The call was from Beeba. She needed to see him urgently in her office. He did not ask what it was. He boarded a cab and went there immediately.
He was directed to her new office and he knew at once she had really stepped up.
“ I am sorry for the emergency call.”
“It is cool to be out of the house.”
“Please sit down.”
He sat down.
“I have a problem.”
Mangal gave her that look of you-have-got-my-attention.
“I have been assigned to supervise our importation schedule for the next three months. It is a very hectic job but the allowance is big. Besides, I do not have a choice….”she went on to explain the details of how the job is to be carried out. Mangal wondered at the back of his mind why she was telling him this. “But the problem is this…..it is not here in kano. Our head office is in Port- Harcourt
but this assignment is going to take place in Lagos.”
“Whoa.”
“I told my husband about it. I am a married woman and going to spend three months in Lagos is just not okay with me.”
“I understand.”
“I wish he could come with me but he also has a job. Even though things are not too rosy for him but it keeps us going. I am sorry to say this but I do support the family a lot because he owes a bank and he lost some goods. That means he cannot come with me.
Even if he could come with me, what about the kids? It’s not like I am being transferred from here so the kids cannot go with me to start a new school just for three months. I am really confused.
So I thought of something. I don’t know if you will be able to assist me.”
“Go on, Please.”
“I will only stay for a week and you help me out. I talked to my superior. All he wants is to get the job done. I will be coming within intervals to sign some documents and see how things are moving.
The company will pay for my accommodation in a hotel. That means you will stay there. When I come, I will have to pay for where I will lodge from my pocket. That
Means I will not like to be staying long. These are expensive hotels. I will also pay you of course. I am offering you one two hundred thousand a month.
That is not much for an oil company but that is from my allowance and you must understand that I also need money.”
He nodded.
“I will give you time to think about it.”
He grinned.
“Firstly, you know I will always help you out.”
“I know right. You have always done that.”
“Secondly, I am jobless so this is an opportunity to have a job for three months.”
“Yes, and who knows if you will get a job here?”
“I pray so. I am in. The hotel bill, will you be given the money to pay or they will pay directly?”
“Why do you ask?”
“If they are giving you the money, just give it to me so I can get a cheaper hotel and keep the change.”
She laughed.
“No, Mangal. They would just provide accommodation. They won’t give me the money.”
He smiled. “I grab.”
That was how the journey to Lagos started. One week later, they were in Lagos.
The hotel was a five star hotel. This company was nothing compared to the plastic company. Room 107 was reserved for her. Mangal took it while she lodged into another room which was just three doors from Room 107. They settled in and she began to brief him in details.
The next day, he accompanied her to the Lagos Office where she reported officially. She introduced Mangal to the branch manager who had been briefed by her boss.
She signed the necessary papers and they went back to the hotel. The next day, the job started and she was there to see the kick-off.
She knew Mangal was capable and reliable.
“This is one hundred and twenty thousand naira thousand naira.” She had given Mangal that night. “The management gives feeding allowance. I think you should have it. I am not saying that is all they gave me.”
He giggled.
“You don’t have to go there. I am already thinking of mama-put. I guess they expect you to be eating here.” He knew one thousand five hundred was going to take care of his daily feeding. That meant he could save two thousand and five hundred naira daily. He had to remind himself that this was not a permanent job.
He would save as much as he could so he would be able to establish a small business before he got a job. Though the capital was little, but a barbershop would keep him breathing and avoid Maman Gambo’s grumbles.
She left the next day. She said she was missing her husband and children.
Mangal was glad to have something doing for a while. He kept himself busy with the job but deep down, he knew he was so lonely. Having lost his mother, fiancée and job, life became an inferno to him.
Beeba came back for the end of month report. She was glad to see how successful he was at the job.
“I just want to thank you for your diligence. I am not astonished though. I know I can always rely on you.”
“Thank you.”
“There are some changes this month. Our concentration is going to be on South-West…….” She began to brief him. She wanted to leave on the third day so she had to make sure she let him have all the information.
This made her stay late in his room and at a point, she fell asleep.
Mangal felt very uncomfortable. He did not know how to wake her up so he simply left and went into her room and slept there.
She felt embarrassed the next day when she saw herself in his room. How could she have fallen asleep in his room?
She felt embarrassed the next day when she saw herself in his room. How could she have fallen asleep there?
She went back to her room to have her bath, breakfast before they left for work.
She paid him his first salary and he did not waste time in paying depositing it in his account.
In the night, after dinner and rest, they resumed work. This time, they chose to use the lobby of the hotel. They kept working until a few minutes after 11:00PM. They were both tired and decided to call it a day.
They went upstairs and to their various rooms.
Mangal pulled his clothes and was left only in his boxers. He dropped on the bed, tired and he felt the loneliness come back.
He had to move on. His mother was dead, that was a pain that would never leave but what she needed most was prayers. He had accepted that but he had not gotten over his breakup with Hauwa. She broke up with him just a few days after his mother’s death.
He had hopes she was going to be there for him. He had built his life around her and she just left like that.
He closed his eyes, lay still while his hands crossed over his stout chest.
He got up, moved to the refrigerator and poured himself a cup of water. It was while he was drinking he heard a knock at the door.
“I am sorry to bother you.” He heard Beeba say. “The Calabar dispatch code is 768 and not 786. I just saw the message.”
He opened the door without thinking.
They all stood still for a fraction of second.
“You- you are not dressed.” She said, feeling embarrassed.
“Oh my God!” He exclaimed and ran back to wear a T-shirt. “Wallahi I was absentminded.”
“I know.” She went in after he wore the T-shirt. “That means we have change all the dispatch points and that is a hell of a work. I promised Abu Haneef that I would be on the first flight tomorrow morning. I am sorry about this. I know you are tired.”
He was tired indeed.
“It’s okay.” He said thinking about the money he just deposited.
He brought out the laptop she had given him and they began to make corrections. The laptop was on the table, while he sat on the chair.
She was standing behind him with a distribution schedule paper telling him where to change.
“Mangal.” She called. “There is something going on with you. It’s not just about being tired. Your mum?”
He forced a smile.
“I have accepted that. I am good.”
“I talked to the manager. He said they may give you a chance of a casual worker and then try to confirm you since they can’t employ you fully now.”
That was great. He never hoped to be a casual worker but that was better than being jobless and a casual worker in an oil company may not be doing badly.
“Thank you. I really appreciate you. You are like a sister I never had.”
Immediately he said that, she saw the weakness him. His eyes glistened, and a dull ray showed emptiness and helplessness.
He was like a drowning child calling out for help. He was like a naked child outside during winter in need of clothes and shelter.
She saw someone in need. Someone who had being there for her.
Mangal felt her hand on his shoulder. At first it was shock and fear.
“I will be there for you.”
His hand moved and touched hers. He did not know what to do next. Shove it off? Yes, that was what he ought to do.
Beeba was befuddled. Why did she touch his shoulder? Why was her hand still under his? What was wrong with her?
Stillness.
Silence.
“Thank you.” He whispered. This was wrong but he could not let her go. He felt her breath closer. She was now resting her head on his shoulder.
He began to shiver. A part of him told him it was fear, another part said it was cold, and another said it was need.
He turned abruptly and pulled her to himself and she sagged on his laps.
She had to stop! What was wrong? She wanted to get up, force herself up but she could not.
She wound her hands around him and their lips met.
Damn!
Beneath the senses of judgement was that sweetness that blurred the mind. All she began to feel was the sweetness of his touch and kiss.
As they moved to the bed, she knew she was lost. It happened. Something she had never dreamt of doing. It took no time before their clothes were on the floor. The unthinkable happened.
************
Mangal could not believe what he just did. Did he just sleep with a married woman? Was this real? Was this not what use to disgust them when Bala mentioned it. They thought they could never do it. It never even crossed their mind.
How did this happen? His loneliness, dejection, or what? There was never a justifiable reason to sleep with a married woman. No reason was acceptable and he knew that.
No! This did not happen. It was just a nightmare. He felt like a beast. A worthless fellow. A devil. A condemned soul. That was it?
He burst into tears, dropped on the bathroom floor and cried like a child. He had cheated himself, her husband, his religion, and marital status. What punishment did he deserve? Should he go and report himself? What? He was just a weak bastard.
Beeba was going through the same feelings in her room. She had ran out of the room after it was over. She had felt it was just a nightmare like Mangal did.
She felt like a the most horrible woman on earth . She could swear she had never planned this, or
thought of it. Why?
They crossed the line. She took him as just a colleague and forgot that Islam had put a barrier between a man and a woman.
The time they spent in the jungle was inevitable and was not deliberate. For the fact that they were together and nothing happened, she thought nothing will ever happen.
It was wrong to be in a seclusion with a man that was a non-muharam. Work or no work!
If Bala knew what just happened, he would swear that it had been happening for long and he was right about them. No! Even after what happened, he was wrong. The devil just got into them this night.
She was crying, soaked in water, washing her body as if she could wash everything away. How was she going to face Isa? Would it not be written on her face? Should she confess to him? What would she tell him? He trusted her. She trusted herself but she betrayed him and herself.
There was a limit between the relationship between a man and a girl.
She was doomed! What next?
***************
I don’t know even know what to say. Okay, guys have different perspective over this but speaking for myself, I will never feel comfortable when my fiancée post a guy’s picture and tag him BFF, I love you, my best friend, my, my, my…..I guess I will look like Grumpy at that time. The only guy I feel okay when you that with is your BIOLOGICAL brother. Irin uba daya ko uwa daya but not even a cousin.
Cousins! Cousins could be dangerous. His father and her father would just finish the discussion inside the living-room and you are pushed aside. Lol.
But on a serious note, it is imperative we know that we are weak in nature. Sometimes we don’t plan to do bad things but we end up doing it. We should always mark that line.
If I don’t feel comfortable with my fiancée getting too close to a guy, then what about my wife? Isa, you trusted your wife; that is cool but you should have set a limit.
Mangal, talking about going to confess is balderdash. I have heard that since I was a kid. They said you should get a sword, go to the husband and give it to him before you confess. Where did you get that hadith or aya from?
If you were caught, like islamically and ‘sharially’ (four people saw the real thing happening), then you will be flogged ( and jailed) while she would be stoned to death. But since no one saw you, just hush, seek for forgiveness and repent.
It is not allowed to expose yourself after you commit a sin. There are boys who would fornicate with a girl and boast about it. Tab! They are proud of what they did. Allah ya shirye mu, ya qare mu.
After all that I have said, I saw it and I am going straight to Kano to tell Alhaji Isa. But I am sure that before I get to him, about six girls would have called him, and three would be there before me because when it comes to gossip, girls are………..
Thank you very much