She quickly freshened up and grabbed some bread and egg as she called her close-by cab driver. Pastor Mike had offered to come around to pick her up and drive her to the filling station to sort out the car. She had sent him a response thanking him for his assistance and asked him not to bother himself as she didn't want to disturb him. She had followed up with a phone call but he didn't pick the call.
Just as she finished her meal, the cab driver arrived. She quickly locked up the house and made a mental note to call Sylvia and Cletus. She had to go back in to turn off the gas and a few lights. Finally, she made it to the cab.
***************
Euodia woke up feeling heavy. She went through the events of the previous day and was heavily convicted when she remembered driving past Syntyche at the foot of Third Mainland bridge. She should have stopped to help, right? Well, she remembered that Syntyche called her a witch and that sealed her decision. She got home, watched some TV and fell asleep on the couch.
She saw 17 missed calls from Archippus. "This man was always checking up on me", she thought as she tried to call him back.
"You do not have sufficient call credit to make this call. Please recharge your phone or dial *472# to borrow airtime. You can send a voice message after the tone", the barely polite voice from her service provider advised her. She quickly ended the call as she didn't want to start unending headaches with her service provider; she was still trying to stop them from sending her annoying text messages and deducting money for frivolous things.
She quickly got up, freshened up and grabbed a meal. She noticed that Archippus had called her 4 more times. She really had to hurry....
***************
"Why isn't she picking my calls?", Archippus wondered.
Could she have managed to find out and left the marriage? He was sweating profusely.
He decided to send her a text message.
"Archi, what are you doing? Is it my daughter-in-law
Mama asked all her questions with a wide grin. Archippus knew which "daughter-in-la
He forced a fake smile and lied about his "wife" and son.
"So, what name are we giving my grandson? I'm thinking of Thomas, George or Donald. I'll let you know what I decide before the week ends"
Archippus stared at his mother in disbelief. She wouldn't even allow him name his child?
He just smiled and walked back to his room. He wasn't in the right frame of mind for Mama's drama.
His phone rang as he walked away. Euodia was calling him!
***************
Syntyche finally got to the filling station. She had called the office to let them know she'll come in late. Pastor Mike was already giving instructions and had come with a mechanic.
"Good morning Pastor Mike. What a pleasant surprise"
"It's my pleasure, thanks. I guessed you'll need a mechanic to look at the car so I called my mechanic. I hope you've called the office?"
"Yes, I have"
"Please can I have the key so the mechanic can look at the car properly? Will you like to wait in my car?"
"Thank you sir. I'll like to watch the mechanic work, if you don't mind. I hope I'm not keeping you from important appointments?"
"Actually, I'm on leave. I'm studying for my professional exams. I'll be writing the exams in two weeks time"
"Okay"
Pastor Mike went with the key to the mechanic while Syntyche went to sit in Pastor Mike's car. She had come with her laptop so she started working away. She didn't notice when Pastor Mike returned to the car. He cleared his throat and she jumped.
"I've been watching you work for about 10 minutes"
"Really?" She smiled, revealing her recently scaled teeth.
"You were so focused on what you were doing. Please continue; I'll just study for my exams without disturbing you"
They stayed in silence for about one and a half hours.
***************
"So, why didn't you at least send a text message to tell me what was going on?"
Archippus yelled at Euodia
"I didn't have enough credit. I already said that earlier, darling"
Euodia replied calmly, though she wondered if Archippus was beginning to lose his hearing.
She quickly cast down the negative thought. She had learnt not to lose her temper when dealing with her husband. Proverbs 31 women just didn't yell at their husbands, no matter how much the men tried their patience. The woman is expected to smile and endure. Only patient women had good marriages.
"So, are you saying I'm deaf?", Archippus yelled
"No, darling. Maybe I just thought I had said it before. Sorry darling. Is there a reason you were trying to reach me?"
"So, I'm saying nonsense, right?"
"No darling, I didn't say that"
"So, I'm lying ehn"
"I didn't say you were lying, Archippus"
"I'm not sure what has come upon you, Euodia. Since you became a Deaconess, you've been proving to me that you're more intelligent that I am. Is that what being a Deaconess entails?"
Euodia decided to keep quiet as her words seemed to be compounding issues.
"So, I'm talking to myself now, Euodia. Anyway, I was just calling to check up on you but it seems you're bent on proving your superiority. Let me leave you to continue with whatever it is Deaconesses do. See you when I get back"
With that, Archippus ended the call.
Euodia was quite surprised at how the call went. She knew she had to start praying. Whenever Archippus had those fits, it usually took a lot to get him to snap out of those moods. Maybe she should find a way to surprise him and get him out of that foul mood...
Author's Note: Euodia and Syntyche's story is found in Philippians 4:2-3. This is a very very fictionalized version...Stay tuned for Episode 8.
