Gabrielle, a nun, sat under the Udala tree dazed about her feelings, she wasn't supposed to be feeling this way, not for a man, it was beyond her control. Even when she had told him she had no feelings for him, her heart was saying a different thing. She had been in the Convent since childhood, one rule that was so announced was the fact that they were not supposed to fall in love with a man, it has been easy waving away feelings until she met George, a simple farmer living in the outskirts of Tokyo. He wasn't attractive to have assumed it was his charming look, neither was he any of her spec, but why she never seemed to wave off the feelings she had for him was something she couldn't explain.
Gabrielle had met George one evening when she was robbed and stranded along Tokyo, he was compassionate to accommodate her for a week. "I don't have enough money with me now to help you get home, but I could harvest some of my produce in a week's time and sell it in order to realize just enough to get you to your destination," George said after Gabrielle had sought help. She had accepted to live with him having no other option, "it's just a week and I would be gone" she told herself. During her stay with George, she helped him with his farm work, played games together, had life challenging and provocative discussions, and gradually she realized George had the same philosophy about life.
"So why did you choose to become a nun" he had asked one evening as they sat around a campfire and roasting a Yam they've harvested.
"It wasn't my choice, it was what my mum had chosen for me. They believed being a nun would help not only serve God fervently but would free me from the cruelty of men" she said chuckling.
"Do you think men are cruel?" He asked, his face showed no emotion as she watched him through the illumination of the flame reflecting on him.
"I don't know what to believe, it was a belief I had held on to since childhood until I met you. I did not grow up to meet my dad, my mum had told me he died two months before my birth".
Mr George kept wondering through the night why her mum had such a belief about men, he was beginning to love her but being a nun made it almost impossible. It was better to profess his feelings than to ignore it even though he had no chance.
"I love you Gabrielle," George said.
The fire had died down, she could only see his dark figure sitting next to her. She had believed men were cruel but George seemed to be the opposite. She said nothing as she stood up and left to go sit under the Udala tree.
A part of her loved George but the other part of her wanted to keep the covenant she had taken since childhood. She knew George didn't believe her, emotions were written all over her and she was weak over it. Should I flee or go renounce my covenant? she thought. Thoughts started to flash into her mind of her childhood memories, her mum had taken her to the Covent only when her aunty visited one night and told her how a beast her uncle had become. She heard them discuss about her one night and the next day her load was packed and neatly arranged in the van for the Convent.
"That was their decision" she said, "Now I'll choose a part that best fits me, not from other people's point of view but mine". She added as she stood up to go meet George.
