Tisha's POV
If we thought getting a job in Lagos was peanuts, then we were so mistaken.
She went out everyday with high hopes only to trudge back in with low morale.
How she gets positive energy each day, that's beyond my comprehension.
H
er bank account was fast dwindling as her parents overseas refused to send her allowance anymore after she turned down their request on several occasions to come over and join them in the family business there.
I didn't allow her to tell them about what was happening because I didn't want their pity.
So all she told them was she wanted to find her feet on her own without their interference.
I had tried talking to her to make her see reasons why she should take up the offer and shouldn't worry about me but the coconut head of a lady refused to budge.
She'd leave the house with,"I'm so gonna rip their minds out for this interview!"
Then she'd come back with,"I hate job hunting."
Me?
All I did was knit day in day out.
I managed to convince her to let me work from home as I could build websites and mobile apps, design UI and UX, and the likes.
She only agreed after I promised not to sit in a place for too long due to the nature of the job.
I hooked up some contacts and got to work.
I honestly didn't know why she'd struggle for a white collar job when she could make her money from home.
She was a freaking genius.
Forget the craziness and every thing.
"I just wanna have a office to go. Is that too much to ask?", she mumbled after she arrived home.
"Na you know wetin you dey find up and down."
"You know wetin dey pain me so? They'd seem impressed like madly impressed during the interview then 80% of 'em would ask me if I'd come to work with my hijab on. The moment I nod in the affirmative, they'd change countenance and tell me they'll get back to me."
She sat up.
"15 tech companies Tish. F-i-f-t-e-e-n. Are they all stupid to refer to my hijab as a hindrance in getting a job??? No it's not a question. They need to upgrade the operating systems of their brains."
I sighed,"Just let it go Aq. You can get a remote job and save yourself this stress please."
"No. If every Muslim woman turns her back on her dreams just because her hijab is considered a hindrance in that aspect then we wouldn't have Muslimahs with self confidence and high esteem any longer. You know what?? I'm getting that job tomorrow."
"What are you going to do this time woman? Please don't pour coffee on the receptionist's head like you did last time just because she told you your hijab would never get you anywhere. Or deface their wall with markers stating end hijabophobia. Or tamper with their elevator settings as soon as you realized one of the directors was with you in the elevator. Or...", she cut me off.
"You know those companies annoyed the crap out of me. Anyway, I'm getting my job tomorrow."
"You'll get it or you'll cause more drama?"
She hissed.
"Leave me abeg."
She knelt down to my tummy and placed her palm on it.
"Salaam lil rose. You doing great in there right? Alhamdulillah. Piece of advice. Don't take after your mother's cowardice. Be more like your aunt right here. Daring and dashing. Crazy and sweet."
"Stop teaching my kid violence Aq."
She'd do this every night.
Talking to my tummy and telling my baby how her day went. The drama she caused and how she felt while causing them.
"An aunt's got to do what an aunt's got to do",she grinned.
"Idiot."
Aqsa's POV
I walked into Faiz Co. with my head held up high, determined to see the CEO.
After the receptionist on the ground floor directed me to his office, I took the elevator up.
I found a young beautiful woman sitting behind a desk and a door that had "CEO'S OFFICE" boldly written on it behind her.
"Good morning ma'am. How may I help you?", she asked crisply.
"Um good morning I'd like to see the CEO please."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No", I shook my head.
"Then I'm sorry you can't see him."
"I'm here regarding the vacancy for a Software Engineer please."
She looked at me scrutinizingly from head to toe like I wasn't human enough.
This lady is playing with fire.
No one looks down on me. No one.
"The job has been taken", her countenance changed. That was a lie.
"You can go now", she dismissed.
I was interviewed for the job two weeks back and I could swear the CEO was ready to employ me there and then. But the board of directors insisted they would get back to me after they concluded.
That was why I was here. If the boss wanted me to get the job then who were they to deny me of it?
"What are you still waiting for?", she asked coldly.
"To see the boss", I replied with a straight face, not moving my body.
"Are you deaf or something? I said you can't see him so get your unnecessarily covered body out of here."
Did she just....?!!
Did she just insult my manner of dressing??!
"I'm sorry could you repeat that?"
"I said you should get out. We don't need the likes of you here. You Muslims think you could just walk in anywhere and get what everybody else gets."
Any sense of reason I had in me flew out the window.
I unbuttoned the sleeves of my shirt and rolled it up to my elbows and gripped the table before leaning in really close to her face.
"You don't need the likes of me here or YOU hate to see the likes of me in good positions? Tell me. Why'd y'all folks hate Islam this much?? A Muslim owns this multi billionaire company. A Muslim employed you. He took you out from the throng of jobless people out there on the streets and gave you this job. How many men out there would give a pretty lady like you a job without requesting for anything huh? An unnecessarily covered woman gave birth to him. You know what you are? An ungrateful ingrate. A damning excuse of what a woman should be. An_", she cut me off as she stood up abruptly.
"That's enough! I won't have you insulting me in my territory. Get out this instant."
I clipped my hands on her shoulders and pulled her back down to her seat forcefully.
"It's not enough until I say so", I sneered.
"I'll call the security if you don't leave now", she threatened with evident fear in her voice.
I chuckled humourlessly.
"Sweetheart. Other companies got me out in police vans. So if you know what's good for your security guards, I'd say you shut up and listen."
She widened her eyes.
"That's what you Muslims are. Terrorists. Causing fear in the hearts of people."
My grip tightened.
"My name is Aqsa and I AM NOT a terrorist. Blame me, not my religion. Now you'll be a good girl for momma, pick up that landline now and put a call across to your boss."
She glared,"Or else what?"
"Or else I'd demonstrate what a terrorist really is."
"You're sick", she spat.
"Been called worse darling."
"Do your worst. Then go back to the gutters where you belong. Your parents surely didn't raise you well. Coming into an office and making threats. Just who the hell do you think you are??"
Calm down Aq....calm down....
"Oh you think I'll fear you abi? Listen good, you are not seeing the boss unless you take that rag off your head."
I snapped.
That's it!
I slapped her hard across the face while my other hand yanked out my phone from my pockets.
"What's going on here", a voice demanded.
We looked up to find the CEO staring in confusion.
He stared at me,"Do I know you from somewhere?"
I released my grip on the now red-faced woman and stomped over to the man before thrusting my phone in his face and screamed, "You see that woman right there??? That's my cousin. Ever met someone who had a death wish before? Well here's one for you. See her eyes? See the sad story it entails? See her stomach? See the bump there? Every day Mr Faiz! Every damn day I get thrown out of companies after being denied a job just because of my Hijab. But I keep going back. I keep searching for a company that'll employ me for who I am. I'd make a scene over and over again to make my voice heard. To get someone to employ me. You know why? Because this woman is dying and she doesn't even know it. I could take up a remote job and work from home but how do I raise 30 freaking million naira in less than a month on my own??! Tell me! How do I save the life of my best friend and cousin?!!"
His eyes flashed something between hurt and sadness before he masked it with soberness.
"Calm down miss. You're the one who applied for the job of a Software Engineer right? I thought my secretary told me the board of directors informed her to tell me you said you were no longer interested??", he looked over at the woman who in turn suddenly found the floor interesting.
So that's what happened.
Oh well I had seen the boss alright.
I snatched up my bag and made to leave before I pounced on the lady.
I was almost at the elevator when his voice stopped me,"What's her name?"
I turned to face him,"Durriyah. But she goes by the name Tisha", I whispered.
.......
Sheeesh🥺
Who expected this😭😭
Aqsa knows something about Tee's actual identity and she's not telling 🥲
I await your comments!😫😫😫