Her pain Her joy

LEAN ON ME

  Poverty was completely alien to me, I wasn't raised in so much wealth either, but poverty was new. I had never imagined in the 25 years of my life that I would be humiliated because of lack. To add salt to injury Fejiro had to come early to work and witness what I would call, the most embarrassing day of my life. I was grateful he saved me but terrified at the imagination of what he now thought of me. He had just alighted from a taxi at the junction when the ruckus at Mama Etim's  began, and a part of me wished he had ignored me and left.
    "Ah ah fine girl, I hear say you fight for junction" my busy body colleague Amara said as she walked up to my work desk with so much curiosity in her eyes. I completely ignored her and focused on balancing my report for the day. I had spent the entire day buried in my work. I couldn't eat the rice and stew in a plastic take away plate sitting on my desk. Fejiro had bought it without my consent, and I had accepted it after much persuasion. I had tried to eat it, but with every attempt, I was reminded of my ordeal in the morning and I would break into sobs again. This wasn't the life I believed I would live after school I was so pathetic and every face I saw in this building judged me. They had to be judging me. My ordeal at the junction this morning had spread in the office like fire and everyone wanted to hear my side of the story. However nobody had the audacity to walk up to me with their intent, except for this audacious,   insensitive and annoying Amara who was still standing beside me arms akimbo. 
"I'm talking to you" Amara said while tapping me lightly on my right shoulder. The smell of her expensive cologne filled my nose and surprisingly it made my tummy turn in disgust. I looked up at the dashingly beautiful Amara who I wanted to give a beating, took a deep breath, listened to the voice of reason in my head and said two words instead. "I am tired."  She let out a loud mocking laugh and started to her office, then she stopped mid way and said " shebi Aboki no dey  to fix your dress abi  you just wan dey wear Fejiro jacket?" she stared at me daringly before continuing to her office. 
    Fejiro was my only joy at work. We would casually say Hiii in the mornings and bye with smiles before leaving at closing hours. Our relationship was pretty casual, but he was always there to pass a  cup of water to me, pick my pen when it drops and tell me well done even when I obviously never did anything well. We lived 2 streets away from each other but I made him believe it was 4 streets. I would take a longer route to and fro from work so that we wouldn't have to go home together, even though we had the same bus stop. I had heard side gossips about his history with Amara and the heavens forbid I put myself in such a mix.
    Amara wasn't an opponent I wanted to take on. She was better at everything. While the manager sang her praises all the time, I was always queried for being clumsy while giving reports or attending customers, and it was always a long day of  scolding whenever he remembered my very poor referral turn up. I was the company's front desk officer who sometimes doubled as the marketer, and apparently my two role performances were unsatisfactory.  Amara on the other hand was the manager's full time secretary, but somehow she brought in the biggest clients voluntarily. Half the important companies we partnered with were Amara's referrals. She was the company's  jewel and God was generous with her looks too. Her skin was so clear and fair I was sure she would glow in the dark. Not to talk of her perfect white dentition that made her smile pleasing,  even to her enemies ( cause she had quite a lot). There was absolutely no need for all the expensive wigs she always used, because the few times she allowed us see her hair, it was a glorious Afro beauty.

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"Miss Ozioma" Fejiro interrupted my thoughts. One thing Fejiro would always be is professional and formal. I had never seen him at ease. He walked with his back straight and head held high, he also always sat with his back straight and was never found in a wrong posture . There was never a rumple on his shirt and despite the scorching sun and heat in Port harcourt I had never seen him break a sweat.  He frowned, and three distress lines appeared on his forehead. He was disappointed to see I had not eaten my meal. He took the food from my table and opened the plate. The foul soured smell hit the air. He closed it immediately and when his eyes met mine I shivered.  They were fierce and angry. He stared for a few seconds and I wanted to squeeze my self into my drawer, and be away from this intimidating entity. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to waste your money" I found my voice. " Is everything money to you?" He said,in his unusual but sophisticated Nigerian accent  that sounded like that of   Cyprian Ekwensi and other elite Nigerians of the 1960s. I stuttered and he walked away.
    Since it was closing time I hurriedly packed up, trashed the food and ran after him. I was lucky to catch up with him because he stopped to tip our security man Mr Alphonsus at the gate. Oga Alpho as we called, him quickly pocketed the 500 naira while grinning happily and waved at me. "Ozi Ozi  I never chop today o" he said and beckoned to me. I ignored him and took Fejiro's right wrist before he could take another stride. Surprisingly he did not move away but took my little hand in his. I felt a stare and turned back sharply to see Amara staring at us like a hawk gauging its prey. I quickly withdrew my hand but Fejiro reclaimed it immediately,and looked back at Amara with so much intensity as if she was a duel opponent.
Could my day get any worse than this ?