FED UP!

(…continued…)

Mabel got up, rubbed her eye and checked her phone. The call was from Segun’s phone. She also saw a message from the same line. She sat up and checked her phone very well. It was from Segun’s line.

   “What does Segun still want from me?” she said.

  “I though you also got an SMS from him?” Cynthia asked her.

  “Yes.”

  “Read the SMS and find out na.”

                Mabel opened the SMS and hissed.

  “What is it?”

  “It is not from Segun.”

  “But that is his number.”

  “Yes.”

  “Who is it from then?”

  “His woman.”

  “Kemi?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She is warning me. She said she noticed that I have been trying to get back to Segun, that I should not even try it, that Segun belongs to her alone and there is nothing anybody can do about it.”

  “Who told her you are planning to get back to Segun?”

  “I don’t know. Let me finish reading it.”

                Mabel read through the SMS and closed the phone.

  “She said she saw the message Segun sent to me yesterday.”

  “That whore reads his messages?”

  “That one is their business.”

  “Will you tell Coker and Margret?”

  “No o. This is not a threat at all. I can handle it myself.”

  “Reply the message then.”

  “No. She may show it to Segun and have evidence against me.”

  “Ok o.”

                Their mother entered the room. Mabel greeted her.

  “How are you?” she asked Mabel. “You don’t want to wake up?”

  “I am fine. I slept a bit late.

  “Ok.”

  “You are already dressed for work?”

  “Yes.”

  “I am some minutes late sef.”

  “I slept very long o.”

                Their mother told them that she was leaving.

  “We did not pray today,” Mabel said. “Why?”

  “I tried waking you up but you refused to wake,” Cynthia told her. “We prayed without you.”

  “Ok o.”

  “Are you going out today?” their mother asked them.

  “I don’t think so,” Mabel said.

                They saw their mother off to the door and went back to the room. Mabel lay back on the bed.

  “I thought you said you were going to work today?” Cynthia said.

  “Is true sef,” Mabel replied and yawned. “Kai. E no easy o.”

  “If you don’t feel up to it, don’t bother yourself na.”

  “I need to go o, before they declare vacancy and give my job to someone else.”

  “But Mrs Biodun said you can take your time.”

  “Yes o. but you know how public service work is. They need result. If one person is absent, it affects the output or it mounts pressure on the other workers who will try to fill in. If it continues, they look for someone who will replace the absent person.”

                Cynthia checked the time and said,“But it is late for work.”

  “I will still go,” Mabel replied. “It is better late than not.”

  “Ok. See what I think you should do. Call Mrs Biodun and ask her whether you can still come today or if she can permit you to come tomorrow.”

  “No. I will send her an SMS telling her that I am on my way to work but there was an issue I had to handle this morning, hence the reason why I am coming late.”

  “That’s better. Do it immediately.”

                Mabel sent the SMS to Mrs Biodun. Almost immediately, Mrs Biodun replied and told her she could take the rest of the week off if she wanted.

  “You see,” Cynthia told her. “Just take the week off as she has said.”

 “It is risky o. I will go.”

  “What will you tell your colleagues about what happened?”

  “What they already know.”

  “Won’t it remind you of what you are trying to forget?”

  “No.”

  “Remember you are still feeling dizzy.”

                Mabel burst into laughter.

  “I can see that you don’t want me to go to work today,” she told Cynthia

  “Yes o,” Cynthia said, also laughing. “Please don’t go.”

 “You will not understand. I have already missed three days. You know how I suffered to get this job. I can’t just lose it like that.”

  “Ok. So I will stay here alone.”

  “You will be fine. Unless you want to come with me.”

  “And do what there?”

  “You can watch movies here, or go make your hair.”

  “Is true sef. Let me call Chidinma and see if she can come over.”

                She dialed Chidinma as Mabel got up to get set for work.

“She said she is busy at home,” Cynthia said when she hung up. “Unless I will come over.”

  “Will it be convenient for you?”

  “I can’t stay here alone. I have to go.”

  “Ok.” 

                Mabel got her bathing kit and went to the bathroom.

  “What are you wearing?” Cynthia asked her. “Will you get to your house?”

  “No,” she answered. “I will choose from the ones I brought day before yesterday.”

  “Ok.”

                Mabel told her the particular cloth to bring out for her. Cynthia did.

  “It is a bit rumpled o,” she told Mabel.

  “Is it not manageable?”

  “No o.”

  “Let me come out.”

                Mabel finished up and came out. She checked the cloth.

  “It is not bad na,” she said laughing. “You really want me to skip work today.”

                Cynthia smiled.

                Mabel got ready for work while Cynthia also got ready to go to see Chidinma.

  “Do you need massage?” Mabel asked her.

  “Mummy already did it for me.”

  “Thank God.”

  “You are dodging it.”

  “That thing is not easy at all.”

                When they were done, they ate light breakfast and left the house together. Mabel gave Cynthia N500 for her transport.

  “I hope you have the one you will use.”

  “Don’t worry about me.”

                They walked to the express road, not too far from the house. Cynthia entered the bus going in the direction of Chidinma’s place while Mabel stood and waited for the one going in the direction of her office. Soon, a cab going her direction came and she entered. She sat in the front seat. As the cab moved, someone tapped her.

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac