...But God said So

Chapter 7: Beyond Angry

Lily stepped out of the InDrive and glanced at the familiar bungalow.

The driver waited for a moment.

"Madam, should I wait?"

"No, thank you."

As the car pulled away, Lily stood still, staring at the house.

The call had come the previous evening.

"Lily, abeg come and see me. I need to talk to you."

She already knew what it was about.

It was always about one thing.

Money.

With a sigh, she adjusted her handbag and walked toward the house.

The front door was open.

Her father sat on a worn-out armchair in the sitting room, a thin wrapper draped over his legs. He looked older than the last time she saw him. The sickness had clearly taken its toll.

When he saw her, his face brightened.

"Lily."

She nodded.

"Good afternoon."

No hug.

No smile.

No warmth.

Just a greeting.

She remained standing.

The old man pointed at a chair opposite him.

"Sit down, my daughter."

"I'm fine."

He withdrew his hand slowly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence was awkward but familiar.

It had lived between them for years.

"How is work?" he finally asked.

"Fine."

"And church?"

"Fine."

The old man sighed.

"Must every conversation with you be like an interview?"

Lily folded her arms.

"What did you call me here for?"

Straight to the point.

Just as she always did.

He coughed into a handkerchief before reaching for a bottle of water.

"The doctors changed my medication."

Lily's expression didn't change.

"They said I need more tests."

Still nothing.

"The treatment is becoming expensive."

There it was.

Finally.

Lily almost laughed.

She should have known.

The old man lowered his eyes.

"I've exhausted most of what I had."

Silence.

"Lily..."

"How much?"

The question stopped him.

For a second, shame flickered across his face.

Then he mentioned the amount quietly.

Lily opened her handbag without another word.

She pulled out a thick bundle of cash.

The old man's eyes widened.

Without counting it, she tossed it onto the centre table.

The money landed with a heavy thud.

"There."

The room fell silent.

The old man stared at the cash.

Then at Lily.

Then back at the cash.

"It's more than I asked for."

"Keep the change."

The bitterness in her voice wasn't hidden.

He looked away.

"Lily, that's not why I wanted to see you."

That finally earned him a reaction.

She laughed.

A short, cold laugh.

"Really?"

The old man swallowed.

"I wanted to see my daughter."

Lily's jaw tightened.

For a moment, something dark flashed through her eyes.

Pain.

Anger.

Memories she refused to visit.

"You've seen her."

The words came out sharper than intended.

The old man flinched.

"I know you're angry with me."

Lily shook her head.

"No."

He looked surprised.

"No?"

"I'm beyond angry."

The room became still.

The old man lowered his gaze.

Lily immediately regretted saying it.

Not because it wasn't true.

But because she had revealed more than she wanted to.

She took a deep breath.

"I have somewhere to be."

"You just arrived."

"And you've gotten what you wanted."

Again, silence.

The old man's eyes rested on the money.

His fingers trembled slightly.

"You always come when I call."

Lily adjusted her handbag.

"Don't flatter yourself."

The words hit hard.

"I come because I don't want anybody calling me tomorrow to say I abandoned a sick old man."

The old man's face fell.

Lily looked away.

A small part of her felt guilty.

But not enough.

Never enough.

As she turned toward the door, his weak voice stopped her.

"Lily."

She paused.

"I am grateful."

She didn't respond.

"Lily..."

This time his voice cracked.

"One day, I hope you'll forgive me."

The words hung in the air.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Lily's hand tightened around the strap of her handbag.

For a second, her eyes closed.

Then she opened them.

Without looking back, she spoke.

"Take care of yourself."

And walked away.

The old man remained seated.

The money lay untouched on the table.

For years, he had asked her for help and she had always given it.

Money was never the problem.

The problem was that no amount in the world could buy back what he had lost.

Or undo what he had done.

Outside, Lily climbed into another InDrive and shut the door.

As the car pulled away, she stared out the window.

Her face remained expressionless.

But her heart was anything but calm.

Seeing him always reopened wounds she spent years trying to bury.

And today was no different.

*

Abeg- please