(…continued…)
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. She
was startled. She pretended she did not feel the tap. The person tapped her again
and then called her name. She was in the front seat, so she turned back to know
who was tapping her.
“Ah ah, Etim,” she said. “Where
are you going to?”
“I am going to your branch,”
the lady said.
Etim was her
colleague working in another branch of the office.
“What are you going to do
there?” Mabel asked her.
“I have a report to submit.”
“Etim Etim. Long time o.”
“Since I was transferred, I doubt
if we have seen.”
“I don’t think so. How are you
doing?”
“I am fine. And you, how are
you doing after what happened?”
“After what?” Mabel asked,
looking back at her.
They were not the
only passengers in the cab so Etim just bent her head sideways.
“The people in your branch
have heard?”
“Yes o. It is everywhere.”
“Was it in the news bulletin
in Network news? Haba.”
Etim laughed and
she followed.
“My dear, news fly o. One
person tells another person and asks the person not to tell another person. The
person tells another person and asks not to tell another person. From person to
person, the gist spreads. Before you know it, everybody knows.”
“It is true. Maybe going to
the office is a mistake after all.”
“Meaning what? Who hasn’t
faced something like that before?”
“Maybe it is too soon for me
to go there.”
“Abegi. Forget what anyone
thinks or says.”
“Abi.”
“If you keep missing work,
they will employ someone else o.”
“My supervisor told me to take
as much time as I need.”
“Leave that thing. Is she the
MD? There is a limit to how much she can cover for you.”
“It is true.”
“MY dear it is good to see you
o.”
“Yes o.”
They were basically
quiet for the rest of the journey, just making some comments about things they
saw along the road. When they got to where they were supposed to stop, the
driver parked and they alighted. Mabel opened her bag to bring out money to pay
but Etim told her not to bother.
“Let me pay,” she said.
“Ok. Thanks.”
When she paid,
they walked down to the office, which was not too far from there.
“Are you not late?” Etim asked
Mabel.
“Better late than never. Let me just show my
face there. I will start fully on Monday but let me just make sure no one takes
my job o.”
About five minutes later, they
were in the office compound.
“Remember to comport yourself,” Etim told
her. “No matter what anybody does or says.”
“I am prepared to face them.”
“If at any point, you want to get emotional,
lock yourself in the restroom o. Don’t let anyone see you cry.”
When Etim had
prepped her enough, they walked into the office. Mabel didn’t know what to
expect from her colleagues so she just wore a plastic smile. Her colleagues
appeared excited to see her. Those who could, hugged her and welcomed her back,
and then went back to their work. Others just waved or told her something nice.
When the pleasantries were over, she realized that no one asked her anything
about the incident.
“Nobody is saying anything,”
she whispered to Etim who was still walking beside her.
“I told you,” Etim whispered
back. “There is nothing to worry about.”
Mabel asked one
of them whether Mrs Biodun was in her office. She was told that Mrs Biodun was
around.
“Let me see my supervisor,”
she told Etim.
“Ok. Let me go and submit the
report I came with. I will be leaving soon.”
“Check on me before you leave
o. I smell something fishy going on. You are my most trusted ally in this
circumstance.”
“I will. But as I said before,
there is nothing to worry about.”
Mabel went to Mrs
Biodun’s office while Etim went to submit the report to the right person. Mrs
Biodun was with a woman when Mabel entered.
“Good morning ma,” Mabel
greeted.
“Ah ah. Mabel how are you?”
“I am fine ma.”
“You came?”
“I had to come ma. There was
nothing keeping me at home.”
“Are you sure you are ready
for work?”
“Yes ma.”
“Ok. Hold on a little. Let me
finish up with our client.”
Mabel felt pressed so she went to the restroom. On getting
to the door, she heard two people talking in hushed tones. She stood still and
eavesdropped, and heard the gossip of her life.
(…to be continued…)
-©2015.Chinedu Isaac
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