Gennie
Emily was picking out the designs for her wedding reception, I helped her pick the latest decorations from the plethora of samples her event planner had sent her.
A photo caught my attention, the photo of a couple an African woman and American man smiling into each other's face. I stopped and stared at the photo, trying not to look so obvious to Emily.
Was this ever going to be possible between Wesley and me? For sure Wesley would never want to settle anymore with anyone let alone an African girl.
My eyes lingered on the photo as I imagined how they met, was it during a vacation or a business trip, or did they meet online?
"I know what you're thinking!"
I jumped, looking at Emily, I quickly shuffled to the next photo.
"What are you talking about?" I blinked repeatedly.
"Would you marry him if he asked?" Emily asked, searching my face for an answer.
"Marry who? Ask what? You're sick!" I feigned ignorance, putting the pictures down as I walked to my ringing phone. Emily only shook her head.
"Hello! Felicia!" I said as I answered the call.
"Gennie!"
"Yeah what's up? You're not the type that calls after working hours so why are you calling?"
"I just thought I should let you know since we're close, I don't want it to come to you as a shock!" Her voice wavered.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, curiously.
"Harold.." she started.
"Harold? What about him?"
"Taye, the new personnel manager, the one I said likes me, told me Harold asked him to write your sack letter, he's to give you by tomorrow!"
My heart stopped beating. Harold did what?
"Sack letter? Why?"
"According to Taye, he said Harold is blaming you for making the company lose the last contract, that you should've made the wiring system bolder on the blueprints!"
"Felicia, I did just exactly as he told me!" I almost yelled into the phone, Emily was now by my side, staring.
"I know and that wasn't the real reason why we weren't listed for the contract, our designs just didn't measure up to the other companies! I know what being fired could do to your resumè so I thought I could give you a heads up so you could maybe turn in a resignation letter instead of being fired!"
"Thanks, Felicia! Harold is sick, who does he think he is to fire me just like that, over something that wasn't my fault!" I snapped angrily.
"I'll go now, I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Okay, thank you very much!" I was grateful for the information.
"And, about the information, could you not let him know I told you? It could affect both Taye's and my work!" She said frightfully.
"I won't, I promise!"
"Thank you!" She went off.
"He's a dick, a toddler's own at that!" Emily who heard everything spat.
I dropped to a seat, my head buried in my hand, I wasn't about to cry no! Emily sat next to me, putting her arms around me.
"Remember you said you were going to quit your job to allow you more time for yourself and the baby?" She said blandly, seeing my teary eyes.
"This is so soon, if I quit I need to vacate the apartment and I haven't found any house yet."
"You could move in with me, after all, I'll be married in a few weeks, then when the rent expires you could renew it and make it your apartment!" Emily suggested. It sounded like a good idea.
"When is your rent expiring?" I asked, looking up from my palms.
"Mid August!"
"That's some months from now."
"I know, Daniel is planning on buying us a house, so after our wedding, I'll move out!"
"I don't want to consume your space!" I said on second thoughts.
"You won't, I'll be more than happy to have you in my apartment! So?"
"I'll think about it!"
"What's there to think! Let me make dinner, while you think the think!" She laughed, I rolled my eyes.
I was ready for work the next morning, Daniel had picked Emily up last night and there was no one to make breakfast, maybe I'll grab something on my way there or maybe on my way back from the office since I won't be staying until nine. I sighed.
Never had I discussed quitting my job with my mom, it was better I now had a perfect reason to quit. After I give birth to Purity, I'd find another work. With my resumé, it wouldn't be hard to, I was already tired of that office, to hell with them.
I wondered what I'd tell Wesley, about his offer to help, I wasn't going to decline and wasn't going to push him to it, whatever he'd give me was more than enough, Purity had the right to his dad's money. Speaking of Purity, today was my checkup.
When I arrived at the office, I acted normal like nothing was wrong. I stuffed my resignation letter in my handbag, waiting for the slightest sign to whip it out.
I saw Harold through the glass wall, he walked into the small office I shared with Felicia, Felicia wasn't on seat but was at work.
The door closed, I knew he was inside by now. My eyes were still focused on the system.
"What happened to the wiring instructions I gave you?" He asked I looked up.
That was a perfect sign Felicia was telling the truth, that was the perfect sign he was steering towards that angle.
"What wirings?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"Gennie don't play dumb with me, we lost hundreds of millions of Naira because of you!" He yelled the latter to my face.
"Because of me? Harold when would you grow up? When would you stop blaming other people for your failures? The wirings were just as you instructed, you confirmed it before the presentation last week, the entire team approved it, so what are you saying now? Why don't you deal with yourself that your designs couldn't beat the other companies!" I yelled as well. It was a good thing the glass wall had soundproofed our voices.
"So you really can run your mouth! You think work is all about putting on fancy dresses,getting the male employees to stare and getting flowers like you're a beauty queen.."
"Is that what your problem is?" The realization hit me. Harold was jealous.
So that was his problem with me, my sudden change of looks and the flowers on Valentine's day two! This is the face I wanted him to be in.
"No, I don't have any problems with that, the only problem I have in this office is you, and I'm solving it right now, you're fired!"
I laughed, he gaped at me, he was shocked at how I was very comfortable with the news.
"Harold, I wonder who gave you a company to manage, you're incompetent, firing an employee because of your personal issues, shame on you! You're the worst case of a man. You can't fire me because I quit!"
He grabbed my arm, his face burning with rage, as his eyes snagged mine, his face softened, his rage seemed to dissolved as a sandcastle washed on the shore.
"You can have back your job, just one-night baby and you have back your job!"
"I rather get lain by a frog!"
A frog? Where did that come from, yikes! But yeah, a frog ten more times than Harold! I jerked off my arm.
"You and your stupid pride, your pride would go off the minutes you're in debts, you'll definitely come running back to me for sure!"
"Trust me, that would be the very last option! Excuse me!" I smirked and the expression on his face was one to be remembered.
I took my resignation letter and headed towards Taye's office with the full assurance I was doing the right thing.
~