It was five-thirty on Thursday and he had just left his office and was on his way to see Ruth. He had to have it out with her and he wanted to do it before Chioma and he went to Rome on Sunday. Yesterday, he called her at her office and she had sounded very excited to hear from him. He was very businesslike in his tone when he spoke to her but she didn’t seem put off and was thrilled that he wanted to stop by and see her.
He informed her that he was going to meet her in the lobby instead of in her office. She sounded very disappointed but agreed to meet him around 5:30. He preferred to meet her out in the open because the last thing he wanted was for her to throw herself at him.
Chioma knew that he was going to see Ruth and she didn’t try to stop him. She knew that this was his problem and that he would have to deal with it. Last night, she had advised him, “If you need wisdom to deal with her, just ask God and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
After Chioma went to bed, he stayed up to read the Complete Jewish Bible which she had bought for him from Amazon. Before opening it, he prayed and asked God for wisdom in dealing with Ruth. God led him to two passages. The first was 1 Peter 3:9 which said, “be compassionate and humble-minded, not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, with blessing. For it is to this that you have been called, so that you may receive a blessing.” As he read, he he thought about how difficult that was going to be with Ruth and then, God led him to the second passage which was Ephesians 6:12 which reminded him that he wasn’t “struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”
So, it was clear. God wanted him not to act in the flesh but in His Spirit. Even if Ruth tried to get a rise from him, he had to remain calm and not react unwisely. Easier said than done but he had to trust God to help him through this. Taking a very deep breath, he walked slowly but purposefully toward the entrance of the building.
She was waiting for him in the lobby. Leaning against the wall with her hands in her pockets, her eyes eagerly and hungrily traveled over his tall frame when he stepped through the doors. As he approached her, she wished that he would change his mind about going up to her office. They would be completely alone and more comfortable on the leather sofa. “Hello,” she said when he reached her. “Would you like us to have a seat over there?” There was a functional sitting area with its comfortable chairs, coffee table with magazines for people to read and decorated with plants and Artwork.
He shook his head. “I’d rather stand,” he said quietly.
“It’s so good to see you, Dushan. You’re looking very well.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he was looking that way because of Chioma but he checked himself. That would only set her off. “Thank you.”
She waited for him to tell her that she looked good or something but when he didn’t, she was extremely hurt and disappointed. “So, what brings you here this afternoon?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“It’s too bad we can’t do that upstairs in my office.”
“I’d rather we talked here.”
“What would you like to talk about?”
“I know that my wife visited you.”
Ruth’s expression changed. “Yes, she did and I called you about that.”
“Yes, you did.”
“She had no business showing up like that and threatening me.”
“Chioma said that she didn’t threaten you–“
“She did. She accused me of stalking and harassing you and threatened me take me to court and get a restraining order. The nerve of that woman–“
“I spoke to her about her visit and told her what you said.”
“I meant every word I said, Dushan. If she shows her face here again, I will have her thrown off the premises.”
“She will not come here again, I assure you.”
“I knew that the restraining order was her idea, not yours. You wouldn’t do that to me, not after what we once had–could still have. Dushan…”
“Ruth, the restraining order was my idea, not Chioma’s.”
“I-I don’t believe you.”
“It’s the truth. Now, I have a proposition for you. If you will agree never to contact me again, I will not file a complaint against you for stalking and harassment.”
“You’re not serious.”
“I am. If you don’t want me to take legal action against you, please respect my wishes and never contact me again.”
Ruth’s face was flushed red and her hands were out of her pockets and clenched at her sides. She was no longer leaning against the wall. “You wouldn’t be saying this to me if it weren’t for that woman you dumped me for. She’s the reason why you’re acting like this. If she weren’t in the picture, you and I would still be together.”
“Even if Chioma weren’t in the picture, you and I wouldn’t still be be together. I had made up my mind that I couldn’t continue committing adultery. It was eating me up inside. I knew it was wrong and I wanted to stop doing it.”
“It didn’t feel wrong during those eight years when we were together. It only feels wrong to you now because of her.”
“It’s wrong because the Word of God says it is.”
“Doesn’t the Word of God also say that you shouldn’t judge?”
“I’m not judging you–“
“She does, though. I saw the way she looked at me when she was in my office and I told her that what I felt for you was love not obsession. She asked me about my pride and self-respect. I hate people like her who think they are better than others because they read their Bibles and go to church every week. Sometimes church people are worst sinners than the rest of us.”
“You’re wrong about Chioma. She doesn’t judge people. If she did, she wouldn’t have given me a chance. I was an adulterer when we met.”
“I wish you hadn’t met her.”
“I did and now I’m happily married. If you love me as you say you do, you will want me to be happy even if it’s with another woman.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “I do love you,” she declared forcefully. “And I do want you to be happy but with me, not with her.”
“I’m sorry, Ruth, but I could never be happy with anyone else. I hope that one day, you will fall out of love with me and in love with your husband.”
“Dushan…”
“Do I have your word that you will never contact me again?”
“Yes!” the answer was more like an anguished sob.
He felt sorry for her. “Goodbye, Ruth.”
She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. After he turned and walked away, she bolted for the nearest exit where she broke down.
Source: Savvy Home
Notes to Women 