“Since you’re in HR, do you think there is anything else we can do to ensure that politics never enter and people are justly rewarded? I would love to have something that can weed out prejudices and politics if they ever creep in.”
She is asking my professional input. Wow! Ika took her hand off Ree a little shy. She stretched her arm, lay her head on it and bit her lip debating whether she should say it or not. It is Ree…you can tell her. “Actually, yeah…I’ve been working on this tool in my head…a kind of a 360 degree appraisal but not an annual system. We take feedback randomly plus at the start, during and at the end of each project. We also take continual feedback about managers by having one question pop-up each day for each person to answer. At the backend we collate and average the scores. We ask feedback on parameters based on attitude, skills and knowledge, put in weighted percentages for different roles and get a systematic, continuous feedback of each person. The way I’ve designed it, it will help highlight any favouritism or prejudice plus give us an eagle’s eye view of how each department is doing and also help succession planning. We can use the information to further create individual training paths so that those who are not up to speed can be brought up and those who seem to be ready for the next level can be trained for it.”
“Really baby? You’ve worked out something like that? Sounds awesome…have you spoken to anyone about it?” Ree’s turned her head to her, eyes shining with excitement.
“I’ve spoken to you,” in a small voice.
“You mean to tell me that you’ve not told about this to anyone in HR? Why? Are new ideas not sought out in your department?” Ree turned fully towards her.
“I’m too junior…I didn’t feel confident enough to talk about it,” still in the small, uncertain voice.
“Ika, this sounds fantastic. Can you send me the details? Or can you show me the details when we get to New York? We can work on this together and see how to implement it…I’d never even thought of being able to do something that can show favouritism as well as prejudices and make it an effective method of nipping politics in the bud. Fairness, transparency and nurturing…it is a fricking brilliant idea. In fact, we can probably even productize it!” Ree sounded super-excited.
Ika looked at Ree. Moved beyond words at her response. Relieved that Ree didn’t just see her as a very young girl to be indulged in. Ree was seeing her as an intelligent professional and an equal. Ree never patronized her…never was condescending towards her in their personal interactions, but this was the first time they spoke of anything work related…and Ree was giving her idea the same respect and attention that she’d probably give someone with twenty years more experience. She wasn’t just eye-candy or arm-candy to Ree. In fact, she asked for her input.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice cracking under the weight of many, many emotions.
“Baby, I’d told you I think you’re very intelligent,” Ree wrapped her arms around Ika, “Did you think that was only lip-service?”
Lip-service…I can answer this in fifty-eight different ways...she couldn’t contain a mischievous smile.
“What?” Ree asked, confused.
“Lip-service?!!?!! Reeealllly, Ree? You want me to answer that!?!?!?” Ika giggled.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, girl…you’ve just spoken some amazing ideas about work,” Ree smiled back.
“I thought that you meant that you can have a conversation with me without getting bored,” Ika confessed, sobering.
“There’s that…but no…not only do I not get bored, but I don’t think I’ve enjoyed talking to someone as much as I enjoy talking to you which is a far cry from “not getting bored”. But I also think you are highly intelligent with a lot of depth. I respect you, Ika,” sincerely.
Totally lost for words, Ika just burrowed into Ree.
“And...okay,” Ree lay back on her back and put her arm over her eyes, the other arm wrapped around Ika.
“’Okay’?”
“I don’t know how I’ll do it, but if you think that it is important that I should speech at the team, I will.”
“Ree, this is disconcerting for me...you’re saying okay just because I want you to?” Ika turned sideways and rested her head on a folded elbow so that she could look at Ree.
“I’m saying okay because of the reasons you want me to, baby. You’re a part of Translink and if you think it will help if I am more visible, I accept that.” Ree took her arm off from her eyes and drew Ika’s free hand to hold it over her heart. “You are one person who has no ulterior motive in asking me to do something. My family saying this would be criticism. Others saying it could be to gain some sort of brownie points. You saying it, is only for me. I trust you…and I know you’ll never steer me wrong. If I make an ass of myself, it will be because of me, not because your heart was in the wrong place.” Ree looked at her sincerely and just like that, there were a million threads that tied them tighter together. “Ika, you are my safe place in this world.”
Again… God! The things you say to me! How often are you going to leave me breathless and speechless with the expanse of your love and trust? “Thank you,” Ika choked, bending down to kiss Ree. A most tender and emotional exchange.
Trust and talking…the two most important pillars of building and keeping a good relationship…they had got that right…and it had happened completely naturally….a blessing!
Ree’s hand glided over her waist raising goosebumps.
…and, of course, fantastic, mindblowing sex...God! The things you do to me…the things you make me feel…
***************************************************************
It was longer than the half hour that Ika had planned before she left Ree to go to her room. In a slow, gentle way, that had driven her insane, they had confirmed that Ika wasn’t sore enough to abstain any more. Good Lord, I can barely tear myself from this woman, Ika grinned.
Somehow, after the emotional intensity of the previous day, their relationship seemed to just have got much deeper. There was a sense of stability in addition to the whole madness and urgency. It was a wonderful feeling. Forever…a little shiver of ecstasy ran through Ika.
A thought occurred to her and she whipped out her phone.
“Miss me already,” Ree’s voice caressed her over the phone.
“Always,” Ika laughed. “I just realised that I don’t know where you are based. So where in the world do you stay?”
“I’m in the process of shifting.”
“Where are you shifting to?”
“New York…I’ll be shifting in two weeks.”
Ika stopped in her tracks. She stopped breathing. Is this true? She is moving to be with me? Can it all be so easy? Yes, it can…when someone is determined to make it work, it can be so easy. Tears sprang into her eyes and her heart took flight.
She turned around and ran back to Ree’s room. When she threw the door open she saw Ree standing near the French window, back to the door, asking into the phone, “Are you there?”
“I’m here,” she said.
Ree turned and Ika launched herself into Ree’s arms, wrapping her arms and legs around her, burying her face into Ree’s neck.
“You’d really do that, Ree?” she spoke around a huge lump in her throat, eyes filling, but sparkling at the same time.
“I told you…I at least want to be in the same city as you, baby.”
“Ree!” Ika was so choked and overwhelmed that she had no words.
“I love you, Ika…and I really, really want forever with you…and I’m going to do everything possible to make that happen,” Ree kissed Ika’s head, almost reverentially. Ika had never felt so loved…so cherished…so wanted…so everything...ever.
***************************************************************
“Don’t tell…,” Gigi said dramatically when Ika returned to her room, “…you’ve got married!”
Ika gave her a bear hug and went to the cupboard.
“Ika, you
’re glowing, you’re weepy and I can literally see stars in your eyes,” Gigi followed her around. “Spill.”
“I don’t know what to say, Giga.”
“For starters…who is he?”
“He is she.”
“Shut up!! I didn’t see that coming. I’ve only ever seen you with guys.”
“True.”
“So are you gay? Or bi?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ika, you’re not making sense.”
“I know, right? Okay…I just know that I’m in love…”
“Understatement!” scoff.
“That’s true…but there are no words in the lexicon to express what I feel…so, it will have to do.”
“Okay….you’re in love with a woman?”
“Yes.”
“And you find women attractive.”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know…all I know is that this is my person…and I am hers.” Am I ever!
“Soulmate?”
“At the least.”
“Who is it, Iké? I know there are fifty percent or more women here.”
“I can’t tell you, Gig.”
“Why? You’re such a catch! She’s scared? You know our organisation is cool with alternative sexuality…but if she wants to hide you, you might want to rethink,” Gigi’s loyalty flared as she got angry on Ika’s behalf.
“Gig…chill…this is my decision.”
“Why would you want to hide her?”
“I can’t tell you,” Ika said a tad helplessly, “but she left it entirely up to me. And I want to keep it quiet for now.”
“You know, you can tell me. I won’t announce it,” miffed.
“I know I can…and I will…just not right now,” Ika smiled winsomely.
“You’re happy, right?”
“Like I never thought was possible.”
“Uuuk…there you go doing that glowy thing again…go be this happy somewhere else and let me drown in my singlehood and coffee.”
***************************************************************
Ika had just picked out her clothes for the day when her phone rang. Ree.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Hi baby…I was just wondering…you know…if it works for you…I thought maybe…”
She’s actually sounding nervous about asking me something. This is a first. “Sweetie, are you going to make a complete sentence anytime soon?” Ika smiled.
“You know, if you get your stuff over, you can get ready here and we can even have breakfast together,” Ree got it out in a rush.
Ika’s heart soared. She can’t stay away either. “I’ll just be there.”
***************************************************************
Ika came out of the bathroom wearing a robe. Wet, wavy hair, barefoot, gorgeous.
“So what have you got us for breakfast?”
“Everything vegetarian that they had on the menu and in their buffet.”
“How much do you think I eat, Ree?” amused.
“It’s not how much you eat, baby…you should just have whatever you want…or at least everything that is available so that you can choose.”
Ree’s phone rang.
“Hi Ann,” Ree smiled, putting the phone on speaker.
“You’re in your room?” a no-nonsense tone in a very feminine voice.
“Yes.”
“I’ll be at your door in a few. Better open the door when I ring the bell,” a smile was evident in the admonishment.
“Not a good time Ann…let’s catch up during the day.” Ree looked at Ika fixing sandwiches and getting creative with the fillings. She seemed to be using a lot of cheese.
“Who’s Ann?” Ika asked, straddling Ree to feed her breakfast.
“A very dear friend and the CFO of Translink.”
“Why did she specify that you should answer the door?”
“I don’t usually open the door unless I’m expecting someone.” Oh! She’s that private, Ika registered this, understanding and appreciating the gesture of Ree giving her the key and a carte blanche into her space even more.
“Even at home?”
“Even at home…I am really a misanthrope,” Ree grinned, “and these sandwiches are unbelievable.”
“Just put enough cheese in something and you’ll love it,” Ika smiled, placing a small kiss on Ree’s lips. “Ree,” Ika spoke hesitantly looking down at the plate in her hand.
“Hmmm?”
“Do you still feel I am too young for you?” Ika’s voice was stark and shook with insecurity.
“Correction,” Ree said, gently raising Ika’s face and looking into her eyes, “I never felt you were too young for me, love…I felt that I am too old for you…there’s a difference,” she cupped Ika’s face with a hand and Ika leaned into the touch. “It was never about me being okay about us, it was always about you being okay.” Ika looked at Ree with utter belief and trust. “Besides, you being with me makes me quite the stud,” Ree grinned, kissing Ika’s nose. “You’re hot…” kiss on one eyelid, “…sexy…” kiss on the other eyelid, “…unbelievably beautiful…” nip on an earlobe, “…exciting…” nip on the other earlobe…
“Ree, stop,” Ika giggling at Ree’s playful silliness.
“Babe, I don’t think you’re too young for me…I think you’re too awesome for me…but somewhere in my life, I must’ve done something right because here you are, loving me,” Ree said gently.
“So you do know that I am loving you, right?” Ika couldn’t resist.
“Yes, I’m getting that Believe It Or Not nugget,” Ree smiled.
***************************************************************
“I love the way you look at me Ree…but it always makes me feel like my clothes have fallen off,” Ika blushed as Ree stared at her walking into the room. She was wearing a formal black pantsuit with a peacock blue silk shirt. Hair tied in a neat French plait and three inch black heeled formal closed shoes. Just mascara on her upper eyelids and pink lip gloss.
“You are…” Ree lost words to describe her. Ree was looking at her with disbelieving eyes like she couldn’t believe Ika was with her. With a wonderstruck expression like she couldn’t believe that Ika was real. With an amazement reserved for when one looks at miracles or nature or truly moving art. And with that heat that only she could express in one look.
“I am…,” she grinned and placed a light kiss on Ree’s lips, “…but only to you,” she muttered into Ree’s ear. In fact, Ika had never felt as beautiful as she did with Ree. When she saw Ree looking at her she felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. The most attractive. The most desired. She felt precious.
“Ika, can I ask you something?”
“You know you can ask me anything, honey.”
“You said that you’ve never been with a woman before…that you always thought you were straight.”
“Ummm.”
“So how come you aren’t having second thoughts about us? How come you don’t have questions or angst about this?”
“Sweetie, I feel I was born the day I met you.” Ika placed her hands on Ree’s shoulders. “I don’t know a time when I wasn’t in love with you. I have no memory of the person who existed before you. You’re my only belief….my only faith…my only truth. If you think that I am going to wake up one day and change my mind, you got another think coming, sweets…you are my bedrock and that is not changing in this lifetime,” she rubbed her nose to Ree’s, smiling as Ree kissed her neck.
“Now that I’ve had my stab at messing myself and you with my daily dose of insecurity, you need to go, right?” Ree looked at Ika with apology. “Babe, I promise you this will go…I won’t keep asking you for reassurance and validation all the time.”
“Ree, I love you. I love you in so many ways that I don’t have words for it…and I don’t mind telling you that endlessly…all I want is for you to believe me. And I must say today’s shot wasn’t bad,” Ika grinne
d, “it was more clarification than insecurity. At least you’re talking to me and not doing that blocking, pushing or running away thingy,” she gently pulled a lock of Ree’s hair. “And now, I really got to go…all big people are coming to this meeting and I don’t want to create a bad impression,” she waggled her eyebrows, aiming for and drawing a chuckle.
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