“Asari! Asari! Asari!” My boss yelled at me again. People, including Max, keep telling me to be patient with her attitude because she is pregnant and I keep asking them why the pregnancy doesn’t make her yell and insult her own boss, just me. She wanted a document that was right in front of her and as the patient and good subordinate that I am I showed it to her and thanked myself as usual. When will I be liberated from this bank job? I keep saying how I want to become a media personality but to be honest; asides from social media, I’m not really doing anything about it.
By noon I was at my tail end of tolerance, so I went to the restroom to wash my face and look at myself in the mirror. As I looked at the mirror I noticed how beautiful I looked without an ounce of make-up. I know it sounds vain but I do like the way I look and whenever I am having a bad day, staring at the mirror makes me feel better.
I was there for about five minutes when a skinny guy entered
“Oh sorry, I didn’t know that this is the female toilet,” he said with partial remorse.
I looked at him and said nothing expecting him to leave but he didn’t, instead, he walked up to me and asked: “are you okay?”
I looked at him again this time paying attention to the tribal marks on his face and said nothing. I know when a man is looking for my attention and I was in no mood to indulge. I mean if something was really wrong with me, is it in the toilet he will help me? All these pervs.
He waited for a few seconds and left.
After an encouraging phone call with Max, my darling Max, I went back to my desk. Things aren’t official between us yet, but I like where there are headed. After the phone call, he sent me a few funny videos to make me laugh. He is such a sweetheart.
I was supposed to deliver cash to a prominent politician in two hours so talking to Max helped me with my confidence. As I got the cash ready at the cashier stand, in walked the skinny guy from the restroom.
“What the hell is this pervert doing here?” I thought
He walked straight to my boss’s table and as expected after a few minutes “Asari! Asari! Asari!” my boss shouted. I mean I was practically five feet away from her but she wouldn’t be happy if she doesn’t scream my name.
“This is Mr. Abdul” she said referring to the skinny guy
“Good morning Mr. Abdul” I faked a smile and he shook my hand.
She continued “Mr. Abdul is here to take you to Senator Kareem’s house”
As she spoke to us Abdul kept trying to make eye contact with me but I avoided his eyes. Who wants to make eye contact with a pervert?
I took my things and followed Abdul to his car. It was going to be a long ride and sitting in that car with him made me anxious but what could a strong black independent woman like me do.
To make the car ride less painful and to reduce the risk of losing a customer I apologized to him for being rude earlier, told him that I was having a bad day. He could be the Senator’s son for all I care and that Senator gives us a lot of business at the bank.
“It’s fine, I figured you were already having a bad day,” He said with a gentle smile
Read also: I’m Asari(Ep 3)
As my mind wandered between Tobe and Max, my phone rang and it was Tobe. Think of the devil! I ignored it; I just didn’t have the energy to talk to him.
“Your boyfriend?” He asked
“I don’t have a boyfriend”
“Haha. No way will a beautiful girl like you will be single”
“It’s because I have a bad attitude”
“Yeah, that’s true… I’d know” then we smiled at each other and that was the beginning of the most interesting conversation ever.
We talked about everything under the sun. Two hours felt like two minutes with him and I laughed so hard that my lungs hurt. It was awesome.
“Let’s ditch the Senator” he suggested
“What?! You say that so casually like he is your father”
“He is. I can take the cash to him by myself and tell him I told you not to come along… Let’s go have lunch, I know the best place”.
The moment he said this I suddenly realized that we had a connection; it was as if we had known each other for years.
“Oh! No!” I thought.
I can’t like this skinny tribal marked dude… I like Max, he is handsome, drives an Audi and he is tall. This guy is 5’8 at best and I am 5’9. The realization made me quiet.
“What’s the matter?” he asked
“Nothing, please take me to deliver the cash to your father. That is what I was sent to do”, I responded with a firm voice and he obeyed.
His father was a very pleasant man. He wasn’t like your typical Nigerian politician. I gave him the cash and he insisted that Abdul drop me at home.
On our way, Abdul said absolutely nothing to me. As if he looked into my brain and saw everything I thought of him. I felt uncomfortable in the silence, maybe it was guilt I don’t know. I tried to make a conversation with him but he gave me one-word answers, so I gave up.
“It was nice meeting you Asari,” he said with a grim look on his face. His smile was gone. It bothered me a bit but I let it go; after all, I was never going to see him again.
“Same here,” I said and came out of his car. I thought he was going to ask for my number but he didn’t. He just drove off.
I just ended a long romantic call with Max and guess what? I’m thinking about Abdul. I miss him.
