THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 85

THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 85

The following morning when we got to our workplace and I settled in my office desk, the first person to come to my office was Cynthia. She got into my office smiling.

“Good morning, Tony.” She greeted me.

“Good morning, Cynthia, you never told me the results of your test.” I told her.

“I tested positive.” She said and smiled.

My mind went into a wild drive trying to imagine the consequences of that, and wondered why she was all smiles. As if she thought it would be good news for me. I felt so tensed and told her.

“Cynthia, stop playing games, positive for what?” I asked her.

“Positive for malaria. Gosh we were talking about malaria what else do you think? I decided to rest yesterday but I have some medication to take me through. They also told me I am a little stressed and I should take it easy with life.” Cynthia told me.

I felt so relieved when she said that, at that juncture, that would be the last thing I wanted.

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There was a lot of uncertainty as we prepared for the return of Irene. I still had not gotten a plan on how to create a position for Luke who had since then promised to come back; and I really wanted him to come before Irene came. 

As I was thinking about that, Abdi came to my office.

“I wish to get a few off days to go home. It is an emergency.” Abdi told me.

“What has happened?” I asked him.

He appeared a little thoughtful. 

“There are people who came to our home and attacked. They took off with our camels and I have been called by my father to go and assist in retrieving the camels.” Abdi told me. He sounded like he was ready to go for war.

“Abdi, I do not know what you mean, but we are going to grant you a few days.” Before I even spoke more Abdi said, “I need one week.”

I granted him off days after he applied for them and I approved.

He promised to return as soon as he was done, and it was paramount for him to return as he was the head of the accounts department. 

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But even after one week, Abdi had not yet returned and when I called him, he told me they were yet to trace their over 1,000 camels and they were heading to Somali land to try to trace them. He even told me he won’t be able to communicate as they were headed for some remote location where there was poor network coverage. With that, his position was declared vacant.

That was the perfect opportunity to return Luke who was more than eager to return with the promise of double Salary.

Luke won the favor of directors fast due to his experience in financial auditing knowledge. After he was approved, there was no need to conduct an interview on him, he was just told to report to work on a Tuesday morning.

Luke arrived wearing a smart grey suit. I took him round introducing him to the newest company employees, briefed him on the changes that the company had undergone and any other thing that was necessary for him to know.

Luke was also keen not to greet people with his usual, “praise the lord” phrase, but I thought it was due to him being careful not to offend people with his strict religious beliefs.

Within that one week, however, it was becoming apparent that Celestine’s condition was worsening as the abortion seemed to have taken toll on her; she was bleeding every now and then and she decided to quit and go to her rural home and that meant we needed to hire another cleaner soonest. Collins felt so bad about it. I had always been against abortion and that even made me fear ever making someone pregnant and urging her to abort. 

Luke quickly got well along with Letisha, owing to the fact that they hailed from same rural area in Nyanza and it was apparent that with them, accounts department was locked and complete. Luke came right on time since the day after, was the day that Irene was to report and begin working. I told Luke about Irene and ensured that Luke would act as much as possible like he is in control of the accounts department, and on top of that, I told Letisha she is to work under Luke and she was comfortable with it.

The following day, Irene reported and was to first report to Sally’s office. They met and she was briefed about her roles and expectations, and was told she was to have her desk in my office besides working and reporting directly to me.

Irene seemed cautious about how she was handling herself and I could not tell whether she as just acting or she was regretting her previous actions in the company. But the fact that she was returning after being involved in massive theft of funds in the company was bizarre enough. 

All Irene’s roles were stripped and she was just left as a human resource manager, pure and simple. She was all right with it though as she seemed desperate for any job. Though she was never to be involved in any recruitment process, but just handling employees’ affairs.

“Welcome back, Irene.” I told her as soon as she settled in my office.

“Thank you, Tony.” Irene told me meekly. I could see she was adding weight, most probably due to her pregnancy which was beginning to reveal.

Irene was given a laptop from IT department and her rights in the system reconfigured to those of a HR manager. Her salary was also slashed from the previous salary she was earning before. 

“As you have seen, so many changes have happened. But most are for the better.” I told Irene.

“I have realized, I like it that way.” Irene told me smiling.

After sometime, Irene looked at me and told me.

“Tony, I really regret what I did. I wish it never happened.” Irene told me.

“We shall talk about it later if you don’t mind. Just feel much welcome back to the company.” I told Irene trying to dismiss her from thinking along that line.

“Tony, I noticed you are no longer in the IT department. Will I be breaking protocol by seeking assistance from you in case I have an issue?” Irene asked. I thought it for a while. I knew if I told her no, it would be against our company protocol which encouraged maximum stuff cooperation. 

“No problem, I will assist you.” I told Irene.

Chris with the help of Carol fixed an office extension for Irene too, with her number for her desk. 

People who knew much about Irene viewed her with some stigma though, most seemed like they were avoiding being close to her as it was apparent within the following few days in our work place. There was minimal interaction with Irene and the rest.

Sally also noticed that and on Friday afternoon, she proposed we hold a brief meeting on boardroom, apparently to let people speak out about their general feeling of their work. 

During the meeting, Sally raised several issues and encouraged people to feel free with each other.

“I particularly take this opportunity to welcome back our former colleague, Irene who we believe will be resourceful for our company. Irene will be the HR and will handle our issues around here.” Sally said.

Irene was grateful but it was Luke who really made the situation very easy for all of us.

Luke requested to speak. Irene was tensed when Luke stood to speak.

“I take this opportunity to also welcome back Irene, despite the fact that I also just rejoined. It is with great pleasure I say I am also happy to be here. 

At the heart of humanity, is the virtue of forgiveness. God commands us to forgive those who wrong against us. Despite what happened that led to my exit from the company, I already forgave and moved on. We are human beings and we are bound to fall into temptations from to time and perhaps aggrieve each other. We get angry, we get mad at each other and probably wish to take revenge. But we are moved by the spirit not to avenge on our own but to leave the battle onto the lord. We may have aggrieved each other in one way or another in the past, but with grace, we should forgive each other, come together, embrace each other and love each other as brothers and sisters. 

Without forgiveness, humanity would cease to exist. If we took upon us to hate and revenge, we will finish each other. An eye for an eye will eventually make all of us blind, and blind people cannot move on with the journey as cripples. We need to retain one eye if one eye is made blind. We as human beings, we need each other all the time regardless of our backgrounds or social status. 

The decision to forgive is a tough decision, but it is even tougher to seek for forgiveness. Pride has made most of us blind to love, but humility will open our eyes once more. We are meant to serve each other in spirit and love. See your brother and sister as your superior regardless of which position you are in. One time you are exalted and the next you are humbled, that is part of life.

When you are on top, do not step on the ones below you with an iron boot as you never know when their time comes to be on top how they shall treat you. 

So, I would urge each one of us, to forget about the past and move on. The past has a lot of precious lessons that can guide us towards our future. The past are the seeds that are growing in the present and we shall reap in the future. Discard the rotten seeds, and move on with the ones that need to bear fruits. 

Do not hold on to the past forever, how then will you grasp the future if you are still holding on to the past? The future needs us more than the past needs us.

Remember, without forgiveness, we would all be dead by now.

With those few remarks, I wish to thank Madam Sally for the honor of accepting me back here in the company. May you be blessed. I trust with your management, we shall reach far and we shall prosper.”

Luke’s speech that day was extra ordinary and inspiring. Everyone followed keenly.

Luke finished and sat down.

Everyone remained silent as if thinking about what Luke had just said. Luke’s words were like healing words to the tensed moment that was. 

Luke suddenly stood up and went to where Irene was seated, took her hand and embraced her. As soon as Luke sat down, Sally also went and embraced Irene and told her, “welcome back.”

Sally took control of the meeting once more.

“Luke, thank you for those fantastic words of encouragement and inspiration. I never knew you are such a good public speaker!” Sally said excited. 

“I am honored Madam. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I am also a preacher.” Luke said smiling with some pride.

We talked a lot more with Sally encouraging people to work together, cooperate and embrace togetherness in the company. 

After the meeting was over, Irene followed Luke to accounts office and they stayed there for the rest of the day together. 

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“Tony, do you have in mind someone who can become our office cleaner? I have been very busy to source for one now that Celestine does not seem to be in a position to continue. Help me get someone if you can.” Sally requested me as we sat in her office for some time.

“I will.” I told Sally.

“And let it be a lady. Ladies are keen with orderliness and cleanliness.” Sally told me smiling. I laughed a little bit and told her, “I somehow agree with you.”

“I have a feeling Irene is remorseful about what she did. I guess life has beaten her and the fear of going to jail is all over her face, I guess she really wants to redeem her image.” Sally told me.

I thought for a while and told her, “Time will tell, but in the meantime, let us watch her. It is good we have Luke on our side too and I am sure she would not try anything fishy knowing Luke once busted her. Also, the death of her friend must have affected her too.” I told Sally.

The most important thing was, Irene was no longer going to handle any cashflow into the company, and that meant she was powerless with matters of finance for the company.

“Who is going to be processing the payroll?” I asked Sally.

“Accounts department shall be doing that. Irene will just handle staff affairs; nothing more. I was thinking that we can also form a staffs’ welfare group and I want to give her that assignment to keep her busy in the meantime. I will tell her to come up with the welfare constitution which I shall review later and discuss with her. At least she should be kept as busy as possible.”

Sally suggested a nice idea and I was for it too. But we proposed we should inform the other staffs so that they can offer some ideas into it too. 

“Tomorrow morning, remember to call Irene into your office and share with her that idea. I shall come a bit late. Remember I have to attend my prenatal clinic tomorrow then come here.” Sally told me smiling. 

“Oh! Yes, I was so into this job I had forgotten you had an appointment tomorrow. Take care of the little one inside there. He needs to come soonest enough, I can’t wait to hold him in my hands.” I told Sally and she caressed her abdomen which was now beginning to show.

“This means there are 3 women pregnant in this company. Me, Irene and Carol.” Sally told me.

“Oh! Yes, but there is only one queen who is pregnant.” I told Sally.

“Which queen?” She asked looking at me.

“You of course, the queen of my heart.” I told Sally, she smiled and stretched to caress my right hand and said, “Thank you, my king.”

She then looked at me and asked, “My dear, how does it feel for you to work under me here at work?” The question caught me off-guard. Actually, I had never even thought about it. Sally despite being my boss was never putting her weight over me at work. Even though at times we disagreed with work place decisions, the disagreement never went beyond the work place. She never took her seniority beyond the work place gate. Sally was earning far much higher than me and due to travelling often out of town to meet clients, that meant she had so many allowances too. She was exceptional. I had thought she would get proud as I used to hear about women who suddenly began earning better than their men, or got some seniority over their men, but Sally maintained her humility and servitude befitting a wife. 

Even at home she continued to treat me with respect.

“Sally, you are such a wonderful woman.” I told her and she smiled.

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As I sat doing my work before going home, I called Carol to my office.

“Carol, you had told me there is your sister at home who is not working. We wish to get a cleaner, can she do that in the meantime before she gets something else to do? There is a vacancy of a cleaner. Celestine is unable to continue working due to her health conditions.” I told Carol.

“Poor Celestine. I will talk to my sister and give you feedback tomorrow morning. Thank you for your consideration.” Carol told me.

“What are friends for?” I told Carol and she smiled. 

“She has never been to Nairobi so I am so sure she will be so willing to come over.” Carol told me.

“Is she older or younger than you?” I asked Carol.

“She is my younger sister, younger than me with 3 years, but we look like twins.” Carol told me.

I looked at Carol again. She was wearing a loose fitting long dark grey dress with white flower patterns but her body shape was very visible. I imagined her sister being exactly like Carol and that thought alone provoked some sensual feeling in me. As I was looking at Carol, she seemed to study my mind and told me, “She is even more beautiful than me; you will see her when she comes, if at all she will come.” Carol said and laughed lightly. 

“Cool. At least she will be busy for a while instead if idling in the village.” I told Carol.

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“I told Carol to call her sister over to take the cleaner position. She promised to call her.” I told Sally as we sat to eat in the evening.

“Will she manage all that?” Sally asked.

“Why?” I asked Sally.

“If she looks like Carol, how will she carry herself? That job needs someone light and flexible.” Sally said.

I thought in my mind silently, if at all she was like Carol, then she would do it since Carol despite her full figure she was very flexible and active. 

“We shall know if at all she comes.” I told Sally. 

After we had our supper, as Sally cleaned the dishes I did the ironing of what to wear the following morning. 

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The following morning as soon as I got into my office, I got Irene had already arrived.

“Good morning, Irene.” I greeted her.

“Good morning, Tony.” She responded.

I settled on my desk, removed my laptop.

“We have an idea of making some staffs welfare. I would wish you think about it, draft a constitution for the welfare club, how much you feel each shall be contributing and compile them in a document, then you can forward to me for review then we shall discuss it with the management and perhaps directors too.” I briefed Irene. 

“That is a good idea, I will work on it and by evening perhaps I will have a draft for review.” Irene told me. 

I noticed Irene since she came back had been wearing more professionally than before. That particular day she was wearing a nice brown figure hugging long dress. Her stylish lifestyle was also not as evident as before.

As we sat doing our work, Carol came knocked, and came in.

“Good morning, Tony. I called my sister, she told me she will come in the evening and arrive tomorrow morning. She is willing to take the offer.” Carol told me.

“That is good to hear. Looking forward to seeing her.” I told Carol.

Immediately Carol left, Cynthia came with some orders to be approved and I approved them and she went to accounts department to pick some cash for purchase. 

No sooner had Cynthia left than Letisha came to my office.

“Good morning, Tony. We do not have access to the cash box.” Letisha told me.

“Oh! Sorry, let me come over and unlock it for you.” I told her.

Since the revelation of massive financial scandals, we invested on a password protected electronic cash box whose access codes were only known to me and Sally alone and since Sally had not come back yet, it meant I was the only one able to unlock it. It required a password and a finger print authentication in order to open. 

It also recorded the number of times someone opened it in a particular day so as no one would open it unnecessarily. Each time it was opened, it also took the photo of whoever opened it, albeit secretly and posted it to my laptop and Sally’s laptop. We had to be strict with the cash flow and monitor it.

“Tony, can’t we have the access codes to the cash box?” Letisha requested. Before I even answered Luke answered, “It is not necessary, all we need is the money and as long as the boss can open for us the cash box each morning, there should be no problem.”

“Don’t you trust us?” Letisha asked smiling at me.

Luke again said, “It is not a matter of trust, but sticking to your job description and roles.” He said smiling too.

As they talked, Zuhura came and after greeting us, presented her order to me for approval to have some money to restock the café. Her order was approved and Luke gave her Kshs 10,000. 

“And cook more bajias today, I feel like eating ten of them!” Luke told Zuhura as she went.

“You will get enough of them there.” Zuhura said on her way out.

“Don’t you feel cold walking bare feet?” I asked Letisha noticing she was walking bare footed on office tiles.

“I feel hot today, I am trying to cool off.” Letisha said and to my surprise, she smiled seductively, licked her lips while adjusting her tight skirt on her big hips. Luke who was looking at her seemed totally unmoved by that but it made my heart skip a bit.

I joked along, “Luke, preach to your sister here. She will make us fall into temptations.” 

Luke replied with a smile, “Temptations are there to make us stronger. Don’t run away from temptations, face them and emerge stronger.”

Letisha asked, “Am I tempting anyone? I am just being myself.” She finished that sentence and laughed.

“Ladies love putting men into temptations.” Luke said. Before anyone talked he continued, “But no one can make me fall from my faith.”

“Hmm, Luke, I will try you one day and see if you can resist me.” Letisha teased Luke as I was watching at them. 

I wanted to tell Letisha that Luke was a staunch Christian who cannot fall easily but before I said so, I heard Sally’s office open and I left to see if it was Sally who had gotten into her office from Clinic. 

>>>To be continued>>>

As narrated by Dr. Love.