Life

Episode 21

“hey’’ someone tapped him and he looked up into a man’s unfamiliar face. He felt groggy and his vision was blurry. His air bag pushed against him almost suffocating him but the man extended his hand and helped him out.
He rubbed his forehead that was aching and felt the hot liquid against his head trickling down his face. ‘’thanks.’’
“you’re welcome.’’ He replied with a smile.

He suddenly felt weird and people came running towards him. ‘’hey man? You okay? How did you come out of there alive?’’
“all I know is I snapped out before this man came over to….’’ He turned to look at the man that helped him out of the suffocating air bag but he was gone.

He swiveled and kept looking awkwardly. ‘’there was a man here, in blue shirt and Jeans. He was the first person to come to my rescue.’’

People looked around and turned to look at him awkwardly. ‘’there was nobody here man.

We saw the accident happen right in front of us and we called an ambulance immediately for fear that you might have gone into a coma with serious injury cos that truck crashed into the side of your car where you were sitting directly. Even the airbag wouldn’t have been enough to save you.’’

Josh shivered, the hair on his body stood out and he swallowed realizing the man’s analysis was true. His life would have been snuffed out just like that but somehow, a miracle had just happened to him.

He would have died, leaving Gavin, David, Scarlett and his family behind. He looked at his car and knew that no human could have survived the crash
But who was the man who had pulled him out? Where in the world was he?

Everything suddenly began to fix themselves together like puzzles and he trembled knowing this was much more than ordinary.
Something supernatural had just happened to him
His heart began to beat faster on the sudden realization of who the man was or might have been.

He was definitely not human. He was an angel.

The angel Gavin always prayed to God for.

Soon the paramedics came to his aid.

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One week later

Scarlett was reading the paper in the kitchen while David sat in his walker with his cereal before him, his beeper and cheeks stained with food while he kept playing with his spoon and yelling happy sounds. His mother ignored him since it was the usual bantering noise he made when he ate and when he took a bath.

When he played with Grandpa, it was worse.

She saw an apartment that caught her attention and kept looking at it for a while glad that it was in the buzz of the city and she would get a nanny to look after her child once she went to work. Infact, it wasn’t even far from her current place of work unlike here where she had to drive to work everyday while her mother watched over David.

She had to leave her parents’ house soon.

She had stayed long enough and she wasn’t getting any younger. She was 28 going to 29 and if Josh had decided to go a different path, she needed to go hers pretty soon and probably start dating again hopefully with the intention of giving her son a good father and a godly spouse.

No mistakes would be repeated.

God had taken her far for her to start seeing things his way and if he decided she would be a single mother till she died, then so be it.

Life wasn’t a do or die affair anymore for her.

‘’David, stop playing with your food.’’ She cautioned absent-mindedly while marking the one she was going to get a look at probably after cleaning up her son. She got the number of the agent and was about dialing the number when David squealed and pushed his plate on the floor.

She dropped the phone angrily and bent down to pick his plate and clean the floor.

“the next time you act silly, I’ll spank you real good.’’ She threatened and he stared at her quietly like he knew he had done something wrong.

The bell rang and she sighed removing her apron. She knew she had added so much weight when she delivered David but was losing some pounds already due to work and the stress of taking care of a baby.

Right now, she didn’t even have time to think of herself. David mattered most.

The bell rang again.

“I’m coming!’’ she wondered why her parents didn’t answer the door when it was their house. Jerking the door open, she almost fainted at the sight before her.

“Josh?’’
“hello Scarlett.’’ He held the flowers in his hand and for the first time she could remember, she thought he was a little nervous when he stood before her. He still looked the same after a year and some months.

And then she realized her prayers had been answered when he grabbed her to kiss her.

And she returned the kiss with the same fervor and passion he gave to her holding him tightly to her and hoping it won’t end.

“oh Josh.’’ She swallowed when they both broke free for air. The flowers were already mashed up but she didn’t care. she touched his face to assess his features as if taking it all in and then her hands went to his hair.

He embraced her this time. ‘’oh baby, I now see what you’ve been telling me all this while. What you and Demi and Gavin were doing for me. I was such an ungrateful fool who was living an empty life but now I see it all. I suddenly saw my life flashing before my eyes the day I had an accident and realized I didn’t own my life and would have died without doing much on earth. Even the little good I had done didn’t seem good enough at that moment and for the first time in my life, I witnessed a supernatural miracle in my life.’’

“oh Josh, thank God for you.’’ she was already crying. ‘’thank God my prayers have been answered.’’

“you were all praying for me. Gavin, Demi and you baby.’’ His tears joined hers when they kissed again.

Scarlett didn’t realize she had missed him so much till now and her body responded so easily to his till she trembled.

They both realized what was happening and parted embracing each other again.

“I love you.’’ he mumbled
“and I love you Joshua.’’ She replied as her hands strolled to his back.

“let’s get married soon.’’
She nodded glad that he understood their present feelings and the way sparks flew when they touched. When they kissed, it was fire.

She released him and held his hand leading him to the kitchen. ‘’David’s in the kitchen.

Come be a daddy.’’

Josh laughed and slid his hands through her waist kissing her cheeks fondly while teasing her that she had added a little weight. They entered the kitchen together and Josh stopped when he saw David.

He was beautiful and the boy looked back at him before wiggling his hands that he wanted his mother’s attention.

The boy was so much more than what he saw in the pictures Scarlett sent. He had brown hair but took his eyes.

Hazel eyes.

He had thought the boy would take Scarlett’s eyes like Gavin did with his mum. But this boy was so identical to him and he could see the little features in his face.

Gavin was going to have a junior brother growing up with him.

‘’David here is a jealous one just like you.’’ Scarlett giggled when David held unto her like she was running away or rather, that she was giving someone else attention.

Josh laughed and touched his son’s cheeks slightly. ‘’hiya tiger! Say hi to Daddy.’’ He came close to Scarlett while she urged their son to greet his father.

David stared at him blankly
Josh stretched his hands towards him but the child recoiled. He felt rejected but Scarlett encouraged him further.

The second time, he went into his father’s arms and Josh felt a flood of relief wash over him when David stayed in his arms but without saying anything.

He was going to be patient and knew David would come to love him as a father after a while.

“you made a beautiful child. Won’t mind us having more when we get married’’ Josh looked into Scarlett’s eyes and lowered his lips to hers once more. They were so engrossed in each other they didn’t notice Alexandra walk in on them.

At first sight, she was taken aback but relaxed because she knew something most definitely had happened.

She just knew and at that moment, she was grateful. Not wanting to interrupt them, she quietly excused them and went back upstairs, waiting for Scarlett to call her and tell her about everything
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Scarlett and Josh got married that weekend in Hawaii. A private wedding between family and friends like Sue and Andrea and everyone couldn’t be happier for them.

With the look on their face when they each said “I do” no one could think differently about them wanting to be together.

It was like they were made for each other.
They wanted to spend a couple of days in Hawaii and then, fly over to Paris afterwards before touring the United Arab Emirates just to have time to themselves and visit places they’ve never been to before.

A whole month to themselves was what they wanted and Josh had made arrangements to see that happen. Gavin and David were going to be staying with their grandparents and since David was no longer nursing, Scarlett had the chance to be free from motherhood for a while.

Everyone danced in excitement. Father and bride danced, bride and groom danced as both of them wore white. Josh was in white pants and shirt while Scarlett wore a long white gown that reached her feet with flowers on her hair that was already beginning to develop curls again. Josh had insisted she leave it as curls.
He loved her full curly hair and looking at her as they said their vows, she looked like a princess. His princess and he knew she would be his princess as long as he lived.

When they kissed, the sparks flew and people clapped and cheered, while Gavin teased his new parents to get a room when they kissed longer than usual.

David just squealed in excitement and played with every individual that carried him or danced with him as he moved his diaper butt or jumped on his feet as the songs played.

As for the Ruby’s and the Riley’s, their bond of friendship renewed that day and their blessings were offered unto their children as the two became one that day.

When they retired at night and Scarlett rested in her husband’s arms, she looked into his face and watched him stir in his sleep. She loved this man, no doubt. She had loved him ever since that night he came to her at the backyard and sat on the swing with her and although she had been foolish and made so many mistakes, hurting herself, her family and God in the way, she had grown to be matured and strong. That one year and seven months she had left him to seek God hoping he would do the same had made her who she was today. She had never known she would be strong enough to stay on her own without Josh but God had shown her she could and she had.

Night and Day she prayed for Josh and Gavin, prayed that God would touch him and bring him to Christ and she prayed for her own heart so that God could mend it and make Jesus the priority in her Life. He was the lover of her soul and she would live for him no matter what.
Josh had shared his story and he was still growing but he grew progressively to God’s glory. Although he still had his old characters, she could tell he had come to Love and see God the way she did and displayed so much humility in prayer. Even when they had bible study, he was ever ready to learn from her.
But it was just in one week she noticed this and tonight marked the beginning of their real lives together
She pulled the sheet up to her b—m and was about standing up when his hands tightened on her waist.

“hey.’’ He greeted half sleepy. ‘’is it morning yet?’’
“no sweetie.’’ She smiled and leaned close to kiss him fully on the lips. He smiled and pulled her closer on top of him trying to get rid of the sheets.
“I have to use the bathroom.’’ She laughed and pushed him away when he released her.
“don’t stay long.’’
She shook her head and hurried to the bathroom locking the door behind her.
When she got inside and sat on the closet, she closed her eyes and thanked God once more.
For Josh, for her marriage to him, for forgiving them both, for her kids, for her family and most importantly, for how much Love he had shown her and was still showing her
Infact, for everything.

THE END.