up.

Her major fear was Pete, as days turns into weeks with no sign of her husband.

Veronica knew something was amidst and she need to act fast.