In a quiet town, Bembi, there lived a man called Lucas and his wife Mercy. They both have been married for many years without an issue. They have gone to different places seeking for the fruit of the womb, but none was forthcoming. Luca’s mom, Mrs. Elizabeth, came to their house unannounced one Sunday afternoon.

When she walked into the sitting room with her little bag, she met Lucas sitting on the cushion chair. I told you not to marry from the city. You insisted. Now see the result. City girls have spoiled their wombs with abortion. I’m not getting any younger. You have been married to this girl that has no womb for years now without a child. If only you had listened to me.

I found you a nice girl from the village you insisted on marrying that thing there you called a wife. The lady I found for you then is married with three. Three kids here you are without one. But it’s not too late. I can actually get you someone again from the village to carry your baby. Luca’s mom suggested. Mama, please.

We will wait for God’s time. Lucas responded. I’ll only come back here if you change your mind. Lucas’s mom said as she stormed out of his house. Lucas tried to stop his mother, but she had already made up her mind to leave. Mercy came out of the room crying. What have I done to deserve this insult from mom? I am not God that gives children.

We have gone for medical checkup and we were proven okay. What more should I do? Please just go ahead and get your second wife if that will make your mom happy, Mercy said as she ran into her room with tears streaming down her cheeks. Lucas was helpless. He was the only son of his family and they needed a child from him.

There also was his wife. he loves so much and doesn’t want to hurt her by bringing in another wife. At this point, he doesn’t even know his way forward. The next day, Mercy left to see her friend Alice. Mercy told Alice everything her mother-in-law had said. “I’ve always warned you that it will come to this. I told you what to do, but you never listened.

You said you love your husband so much, and you are a Christian. Watch out and see if your husband won’t marry a second wife.” I’ll repeat myself again. You have two options here, Mercy. Get you a man to sleep with you and confirm if this problem is not from your husband. Or I’ll take you to the native doctor who will help you get pregnant.

It’s your choice to make. I’ve done my part as a good friend that I am. Stop waiting on a god that does not exist, Alice concluded. That night, Mercy couldn’t sleep. She kept on thinking about the advice Alice gave her. Now she is beginning to doubt if God exists. Is it better she go to the native doctor or cheat on her husband with a random guy? What if she cheats and doesn’t get pregnant? Yet, how will she know if she doesn’t try? Mercy thought within herself.

The stigma of being called barren became heavier on Mercy. She see fingers pointing at her when she walked past some places. She has prayed. She has fasted. Seems like God isn’t there. Now her mother-in-law is about to get her husband another wife. If she decides to have an affair outside of her marriage without her husband’s concern, how will he feel when he finds out she betrayed him? Mercy asked herself.

The only decision left was to visit the native doctor Alice told her about. Mercy went to see Alice, who took her to the native doctor’s place. He told her that he is a baby giver and her troubles were over. Take this and drink for 3 days and you’ll become pregnant. You’ll give birth to a baby boy, but there is a price to you won’t be told till the child is born.

The witch doctor said Mercy was not interested in knowing the price she will pay. She was just so happy that finally she would be able to carry a baby. She dropped the money she came with and left with Alice. Weeks later, Mercy was confirmed pregnant. She was overwhelmed. She never believed she will ever be pregnant again as she had lost all hopes.

Lucas called his mother who said Mercy had spoiled her womb to tell her his wife was pregnant. She was so happy and apologized to Mercy over the phone calling her sweet names. Mercy called Alice and thanked her for bringing happiness into her life. Alice congratulated her and told her that Baba did what God could not do.

Nine months gone already and the set day for delivery came. Mercy gave birth swiftly to a baby boy as Baba said and she called him Ryan. Ryan was born handsome. His hair was curly, his eyes charming, his color radiating. He was so cute that everyone who saw him wished to give birth to a baby like him. Alice rushed down to the hospital.

Immediately the child was born. She came bearing a message from Baba. Kill your mother-in-law or the baby will die at the age of two. Mercy was shocked because Baba didn’t tell her it was a life for a life. How could she bring herself to kill her mother-in-law? Here is the scarf. Just put it in your mother-in-law’s bag when she is going and make sure she doesn’t see it.

She will die when she arrives at the village. Alice said and handed the scarf to Mercy. Then she left the hospital. Lucas mom came from the village. The next day after Mercy delivered, she pleaded with Mercy to forgive her once again for calling her barren. Few days later, her mother-in-law was about to bath Ryan in the morning when he called her grandma with a smile.

That was the shock of her life. She yelled out and Mercy came running to the scene. “What happened, mama?” Mercy asked. Her mother-in-law was silent for a while, then said nothing. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Mercy that her few days old baby called her grandma. Maybe it was just her imagination. On a Sunday evening, Mercy had gone to get some things just down the street. Mrs.

Elizabeth heard the cry of Ryan and went in to carry him. On arrival, she met him crawling around on the bed. She couldn’t hold back anymore. She called Lucas to come and behold what she saw. When Lucas got there, baby Ryan was sleeping peacefully. She told Lucas about the first incident.

Lucas tried to convince her that she was getting old and maybe it was just a figment of her imagination. Just then, Mercy walked in and her husband told her what his mom said. “I knew it. You never believe that I can ever be a mother. Now you are saying things that don’t exist. If you are tired, mama, go back to the village.

” Mercy told her mother-in-law in an inappropriate tune. Mercy remembered that she had to put the scarf into her mother-in-law’s bag without her knowing, and she can only do that if they are in good terms. So, she apologized to her mother-in-law for being rude. The time was 2:30 a.m. in the morning, and Lucas’s phone began to ring.

When he picked, he was told that his warehouse was on fire. Lucas stood up immediately and left for his workplace. By the time he got there, his warehouse and all the goods had turned into ashes. Lucas cried his eyes out. The incident brought the pastor and some members to his house who came to sympathize with him. On their arrival, Mercy never allowed anyone to carry or touch her baby.

She told them all that he was sleeping. His pastor told him that what happened wasn’t ordinary and he could feel it. He prayed for the family excluding baby Ryan who was inside. He suggested to go pray for him inside which Mercy didn’t give permission to with the excuse that he will wake at any slightest touch and he wasn’t feeling too well.

When they were about to leave, Pastor Rousel called Mrs. Elizabeth aside. He had a message for her. The revelation is not clear, but ma’am, you need to apologize to your daughter-in-law, then stay here for a while. Don’t go back to the village just yet. Something bad is looming around. The pastor said, “But I have already apologized to her pastor, and we are in good terms,” Mrs. Elizabeth affirmed.

She told the pastor about what she saw concerning Ryan, which no one else saw. The pastor urged Mrs. Elizabeth not to leave her son’s house for the meantime. He prayed for her, then left the house. Mrs. Elizabeth went straight to Mercy. After the pastor left, she apologized sincerely to Mercy and pleaded for her forgiveness.

Mercy could see the repentance in the eyes of her mother-in-law. She stood up and walked out in tears. If only her mother-in-law had encouraged her, she wouldn’t have gone to the native doctor. She would have waited on the Lord that gives children without asking for a life. Mercy picked up her phone and called Alice for an advice.

Alice advised Mercy to not to forgive Mrs. Elizabeth. She asked her who was more important, her baby or the woman who called her baron. Alice told Mercy to kill Mrs. Elizabeth so Ryan won’t die. At night, as they were sleeping, Lucas heard a noise in the living room. He stood up and went to see what was causing the noise.

He saw Ryan sitting comfortably on his cushion chair, starring at him, smiling. Lucas got scared. It must be a dream, he said to himself. He cleaned his eyes and the baby called him. Daddy. Lucas quickly ran into his room to call his wife to see what he just saw. When she woke up and switched on her light, there was Ryan inside his c sleeping like a baby he is.

They both went to the living room, but no one was there. In the morning, Lucas began to think about the times his mom told him about some strange behaviors Ryan exhibited that he doubted. Is he also imagining things just like his mom? He carried Ryan and expected to see or hear something strange. Yet nothing happened. He was just looking so sweet and innocent.

Few weeks later, Lucas fell seriously sick. Most of what he had left were sold, including his car, just to care for his health. He was carried from one hospital to another. No hospital was able to diagnose what was really wrong with him. Alice came to visit Mercy at the hospital where she was with her husband. She called her aside.

You are stubborn and it will cost you a lot. She told her, “Baba asked you to kill your mother-in-law since the baby was born and you couldn’t. Now the spirits have started coming for other things. better look for a way to send your mother-in-law back to the village so she will die and your husband will be okay. You’ll live your dream life with your husband and baby.

” Alice said then left the hospital. “I love you so much, Mommy. I know you love me, too. And you did all these just to have me. Do you want me to die before I turn 2 years? I have always waited for you to bring me into this world. Now I am here. Will you allow me to die?” Baby Ryan said with tears in his eyes, “See, Daddy is slowly dying.

Do you want him to die, too? You know what to do, Mommy. Baba is hungry. All you have to do is feed him and then everything will be okay.” Ryan crying and walking towards his mother. Mercy filled with fear, couldn’t stand the fact that her few weeks old baby is talking and walking towards her. She screamed and her mother-in-law came running towards her.

Mercy got up immediately, holding her heart. It was just a dream. And she woke Ryan up with her screams, making him to start crying. This time she got scared. Would it be that what her husband and mother-in-law saw was real? No, it can’t be, she said to herself. It was just a dream and he is her baby. Mrs.

Elizabeth asked her what the dream was all about that made her to scream that loud, but she didn’t have any answer to give. She just told her it was a very bad dream and she didn’t want to talk about it. Mrs. Elizabeth, who has not left ever since she came for the omagwo, following the instructions of the pastor, walked out of the room, leaving her alone with Ryan. Mercy began to analyze.

Since she has been waiting on God, nothing bad had happened to her family. Her husband is the type that doesn’t fall sick. Now all of a sudden, he has a sickness that can’t be diagnosed. She has seen women that wait on God that later gave birth to triplets at a time. Why didn’t she adopt a child and keep waiting on God? Why didn’t the thought of adopting a child come to her earlier? She would have had peace of mind and still waited on God.

Now she has a baby with so many costs to bear. They have almost gone bankrupt, left with only their house. Her husband is fighting for his life. Worst is that the sickness has no name. All her life she hasn’t killed anyone and Baba is asking her to kill her mother-in-law who replaced the role of a mother in her life. Although her mother-in-law pushed her hard, she had asked for forgiveness.

Now there is her friend Alice who pushed her into all these. Does it mean that Alice also soiled her hands to get her children? Will killing her mother-in-law solve all the problems? What if Baba asked for more? What else can she give? What if he finally takes everything? Mercy had so many questions running through her mind.

She picked up her phone with two options in her mind. Should she call Alice and ask her to take her to Baba and get some answers to her questions? Or should she call Pastor Rousel and confess how she got her baby? Mercy picked up her phone and dialed Alice’s number, but it wasn’t reachable.

She called her myriad times, but the call didn’t go through. Mercy decided to go see Alice in her house and find out why her number wasn’t going through. Mercy got to Alice’s house and she wasn’t around. Her neighbor told her that Alice’s first child was knocked down by a car and he died on their way to the hospital.

Maybe she lost her phone in the process of going to the scene and taking the child to the hospital. Alice’s neighbor said. Mercy rushed to the indicated hospital to go see her friend and her dead child. Alice pushed her away, telling her she’s the cause of her problems. Go away, you stubborn woman. With all that has befallen you.

You couldn’t do a simple assignment and live your life. Now see what your stupidity has cost me. You’re so selfish. Go away from here, Alice said, sobbing like a baby. Mercy left the hospital and went back home. She sat on the floor in tears. Mrs. Elizabeth came in and met her crying. She came closer to her and consoled her.

You see, my daughter, I think we need to go see the pastor. Let him pray for us, especially you, and give you words of encouragement. Mrs. Elizabeth said, “And but how will I face God?” Mercy asked, still sobbing. Don’t worry. Let’s go to him. He’s a merciful God. No matter what you think you’ve done, he will forgive you.

After some hesitations, Mercy dressed Ryan and left for church with her mother-in-law. They went to see the pastor in his office. Mercy couldn’t find the courage, but somehow it came to her. I want to confess, pastor, it wasn’t intentional. People pushed me to this. This baby is from a native doctor, and I was asked to kill my mother-in-law for him to be alive, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it after she apologized to me.

I think that’s why all these things are happening to me and my husband. Mercy said Mrs. Iicenna was stunned by what she heard and she thanked God. She listened to the pastor and apologized. At first, Ryan was so innocent and sweet till the pastor tried to carry him. His face changed to that of an old man.

He stood on his legs and challenged the pastor, telling him to allow him finish the work he started in Lucas’s family or he will kill him. Pastor Rousel prayed and prayed and Ryan fell and his face came back. Ryan started crying. Mercy refused to carry him saying he was from the devil. Pastor Rouselle told her confidently to carry her baby that he has been delivered.

Mercy listened carefully. The devil never gave you this child. God already answered your prayers. You were already some days pregnant before you went to see the native doctor. It was what he gave you to drink that possessed Ryan. Can’t you see how cute your baby is looking? Can the devil give something this nice? They were still at the pastor’s office when a call came in.

Who was calling? Oh, it’s Lucas. Where are you? He asked. Mercy. We are at the church. Mercy answered. Oh, help me. Thank God. Oh, I am healed. Every scar and spot has disappeared mysteriously. Mercy, her mother-in-law, and the pastor all gave thanks to God. Mercy talking to herself.

Oh, patience is a virtue when waiting on God. If only I was patient with God and didn’t listen to what people were saying, I wouldn’t have gone through all these. I will have to choose well who I call my friend from now. And finally, nothing from the devil comes without a price. Finally, all glory to God. My baby is mine without a price.