"Olili," Father called, from the chair where He sat watching me pretend to sleep. I turned to the side, furthering my act so as to make Him think His voice was what would eventually make me "wake up".

"You're overtrying to steady your breathing, I know you're not sleeping," I stayed silent, hoping that He would give it a rest, and let me rest.

"I know that you can hear me, Olili." I finally opened my eyes to stare at His face, that makes mine radiant, it instantly took away the shame. "We have a long journey, we leave by 6:00am, it is already 5:30am. Get up." I sat up with urgency, and spiraled off my bed, because of the jerk to life, I lost my balance and fell right into His arms. I always wondered how He was always on time to catch me before i fell ever since He adopted me..

He helped me up and steadied me. "Don't rush, you'd be late if you do." I let out a sigh, and let myself be comforted by the warmth of His embrace, forgetting all my worries for a few seconds.

"Go and shower, I will go and warm the car."

I nodded while He let me go, and walked out of my room. Anytime Father was not near, I felt naked. Unprotected. Endangered.

I walked into the bathroom and stared at the mirror, I was wearing Kedei's clothes. I bent my head to take in his scent, usually it would bring a smile to my face, but this time it brought tears to my eyes, it had been doing this ever since i found out that we would be traveling in separate cars. Fathers says that since we have to leave by 6:00am and not 9:00pm, that it is better that He and i go alone.

I gently took off his clothes and folded them neatly and placed them to the side. I stepped into the shower and had a bath.

I stepped out and loosely wrapped my towel around my body, picking up Kedei's clothes so that I could put them in one of the big boxes.

But as I stepped out into my room, something bright sitting on my bed caught my eye. I squinted to see it clearly. It was a dress, an immaculate white cotton dress. I set down what I was holding on my dresser and stared at the dress that Father must have ironed out for me. Running my fingers over the fabric I couldn't contain my joy. It was so beautiful.

For Father to set this dress for me today, that means that wherever He is taking me must be beautiful. I dressed up quickly, and took my boxes to the door so that when Father would come, I would be set to go.

As I looked around wondering what must be left my eyes scanned over Kedei's clothes on my dresser, and yet again there was a pang in my heart.

I walked over to my dresser, and sat. I pulled out a pen from my jar, and tore a sheet of paper from my diary.

And so I began to write,

Dear kedei,

I am about to leave with Father on this long journey that He has told me about severally, and even you have told me about a few times. I really wanted us to go in the same car but sadly that is not the case. i am grateful for how gentle and kind you have been to me. You have been such a good friend, and a perfect lover. The years I have spent with you and the memories made will always be cherished by me, and earnestly so. I do not know what the future holds, but I hope that I get to see you again, and perhaps we meet at the same destination. But if this is not so, I want to let you know kedei-kemi, that I love you, so deeply as one loves his own soul, and I struggled to say it in the past because I was so unstable and so unsure. I was afraid. I was not ready to let you go, but perhaps the poets had a point when they said "if it's yours, it will come back". You have taught me so much and loved me intensely, for all these I am grateful. But I am even more grateful for how you continually steered my gaze to Father, telling me selflessly and teaching me what you have learned from Him. You remind me of Him. I pray for your well-being and for safety on your own journey. You will always be in my prayers and in my heart. I will try not to cry the way I am currently, because Father tells me that this is such an important of the entire story. I know that we will see again.

With love, Nma.

I folded the paper gently, and placed it in the front pocket of my dress. Yes! The dress has pockets too!

I picked up his clothes and got up to tell Father I was ready, as If on cue, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in, Father." He walked in with the widest smile on His face, we wore the same material.

"You look beautiful, child." I matched His smile. His eyes ran down to my feet, and He chuckled.

"What are you wearing on your feet, Olili?"

I stared down at the new pair of sandals that I bought two weeks ago. "My new sandals." I stated, He chuckled again.

It was then that i realised that His right hand had been behind His back the entire time.

"Take them off," I knew better than to argue so I simply slid my feet out of them.

He squatted to my surprise, and brought out a new pair of sandals, the ones He hid at His back. Looking at the new pair and the old ones, they were such a contrast.

Although the old ones were just two weeks old, they looked so worn out and malnourished. The ones that He buckled on my feet, were so beautiful and firm, i knew they would last long.

"Thank you, Father." He got up and patted my shoulder. "But why do I need a fresh pair if we are going to be in the car?"

"When we reach the destination, we will take a walk wouldn't we?"

He stared at me, intently with His golden eyes. " I got the messenger, Gabriel to give Yehoshua your letter for you."

i turned my head to the side, "How did you know that I wrote kedei a letter?"

He did not respond.

Sometimes i wonder if Father is a ghost. He knows everything.

"And what do you plan to do with his clothes?'

i looked down at them, feeling warmth in my stomach. 'Put them away in a box."

He shook His head, "give them to me" I placed them in His outstretched really large palm.

"What will you do with them Father?"

"You'll see, it's 5:58, let us go."

I nodded, and turned to grab my luggage. "Leave them."

"But everything I own is in here..."

"Leave them."

And so I walked out of my room and then the house into the parking lot, light, and with nothing to my name. But i had joy.

"Hello Olea." Gabriel said as we approached the car.

"Hi Gabriel", I brought out the letter and handed it to Gabriel, who also wore the same material as Father and I. "Has kedei left for the his destination?"

Gabriel smiled, "He is on the journey as well."

"Please watch over him and give him this."

And then I joined Father at our car, He was already sat in the drivers seat. I sat at the passengers, which was weird, I was always the driver. But Father is a man of active service, He is always looking out for me.

"Ready?"

"Yes, Father."

We started of with singing to each other, then Father told me of all the other people He had Fathered, i saw ways that we were all alike. I was just like Abraham with His Sacrifice, like Joseph with my dreams, like David with His pursuit of Fathers heart and like His First Son Jesus in the new dress I wore.

Father startled me when He said, "Should I tell you what I planned and How I felt when you were born?"

"But you adopted me, Father,"

He laughed, knowingly, the kind I believe is responsible for the wind.

"Well I was there, Olili."

And He told me, and I started to understand and envision what the destination would look like.

The ride wasn't always full of our chatter, sometimes I would speak and He didn't respond. But I knew He was listening.

And sometimes we wouldn't need to say anything. There was and Is peace in His presence.

And when I fell asleep and He woke me up with a gentle tap on my shoulder, and said

'Look out the window," and I did, I finally understood why Fathers name is Love.

He prepared the destination from the start of time with love. And it is the most beautiful thing, that a man can ever see.

The end.

Kedei -Kemi (unisex)means my love

Nma(unisex i think) means my love