The One I Hated Episode 4 – Joy Ifunanya
After our business trip was cancelled. Dad was furious.
I had never seen him as angry as he was that night.
I tried as much as I can to explain everything that happened to him, but he still think the fault was mine.
“You should learn how to control your ego”. He cautioned.
That night, I went to bed sad. Why would my own father be taking sides with a stranger over his daughter?…his only child, for that matter.
I clutched mom’s picture to my bossom. God rest her soul, she would had been the only one to understand me. I cried.
At the end, I came to a conclusion that I was going to give Charles two days suspension for causing problem between myself and my dad.
But I didn’t know the shock that awaited me until I walked into the hall on Monday morning and while everyone stood, I noticed that, in place of Charles was another….a lady, standing at attention.
She wasn’t actually a stranger, her name was Emily, another of our branch manager. But she was supposed to be in the other branch…
Helena ran out to collect my bags.
“Where is Charles?”. I whispered.
She moved back a bit to take a second look at me before she answered.
“We haven’t seen him this morning”.
I dismissed her with a wave of the hand and a fake smile.
I walked passed Emily and went into my office.
I’m not understanding anything again, what is Emily doing here and where has Charles gone to?. I thought. I couldn’t bring myself down to ask her the question for fear she might think I am incompetent.
That day, I lacked concentration at work and had to leave few hours before closing time.
Dad was in the living room, watching television when I entered.
“Dad, where have you taken Charles to?”. I asked, not bothering to greet.
“Oh! you’re back…he tapped the screen on his phone beside him.
… why are you back so early today?”. He demanded.
“Because I want to know where you have taken Charles to”.
He sat up from his couch.
‘Does it really matter to you where he is?, the most important thing is that I have ridden you of him and you have Emily there to assist you”. He said.
But I still maintained he tells me where he has taken him to.
“Well, if you must know, he has replaced Emily in the other branch… before you two will burn down my company”. He said.
I couldn’t believe my hearing. Why would dad do a thing like that?
“But, dad, you shouldn’t have done that”. I said, surprised at my outburst.
He looked as surprised as I was.
“I expected you to be happy, Melody”.
” No…I am not…I mean, I am.. happy… but you should have informed me earlier”. I stammered.
He shook his head as I picked my hand bag and left for my room.
What exactly is wrong with me?. I never liked Charles, he is gone now and I’m still not happy. What do I really want?. I wondered.
The rest of the week was tough for me. I made a lot of mistakes at work, giving Helena additional tasks of going through my works and making corrections to them.
On Sunday night, I developed fever and was placed on a bed rest.
After work on Monday, some of the staff came to see me . Some others came the next day, also the staff from the other branch.
“Dad, could you believe Charles hasn’t come to see me?”. I asked as soon as dad came into the room on Wednesday evening.
He appeared puzzled by the question.
“Is that supposed to be an issue too?”. He asked
I tried to sit upright but the drip on my hand wouldn’t let me move.
“Dad, why do you always take sides with that guy…every other employees have been here, why shouldn’t he? or is it that he hasn’t heard that I’m sick or what?”.
Dad shook his head
“You’re impossible, Melody. You don’t like Charles, and I have taken him very far away from you, yet, you’re still complaining… do you want that young man to kill himself for you?”. With that, he left.
I don’t understand why dad is making it look like I don’t know what I’m saying. That guy is supposed to come see me here, every other staff have done that…or is that also too much to ask?….
