The Lives We Lived

5: Picture this

Zainab strolled into her compound with a baby carrier strapped to her slim feminine figure. Her veil and the long Dansiki did nothing to shade her elegant beauty or protect her from the scorching sun. She wished she had used the car in the first place but she hadn't seen the need because supermarket was only a street away.

She'd expected to be back in time to prepare a delicious meal for her husband but the queue at the super market was much longer than she'd expected. It was just November but she was sure that some people were already doing their Christmas shopping. She wasn't one of those people. She preferred to go shopping with Bode and he loved last minute Christmas shopping. He said it helped him to get creative.

She'd only taken a few steps towards the house when she noticed the thin girl standing at her veranda.

"Hello, who are you?" she asked. The girl couldn't possibly be more than nineteen. Zainab gave the girl a cursory gaze. The girl was obviously malnourished, having bones that jutted out where curves should be, with dark skin and spot-ridden legs hidden by a thin black skirt and a large dirty pink blouse.

"My name is Damilare," the girl spoke in a hoarse hurried way.

"And your business here is?" Zainab stood under the shade that her roof provided. She had to protect Adebayo from the sun. She didn't want her child to become any darker than he already was.

"I want to see the madam of this place!" Damilare declared, with a challenge in her eyes.

Zainab's intuition kicked into overdrive as she wondered what news this girl was bearing. "I am the madam."

The girl's eyes widened at her words and Zainab's dread grew. "I-I . I want-"

"What do you want?" Zainab snapped.

"I want to give you this." The girl handed her a small brown folder. She had barely held it when the girl let go and went running out of the compound as though she was chased by a psychotic truck driver.

"Wait!" Zainab called. Who was this Damilare and who had sent the folder? The folder fell to the floor and some photographs slid out of it. She bent down to pick the photos but she froze when she saw the man in the photographs.

It was Bode but it wasn't just her husband. It was Bode and a much younger woman; a woman who seemed to be an older version of Damilare. Adebayo began to wail as though he also understood the gravity of the situation. Zainab fell to the ground and picked the photos in her hands as her heart cracked and shattered to a million shards. She could do nothing but whimper as her throat failed to produce words.

# # #

"It's not funny!" she declared.

"Maybe not to you. You should try seeing it from my point of view!" He replied.

She was silent for a few seconds before responding in a much calmer voice. "I said I was sorry. You don't really think I'll bring my personal life into professional business."

"You forget that I know you. Where is your Saudi Arabian boyfriend?"

She avoided his gaze and focused on his desk. He saw her eyes rest on the picture frame before she picked up the frame. He tried to reach for it but she was faster. "Is this your wife? She's very beautiful."

"Thank you!" He grabbed the frame and threw it inside the closest cabinet. He would have to burn that frame and picture because she had touched it. He shouldn't have allowed her to touch it.

"I'm surprised though," She continued.

He linked his fingers together and placed his elbows on the table, staring intently at her. She leaned into the chair. "Are you surprised that I got over you, made something with my life and got married to a woman whose beauty far surpasses yours?"

"No!" he saw a sly smile take residence on her lips. "I always knew you'd become something but as to your wife's beauty surpassing mine, well, that's debatable. Don't you think? I'm just surprised that you married someone with such a slim stature, I mean you always liked heavy things."

He couldn't stop his eyes from straying to her boobs. Neither could he stop the images they evoked in his mind. "People change."

"I've changed." She insisted. "I'm not here to date you. I'm here for a job."

"I wouldn't even trust you with five kobo much less a job as grand as this!"

"You forget that you were once like me. Life has given you a chance. I want my chance too. Look if you're not going to give me this job then please don't waste my time. Just tell me so I can be on my way. If I knew you were in charge then I would never have come here!" She got to her feet almost immediately.

"Patience is a very beautiful skill in this business!" He replied.

"Action speaks louder than words." She replied.

"Sit down, chichi." He gave himself a mental slap for using to an old endearment that had died with their affair. She didn't seem bothered by it and she sat down with a grave look on her face. He opened the folder and went through her files. She had the qualifications and recommendations needed for the job but it was her character he questioned.

"I see you have Mr Adebode Owope as one of your referees. How long did you work with him?"

"I didn't work with him per say. I did my IT at his company and some private business for him." She said. He raised his brow at the words 'Private business.'

"There's a record in the folder." She said. "If you're not entirely comfortable with it, you can call him. I promise that I'll do my best while I work here."

"I haven't given you the job!" he stated.

"I know that. I just want you to consider me fairly as you would do to candidates." She said. It would be a sin if he didn't employ someone with her qualifications but he wasn't about to let that happen with her kind of background. "I just want a fresh new start at life."

"I'll call you in a few days to let you know my decision." he replied and threw her folder carelessly on the table.

She got to her feet and regarded him with warm eyes. "It was nice meeting you again. I'm really sorry about what happened between us. Good day, Mr Johnson."

He waited till she had left the office before he raised his head. He didn't want to be around Chioma. If it were any other vacancy in the office, he wouldn't mind but- he picked her folder again- Perhaps he ought to give this mister Adebode a phone call.

A/N

Sorry it took so long to update. I usually use my dad's hotspot but it has been unavailable for some days.

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