© Nissi Adeola
Oyinade could not quite believe that her world was falling apart right in her very face. She stared at Ronke as she drank from her cup slowly, hoping that she was just pulling her legs but the facial expression she saw told her that it was definitely a farce. She swallowed hard.
“Please Ronke, don’t do this to me; we are best friends, remember?” she pleaded.
Ronke laughed sarcastically. “Best friends my foot. What do you take me for, uhn? Do you think I am someone you toil with? I watched you take up positions in various places; being offered top positions in every company you enter, you come here and rub it in my face instead of helping me secure a job. Do you think I like warming people’s beds for money? Listen to me and listen well: if you don’t get five million Naira in two weeks, be ready for a shocker”. She stood up already furious.
“Five million Naira? Where am I supposed to get that?” Oyinade yelled, already in tears.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Rob a bank, whatever. You know me girl, don’t take me lightly”. She threatened, refilling her cup.
Oyinade was breathing hard. “You are a betrayer. I hate you” Oyin said quietly.
Ronke nodded. “Not as much as I hate you. Now, get out”
Oyinade stood for a while then made for the door quietly. Ronke’s voice stopped her at the door. “Don’t think I don’t have proof. Two weeks” Ronke said and went into the room. Oyinade closed the door and made for her car. She ought to have arrived office by now.
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Prisca dropped off Patricia at school, leaving her with a loving peck on the cheeks. She had snacks in her lunch bag which she dropped with her teacher – Miss Terri. She went back home to enjoy her day. Part of the advantage of being a boss is the fact that you can decide to stay at home anytime you like. She hadn’t been able to tell Richard and Belina what she had found out yesterday. Belina had been asleep and Richard had been too concerned about Belina to even be concerned about whatever she had found out. She had poured it all out to Tony immediately she arrived home and had played the recording to his hearing. He had been too impressed with her role as the interrogator that he had sent it to his phone to listen to it over and over again. His anger towards Oyinade was not disputed though. He had relayed the story of how Richard had been distraught when he saw the picture sent to him.
Prisca eased into a chair, lemon juice in hand, switching on the plasma to watch some American movies. She would make sure that Oyin girl is put exactly where she belongs. She had said some things which held an element of truth.
When Belina became a member of the family, she had almost become invisible to her parents. Her dad was doing all he could to make up for lost time. He wanted to do everything just to erase the bad things that Belina had to cope with in the hands of Mr. Badmus. He never came back from work without buying something special for her. Prisca had felt neglected but Belina, being wise had always shared everything that was bought for her. She would have resented Belina but the bond between them is far too deep to allow jealousy. Belina had noticed the extra attention she was receiving and had confronted their parents. Belina is the best sister she could have ever had and if she had to choose again, she would choose Belina a thousand times.
She remembered the fact that she would be an aunt in a matter of months and a wide grin was pasted on her face. As for that Oyin girl, she would deal with her personally; her trip to BRH should put that little gold-digger in her place.
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Oyinade sat in her office. She hadn’t done anything serious and most of her time had been spent in her office, thinking of what to do. She felt stupid and foolish. She couldn’t believe she had trusted Ronke enough to get her involved in her every move. She had known that Ronke was jealous of her achievements and of her enormous body but she never knew she was this bitter. Where on earth could she get five million Naira? She has little above one million in her account. Even the two million Naira she had stolen had been squandered. There is this thing about stolen money that seems to fly away the very minute it gets to your hands.
She put her fingers against her temples. She had been expecting Richard to call her as a result of what she had told Miss Prisca Williams but she hadn’t heard anything. Richard came in rather late. He must have been at home taking care of his baby mama. Her jealousy spiraled as she thought about this.
An idea popped into her head. No. she shook her head vigorously. She couldn’t try it. Never. She cleared her mind, removing the evil thought from her mind. She placed her head on the table. She had never been this confused in her life. Her intercom line rang and she jerked up with a start, her heartbeat running wild. She contemplated ignoring it but common sense took over.
“Hello” she said with shaky voice.
The voice of her boss came through the speaker, making her already wild heartbeat somersault. “Miss Oyinade, I want to see you in my office immediately.”
She had dropped the phone without a response but even if she had responded, it wouldn’t have been heard because Richard hung up immediately he finished his statement.
She stood up on shaky legs and went to Richard’s office, leaving her brain blank, expecting the worst.
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I chewed the salty crackers Richard had given me. Richard had pampered me so much that I got tired of it, loved it though. I woke up rather late. Is it part of the signs of pregnancy to sleep too much? If it is, I do not like it. I hate waking up late, no matter how tired I was the previous day. I felt heavy and weak and I wanted to do some exercise even if it is strolling but Richard would not have it. I still felt weak and sick but I explained to him that it was just a minor weakness, of course, he did not listen.
The part of the pampering I really enjoyed was when he bathed me. Silly me, you would say. I am allowed to be silly; I am married for heaven’s sake. You enjoy so many ‘silly things’ when you are married, especially to a very handsome Richard. The bath had graduated into something else and instead of it being a single person bath, it became double. After the love play in the bathroom and in the room afterwards, he had got me some salty crackers from the supermarket which would reduce my nausea, then tried to force me to eat something even though I had no appetite at all.
I had to send him to the hospital forcefully when his pampering was becoming too much, saying that he needed to take care of Kelvin. He didn’t like me mentioning his name but I had done it just to send him to the hospital. When that jealous look had crossed his face, I had smiled and kissed him, telling him that I love him.
I chewed the cracker, very happy that he had actually bought it. It was helping me, although I already missed Richard. I sent him a message, telling him that I would love to have another bath. I smiled to myself as I saw the delivery alert.
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Prisca smiled internally as she sat opposite Richard. She wanted to just blurt everything out but she wanted a little fun. She wanted the downfall of Oyin to be her way of having fun. She had arrived at BRH and had headed straight towards Richard’s office. He would have called Belina but she did not want to stress her at all. She is an expectant mother, she thought with a smile.
She had to wait in the reception for Richard because he was not on seat. Richard met her there and had invited her into the office. They had discussed various issues before she carefully slipped into her main purpose for coming.
“Richard, someone in this hospital has tried to break up my lovely family” she had said.
Richard’s eyes had twitched as he looked at her as if dumbfounded. “What are you talking about? Is there any problem between you and Tony? Who is that person?”
Prisca’s expression had been one of pain. “It is Oyinade. I saw her yesterday. She is trying to destroy a family filled with love. She even has the guts to admit it to my face. I wanted to tell you yesterday but I could not. You were already on your way home.”
Richard had remembered that she was about to say something but had kept quiet. He did not question her again but had called Oyinade immediately. She tried hard to keep in place her facial remorse as she waited patiently for Oyinade to arrive.
Not long after, a call came in through the intercom and Richard said into the mouth-piece, ‘tell her to come in’. She smiled internally.
Oyinade entered and upon sighting Prisca, she shivered. Richard noticed this, he had actually thought that there must have been a mistake but seeing Oyinade’s reactions, he knew that something was fishy. This lady is already having the habit of causing confusion in homes. “Would you explain exactly what I am hearing Miss Adeyanju?” Richard said sternly, having a calm look on his face; an expression that Oyinade had come to term as dangerous.
Oyinade shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “I… don’t understand sir” she breathed very quietly that Richard almost did not hear her.
“You better understand before I lose my cool. Tell me what you did before my sister-in-law repeats herself, leading you into even bigger trouble” Richard dropped, piercing her with his eyes even though she avoided meeting his.
She trembled. “I am sorry sir, I was misled. I was over-ambitious and dying with love that I had to do everything within my power to have you” she said, tears dropping from her eyes.
Richard was now confused; very confused. “What are you talking about?” he asked, looking from a distraught Oyinade to an indifferent Prisca and back.
“I admit everything Mrs. Williams told you but sir, I did everything out of love for you sir. Ever since I saw you on TV, I hadn’t stopped fantasizing about being with you and having you to myself.” She sniffed. Richard just stared wide eyed. “I was the one that sent you the picture of your wife and her ex”
“What?” Richard said before he could stop himself. His anger was now coercing to the surface.
She cried harder. “I only wanted you to love me sir. That is why I wore that skimpy dress to work, so that you would notice me.” She swallowed. “I am so sorry sir… I would never do it again” she said, kneeling down.
Richard just stared at her, not knowing what to do or say. He had expected something like this but not about him and Belina. Prisca had said it in a way that made him think it had to do with she and Tony.
Prisca took out her phone, pressed a few buttons and the conversation between she and Oyin filled the room. When the recording ended, Richard placed his head on his desk. His head was filled with nothing and everything. He could not believe he had such a person in his hospital. He lifted his eyes.
“I would take pity on you because I am not ready for any legal case right now but you know that if I decide to put you behind bars, you would be there for some time. I have the power; but I would not do that. Stand up now and go to your office. You have one hour to pack all your possessions. You are fired.”
Oyin’s head shot up instantly. “No. Please sir, I am sorry. I did what I did out of ignorance. Please” she pleaded.
Richard’s piercing gaze almost blocked air from entering her nostrils. “Remove that tag and hand it over”, he ordered. Oyinade was still for a couple of seconds. She removed the BRH tag bearing her name and placed it on the table. “Now, get out now” the words were a little above a whisper but it was like a scream due to the way he said it. Oyinade stood up, wiped her eyes and left deflated.
Richard picked up his intercom and barked. “Prepare a letter of termination of contract for Miss Adeyanju immediately. She is no longer a staff in BRH”
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Oyin made for her office like a robot. Her brain was blank. No thought came. She picked up the few things she had in her office – her photo frame, her Ipad, her bag and some other minute things and moved out of the hospital. Curious stares greeted her as she left but she did not pay them any heed. The only thing that came to her head was, ‘where am I going to get five million Naira?”
