Bill Laggard Page 5

  Chapter 5- The Steadfastness Of His Love Never Ceaseth

  'I hereby join you, Catherina and Daniel, to be husband and wife in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.'

  It was the minister speaking and I heard loud laughter cheer the hall, from the room which I was in. I walked out just to see what the hullabaloo was all about.

  It was Catherina's wedding ceremony which probably should be the happiest day in a girl's life. I was really happy for Catherina, who had sent, by telex, the invitation card to her wedding two weeks ago. It had been long since I saw her and that was because she lived a little far from Oxford. We had only stumbled across each other occasionally. I tried my best to make it sure that I wasn't going to be jealous on the wedding day.

  Now as I stomped out of the room into the hall, I saw another pastor step on the platform, po-faced, and taking on the microphone. He seemed to calm his nerves before he spoke.

  'Is there anyone here who is against the marriage declaration pronounced, before we finally proclaim it? He or she should object or come to the platform.'

  My eyes raced hither and yon the great hall. I squinted to be sure there was no one. I had heard of beautiful brides and wonderful bridegrooms killed on the day of their marriage ceremony by an opposer, probably from the bride's or bridegroom's side. Although I didn't expect any opponent in this, since Catherina had three loves: Daniel, Kim and I. Kim was already dead and I had given up marrying her, for God to choose for me.

  Just then, as unexpected as it was, a man entered with a revolver clutched to his right leg pocket. He began threatening everyone to give him way to the platform. Most people, seeing how eccentric he behaved, hastily ducked under their round about tables. I hid a little while the man passed my side. He scanned the crowd anxiously but couldn't see Catherina. She had hidden behind the bridegroom and pastor, which meant that she recognized the man.

  As the pastor re-announced the call, 'Is there anyone here who wouldn't love to witness Daniel and Catherina when I proclaim their marriage?' This time, he proclaimed it with a loud-hailer.

  The strange man stepped on the platform and I watched as Catherina stared at him in disbelief that either her husband or her was going to die. I must confess, the man was really handsome with perfect build and gait. He didn't possess any form of loquacity as he only signaled for the pastor to come. Everyone in the large auditorium gazed at the loony man, sure enough that he will go loopy when he sees Catherina. I could here only some mutterings from the pastor but the man quieted him by pointing the revolver to his forehead.

  'Hey, Mr. Pastor, you know nothing will help you now. You know your belief won't save you now. Just do away with this and don't poke nose. Hear me?' It was the strange man. And he pushed the pastor out of his way.

  Catherina came from behind Daniel and knelt in front of the man.

  'Oh Jensen, I thought you said we should end it the other day? Oh Jensen please do no one any harm,' she sobbed.

  'Now you can plead,' Jensen laughed. Then he walked over to the pulpit and took the loud-hailer. 'Everyone should get back to seat. I strictly promise not to hurt you but you see, Catherina and I had a two years affair, during which period she promised not to get involved with any other person.' He paused.

  And now I could see the doings of God which though were painful in the beginning but are always marvelous in my sight. What was going on hoisted in me, a hunger to talk to Jack. I was so full of gratitude to this kind, God-used friend. So this was what could have happened to me? God forbid!

  'But the relationship,' Jensen continued, 'was until Catherina called me by phone to tell me that another man by the name of Bill Laggard had proposed to her and there's nothing she could do about it. That very day, I swore bitterly that the moment I see the invitation card of anyone with Catherina, that person's life will end on the wedding day.'

  At that I gulped-in large amount of air, nervously knowing how serious a death Daniel Collaroth was going to die. Jensen turned to Daniel and asked.

  'Are you Bill Laggard?'

  'No, man I am Daniel Collaroth.'

  'Jensen,' Catherina said. 'I think Bill is here. You have to calm down and understand, Jensen. I can explain.'

  'Explain what?' Jensen cried. 'How you wrecked my life? You play tricks on me, Catherina. This is getting out of hand!' He took out his revolver and pointed it at Daniel.

  'No, Jensen!' Catherina shouted. 'This wasn't meant to be a marriage. I only wanted to intimidate Bill and get him jealous, well enough to marry me... You know I told you I love him and can do anything to get him. Believe me, Daniel and I were never to get married... You could take Daniel and leave Bill alone...'

  The people gathered at the ceremony had their mouths fall open.

  'You're actually foolish to declare your proof, Catherina,' he snarled at her. 'And for that...'

  Doosh! And Daniel sunk to the ground. Groups of people ran to the platform as Jensen got away. They carried Daniel Collaroth away to the nearest hospital. My heart tore apart as it dawned on me that Daniel died because of me. Gruesome fear filled me as I watched Jensen leave the auditorium. I was shocked more on the realization that I had been fooling myself all this while; I had said God doesn't love me.

  I sought to phone Jack, so I squinted at the call station which was at one end of the long hall. I moved over and punched the buttons and waited as the call processed. Donna had passed his phone number onto me and I was actually wondering what the significance was. I was still mumbling when a voice pierced my ears from the micro-speaker.

  'Hello! Who's this?' The voice asked. It didn't seem any familiar at all and I was wondering how to introduce myself on the wire.

  'Jack?' I questioned. I bet that was a felicitous turn of phrase.

  'Hey, who's this?' The voice came again. This time, I recognized it to be Jack's.

  'It's Bill Laggard speaking, Jack,' I replied.

  'Oh, Bill!' He exclaimed. 'How're you doing? You don't sound any good at all. Is anything up?'

  'Yeah Jack. Today hasn't been pretty in any way but thanks to God for putting a friend as you in my path at the very right time.'

  'Why is that?'

  'Remember Catherina? Her wedding ceremony emerged today. I was all smiles, witnessing the whole scenario and nursing the pain it had caused me when I vacated the relationship with Catherina. It was here something implicit happened. Daniel Collaroth, the man Catherina was to wed today pointed me out, out of the lot of people packed shoulder to shoulder in the auditorium, to be the best-man. I neglected. It wasn't long after this that Jensen Peters walked into the hall and shot Daniel. He had been taken to the hospice and Jensen got away.'

  'But why, Bill?'

  'It wasn't until now that I discovered that an affair actually existed between Jensen and Catherina. What's more, she was only planning at me, because Peter Jensen called my name out and was actually looking for me. It happened that Daniel took my place in the whole snag.'

  'The girl is useless for having to lose all three men, Bill. But you would have been most un-useful if you were dead by now.'

  'Yeah, Jack, me, without a strength or even stamina.'

  'You know what I just got now? It occurs to me now that God sets those human experiences as a guide and reminder to us in future that whenever we are about making a choice, we would consult him to know his will.'

  'I think I see why God allowed that ailment, Jack.'

  'Not by way of allowance, Bill, but by way of permission. God can't approve your death or ailment which isn't in accordance to his will. No matter the amount of tragedies, God wouldn't have an iota of sovereignty removed from him. It is totally uneasy to explain his actions, which reveals his omnipotence. But through such sufferings, he'll be seen as good, loving and sovereign. There is no doubt that all of Satan's powers are, no lesser doubts, reversed by God. I don't think God allows such sufferings but it comes for our growth, by way of his permission in our lives.'

/>   'Which reduces our strive for perfection and leaves us at total dependence on him, Jack, which can't be gotten by any church lessons,' I offered.

  'And yes, Bill,' he expressed. 'It doesn't matter if one attends religious meetings or not; what matters to God is the life we live. Are we in him or away from him? Such it was with Catherina, Bill.'

  'That's true, Jack. I am learning more of it from all that I am seeing. They convey messages too.'

  'Religiously formed networks, unproven spirituality and personality are obverse of true life. He has the ability to reveal himself to man at the most of human brokenness,' Jack said.

  'What does that mean, Jack.'

  'Perhaps at another time, Bill, as long as God lives, we would meet again. He lives forever; trust God with that?'

  'Yeah I do,' I said. 'Goodbye Jack.'

  And I knew I understood what that meant.

  XXXXX

  About the Author

  Other titles published by the author:

  1. The Kingdom Children

  2. America, a Rebellious Nation

  3. What God Says About an Apostate Church

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