...But God said So

Chapter 18: The Hospital Girl

Sunday service had gone well.

Very well.

The auditorium had been full.

The worship was powerful.

The sermon had landed exactly the way Joshua had prayed it would.

People had stayed back after service for questions, prayers and conversations.

Now, hours later, Joshua finally sat across from IK at a small restaurant not too far from the church.

A plate of jollof rice sat in front of him.

IK was halfway through his meal.

"You look tired."

Joshua scoffed.

"I preached twice today."

"And?"

"And unlike some people, I work for a living."

IK nearly choked.

"Excuse me?"

Joshua smiled.

"You heard me."

"Doctors don't work?"

"You people prescribe paracetamol for everything."

IK pointed his spoon at him.

"That's slander."

"It's the truth."

They both laughed.

The conversation drifted from church to football to a particularly stubborn church member Joshua had been counseling.

Then suddenly—

"So."

Joshua knew that tone.

Immediately.

He sighed.

"No."

IK grinned.

"We haven't talked about her."

Joshua took a drink.

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Hospital girl."

"There is no hospital girl."

"The one from the chapel."

Joshua shook his head.

IK leaned forward.

"Did you see her again?"

"No."

"Did she come to church today?"

Joshua continued eating.

IK's smile widened.

"Aha."

"What?"

"You checked."

Joshua looked up.

"I did not."

"You checked."

"I didn't."

"You absolutely checked."

Joshua pointed his fork at him.

"I was checking if people were coming in."

"Of course."

"I was."

"Naturally."

Joshua sighed.

IK laughed.

"You like this woman."

Joshua almost dropped his fork.

"Will you keep your voice down?"

"Why?"

"Because you're embarrassing me."

IK looked delighted.

"Oh, this is serious."

"It isn't."

"Then why are your ears red?"

"They're not red."

"They're red."

Joshua ignored him.

Unfortunately, that only encouraged IK.

"So let me get this straight."

Joshua already hated where this was going.

"You had a dream."

Joshua sighed.

"IK."

"You saw her once in church."

"IK."

"You met her again in a hospital chapel."

"IK."

"You don't know her name."

Joshua closed his eyes.

"You don't know where she lives."

Silence.

"You don't know her phone number."

More silence.

"You don't know her friend's name."

Joshua stared at him.

Then slowly put down his fork.

"You know, for a doctor, you talk too much."

IK burst out laughing.

Joshua shook his head.

The annoying thing was that none of it was wrong.

Not a single thing.

He knew absolutely nothing about her.

Nothing.

And yet—

He remembered her face.

Her voice.

The anger in her eyes.

The sadness behind it.

The way she had looked when she talked about God.

As though she'd been disappointed too many times to trust Him anymore.

Joshua sighed.

IK noticed immediately.

The teasing faded slightly.

"You prayed for her?"

Joshua looked up.

The question was gentler now.

"Yes."

IK nodded.

"I figured."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then IK leaned back.

"You know what I think?"

Joshua already regretted asking.

"What?"

"I think if God wants her in your life, He won't need your help finding her."

Joshua laughed softly.

"That's surprisingly wise."

"I know."

"Should I write it down?"

"You should."

Joshua shook his head.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Maybe IK was right.

There was no point chasing shadows.

No point trying to force anything.

If God was truly in this...

Then God didn't need Joshua playing detective.

Still...

As he sat there listening to IK complain about hospital management and impossible patients, one thought lingered quietly in the back of his mind.

Somewhere in Abuja, she was living her life.

Completely unaware that a pastor who didn't even know her name was still praying for her.

And somehow...

That thought hadn't left him since the day they met.