Cuffs for the priest.

CHAPTER 2.

  He went straight for the conference room where only the chairman’s chair was unoccupied. All the other administration members had arrived earlier, and they were all waiting for him. They conducted short prayers and settled down to agree on the meeting’s agendas when suddenly four suits budged in. Hot on their pursuit were three staff members desperately trying to hold them back to little success. It was obvious they meant business in whatever could make them enter the room so forcefully. They were all young people, three men and a lady. The speed at which they approached the bishop surely was enough evidence of their youth and agility. They walked almost information as if they were aware of it and wanted to pass out a clear message to all present in the room that whatever they had come to do; they were damn good at it. At the fore, was the most prominent of them all, he stood a head taller than the rest, a handsome man with well defined facial features. He had done his hair so outlandishly it looked like stoked flames. His suit fitted him so well it is like it had been sewn on him and everything about his appearance shouted elegance. He always had this John Travolta smack on his face. Ashphenaz had never before seen a man so corky and self assured. He was the only one not carrying anything while his colleagues held folders, tablets and phones. He straightened his shoulders as if they could get any more linear and lifted his left arm to caress his ear stud as the Audermers Piquet that was just visible below his cuffs disappeared into the shirt sleeve. He did not wait to be welcomed, for he seized the moment the old men were still stunned by their manner of entry. “My name is Jerimoth, but you already knew that.” At that point, Ashphenaz gently waved the staff away. “Together with me here are Jeush, Zaham and the lovely Ms Abihail. We are from Shishak and Lloyds. You all know what that means. It means you guys are in deep trouble. Abner has been prevailed upon by his fans globally to press charges, and that is exactly what he has done. I will be the lead counsel in this suit. You have hereby been served notice of the petition lodged in the court of law against the Bishop and the Cantery Church. You guys are so fried, cause I also happen to be a big big fan of Abner. Let us meet in court.” With that, he beckoned behind him for the notices upon which Ms Abihail promptly put in his palm. He was still facing the priests as he got the papers from behind him and dropped them on the table, and they left.

  The Cantery administration watched helplessly as the last of Abihail's hair disappeared behind the Frosted doors and they looked at each other. They still had no idea what had just hit them. It all happened in an instance. “That kid is crazy; he has no inkling of an idea what he is doing. He will ruin us.” Abijah shouted in desperation. He was Ashphenaz’s deputy. His distress was palpable as he raced back and forth his fingers combing through his hair. The other seven just fell down to their seats all too dumbfounded to say a thing. Matters were fast deteriorating. Never in their worst nightmares had they dreamed that the church would be brought down by one superstar kid. “What has the world come to?” An exasperated Abijah waxed rhetorical. “Do you know whom Shishak and Lloyds are? Do you have any idea who Jerimoth is?” He continued. “That guy has taken on some of the most improbable cases and won all of them. He has never lost a single suit I tell you. We are surely finished. We are nothing but minced meat for the bone crushing Rottweiler that is Jerimoth.” The other priests were now clearly panic stricken when Aijah revealed to them just whom they were up against, and just how insurmountable the mountain in front of them was. “We truly are finished and surely done for, why doesn’t our God show up for us now?” The petrified Abijah went on. “Hey cool it man.” Ashphenaz interjected, firmly holding him by the shoulders. “We are gonna make it through this one too like we always do. Just go down on your knees in prayer and faith and out father in heaven will help us fix this.” He assured them. Abijah then relaxed, more out of embarrassment than respect.

  Meanwhile, Jerimoth was at the church’s parking lot with a group of journalists. He liked playing to the gallery, and the fourth estate loved it when a star lawyer became involved in the years juiciest story. “I am deeply saddened by the plight of Abner. It is absolutely sad that a member of our modern society would have to be subjected to such kind of segregation and embarrassment because of values that really should not exist in our times.” Jerimoth gave them the quip they wanted. He then took one of the camera lenses into the cusp of his hands and moved his face closer to it. “Abner and Abiel,” He said with the most solemn face ever, he was actually believable. “If you are watching, I just want to assure you that we the people of this great city are solidly behind you. We love you and my team, and I will work tirelessly to ensure justice is done for you and nobody else has to go through what you experienced.” Jerimoth then casually waved to the crowd and stepped into the back seat of his Maybach. The air was filled with shouts and praise for the famed lawyer as he driven away and Jerimoth loved every minute of it.