The Lives We Lived

43: Duplicates

Kemi slipped her feet into her wine pumps and picked up her bag. She was done for the day. Her car keys jingled as she rose to her feet, turning to IJ out of habit. Ijeoma's fingers flew over the keyboard in rapid taps. Pity danced across Kemi's face.

"IJ, I'm ready to go."

Ijeoma did not remove her eyes from the computer. "I'm not coming with you."

"This is the last day. He told me he will get his car back tomorrow." Kemi said.

"Until tomorrow then. Besides, I have to finish this before I leave."

Ijeoma's unfinished snacks lay beside the keyboard. After their argument at lunch, she had brought back the remnant of Ijeoma's lunch. It sat the same way she had dropped it.

"Are you still mad about this afternoon? I was being truthful. Now, you're working overtime, soon you'd be home cleaning and cooking. No doubt Ifeanyi would want you to help with his business" Kemi propped her hand against her waist.

Ijeoma typed as though Kemi had said nothing.

Kemi walked to her car where Jude leaned against her slick red coloured Jeep, gazing at the floor with his arms folded.

"You're early," She said.

"Yeah." He smiled at her.

His smile faltered a bit as he looked past her shoulder. Kemi turned. There was nothing significant behind her. Nothing significant seemed to happen behind her back. She caught a longing look on his face.

"So she isn't coming with us today?"

"She says she has work to finish."

Kemi unlocked the car with her key as he opened the passenger door. They sat in the car before she turned on the engine. Her fingers reached for the seat belt. She stretched it across her chest and let the metal pin hover over the buckle.

Jude say, "I heard...I heard that she..I heard she got a promotion."

"Wow, Kehinde is really spreading the good news." Kemi couldn't bite back the sarcasm. Why did Kehinde not work for the publicity department?

"It would have been announced sooner or later." Jude toyed with the straps of his laptop bag. "How does she...What does she think about the job?"

Kemi would have stared at Jude' face if she could risk getting her eyes off the road. The potholes could take her by surprise and she did not want to be surprised. But she was- by Jude's interest in Ijeoma's promotion.

"I don't know. She isn't wowed by it. I guess she is trying to get used to the idea."

Ijeoma could still change her mind. Ij's family needed the advance. Her friend would turn down the job for another reason.

"Oh well..er..send her my..erm.... congratulatory message. "Jude let his bag rest on his laps.

Kemi nodded. Why exactly did Ijeoma despise Jude so much? She would love to pry deeper but she had made it her personal policy to resist office drama. Even though Kehinde made that policy almost useless.

"She doesn't really hate you, you know. You could walk up to her and tell her congratulations." Kemi drove the car to the long corner that led to the main road.

"I'm very sure she hates me."

"Why? It's not like you've done anything to her, except frustrate her during our weekly meetings. Right?"

"Er no. Not exactly."

In all the times she had been with him, she had seen him exude almost regal confidence. Where did all the stuttering come from?