EDMOND AND HIS DEAD WIFE 2
“How is this possible?” asked Victor. “Oga, abeg come collect your letter. What do you mean by dead wife? Ru… Ru what? Wetin be dat name you mention? We no even sabi her name and you are telling us that her name is Ru something, wey don die since 11 months ago. Oga just comot here. I no wan lose my job ooo. If she be your wife wey don die, then make the 2 of una go settle una problem. Leave my job alone abeg.”
Edmond struggled to stand, but his bones appeared to be too soft or fragile to carry his weight.
In order to avoid incurring the wrath of the new MD, we had to carry Edmond out of the conference hall.
Before long, his disengagement letter was ready and it was handed over to him.
However, before he left, he brought out his phone and showed us the pictures of the woman he claimed to be his wife.
“This picture was taken on our last anniversary”, said Edmond.
Without a doubt, the resemblance was striking.
Edmond and I resumed work on the same day, so I was determined not to get involved in whatever would put my job at stake.
However, on seeing the striking resemblance of the MD and the one in Edmond’s phone, I needed to satisfy my curiosity.
“Aaaahmmm!”, I began, “see wetin go happen. Make everybody go back to work. Oga Edmond, you go give me your phone. Wait for that beer parlor wey dey opposite. I go meet you dia. No make noise for that place ooo.”
Edmond handed me his phone and left. It was really a sad moment.
I took the phone to Victor’s office and briefly went through his gallery.
We saw all their pictures, including their wedding pictures.
To say we were scared would amount to understatement.
Knowing that the new MD was posted from the same Lagos, sent shivers down our spines.
I found myself sweating even with the AC on.
I adjusted my tie, gulped down saliva, hibernated the phone and returned to my office without saying a word to Victor.
I tried to concentrate, but I could not.
“This is frightening”, I found myself soliloquizing while walking to and fro my office, “what is going on? Is this a dream? Rukiyat? His wife? Dead? Now our MD? No! No! No! No! Something is wrong somewhere. Something I cannot lay my hands on. I have to do something. I must find out why these people and arch enemies. No, they are not enemies. One person wants the other fired while the other says she is his wife. Why? I must find out. No, Ezekiel you have to be careful. Don’t be consumed in their crossfires.”
As I was deeply lost in thought, my door was thrown open and the voice of a colleague startled me.
“Madam wants to see you immediately”, Angela beckoned.
“Madam? Which madam?” I asked in fright.
“Which madam ke? Oga, MD wants you in her office immediately.”
My spirit left me. Everything left me including my memory.
I tried to be a man, but I found myself behaving like a woman.
I said a little prayer as I walked to her office.
She was on her chair, backing the door. Immediately I entered, she turned.
“Good afternoon Sir. Sorry, madam. Good afternoon.” I was the one greeting and the one responding.
“Why are you this scary as if you have seen a ghost? Look at how you are sweating under the AC. Are you sure you are alright?”
I nodded in affirmation.
“By the way”, she looked at her wrist watch, “according to my time, this is 10:37am. In my side, this is morning, and when it is morning, we say “good morning”.”
“Sorry, good morning madam.”
I was visibly shaking and it was too obvious. As I stared at her face, I saw the same person I saw in Edmond’s phone.
I took a step backward.
“Are you sure you are alright?”
“I am fine ma’am. Angela said you sent for me.”
“I see. You better be fine. Are you the ICT guy?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Good. I want you to do something for me. What do you think of my firing a staff on my first day of resumption?”
“I don’t have any problem with your decision. You have your reasons for doing that ma’am.”
“I want you to pull every workers’ details on my table before the close of work today. I want them in hard copies.”
“Yes ma’am. Is that all?”
“Are you questioning me?”
“I’m sorry madam.”
“I need a detailed information about the sacked staff. I mean a detailed information.”
“Yes ma’am.”
© Ezekiel Umoren
#ezekstory
