CALLED BEFORE US (EP6B)

Episode 6B — Before God, Before Man

The lie began on a Thursday afternoon.

Valerie was bent over her cutting table, chalk between her fingers, measuring out a curved neckline on deep emerald silk when Tammy walked into the studio corner of their apartment with unnecessary excitement.

“Wear something nice on Saturday.”

Valerie did not look up. “I always wear something nice.”

Tammy sucked her teeth. “Not ‘I’m going to church and minding my business’ nice. I mean soft nice. Effortless but intentional. You get?”

Valerie glanced up slowly. “Why.”

“I have a client shoot at a hotel in VI. I need you to come and help me style. The client is extra. I cannot go alone.”

Valerie narrowed her eyes. “Since when do you panic about clients?”

Tammy flipped her braids dramatically. “Growth. Maturity. Humility.”

“Tammy.”

“What?”

“You are lying.”

“I swear I’m not!”

Valerie stared at her for three long seconds.

“Omo ehh,” she muttered. “If this is stress, I will not forgive you.”

Tammy clutched her chest. “You wound me.”

Valerie returned to her chalk marks, but her mind drifted. Purity had been in Rwanda for almost three months now. The time difference had become muscle memory. She knew when his day started, when he was heading to outreach, when he would be exhausted but still try to call.

They had grown in those weeks. Fought off temptation. Studied Scripture. Laughed. Prayed.

And somewhere in the in-between, the line between “we like each other” and something far more serious had blurred completely.

They were… something. Intentional but undefined.

And Valerie, for all her hard girl tendencies, felt the weight of that undefined space. She would never say it first.

Never.

—

Saturday came warm and bright.

Lagos traffic was its usual chaos, but Tammy drove with suspicious patience.

“You’re too calm,” Valerie said, adjusting her seatbelt.

“I’m in my soft life era.”

Valerie snorted. “Abeg.”

They pulled into a boutique hotel in Victoria Island. Glass entrance. Quiet lobby. The kind of place influencers pretended was their second home.

Valerie glanced at Tammy.

“This client is paying you how much?”

“Focus.” They stepped into the elevator.

Tammy pressed the floor button quickly and then pretended to scroll through her phone.

Valerie felt something odd in her stomach. The elevator doors slid open. Tammy stepped out first. Valerie followed.

Room 508.

Tammy knocked lightly, then pushed the door open.

“After you,” she said sweetly.

Valerie frowned. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Enter first na.” Valerie stepped inside. And froze. The room was quiet.

Soft gold light. White curtains half drawn. Rose petals scattered across the floor.

On the table by the window were boxes. Her boxes. A sketchbook she had mentioned wanting but never bought. The rare fashion illustration book she had talked about in passing.

A specific perfume she once said reminded her of her childhood in Benin.

Her throat closed.

“Tammy…” she whispered slowly.

Tammy shut the door behind them.

Then Valerie’s phone rang. Her heart slammed into her ribs.

Purity.

She looked at Tammy.

Tammy clasped her hands dramatically. “Answer.”

Valerie’s fingers trembled slightly as she tapped accept. The screen lit up.

Purity. Not in a hotel. Outside with Sunlight behind him. Rwanda hills stretching in the background. He was dressed simply, but there was something deliberate in his eyes.

“Hi,” he said softly.

Her voice shook. “Purity… what is this?”

He smiled slowly.

“Turn your camera around.”

She did. He saw the decorations. The petals. The gifts.

Tammy stepped quietly out of frame. Valerie turned the camera back to herself.

“You’re involved!!” she whispered accusingly.

Tammy popped back into view behind her, grinning. “I love love.”

Valerie gasped. “So you people planned this?”

Purity chuckled gently. “Yes.” Her eyes filled.

“Why?” she breathed.

He inhaled slowly.

“Because I don’t like undefined spaces.” Her heart stopped.

“I don’t like halfway,” he continued. “And I don’t like guessing where I stand with you.” She blinked rapidly.

“You’ve guarded your heart carefully,” he said. “And I respect that.” Her lips trembled.

“But Valerie… I am not interested in building something casual with you.” The room felt too small.

“I am not interested in convenient affection.” Her breathing became uneven.

“I want to ask you properly.” She covered her mouth.

“Before God. Before man.” Her knees felt weak.

“I know I am in Rwanda,” he continued, voice steady but emotional beneath the surface. “I know this is through a screen. But distance has not reduced what I feel.”

A tear slipped down her cheek. He swallowed.

“I have watched you serve. I have watched you grow in media. I have watched you confront your fears.” She shook her head slowly.

“Purity…”

“Let me finish,” he said gently. She nodded.

“I don’t want to call you ‘maybe.’ I don’t want to call you ‘almost.’” He stepped slightly closer to his camera.

“Valerie Osagie.” Her breath caught at the sound of her full name.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Silence. Her tears came freely now.

“I am asking you to do this with me intentionally. To build something disciplined. To honor God with it. To fight temptation together. To grow.”

He paused.

“Come what may.” Her shoulders shook.

Tammy whispered behind her, “Say yes, abeg.”

Valerie laughed through tears.

“Tammy you ehhh. So you deceived me?” she asked, half crying.

Tammy nodded proudly. “I helped pick the gifts.” Valerie looked back at the screen.

“You got the book,” she whispered.

“I remember things you say.” Her heart broke open.

“And the perfume…”

“You said it made you feel safe.” She pressed her hand to her chest.

“I want to be someone safe for you,” he said softly. That sentence undid her. Completely. She sank onto the edge of the bed.

“You’re far away,” she whispered.

“I know.”

“You’re in another country.”

“I know.”

“You don’t know what the future holds.”

“I don’t.”

She wiped her face. “What if things change?”

“Then we face it together.”

“What if God calls you somewhere else?”

“Then we talk. We pray. We don’t run.”

Her voice cracked. “You promise?”

“I promise to never choose calling over loving you well.” The room was quiet except for her uneven breathing.

“You’re serious,” she whispered.

“I have never been more serious.” She laughed shakily. “Omo ehh.”

He smiled. “Hard girl.” She shook her head.

“I’ve been trying not to fall too fast,” she confessed.

“I know.”

“I’ve been pretending I’m calm.”

“I know.”

“I’m not calm.” His eyes softened.

“I know.” She inhaled deeply.

“I like you,” she said.

“I know.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “You don’t understand.” Her voice steadied.

“I like you enough to be afraid.” His expression changed. Softened.

“That’s okay,” he said gently. “I’m not afraid.”

She searched his face. “Why?”

“Because I prayed before I asked.” Her breath caught.

“And I’m not asking you to marry me today,” he added with a small smile. “I’m asking you to build with me.” Tears slid down again.

“You will be patient with me?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“You won’t rush me?”

“No.”

“You won’t manipulate me spiritually?” His eyes sharpened.

“Never.” Silence.

“Yes.” It came out barely above a whisper.

He leaned closer. “Say it again.”

She laughed through tears. “Yes, Purity.”

His face broke into a slow, radiant smile. “You’ll be my girlfriend?”

“Yesssssss.” Tammy screamed behind her.

Valerie burst into embarrassed laughter.

“Tammy!” Purity laughed deeply, relief washing over him visibly.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“For what?”

“For trusting me.” She shook her head.

“Don’t mess this up,” she whispered playfully through tears.

“I won’t.” He exhaled slowly. “Can we pray?”

Her heart clenched. “Yes.”

There, through a screen. Rwanda hills behind him. Lagos hotel room around her.

He prayed.

“Father, thank You for Valerie. Thank You for courage. Thank You for timing. We put this before You. Guard it. Shape it. Correct it. Let this relationship reflect You. Let me love her well. Let her feel safe. Let us never choose desire over discipline.”

Her tears fell silently.

“Amen,” she whispered when he finished.

“Amen,” he echoed. They stayed on the call longer.

Talking. Laughing. Letting the reality settle.

“My girlfriend,” he said once, testing the word.

She covered her face. “Stop.”

“My girlfriend,” he repeated.

She laughed. “You’re enjoying it too much.”

“Very much.”

When the call finally ended, she sat still for a moment. Tammy flopped beside her dramatically.

“You cried.”

“Shut up.”

“You cried like a small child.”

Valerie swatted her lightly. But she was smiling.

Her phone buzzed.

Purity: Still can’t believe you said yes.

She typed back slowly.

Valerie: Don’t make me regret it.

His reply came instantly.

Purity: Never.

She leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. Girlfriend.

The word felt both terrifying and right.

But somewhere beneath the sweetness, beneath the petals and perfume and laughter, something else stirred. A quiet awareness.

Love had shifted from potential to promise. And promises, she knew too well, came with weight.

Outside, Lagos moved as usual. Inside, Valerie felt something irreversible begin.

And in Rwanda, miles away, Purity stood looking at the hills, unaware that the God who had just witnessed his prayer was already preparing him for a calling that would test every word he had spoken.

To love her well. No matter what.

Okay okay…. Whoshhhhh that was an intense episode 🥹🥹🥹. Can somebody just dash me a man like purity???🥹🥹

Happy international women’s day, my loves. Thank you for riding with me.

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