Second chances

Chapter twelve :Rude is a name

I stood there trying to convince myself that, she had been here. That I actually saw her walk away but a part of me thought otherwise.
I resigned to the idea that I was hallucinating and sluggishly went upstairs. I took in deep breaths before knocking on the boss's door. Having heard that he was rude, being cranky could also be on his plate.

I knocked twice and waited, rubbing my palms together. A deep baritone called out for  me to come in and I opened the door.

He was facing the glass, probably staring at the city. It was a wonderful view to behold from there. I flashed my eyes around, capturing every detail of his office. The mahogany tables, his chair, two other glass seats. A long couch very close to the entrance of the office, I didn't know why mind went to the idea that this particular man would be the type who sleeps around. The paintings on the wall looked quite expensive but carried some sort aura of sadness with them. There was a painting of a woman holding a heart laced with thorns in her hands, she bled from the thorns digging into her flesh. Another was of a  man who was walking on hot coals, the third was of a dagger piercing the heart. The only soothing painting was that of a father holding  a child in the rain. There were family pictures hung close to the paintings, a picture of a child, an old woman sitting with a man that looked like him, one would say an older version.

There were also three other people standing close to the old couple besides the boss. Maybe one of the ladies would be his wife, I assumed
Maybe he was a sadist that's why he chose to surround himself with pain.
His shelf was neatly arranged, the color in the office was different from the one in the other offices. Maybe he chose to repaint his own office. It was white, maybe that was why the paintings were so hard to conceal from the eyes.

I noticed the pencils littered on the floor, for someone who seemed to be a perfectionist, that was a big flaw to the title.
The container was a stone throw from the pencils who knew, maybe the boss had hit the pencils with his hands while yelling at someone. The thought of that sent chills to my body.

I didn't know why I felt the need to fix that flaw, but I did. I reached for the container and started picking the pencils. Making sure to arrange them according to their colors. I  halted when his voice sounded in my ears

"You've been standing there for quite some time, don't you have something to say it do you not know that time is money. I believe I don't pay you to stare at people and things"

He turned his chair and stood up, showing his tall and somewhat huge frame. I quickened my fingers and rose with the pencils properly arranged within the containers.

I was finally facing "the boss", but the look he gave me was not one that I expected. He bore shock in his eyes like he had seen something strange. His eyes bore into mine and I felt maybe that there was something strange behind me, so I had to turn to check just to  be sure.

He cleared his throat and regained composure.
"Thank you for picking those, you shouldn't have. "

I smiled and kept the container on his table and placed my hands behind my back. Not knowing if I should sit or stand.

"Forgive my manners Mrs Victoria, please do have a sit " he gestured sitting down as well but placing his gaze on my face.

I felt it strange that he knew my name, considering that I wasn't wearing a name tag. He was supposed to be new, considering that I had been absent when he took over, my name should have been a mystery to him.

i sat down, but wore a puzzled look on my face.

" please do not be surprised that I know who you are, I make it my business to know everything about this place. It is good to have you back, the last time I saw you in the hospital you were in a sleep mode. This is so much improvement from that"

I smiled at him and listened to him as he continued speaking. Charles had failed to mention that my boss had visited me while I was sleeping beauty.

" Please  do not tell me that you've come to resign, Mrs Victoria, you were a huge asset to this company, you were at the verge of promotion before the unfortunate accident. "

I finally spoke more than surprised at what I was hearing.
"Actually sir umm, Mr? "

"Jude Nnamdi Okpara, you failed to inquire of my name, call me Jude. I'll reserve the right to call me Nna to my friends and family " he smiled at his own words
"Mr Jude I came to tell you that'd I'd love  to resume work, I had a feeling that I would have been let go by now"

"We never let great potentials and assets go, on the contrary we keep them for future purposes "
I had the feeling that he was not just talking about me but something else.

He flashed me a smile and I noticed his Beautiful dentition. For someone who had been tagged rude he didn't look it anyway.

I stood up and offered him a handshake which he obliged me. I must have held his hand longer than required because he joked about his hands being glued to mine.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be.. "

He cut me off with"Nice, handsome or young. I hear what those employees of mine gossip with my name. I've been called privileged, sadistic, even rude, so which have you heard? "

I felt a bit guilty, because I thought him to be a sadist too.

Rude" I replied

He laughed and I managed to complement his laughter with a smile.

Rude is also a name Mrs Victoria, possibly a middle name, considering how it rhymes with Jude"

I flashed another half smile and thanked him. Halfway to the door I stopped and turned, I wanted to ask him if he had seen a lady before I came in. But I felt I shouldn't bother him.

"Would that be all Mrs Victoria? I'll be expecting you to start immediately "

I nodded and smiled, maybe I didn't see anyone.
I walked out of his office with a strange feeling. Maybe the boss knew more than he was letting on. Wasn't that a stupid thought, I was slowly making it a habit to suspect everyone. He was just normal, maybe nice to me and rude to others but he is normal and doesn't have a tie to my past.

I met onyi at the cafeteria, devouring a large mountain of eba with vegetable soup. She was plus sized and I didn't expect her to be eating that much. When I sat close to her she offered me to join her and when I did she was more than surprised.

"Maybe I need to also visit the land of the dead sometime, you have really changed! Nawa o, hmmm Vicky o buzi kwa gi di ihe a? "

I laughed at her silly joke, I had only joined her because I felt it would be unfair to allow her consume everything on that plate.

After the meal, I left. I would come back tomorrow after I had tidied things up and prepared myself for the job.

I got home to find Christy rolling on her bed because of her cramps. I made her a hot tea and went to get her tablets of a pain reliever "Advil'.

While I brought her the tablets, I wished I could remember the first time she had seen her period.
My mother had given me "the talk", I wished to remember what I had told her.

She slept after thirty minutes and I proceeded to prepare dinner. Chares had called to tell me that he won't be coming home, so I decided to sleep in Christy's room. I had grown used to sleeping with charles, that sleeping alone was no longer an option.

After we ate, I had my bath played games with Christy before we slept.

" You love him don't you? Answer me do you love him? !! "

She stared into my eyes but I couldn't quite make out her face.
" I do!, I love Charles!!

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A/N: whew!!  I don't know what it is, but I feel Vicky's boss should be investigated. Do you think the same?
🤔🤔mystery lady as well!!