FED UP!

(…continued…)

Mabel followed Ephraim to her work station. She exchanged pleasantries with those who cared. From the side of her eye, she noticed that some of them were stealing glances at her. She sat down, kept her bag and booted her computer. She tried to log in but was told ‘access denied’. She tried again but kept getting the same response.
  “What is the meaning of this na?” she asked, a bit frustrated.

  “What is the problem?” one of her colleagues asked.

  “I can’t log into my system,” she said. “I think someone tampered with it.”

  “Ask Ephraim,” the colleague said. “He is the only one granted access to that system in your absence.

                Mabel looked around for Ephraim but she did not see him. She went to Mrs Biodun and reported the matter.

  “Who would have done that?” she asked.

  “I am yet to see Ephraim,” Mabel said. “Maybe he has an explanation.”

  “Did you check outside the office?”

  “I did ma. He is not there.”

                Mrs Biodun got up from her seat and left her office with Mabel. When they got to Mabel’s station, they saw Ephraim coming into the office with a bottle of water.

  “Ephraim, who changed the password to Mabel’s system?” Mrs Biodun asked with her voice a bit raised.

  “Changed which password ma?” he asked, looking confused. “I am not aware of any change.”

  “I tried login in now and I was denied access,” Mabel said.

  “Let us check it again.”

                He went with Mabel to the computer.

  “There had better be no foul play,” Mrs Biodun said as she walked behind them.

                Ephraim told Mabel to put in her password. Mabel did and it still said ‘access denied’.

  “You see,” she said. “Someone changed it.”

                Ephraim burst into laughter. They were confused by his laughter.

  “What’s so funny?” Mrs Biodun asked him.

  “You forgot that there is ‘underscore’ in your password,” he said and logged in the correct password. The system opened. “There you go.”

                Mabel stood embarrassed. Ephraim left her alone with Mrs Biodun who didn’t know what to make out of the situation.

  “Thank you,” she told him and made to sit down.

  “See me in my office now,” Mrs Biodun said to Mabel and left.

                Mabel took a deep breath and followed behind Mrs Biodun. In the office, Mrs Biodun asked her to sit down.

  “How could you have forgotten your password?” she asked Mabel.

  “I don’t know how that happened ma,” Mabel replied.

  “You made me accuse my staff wrongly.”

  “I am sorry ma. It will not happen again.”

  “I am not bothered about it happening again or not. I am concerned about you. Are you sure you are ready to resume work?”

  “I may not have put myself together yet but I think I am ready ma.”

  “You need to go home and resume on Monday.”

  “Please ma. If I don’t start today, I might not be ready by Monday. Don’t expect the best from me today but please allow me to stay.”

                Mrs Biodun looked at her for a while and said, “You can stay. One more mistake and you will have to go home.”

  “Ok ma. Thank you.”

  “You can now go.”

                Mabel left the office, looking sober. As she walked back, her eyes met the colleagues who were gossiping about her in the restroom earlier. She noticed a scornful look on their face which they tried to hide when their eyes met hers. That was when she made up her mind not to give them any reason to laugh at her. She braced up. When she got to her seat, Ephraim came to her.

  “Mabelina,” he teased her.

  “Mmm,” Mabel gave a throaty response.

  “Are you sure you are ok.”

  “I am.”                 

  “You have never forgotten your password before.”

  “Such things happen once in a while.”

  “Are you ready to resume? After…” he began to say and stopped.

                Mabel looked up at him with tears forming in her eyes.

  “Grab a seat and sit beside me,” she told Ephraim.

                He did.

  “I noticed no one wants to ask me what happened,” she said.

  “Ehhmm,” Ephraim did, scratching his head.

  “Eehhm what?”

He looked towards Mrs Biodun’s office and said, “Madam said we should not ask you anything.”

  “Why? You have the right to know.”

  “She said it is too soon. That we might remind you what you are trying to forget.”

  “That’s thoughtful of her. But before the day runs out, I will tell those who care to know.” She raised her voice a bit and said, “If you want to know what happened, let me see your hand.”

                Her colleagues raised their hands to shoulder level, making sure Mrs Biodun was not coming.

  “Ok.”

  “But meanwhile I think you need to take the rest of the week off,” Ephraim said. “We will not mind covering for you until you are ready to work.”

  “I can handle this ok.”

  “You know the sensitivity of your work. Any little mistake will have terrible ripple effect.”

  “I know. I can do it.”

                He held Mabel’s hand and said, “Of all the staff here, you are one of the strongest, but there are times that even the strongest need to be taken care of.”

(..to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac