"Let us ask that spouses of ministers please to stand?" the Vicar said.

The congregation joined in the applause, but it was not clear whether it was for the number of them present or the fact that one of them was a man. Of course on the dais there was one lady minister.

Reverend Ann was about forty years old, slender and a real dark beauty. Her slim build combined with her height made for her being very attractive. It fired curiosity among her parishioners as well as friends as to why she had not yet found (or been found by) a husband. Stories went about that she made heavy demands that a normal African man would not be prepared to fulfill.

********************

But one Christmas season her old friend, a professor at law, with whom she had served on the board of a school, invited her to join the choir he sang with on hospital visits. He explained that it was an old tradition of theirs to go around some hospitals in the city bringing Christmas cheer to patients, doctors, and support staff during that season. She lightheartedly told him she could not hold a note, even if her life depended on it.

"You will not be required to sing at all, but we may ask you to say a prayer in one of the wards."

As they moved through the corridors, the choir sang in such melodious tones that she was impressed they could keep it up when it was not on stage, or in some performance.

"How do you maintain such high standards even where they are not expected?" she asked the professor.

He thanked her, taking it as a high compliment.

She noticed a tall man in spectacles who seemed to be alone in his voice, although she would have been hard pressed to say how she came to that conclusion, never having been involved in any choir.

By and large she found him alongside her. She was surprised at the quality of voice he produced all by himself. In a lull Herbert thanked her for taking the time to be with them on their mission work.

"I am so glad Prof invited me. If I have ever heard a choir of this standard, it could only have been at a concert."

He replied, "Perhaps this is a concert, too! For some of the patients this may be the only Christmas message they will hear this year."

On the way to town Herbert took a lift with Prof who had undertaken to drop the Rev in town. The professor joked with the Rev about joining their choir and church.

"The only reason I could be enticed to do that is matrimony." A shocked silence followed.

The professor recovered first. "That is not a difficult thing to arrange!"

Herbert chipped in,"I couldn't agree more, Prof!"

Instantly the Rev sought to reverse the damage. "Remember that my bishop usually has the last word on such matters."

The professor, having gotten to a convenient place in town, stopped to let them out. As soon as her feet touched the ground Rev Ann walked swiftly away. Herbert looked at her retreating figure until she turned the corner. "What a beautiful opening gambit she has handed me," he thought as he moved off in the direction of his bus stop.

On Christmas morning as they were removing the choir gowns after service, Herbert asked if the professor had wished the reverend lady 'merry Christmas'. He could add his, Herbert's, when he did.

"As a matter of fact I did so last night. I think she would take it better if you gave them yourself, at any rate!"

"Do you have her phone number, please?"

"Gladly!' said the professor, in the act of giving it.

Herbert waited until any service she may have been conducting would certainly be over, and called her. "This is Herbert, fellow-chorister of the professor. Remember me?"

"How can I forget how the two of you squeezed me into a corner? Of course I remember you. I have not stopped thinking about that incident."

"I will be visiting my friend, also a minister, on the day after Boxing Day. Maybe you could join me on that visit, and tell me what you have been thinking."

She was silent for a few beats. "You really are determined! Allow me to think. I will call you tomorrow."

"Wonderful." He clicked off.

*******************************

"Thank you so much for coming with me to visit Rev Moipei. He was so happy to meet a fellow labourer in the vineyard," said Herbert.

"Yes, he was. His visitor too, Rev Phyllis was very warm and welcoming. I had a wonderful time." They continued reminiscing about what had transpired at the reverend's house.

At one point Moipei had asked Herbert whether Ann was his wife. She was so taken aback that her breath stopped for a brief interval.

Herbert laughed lightly, "No, Reverend! She is my friend though!"

"Don't waste her time, then. Be a gentleman!" That was such a direct hit that her hand flew to her mouth. She almost wished she hadn't gone on that hospital visit. Things seemed to be moving too fast for her from that evening, barely a week past.

Now in the bus, away from the serious atmosphere of that house they could afford to laugh about it. In an almost offhand manner, Herbert invited her to his house for a cup of tea, before he saw her off to hers.

*******************************

As she stood up to leave, he held her tenderly, looking deep into her eyes. She knew then that matters were on a different plane. When he lay his palm against her cheek, she felt so good that she abandoned herself to whatever he had planned.

He lowered his mouth to hers. This took her by surprise, but she also found herself enjoying a kiss after many years of a dry spell. She threw her handbag onto the sofa to allow her to hold him closer. She felt her breasts tingling, a new sensation to her. His tongue was doing wonderful things in her mouth.

He rewarded her aching by moving his hand onto her breasts. He rubbed them lovingly, but she was impatient for more. So she opened her blouse and pulled up her bra. At the sight of her stiff standing nipples he drew in his breath sharply. He moved his mouth there, almost without missing a beat. He fondled the one as he sucked the other. Their excitement, mounting higher and higher, pushed them to sit back down. His hand left one breast and went in search of her panties. She willingly parted her legs to give him better access. She pushed against his hand in her hunger. He delayed no longer, but pulled the panties right off.

Rearranging their bodies he went to suck her pudendum.

"Are you a sinner? What are planning on doing there? Its dirty!"

"No, its not darling," he mumbled, his mouth full of her flesh.

"Ngaiiii!" she screamed from unadulterated pleasure. It took only a few moments more to bring her to a thunderous orgasm. She lay trembling as waves of pleasure coursed through her. She felt sure it was the first time she had flown that high. He held her tenderly as she climbed down the ladder of pleasure.

When she got home Rev Ann took stock of her past one week. 'Is there anything to stop me seeing what there is in Herbert? First of all he seems to be very comfortable around men of the cloth; he has mentioned others in his conversation. His love is tender and uninterested, unlike any man I have met before. Then, too, I myself am no spring chicken.'

Some of the stories of how she gave men a hard time had reached her ears. 'Am I really so much a part of the problem? Maybe I treated someone as if I was sitting in diocesan council and forgot that he was my friend, not part of the opposition to diocesan projects. I must check my tongue when I am with Herbert, lest horrible history repeat itself!' She began to look forward to Herbert's next invitation, be it only for coffee. It had been a long time since she had gone out on a coffee date, and was on the point of considering herself beyond such things.

She recalled how earlier in the day, on the bus to Rev Moipei's Herbert had skillfully brought back her response in the professor's car about joining them in their church. He made it sound less of a dragooning than an invitation for her to consider. How diplomatic he had been!

So when her phone rang the following evening she snatched it up hoping it was Herbert. It was.

"There is a new restaurant on Kaunda Street where I would like us to have a meal tomorrow. Cancel all plans. Meet me at the Hilton at noon."

She had never been talked to this way. Everyone made way for her, asked for her opinion and nobody would openly oppose anything she supported. Great though that was, it also made for loneliness. Herbert was allowing her to take a back seat and be led.

"Race you there!" All playfulness had died off many years ago, so these words surprised even herself.

Thus began a whirlwind romance that culminated in a wedding in little less than six months. He had in his characteristic unselfish manner chosen to move to her church. He explained that if she moved to his she would only be given a posting if there was a vacancy. And it was a big 'if'.

She had never felt so comfortable with any other human being, women included, as she did with Herbert. He made her his priority, and she loved his sense of focus, sharp mind and a readiness to take action.

She often wondered whether she had found a husband. Or the husband had found her in the wards of a city hospital.