Munachi

|Chapter 33|

I send Jamal to the post house to collect my mail one morning, and he returns with a letter from William Constant. I'm flabbergasted. How can he possibly write to me after our furious fight!
I start at the letter, a little surprised at how strong my reaction to William still is. I thought I've achieved victory over my feelings for him. I sigh, and I decide that I'd better just get it over with and see what he wants.

Dear Muna,
         I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for my unfortunate behavior when I visited you last month. I am truly sorry I caused you so much grief and embarrassment. I have been thinking deeply about how much you did for me when I was brought to you after my accident. You are a beautiful and truly kind lady, and I would be honored if you would still call me your friend.
      When I told you that night that I love you, I truly meant it. All my days and years of living, I have never come across such a talented and warm-hearted person like yourself. You were the reason why I did not leave for London when I had lied about it to Dr. Frank. I wanted to see you again. I wanted to tell you how I truly feel about you. I know it was so foolish of me to have proposed to you like that. Which is why I beg for your forgiveness for my ghastly mistake.
       I'm leaving, returning to my old life. And I really want to re-establish our friendship after what happened between us. Even though I'm no longer in Cameroon, I would still want us to talk. And that is if you have chosen to forgive me. I would truly appreciate it if you would write back to me. Please forgive me.
                                     Yours very sincerely,
                                          William Constant

I put the letter down and sink into the chair on the veranda where William had always sat. I feel as though I want to cry. Why can't he just leave me alone? Perhaps I should just ignore the letter without replying. No, that will go against my conscience. How can I call myself a born-again Christian and yet refuses to forgive someone when he asked me to? Well, maybe I can say I forgive him, but don't want to be friends.

No, that's wrong too. What kind of witness will that be to non-Christians? I will not be able to stand before God and ask for forgiveness for that one.

“William Constant, you're the most annoying man in all of Africa!” I say through grit teeth. Then I pick up the letter and walk inside to write a reply, telling him that he's forgiven and have no problem with being friends.