Yes!! She hates the guy, ever since she met him, every since he made her want to break something everytime they see each other and scream and pull her hair because he never gets to be punished for his misbehaviour, yes she hated the guy.
Twenty –hours ago she would have be happy to hear this, right now, right this minute.
She isn’t so sure and didn’t know when it all changed,..right now..
Between the falling scene in his house, the laugh in the car, the change of this morning, she isn’t so sure she wants to go ahead with it…this offer.
For now, she was giving him chance, she didn’t care for the guy, probably still hates his guts but there was something about him, something she couldn’t place..
And his eyes,..when he spoke to her this morning, her head is telling her he is lying, he was just plotting some game, maybe it had to do with this ego pride to prove something to John..
But some part tells her, maybe he isn’t, just maybe he wants to change, be better, for who she has no idea, ..
But he seemed genuine enough, and she told him okay.
And she, she was a woman who kept to her word, she would give him the benefit of the doubt , until he slips and she told him already, she would make his life unbearable.
She didn’t go to a good school, come out with good grades, work her ass out and gotten the recognition and position and respect she has now only to lose her job all because of a man who doesn’t know when to draw a line between seriousness in life and stupidly over some oversized ego.
She came here to do a Job and she intends to do it, and if for once the PA who was originally assigned to her wants to actually do his job and has asked nicely to start all over again.. he deserves the chance to do it.
“’Adora, are you listening to me?’’
Ánd, he called me pretty; he hates me, why would he tell me that?’
“’Adora Chime?’’
“’Sorry Sir, “’
‘’Are we clear, are we okay on this issue, you will report to me if anything happens yes?’’
No.
Not now atleast,
‘’Yes Sir,”’ i smile,
‘’Good, what time do you both leave for the housing design?’’
‘’Erm, i should need to attend to some work at the office and then we head out’’
‘’That is fine, you are dismissed!!’’
‘’Good day sir”’
*
I was lost in thoughts as i walk into my office, i didn’t know someone was seated until i closed the door and turn..
‘’Crap!! You scared me!’’ i was startled as he got him turning,
‘’Sorry Miss Adora, didn’t mean to, i was told you were with Emeka, so i waited, i erm, while i waited i went through some documents laid out on your desk…”’
This was awkward, really, did i wake up in a bad dream.
I sit down and then i stare at him, ‘’I need to ask you a question and i need you to be honest with me”’
‘’I will try!!’’ he drops the files
‘’Are you pretending or this is for real?’’
He smiles ‘’I know the feeling but, too much energy to exert on pretends, really, i am not, it is better this way for everybody, for me especially”’
‘’Why do you say that, is Mr Emeka making you do this?’’
‘’Why?’’
‘’Just curious?’’
‘’Did he call you to talk about me?’’
‘’erm…No’’ i lied, what am i supposed to tell him, what Emeka said? i don’t even know how to make sense from what he said
‘’okay but i don’t think you need to worry about me, like i said, as long as we are civil towards each other, no one steps on the other’s toes and pushed to the wall and no name calling, i think we can pull this off..working together, you do your job, i do mine, everyone is happy.. you are my Boss and i am…”’ he laughs, he can’t believe he is really saying this out loud without anger ‘’Your PA, !!’’
‘’Why the laugh?”’
‘’Oh, silent joke””
I stare at him shaking my head “’Okay,’’
‘’So Miss Adora, what do we –‘’
I cringe
“’Okay Brian, this is awkward, let’s admit it, really awkward i am so used to you calling me names that you now calling me Miss feels…i don’t know’’
He chuckles “’What do you want me to call you..don’t tell me you are attached to that name ‘Witch”?’’
I throw him alot, ‘’No, i just said i am used to that coming out of you mouth and now you calling Miss is ..awkward, suspicious, “’
‘’Oh! So what do i call you?’’
‘’Adora, Adora is fine!’’
He nods “’If you insist, Adora.’’ He smiles “’So, what do i have to do this morning?’’
He is for real!!!
‘’Okay, since you already apprised yourself with the files, let’s start with marketing tools and strategic planning for construction and the project for next month, since i already have my team we would work with them, also we have to meet some Tech savvy people over at department D, we need to work on them creating an app for easy navigation of mechanics supplies, also..we need to boost an online presence for Grace-Excel enterprises, it’s our affiliates’’
He nods.
This was really strange, while i spoke to him he didn’t disrupt me, didn’t laugh out and scream got you, didn’t pick up paper squeeze it and play invisible basketball dunks over my head..
He listened, he gave suggestions and i had to admit, he wasn’t dumb and stupid as i originally thought.
He was actually..sound, even in areas i wouldn’t even think.
Damn Brian! Who the hell are you,?
One minute you are an asshole, the next you are….strangely, impressive for an annoying person. What were the odds of me ever seeing this Brian
“’You are staring Adora!!’’
He raises his head and stares at me , my throat closed, i clear my throat ‘’I wasn’t !’’ i lie, he smiles
‘’Don’t worry, this is for real, done with all that. !!’’
‘’Okay!’’
But it didn’t stop me from throwing glances his way as we work
****
‘’You have been itching to get into her office to see her, i already told you that she was with Mr Emeka earlier, now she in her office with that annoying person, and you haven’t answered me, what happened to your face?”’
‘’None of your business, !!’’ John shouts at her, He had been pissed after that phone call with her this morning, as soon as he got here he was tempted to look for the fool and beat him up,. How dare he, his anger would have given him a better advantage, plus staffs were around, he would get him two punches into him, take him unawares, before he can retaliate the staffs would have stopped it.
For payback for yesterday, but when he got here he hadn’t seen him, the secretary said he was talking with some man outside, that must have been Ikena, he wouldn’t have been able to touch him there, that driver looks very suspicious.
So he had waited, went to attend to some work on his desks and avoided any questions concerning his eye and broken lip, he told Peter he was jumped last night, told bola he fell and hit his eyes, and every other person who asked was a mistaken identity, he couldn’t possibly tell them that Brian did this to him, they would laugh at him and call him a weakling, and he wasn’t. A weakling wouldn’t have plans for his attacker and his plan would be solid prove, Brian would definitely get what is coming for him, all he has to do is find out his schedule, when he would be alone without any witnesses, then he would put the call across for the hit, that day would be Christmas for him.
Now, the fool is trying to take Adora from him, chucking head wei him no suppose enter!!
John fumes, by the time he came back from delivering some files at department D, Adora was out of Mr Emeka’s office and in hers, but the fool was in there, doing what.
Why was the office quiet, she should have kicked him out already, this was strange, they hated each other, at loggerheads together, why is it that she even allowed him take her home last night?
Okay, say she didn’t have a choice last night. Today she did, she did, why did she let him bring her to work knowing he was coming to pick her, or did he threaten her again, is that it?
Don’t worry Miss Adora, this fool would be off your back, i promise you. Just wait till i take care off him.
‘’I am asking you a question eh John!!’’
‘’Look Temi, why won’t you leave me the hell alone?’’ he snaps
‘’I am not holding you-you hear, no be me dey carry black eye and lip wei don cut dey walker the whole office, na who beat you? who did you go and find his trouble now? I know you have a sharp mouth, talking anyhow, forming CNN, which person matter you don carry wei give you kpas-kpas for eye and Rambo-cut for mouth eh?’’ Temi points at his face, he hits her hand away
‘’Are you stupid, do i look like someone who was beaten? I am trying to work, please leave my desk!’’
‘’Yes you do, plus if you are trying to work how come it is taking you forever to finish with those files i sent to your desk over an hour ago but you keep staring at her door”’
‘’if you stop bugging me maybe i would, and i am staring into space not her door and even if i am, what’s your business, what’s your deal eh Temi, why you dey talk to me, you irritate me. Get your lopsided ass off my desk!!’’ he nudges her off
She staggers almost falling as she steadies herself ‘’I don’t blame, think i don’t know what you are doing, liking someone who is higher than you, i f you think she would give you the time of the day you are mistaken, someone like Miss Adora won’t follow frogs like you, you are not even her class, she won’t even dare follow someone lesser than her in life and in office and you are below her in both, keep dreaming oh, maybe by the time you get your head out of your ass you will have sense, don’t work, be waiting for that door to open”’
‘’I don’t need to wait, i will go and if you would mind your business. And why does it bother you eh, all you do is attack me here, insult me there and i don’t like you as you don’t like me, you don’t see me chucking my mouth into your matters, because i don’t care Temi, but you that act all John is this and that, you are the one with the busy body all over my face this morning, if i wasn’t mistaken i would wonder if you are jealous that Miss beautiful Adora gives me the time of the day, and you are just irritated about, if you would get your clueless head out of your thick ass moulded harzardly you will see that i really don’t care about your observation and that indeed, Adora is my class of woman, and i am the kind of man she would like, because i am thoughtful and caring and i am a man, and women like you are nothing but disgust to me, now…if you have nothing important to tell me..get out of my face!!’’
Temi eyes him “’You are a fool, me jealous? Fool!!’’ she walks off.
John continuous to stare at the door, unable to take it anymore he goes to it.
*
I hear his stomach growl..
We continue walking, i hear it growl again.
He mutters under his breath..
‘’We can continue later, your stomach is distracting ‘’ i tell him leaning back, the center table is filled with open files, and working pads..
It’s been quiet for an hour as we each came up with plausible strategies, we would compare notes later.
I observed that we covered up more, i had left him to talk to the team and given them various assignments and got back, he hadn’t moved.
It was almost 12pm, lunch time begins by 11:30, i had every intention of wrapping here up by 1pm so we leave for his place to continue in the designing.
‘’It’s fine, i will eat when i am done”’
‘’one can’t work in an empty stomach, please i insist ‘’
‘’Yours too is empty,”’
‘’Mine isn’t crying “’
He leans back ‘’I would eat when you eat”’
‘’i don’t intend to eat , now anyways”’
‘’Great, we still have some work to cover, ignore the stomach, it’s just bowel movements”’
‘’Okay!!’’
It growls again
Brian swears under his breath, he is so hungry. He has no money to buy food.
Argh!! This is bullshit
No!! New leaf Brian, new leaf.
He just has to wait till evening, he might get some food at the club, he has just two weeks to go for his debt to be paid, maybe, when he gets there he can have a talk with their manager, there must be something he can do to make money, albeit little for his pocket for things like food, daily essentials, credit, ..
And he has a kitchen; if only he knew how to cook he would save that money he makes and buy little things to cook. Payout day is a week after these two weeks; he has to survive until then. It growls again, pinching him, he rubs his tummy under the table, maybe he should drink water, or coffee..
Wait!! Don’t they offer snacks to staff..
He forgot that privilege went with the maid and the money. He sighs
Breathe in, breathe out, 8pm is a few hours away.. Eight hours away, plus working and cleaning another extra five hours, he only gets to take a snack by midnight when Vicky gives him and then another by 4am.
Lord, help a brother; i might not survive till then.
He sighs
‘’What is wrong?’’
‘’Nothing, shall we continue?’’
‘’Okay”’
Don’t give up now Brian, new leaf, proving them wrong.. you can do it..
Maybe tomorrow, he would ask Ikena about how he can get an extra job, plan his time, morning at work, take two hours away to do something for money, come back here and finish up with Adora, head to his place for the designing, to the club, work.. get a few sleep and it starts again. Once he is done with his debt.. that time for the club would be used for another job.
Yes!!
That is what he would do.
The knocking on the door distracted him..
‘’Come in”’ i say raising my head
John walks into my office, he pauses at the door staring at me and then at him, the frown on his face too obvious, he steps further in and closes the door.
‘’Morning Ma’am’’ he leaves the door and comes to my side of the table, ignoring Brian
‘’Morning John, so sorry about today, been so busy i forgot to find out if you were around’’
‘’No worries!!’’
Í notice Brian fold and unfold his fist, he isn’t looking at him nor acknowledging him, he leans back on his chair, a pen rolling on his fingers, he crosses his legs and places the file on his legs and reads it, crossing things off, writing some other time.
But all i see is , hey John , guess what, looks like the table’s turned, see who gets special seat.
Or was he saying, i really don’t care for silly tantrums no more so i want to mind my business and do my work, it would be nice if you do so too.
I don’t know.
‘’Oh dear, your lip, i hope you used a disinfectant, so you don’t have any bacteria from the ones in the air, you know wounds can get infected?’’ i point to his lips, he touches it, he throws Brian a look.
That is true, i look at Brian, i almost forgot he got punched too, but his lips looks alot better this morning, really good looking lips..
Focus Adora, i shake the cobwebs from my head and turn to John ‘’ Oh yes i did, i wouldn’t want the plague infected hands to turn me into some diseased person”’ he threw at Brian,
The Brian i know and had gotten used to would have gotten up to show he isn’t scared of him and put him in his place, maybe told him he would make his other eyes black…
But this Brian smiles, looking up at John, then goes back to work
‘’John ‘’ i look at him, ‘’okay, i spoke to the team members and have given them some assignments and you know you would be the one spearheading them while i am away working with him and-“’
‘’You don’t say anything, even to apologise, because of you the flies are coming to my desk to ask me what happened to my face and i had to lie, look fool, let me tell you something, i will deal with you, know that, i promise you. You know i was on my way to pick Ma’am weren’t you? That is why you rushed, who do you want to impress? Her, she hates you and she is just working with you so that she can finish that project and you get out of your face, that pretty boy face you carry up and down like you own the place, trust me, it would be a mask of disgust to you soon…i am talking to you fool, you are acting as though you are not hearing me, “’ he hits Brian’s shoulders, he is angry
‘’You think it was last night and you caught me unawares you think you are some god, i will break your wings Brian, i will show you if not my name is not John Efegor, i be deltan man, you no fit piss for my water give me drink think say i no go shit for your mouth as you sleep, the worst thing-‘’
‘’Enough John!! Such vile things this morning ‘’
********
TO BE CONT.
