My Call (A Journey) – Chapter 11 || First Work Day

Read the previous chapter (10) here!

Monday morning, I woke up skeptical about what the day would bring but I had no chance to contemplate resuming that day because it’s either I go to work or face my dad.

I dressed up with care in my well-ironed gown and low heels to match, dabbed my face with light makeup, sprayed some deodorants, and was ready to conquer the demons.

My stomach grumbled with such force but I took no attention to consume anything because I wasn’t sure any food could stay in it without upsetting it.

I took my bag, filled it with everything I needed for the day, put it around my shoulders, walked out of the room, and closed the door gently, locking it.

I shouldn’t be locking my doors but my parents were not the type of people who respects privacy, I usually always keep my doors unlocked even when I’m out but since the day I walked back from a sleepover at Becky’s house and met my dad raiding my stuff, I never forgot to lock my room ever since.

I walked slowly on my way out and passed through the dining room, there sat my Dad and Mum having their breakfast, they had just arrived from their daily strolls, they were both fit-fams and my goals in fitness.

My dad had been the one to wake me up with his loud voice, reminding me to up when they were going out and he has been calling me as soon as they came back.

I walked into the room, greeted them both with pecks on their cheeks, although we were Nigerians, my parents were very expressive in love and taught me and my brothers to be just as expressive, so we usually greet each other and them with a peck.

Our friends usually make fun of us when they come visiting and witness how we greet each other, they usually laugh at us and call us”Oyinbo wannabes” when our parents are out of earshot of course.
So as I pecked them and wanted to leave my father was the first to call me back in his usual loud voice

“Aren’t you going to eat something?” He inquired
” I’m not hungry, Dad, besides it’s almost eight, I’m already late”

” Well, if you had woken up when I had called you when we were going out on our stroll, you won’t have been so late”

“Dad, I was already awake when you called me”
“So, what then took you so long?”
“You know this is my first day at work so I have to make a good first impression”

“Darling, you know she’s a lady, she needs to look nice and all, let her be,” said my mum, sweetly.

“You do look alluring Mary, are you sure you don’t want to eat?”

“Thanks, Mum, but I have to go now, It’s a twenty minutes ride there, but you know with traffic and all it could make it thirty, and it’s twenty-five minutes past seven already”

“Sure darling, have a great day at work”
I said my farewell to them and rushed out in haste, not because I was so eager to get to work but I did not want my Dad to pester me that morning.

I walked to the main road, hailed a bus going my way, and sat in it, my heart pounding in fear of what to expect for the day.

The ride was smooth, the traffic wasn’t as bad as I had expected and I soon got to the building. As I stood in front of the building, I stared at it again and the words the agitated man had said to me rushed back, and my heart lurched in fear.

I strode in a conscious pace into the building, and to the reception. The receptionist was clearing her table when I walked in, her back turned to the door humming a tune.

I knocked on the door and waited, she turned with a quizzical look on her face which then lit up in excitement as she recognized who I was.

“Ah, it’s the new girl in the building” She acknowledged
“Hi, It’s Mary, nice to meet you” I introduced myself with my hand outstretched

“Nice to see you again as well, I’m Bimbo” she answered back, taking my arms and shook it firmly.

“Hi, Bimbo, I was sent my appointment letter via mail on Friday and I’ve been asked to resume today”

“Yes, I know that, You’re just right on time and early, come with me, let me show you to your seat, the boss hasn’t arrived yet, so you can wait for him till he comes, you would be working closely so I’m sure he will like to see you as soon as arrives”

I took a look at her fingers to check if she had a ring on and when I noticed she doesn’t ask her question I’ve been wanting to ask “I’m sorry Miss Bimbo, my boss do you mean the older gentleman or the young gentleman”

“Oh, please Mary, call me Bimbo, there is no need for such formalities here, and to answer your question, Your Direct boss is the younger man, the new owner and his name is Mr David, a handsome man if I must say”

“Oh really” I sighed deeply in relief

“Why do you sigh so deep, he’s a nice man to walk with,” Bimbo said carefree

“And I must say, every female employee in this building has a crush on him” She whispered

“That’s interesting,” I said with feigned to be genuinely interested

“Yes, it is, he’s dashing, tall, smells so good, and to top it all off he has money, what’s there not to like,” she said enthusiastically.

On the walk to Mary’s new office, Bimbo went on and on about the qualities of the boss in an exaggerated movement of hands and description

I walked beside her listening attentively and hopeful for the mention of the older men, it was not until she mentioned he is on a two weeks assignment to Abuja that I was able to let out the air trapped in my lungs and breathe with ease.

The first day went by so quickly in a blink of an eye, I had met with Mr David and he was helpful, nice and gave me the company manual which contains my job responsibilities, duties and as well as the rules and regulations.

The work hours were soon over, I picked my bag and walked out of the building, exhausted from the day, I wanted badly to get into my bed and sleep.

As soon as I got to the road, I heard someone calling my name and I turned back to know who it was when I saw Bimbo running to join me

“Ah, you dey waka quick oo, wetin happen?”
“What’s the problem, did I miss something?”
“Abeg, drop phonetics jare, we no dey office again na” “My Pidgin English isn’t good” I explained

“Omo, leave that thing, anyway the boss tells me to say make I give you this paper” she muttered stretching her hand to give me a small folded paper

“What is in it? Am I fired on the first day?” I asked wanting to open the note when she stopped me by snatching it off from me

“Aunty calm down, he says make I tell you to say make you read am when you reach house” she relayed

I took the paper from Bimbo and wanted to open it again, she snatched it away from my hands once more and dipped it into my bag, grumbling under her breath about how stubborn I am, and walked away.

I looked in awe at her back, looked into my bag at the paper, and decided to get home first to find out what was in it. Read the next chapter (12) here!