by Boadi, Lilly
“I’d rather get out of this place, before I destroy other people’s items and ruin their shopping” she whispered, and Haida burst out in laughter.
Outside, Kelly asked, “Can I take you home?”
“Thank you very much. You’ve already done enough” said Haida, reaching to her car. She loosened the boot, and hurled the items inside. “Anyway, this is my car” she said.
“Ooh, nice one” said Kelly, examining the Mercedes Benz. “Anyway, this is my card. I really like you and would want us to be good friends. Has anyone told you what a beautiful woman you are?”
Haida laughed and blushed, “Oh, quite a number” she said modestly.
“Better they have. I’d have said Ghanaians lack good eyesight” they laughed. “Aren’t you going to give me your card?” asked Kelly, when Haida opened the front door of her car.
“Oh, sure” and then reaching into her bag, Haida brought out a cute card, simultaneously when something fell off from the bag. Kelly picked it up and glanced at it, then knew for sure, she needn’t have any doubts about who the girl really was - it was Mellis’ complementary card. “This is my card” Haida handed Kelly her card.
Kelly stared at the card for a while, and then said, “Hoping I can pay you a visit at work or home sometime?”
“Sure, why not. Let’s only hope you’re not as busy as I am at work. But you shouldn’t have bothered - paying for my items, I mean. Thanks once again”.
“Come on, pleasure is all mine”.
“What the hell was all that about?!” asked Laura, soon as the Jeep sparked off
Kelly burst out in a wry laughter “That definitely is the girl” she said
“Who?”
“The one who wants to play the field against me”
“Who really are you talking about?” asked Laura, still not getting her.
“I mean, Mellis’ sweetheart!” said Kelly, laying emphasis on the last word.
“Blimey! But how did you know she’d be here?”
“Thanks to Bambi! Looks like Mellis tells him a lot” said Kelly, giggling loudly.
“You’re really unbelievable Kelly. That’s my girl! She seems to like you already”
“Better she does, because that would make my work easier” said Kelly and then turned the car skillfully round the circle.
“Whew!” whistled Laura in admiration. “She is beautiful” she said.
“Oh, come-on, she’s too fat for Mellis!”
Back at work the following Monday, Haida told Kiara about Kelly “…in fact, she looked really nice and is lovely” went on Haida. “I wonder which young woman of her caliber in our time would behave so nicely”.
“A woman and not a man; and you said she actually said you are beautiful?” asked Kiara.
“Aha” Haida nodded.
“She must be a lesbian and nothing less” Haida laughed.
“I’m serious girl”.
“You’re just funny you know. Get to see what a lovely woman she is and you’ll know she has no business doing with lesbianism, when I’m sure multiple number of men are ravishing her with gifts upon gifts and outings and….”
“I didn’t know you were so naïve” said Kiara, astonished. “Not every nice girl you see around gets even a single man to propose to her”.
“Not Kelly; I doubt. She is really pretty you know. She might be an inch or two taller than you, slimmer than you and is such a model…”
“I love my height and weight! 5.7” and 175lbs is what I have and what I love! I do not compete with anybody!” snapped Kiara
“Why are you snapping? I didn’t say you are competing with her?” said an offended Haida. This is how sarcastic Kiara had been throughout the conversation about Kelly Kiara sighed deeply.
“Anyway, who told you only ugly-looking girls are lesbians? You’re filing the wrong document”
“Oh dear!” gasped Haida.
The two ladies were busily filing a pile of private documents that had been left unattended to for far too long.
“See, the talk of her is already distracting your mind” teased Kiara, “she has gotten nothing but a negative influence on you!”
“You’re only trying to find every way possible to put me off” said Haida, and then she glanced suddenly at her and chuckled, “Really, are you jealous?”
“Me? Jealous? No way!” said Kiara
“Oh I get the point now” Haida burst out laughing. Truly, Kiara was jealous
“Can I have the file ‘will the assistant break and have lunch with me’?” said a male voice behind them, and they turned.
“Certainly not me” said Kiara, and then she made her way out of Haida’s office.
“Hello Osborn” said Haida and smiled.
“Is it unfortunate again, because Mr. Hansen booked already?” asked Osborn teasingly, yet hoping otherwise.
“Course not. I’d love to have lunch with you” she said, glad that she wasn’t going to have lunch with Kiara; Kiara would definitely talk on about Kelly, but Haida already disliked the way she was talking about her new friend.
***
Haida least expected Osborn would ask for another bottle of Smirnoff Ice. Then it dawned on her at this juncture one reason she’d thought Mellis was better than him - Mellis didn’t take alcoholic beverage! When he ordered for the fourth bottle, Haida knew something was wrong.
“Danny?”, then studying him carefully, “are you alright?”
His face fell, and then looking down, he shook his head miserably. Haida sighed deeply.
“It is Meg, isn’t it?” Osborn nodded again.
“We just had uproar” he said, looking so sad
“Should…should I talk to her?” asked Haida, concerned.
“No, no” said Osborn sharply, “No need. Err… I mean it won’t change anything”. What he wanted to say was that it would make matters worse.
“That’s alright, if you say so” she said. Osborn stared straight into her eyes, a stare which made her feel uncomfortable. If only she knew she was the bone of contention; if only she knew she was at the center of all their problems.
Magdalena Dapaah, a staff member of Trinity Co, has had eyes for Osborn ever since the latter came into the company. Perhaps, it was to console himself, and the thought of getting Haida jealous in order to win her love, that made Osborn respond to her advances. They’ve been going out for the past five months, but Haida seems to be much poison in their relationship. Meg knew Osborn loved Haida and not her. But once she was able to get him into a relationship with her, she was tempted to believe he was over Haida for good, and that she had won his love completely, until a couple of months into their relationship, that he started showing signs of interest in Haida once more. Meg questioned him about this, and he confirmed the obvious. Meg was hurt and offended, and Osborn assured her he will get over Haida for her sake and the sake of their relationship. But then she realized he said that just to calm her down, for there seemed to be nothing changed about his attitude towards Haida. Despite this, she wasn’t ready to give up on him that quickly. As a matter of fact, Meg finds it unfair and illogical for Osborn to still crave for Haida and make her a problem in their relationship, so long as he had accepted to go out with her. She had coped with him all these while, and now thinks enough is enough. Each time they had a quarrel, Osborn found comfort beside Haida, perhaps, in a way to tell her ‘if only I could be with you’. He always said their disputes were about trivial issues, something normal to every relationship, and had never given her any idea that she was the main problem.
Back at the office, Haida thanked Osborn for the lunch, and made her way to her desk. At close of work, she was gathering up the files of mid-year financial statements when she remembered she had to take them to Osborn. She was at the verge of knocking when she heard a feminine voice inside Osborn’s office. The talk was more of shouting and in an angry tone.
“The next time I’d see her, I’d tell her straight in the face that she should give us s
pace!”
That was Meg, and it interested her to listen more.
“You had lunch with her this afternoon, didn’t you?” There was a pause. “You know what I’d also tell her when I see her? That if she’s a lady enough, then she shouldn’t accept lunch proposals from a male colleague, whose girlfriend is right here in the same company!” she shouted.
Haida kicked that round a bit and then got her point. Was she really referring to her?
“You’re shouting. Don’t forget we’re still at the office, and that others may hear us”, came in Osborn.
“Oh, to hell with all those! Do you care who hears us? Do you? Or that shameless trump hearing us is what you care! Can’t you see she’s a major problem in this relationship, and that one has to put her at her proper place?”
“You don’t really understand Meg; I love Haida, I love her, and she’ll always be a part of me” Osborn made it blunt to her this time.
The next minute, Haida heard the sobs of Meg, and then the brisk sound of her shoes. Oh no! She mustn’t let them know she was eavesdropping. But her shoes did not help her enough to run. The door flew open and she faced the both of them. The stares were enough to tell it all. Haida rushed back to her office, sunk into her swivel chair and started sobbing. So, she’s been the root cause of all their problems all these while. But how and why? Why should she be the reason a relationship is breaking and another woman is hurting? The thought made her feel so bad. But she never imagined Osborn could still be in love with her. She thought of informing Kiara immediately about this, but then again, she thought she should deal with this one on her own, and find her own ways to make it up to the couple.
That evening, straight from work, Haida went to Mellis’ end for solace. Mellis realized something wasn’t right but Haida wouldn’t share what was eating her up; she only wanted to be close to him and that will make her ok – at least, that was what she said. She actually knew it would be too unwise to talk about the issue of Osborn and Meg; it will only make Mellis jealous and insecure if he knew Osborn loved her and she actually thought he might be too good to trust her as far as Osborn was concerned, moreover since they worked in the same company. She knew she couldn’t trust Mellis if she were in his shoes, but little did she know Mellis trusted her more than she did him.
They were relaxing in each other’s arms in the couch, seeing a movie, when Bambi excused himself inside. He was holding a very cute bouquet of red roses
“The mailman brought this Mellis” he said
“From who?” asked Mellis, very much taken aback
“I’m not sure; but it has a note inside”
“Do men receive a bouquet of roses as a gift? Ha! That’s gay!” Haida teased.
Mellis glanced at her and grinned into her eyes with suspicion
“It’s not me!” said Haida, grinning sheepishly
“You can’t lie to me” said Mellis, taking the bouquet from Bambi “Thanks Bambi”
“No problem” said Bambi and made his way outside into the garden.
Mellis opened the card and read, confident that Haida had sent it. Then, suddenly his smile died down; truly Haida hadn’t sent this
“Who is that? Let me see” said Haida, and before Mellis could say jerk, she had reached out for the card hastily from his hand.
Suspicion ran over Haida as her face fell. The note read: ‘Hi Mellis, my love, this is just a token of the nice time you made me have last night. You are the best! Remember I will forever love you. Your only love, PDK.’ “Who is PDK?” she asked, looking at Mellis
“I’m not sure. I don’t know anyone by that initial” said Mellis sincerely
“But it has your name in it. Who is this woman, Mellis?” Haida was getting upset
“Believe me lovey, I don’t know where this is coming from. I’m tempted to think it was addressed wrongly”
“Like I said, it was addressed to you; your name is in here. The person really knows whom she is sending it to. You supposedly had a nice time with her last night!”
Mellis was tongue-tied. He didn’t know what to say. Then he exhaled deeply “Lovey, believe me I don’t know who sent this” he said, taking Haida’s hands “I’d been home all through last night and nobody came to visit me. Bambi is my witness; in fact, if it wasn’t him who brought this, I’d have said it is a setup” explained Mellis softly, and Haida glared into his eyes “Don’t you trust me sweetie?” he asked, a bit of offense in his eyes. “Do you doubt me? Do you doubt my love for you? Do you think I can cheat on you?” Haida remained silent “I can’t do that to you. I love you and I can never cheat on you” whispered Mellis lovingly and Haida smiled. He smiled back. “Do you trust me?” he asked. She nodded, grinning. He put her in his arms once more and hugged her tightly “Thanks for trusting me, ok?” he said, and at least, their evening wasn’t marred. But Haida went home, full of doubts about Mellis; she might be naïve, but not that stupid.
The next few days, Haida tried her best to avoid Meg at work to save herself any embarrassment. On the last working day, at close of work, Meg summoned the rest of her colleagues for important information. For a minute, Haida got scared; was she going to announce her assumed flirt with Osborn?
Meg cleared her throat, and then said, “I am so glad to announce to you a wonderful event that would be taking place so soon”.
At that moment, Osborn joined the group reluctantly. Meg walked briskly to him and put her arm in his. She kept glancing at him with giggles and jumping; it was becoming quite clear, and the crowd was getting hysterical.
Then she cleared her throat once more and said “Osborn and I are going to have our wedding in a month’s time; on the 24th of next month!” she announced ecstatically, looking at Haida’s direction.
‘Just a day after the Accountancy Weekend Party? Oh no! But she can’t do this’ thought Haida in dismay.
“Hurray! Cheers! Hurray!” the rest fell into a moment of frenzy. Each congratulated the couple with handshakes.
Osborn kept staring at Haida, and she saw the non-enthusiasm in his eyes as she shook hands with him. She extended a hand to Meg, who took it reluctantly, looked seriously into her eyes and only ran her fingers through her palm. Haida felt slighted - maybe it would have been better if she hadn’t heard her talk about her the way she did few days ago. But she felt so sorry for Osborn, who didn’t look anything like he was ready for such an event. Fact is Meg had forced this on him, with the conviction that, getting hooked to him as his wife would make him responsibly committed to their relationship, and undoubtedly keep his mind off Haida for good. But was it the best - to get married to a man you love who doesn’t feel same? Haida knew Osborn wouldn’t be happy in this kind of marriage. It was as though he had been caged in a cell with solid metal bars, and she wished she could free him. Meg was difficult, yet quite susceptible; perhaps Osborn didn’t want to hurt her. But that was far too unacceptable, if the basis of a marriage was nothing but sympathy! Subsequently, each time Haida and Meg crushed into each other, Haida felt uncomfortable, for though Meg uttered no offensive words to her, but her look and gestures where enough to upset her. Haida felt intimidated by her presence in the company and it was affecting her work seriously - it was a major challenge for her in her life.
It’s been a fortnight since Meg announced her impending wedding with Osborn, and Haida has not stood a minute to chat up Osborn; it has been simply ‘good mornings’ and purely business conversations. Whenever they were close, Haida noticed Osborn’s nervousness; it’s then that it dawned on Haida, the fact that she had lost the closeness of a good friend. Somehow, she felt jealous when she knew she had to consciously stay away from him - he was attached and would soon be a married man; she had to start getting used to the idea that after a month’s time, their relationship would not be any better than it was now. Though hardly informed, Kiara on the other hand had started smelling something fishy amongst her three colleagues. She realized Haida didn’t want to say anything to her, and she did
n’t want to push it either.
Meanwhile, Kelly visited Haida in the house for the fourth time, with full knowledge that Mellis would not come around. Mrs. Morgan has not been welcoming, and Kelly was fully convinced she had to add her to her list of ‘stumbling blocks’, which had Kiara as number one! She bought few gifts for Haida and Jolly.
“Wow, these are beautiful” said Jolly, trying on the fashionable dresses.
“Glad you like them” said Kelly with satisfaction. They had lots in common, and she was getting along pretty well with the little girl.
Kelly stared at Haida as she examined her own, and saw her face was sullen. “Hey, are you alright?” asked Kelly.
“I’m fine” said Haida forcing a smile out.
She didn’t know if it was ok to tell Kelly about the problems she was facing at the work place, but at the end, she felt she needed to talk to someone. Kelly was concerned about her and she knew she would listen to her. After all, a problem shared is half solved. A sigh to Jolly and she rushed out of her sister’s room. When she was gone, Haida told everything to Kelly and of course, Kelly gave her side of the story; yet to her, that was a wonderful discovery.
“Phoebe, I need your help at the kitchen” Mrs. Morgan entered Haida’s room without knocking. Turning to Kelly, she said “And my fair lady, I think the rain would pour down any moment from now, so it’d be better if you took your leave now”. Haida felt embarrassed and gave her mom an offended look. “Of course, I wouldn’t like it if you get beaten by the rain on your way” added Mrs. Morgan seeing the look on her daughter’s face.
Haida went straight to the kitchen after seeing Kelly off. “Mother, what was all that about?” she nearly snapped at her mom. “I know Kelly’s not your favorite, but that was so embarrassing. You didn’t have to drive her out!”
“I didn’t!” Mrs. Morgan snapped. “Phoebe when will you start growing? This is a girl who can snatch your boyfriend from your hands even with your eyes widely opened, so what are you saying? She’s a harlot!”
“But why are you saying this?! Is it because of the way she dresses?”