THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 68

THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 68

I went to the table room and confirmed Sally was still where I had left her.

Sally upon seeing me, she looked at me keenly and told me, “honey, you look so tired. Just go to sleep. We can finish up tomorrow.” 

“True, honey. I am exhausted, let me go to sleep. Go and bathe then join me. Good night.” I told her.

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I must have slept so deeply almost immediately since I did not even hear Sally coming to bed. I woke up the following day at 6 am feeling still tired. Since I had a lot to do, I went ahead of Sally to work in fact I was the first to arrive.

I had a lot ahead. I wanted to make a secure socket layer and connect my home laptop to our company server so that we would easily do a lot at home with Sally. However, I was amazed that a task that normally seems so easy that particular day was very difficult. 

Suddenly, Sally came into my room and sat down after casually greeting me. I wanted to stand up and hug her, I felt the urge to hug her but I was unable to.

“Sally, Sally, help me, I feel like falling down.” I remember saying as I stood up.

Sally tried to support me but she was unable to. She screamed.

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The next thing, I woke up in a strange room surrounded by people I could not recall. There was oxygen mask in my face and some drips getting into my hands. I tried to move but Sally told me, “Stop moving, the nurse said you should rest. They will stabilize you and then we will go home.”

I was feeling numb in my entire body. I could not think straight. 

I tried talking but no voice came out of my mouth. I was totally helpless. Then a nurse came in.

“Tony, it is good you are back, but you had to come back. Let me explain to you what is going on as I can see you have a lot of questions. You were brought here; this is a hospital. You were working in your office and you fainted, began vomiting and nearly chocked. You are suffering from extreme fatigue and it has impaired you. We are going to treat you, stabilize you, then we advise you to have total bed rest of 4 days. You have been overworking yourself like it is the end of the world and fatigue is the reason why you were confused, are feeling weak and exhausted, and since yours is extreme that is why you were hallucinating. You will be all right anyway. I also urge you to stop pushing yourself beyond limit. There is a life after tomorrow. We still need you alive.” The nurse told me.

That is when it dawned on me that I had been through a lot in the recent past, had overworked without resting and it had completely gotten over me to a point of nearly killing myself with work and more work. 

I rolled my eyes and besides me was Irene and Sally. Suddenly the nurse told them, “Kindly, if you don’t mind, leave me with the patient. I will call you.” They both stood up and left. The nurse locked the door.

“You can call me Lucy, am a nurse. Now I wish to tell you this: When you were brought here, I asked them who is in a position to take care of you and ensure that you adhere to all medication and treatment plan. However, there seem to be a little challenge. The tall lady by the name Irene said she would since she was your fiancée, however, the shorter lady, Sally said she would since she is your wife. I don’t know what to tell you but I leave it upon you to decide who among the two we will entrust you to since we need to do a follow up on your health and by the look, we cannot take chances with your health.” Lucy said.

I motioned her to remove the oxygen mask. She looked at some gauges and said it was ok. 

I was able to talk but was feeling so weak even my throat itself felt tired. 

“Call the one called Sally for me please.” I told the nurse.

Sally was called and she came in. I told the nurse to leave us for a minute.

“Sally my dear, there is a lot I need to let you know. All in all, you are my number one and as you see me lying here in this bed, it is because of you and no one else. For now, I wish to recover a little then we shall talk.” I told Sally with a lot of anxiety.

She looked at me and just nodded. However, Lucy the nurse came in accompanied by Irene.

“My dear, what is going on? Are you hiding something from me? What is the meaning of all this?” Irene pleaded. I knew I had to reason fast and my mind was also very exhausted. But before I could talk. Lucy intervened.

“Irene, I wish you just let him rest. You shall sort out your issues later but for now his health is paramount. If he gets more fatigued than he already is both mentally and physically, it will be dangerous for his health since we have also realized he has some mild malaria. In fact, were it not for his immune system being good, we could have lost him. So, Irene and Sally, kindly hold on whatever you have for now.” Lucy pleaded with Irene and Sally.

Both ladies were avoiding each other’s eye contact. I realized I was in serious trouble with the girls.

I was however admitted for one day at the hospital and got discharged the following day. Irene wanted to carry me home but I preferred taking a taxi back home. Irene drove away, promising to find time to talk to me as we drove silently home with Sally.

We arrived safely. I had completely lost track of time.

“What is the day today? Is it Thursday?” I asked Sally. 

“No, today is Sunday. For the last 3 days you were unable to do anything.” Sally told me with a sad tone in her voice.

“How did I end up with these clothes?” I asked Sally.

“I changed you, I was the one taking care of you in the hospital.” Sally told me. I felt miserable.

I was so unable to move properly and Sally supported me in most of the time. Sally bathed me, fed me, clothed me, and did a whole lot more for me like I was a child to her. I could not imagine how I would have fared without Sally. Sally remained strong for me and even tried to cheer me up.

Once my mental clarity was back to near normal, it is then the magnitude of what I was about to tell her dawned upon me. I knew trying to explain anything about Irene might be very difficult and I could not predict Sally’s reaction. Besides, I was unable to know what they had talked while I was still in a coma for almost 4 days, so, I knew lying might make matters even worse. There was no point of lying. I knew, in as much as I may not tell her most of the truths, I had an obligation to let her know.

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After supper, Sally put on some music in our stereo system and came to sit with me where I was seated at our table room.

“Honey, you wanted to tell me something. Please tell me before I tell you what I know.” Sally told me seated beside me.

“Honey, I don’t know where to begin. But whatever I am going to tell you, in as much as I would wish that you forgive me, feel free to make whatever decision that you shall make concerning me.” I told Sally.

“Ok, I am listening.” Sally told me.

“When you left our company, I suspected that something fishy must have happened that led to your instant dismissal. I knew it was unfair but I had nothing to do. I however set to try to assist you to redeem your certificates but it proved very difficult to do so. I have some loans I am servicing so it was not possible to get another loan. So, I took my little savings and tried some business. It was Irene who introduced us to the business. First trial was very successful and so I got the initial money that I gave you to clear some of your outstanding balance. However, the second trial we were conned. We were in the business me, Carol and Irene. 

I was so mad and desperate to know what was going on and how to get our money back. We even tried to report to the police but the case hit a dead end after we realized the conman was simply too smart; he disappeared from Kenya and left no traces of himself.

So, I tried to probe Irene but she was too difficult to give me any information. An idea came to me.”

I paused.

“Go on, I am listening.” Sally said.

“Irene was a prime suspect. So, I came up with a plan to befriend her even more, I had to pretend to be in love with her and in the process, she got to trust me much more. Slowly by slowly she began giving me some sensitive information about her deals. With time, I came to know that Irene was in partnership with the man who conned me. She even promised to refund me the money. But on top of that, I came to know that Irene hatched the plan to have you fired from our work place so that she can have me for herself as a lover. She made the company policies that ensured all people who got employed there should be having necessary qualifications. So, you had to go.”

I paused and looked at her. She was keenly listening.

“Then there was a guy called Luke who was an employee in the account department. He once came with a report that Irene has been swindling the company millions of monies. However, when he presented the report, it backfired on him and he was accused of malice and got fired. But the report also had some staggering revelations; I should be earning double of what I am earning now, but the rest goes to Irene’s account; how, I don’t know but I wish to know.”

Sally interjected, “The company directors suspect all that and they wish that I should audit the company for the last 3 years and present a report. Anyway, go on with your story.”

“I equally wish to know and that is why I am willing to help you with all this. But I also wish to tell you that I was nearly jailed because of your certificates, I was nearly killed on fact finding mission when thugs mugged me when I was coming from Luke’s place.”

Sally looked at me and came to hold my hands.

“I know you have been through a lot for my sake, but some things I feel were not necessary. Please tell me, when you were pretending to be in a relationship with Irene did you ever have sexual intercourse?” Sally asked.

The question stabbed my heart and I knew if I lied, I might get caught. That was a one-billion-dollar question. I weighed how to say it but decided to give her the right answer.

“Yes.” I told Sally.

Sally released my hands and just looked at me. I knew if at that point she decided to beat me up, she would since I was still so weak.

“Irene told me something of the sort, I did not want to believe. But, Tony, was is it all that necessary?” Sally asked.

“Look, Sally, I don’t know whether to tell you I was doing all that because of you, or for myself, but I know that was wrong and I wish that you forgive me, please. It won’t happen again.” I told Sally avoiding eye contact. It felt like a confession in front of the judgment seat of God.

Sally fidgeted on the seat, closed her eyes and remained as such for some minutes. I could tell she was pained by the revelation.

“Tony, that was very, very bad of you. In as much as you were doing because of me, my trust for you has been dented. I don’t know whether to trust you or not anymore. Now, Irene even told me you called me and broke up with me. I have never received your call on a break up. What magic did you do?” Sally asked me.

“I told Carol to pretend to be you. I saved her number with your name, called her and she received the call and pretended to be you. All in the effort to convince Irene I was no longer with you so as to know more of what I wanted to know. Irene fell for the trick completely.” I told Sally, she smiled.

“Damn! You are crazy, and how am I to know you are not in a relationship with Carol too?” Sally asked.

“She is HIV positive. I can never be that stupid to even try it.” I told Sally, she looked at me obviously shocked.

“Be series. That lady has a figure to drive any man crazy, she is too healthy to be HIV positive.” Sally said.

“Trust me, she is. She told me and even showed me her ARVs; she carries them to work too but swallows them secretly.” I told Sally.

Sally seemed to be in deep thought. I moved closer to her and held her, but she gently pushed my hands away. I knew she was angry but probably restraining herself from hitting back on me since I was still so sick and exhausted. I was even feeling dizzy and nauseated. 

Suddenly, she looked at me and said, “I cannot allow her to do this to me. Who the hell does she think she is? To get me fired then take my man? Is she a more woman than me? I will show her what I am made of! I swear in the name of my ancestors, she will pay for this.” Sally was breathing fire. I knew I had just ignited a firestorm which would be difficult to put off. But I really hoped I had set Sally against Irene since that would make it easy to do away with Irene.

“So, just because she is richer than me she now thinks she can buy you away from me? How much did she give you?” Sally asked. I remained silent.

“You told me she refunded you your money and it was the money you used to redeem my certificates. I don’t want her money. I will make sure I shall refund her to the full.” Sally said.

“She gave me 2 million.” At that point, Sally looked at me completely astonished.

“Tony!! What was all that for?!” Sally asked. I did not answer.

“Sally, Irene is a criminal. I feel that the report you have been requested holds the key to unravel all these mysteries. Meanwhile, I had to also refund Carol her Kshs 200,000 using the money. It is the money I have been using to purchase for you the laptop, the executive suits that you have and many other items.” I told Sally.

She looked at me keenly then told me, “My dear, do me a favor, stay the hell away from that witch of a woman before I kill her!” Sally’s voice was so firm than I have ever heard her.

She continued, “So someone takes your job, then takes your man, does she think she has a golden v@g!na or what? She will know I, Sally Nasenyana, I am back in full swing and I can never leave my man for a prostitute like her.”

I remained silent. The way she was referring Irene was hilarious I nearly laughed but did not have the energy to laugh.

Suddenly, Sally began crying, a torrent of tears fell from her eyes. I moved close to hold her and she did not resist.

“Sweet heart, let us work hard to get our own money. When you lack money, the society looks down upon you, people misuse you, people see you as useless. Were it not for poverty we would not have gone through all what have gone through.” Sally held me sniffing. 

An idea came to me.

I began to caress her in order to conduct some erotic hypnosis on her. She was very responsive to it such that I was amazed it never worked for Irene. As she began to get hypnotized, I began asking her questions about her sexual past and as I listened, I simply stopped hypnotizing her and decided: It was not worth knowing. After all, we all have our past whether good or bad, right?

But it made me realize the magnitude of her determination to show Irene that she was not as simple as she usually presented herself; and with that, I felt safe already.

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The following day, which was on Monday, I did not go to work as I had been given 4 days of total bedrest. Sally woke up, prepared enough food for me to eat even during lunch time as she left for work. I spent most of the day sleeping.

When Sally came in the evening, she told me she was facing some resistance from Irene concerning accessing company’s account archives. The archives held the secrets to know whether Luke’s allegations were true or false. Besides, Sally told me that a new girl had been employed while I was away who was to be the office cleaner. Her name was Celestine Auma. She was responsible for office clean up. Also, Sally told me that Irene no longer left her keys where everyone of us used to leave, but she had resorted to carrying them home. It was odd since even our boss did not mind that, so that meant accessing Irene’s file cabinets was nearly impossible for Sally.

“Tomorrow I am going back to work.” I told Sally.

“No, you are not going anywhere. You are on bed rest and 2 more days to go. You could have died that day!” Sally told me firmly.

“I need to find ways to access Irene’s cabinets.” I told Sally.

“I hope you won’t pretend to be her lover anymore. I won’t allow that again.” Sally told me.

“No, I won’t. But it is obvious we have to scheme. We may use the office cleaner to access the files. I shall try to convince her.” I told Sally, she just looked at me. I instantly understood that she was not so comfortable with the idea. Sally was becoming protective of me.

“I suggest we call Luke, let him tell us what he knows.” Sally suggested.

“Unfortunately, I do not have his number. But I can access his record in former employee’s files in our company server. Irene saves all records but she cannot delete the records. Also, physical files exist and I can get his number there.” I said.

“But you are not going to work tomorrow. Finish your days of rest.” Sally urged me. I did not argue.

“How is madam boss coping with you?” I asked Sally.

“She is so friendly to me and she keeps praising me. She wonders how comes she never got to know I had a degree all along. She is even delegating most of her duties to me and so far, I have been able to perform well. But I don’t know how to tell her that Irene is making my work difficult.” Sally said as if I would offer a solution to that.

“I know they never expected you are a learned lady.” I told Sally.

“I also heard there was a nice lady called Zuhura who worked at the restaurant there. Where did she go?” Sally asked.

>>>To be continued>>>

As narrated by Dr. Love.