FARIDA
Awkward.
That was the exact word to define how the next morning played out. We are just saved by the fact that it is another work morning. For some unknown reason, I woke up with a throbbing headache, further compounding everything for me. Could it as a result of my numerous thoughts last night before sleeping? I know I messed up. I could have stopped it but like one mumu, I was there, moaning. I enjoyed the sex, though. I won't lie about that. The painkillers I took earlier did magic because I feel much better than I did before leaving the house.
A car's honk behind me is what brings me back to the reality that I am still driving and need to focus on the road instead of my wandering thoughts. Is it wrong for me to admit that I actually enjoyed it and don't have a single bone of regret in my body with regards the matter? It's just the expected awkwardness this morning.
Work immediately slaps my face the moment I step into the building, resetting my brain. It was awkward enough that we were having a meeting by noon. I could see how his eyes roamed around my body as I continue with my presentation. It was difficult to miss. He notices my discomfort and smirks, making me cough uncontrollably.
"Sorry, Farida." Tolu says, handing a bottle of water to me. I quickly uncap it and down the contents before looking back up to glare at him. I clear my throat and mutter a quick 'sorry' to everyone.
"Everything okay, Miss. Lawal?" He asks like he does not know what he just did.
"Yes, Sir." My voice croaks as I clear my throat once more, straighten up and continue with my presentation. Till I am done, I make sure for our eyes not to meet. I avoid his gaze because it's the best for me at this moment.
"Nice presentation you've got there. Meet me in my office after this." He stands up to straighten his suit.
"Gentlemen, ladies." He says, nodding his head at us before taking his leave.
I just hope he buys into the idea I proposed to them. He said it is great doesn't mean he thinks it is. This man can be a very difficult person on some occasions.
"Please sit, Miss. Lawal." He says and I do.
"You're getting a promotion to head Retail Marketing." He states calmly.
"I am not paying you with sex." I state the first thing that comes to my mind. Yeah, I know I am supposed to be grateful. It's just a nagging feeling in my guts.
"Who said you are? Excuse me, Miss. Lawal. Don't mistake one night of sex for privilege." What else did he expect me to think when this is happening the day after the whole thing?
"I really don't understand where this is coming from." I state.
"You started this so quit acting dumb!" If my calculations are right, his secretary is once more, hearing our outburst. I can't deal with this any longer so I stand up to walk out of the office.
"Sit your ass back down! You step out of this office; you lose your job." I stop dead on my tracks and make a turn to glare at him. How low could someone get? How mean could he be? I am not some little girl that he thinks he can control. I am not one of those airhead bimbos he probably got used to before returning to the country.
"You want to threaten me with a job? Fine! To hell with you. I stayed and tolerated your bullshit and irritating behavior because of Madam Yeni. It's the fact that I hold her in her regards that has kept me this far with you, but for you to think you can threaten me with it is appalling. Don't bother with the sack letter because I quit. Expect my resignation letter today." To be honest, he had this coming a long time ago. Call it whatever, I just don't think for my mental health, staying here would be appropriate, moving forward. I make sure to slam his office door damn hard. I don't care if it shatters to pieces.
My first line of action is to head to the office that I would soon vacate, edit and print out the resignation letter I had typed for a while now. I put it in an envelope and had it properly addressed before handing it myself to his assistant. Her eyes widen when she sees the header but she says nothing, trying to conceal her surprise.
"Goodbye, Ugomma." I say to further cement whatever suspicion she has. The ride to my house was not a funny one. All I could see was red. I was beyond furious but I needed to put my head in one place so as to get home in one piece.
I don't drive to his house; I drive straight to mine. Fortunately, the house is empty when I go in. They should both be at work. Great. Just what I need; some alone time. I don't know when hot tears start flowing down my cheeks when I am finally settled on my bed. They are in no way similar to each other but this situation cannot help but bring back that thought. The thought that I am a mess. All this confident and strong woman façade that I put up hide the fact that I am a softie which is bad because the little things might just be what provoke that side once more. My soft sides can easily be trampled on.
I try not to think too much but my thoughts are in a jumbled-up state. Soon, the tears start drying up as sleep consumes my being, blocking me out of the world.
"You should be able to make sacrifices for your sister, Farida!" My father exclaims. How does he not see anything wrong in what she did?
"Sacrifices? Baba, not with what she did. What she did was wrong!" My parents were all about saving face. They did not care about me getting hurt. They only cared about what society would think when news gets out that their precious Tabitha, the apple of their eyes, is pregnant out of wedlock.
"I don't even know why you are trying to convince her, Gimba. Whether or not she agrees, Tabitha is getting married to Joseph." I immediately go on my knees, begging my father and weeping sorrowfully.
"Baba, dan Allah! Please! I still forgive them for what they have done. I love Joseph."
'You are nothing but a mere child. What do you know about love? Will it save us from the shame should society find out about Tabitha's pregnancy?" He hisses, spitting on the mud floor in the compound before returning his chewing stick to his mouth.
"What of my happiness?"
"They are getting married and that is final." He kicks me hard, leaving me in pain as I groan on the floor. My evil sister watches me, satisfaction etched on her face as Joseph, the man I once loved and thought loved me, rubs her stomach in a bid to feel his baby.
"Ahn ahn.. I saw the door open. I did not guess it would be you." Tamara's voice wakes me up from my terrible flash back and I am glad. The moment she gets a proper glimpse of my face, she immediately drops her bag on the floor before sitting on the bed and scooting close to me.
"Sweetheart." She coos as I am scooped into her arms. The tears begin to fall again. I am not wailing but I am hating myself right now. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was not meant to slap me in the face with whatever happened between us.
"Hey, what is wrong?" She finally says when the water works stop.
"I messed up and I might have over reacted." I state calmly.
"Let me guess. You had sex with him and you have fallen for him?" She asks with concern written all over her face.
"Yes and no. I had sex with him and no, I have not fallen for him." I can't even stomach the thoughts of falling for him.
The remaining part of the week went in a blur and before I could fathom anything, weeks had passed. I had seen my period and to top it, I was sick and vomiting. To be honest, my heart was in my mouth when I calculated the possibilities. I did not know when I started crying again and starving myself. This whole ordeal is not even funny. Why do I have to experience this phase? I thought the issue with my family was the worst that could happen to me. Well, if I mistakenly get pregnant, which all that's happening with my body points out to, I definitely will keep the child.
That said, I push myself to book a proper appointment with the doctor. I don't subscribe to the whole pregnancy test kit stuff.
On the day of my appointment, I go alone and wait patiently till it is my turn to see the doctor who recommended an ultrasound scan after I done laying my complaints. Samples of my urine was also taken to run some tests after which he told me to wait for some time. Later on, I was invited to the office again.
"The result of your test is here, ma'am." The doctor states, making my heart beat so fast.
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OIL MONEY |A Nigerian Romance|
العاطفية|| Farida was no doubt a hard worker. She was never one to back down from a task and everyone at work loved her for that. Well, everyone but her boss, Tobi. She shared the same resentment towards him, though. Who exactly did he think he was? The f...
