The Accountant –
EPISODE 8
Deji only nodded and that was enough to answer Uju’s question. It was her turn to raise her supercilium.
‘’No…… way.’’
‘’Yes way, dear.’’
After a brief silence, Uju stated, ‘’since you obviously can’t be calm around her, let me be the one to talk to her date.’’
‘’You sure you can handle him?’’
‘’if I could handle those BVN customers, who else cant i?’’
‘’Fair enough.’’ Deji stated as he gestured his assistant to go ahead.
Walking up to the duo’s table, Uju was welcomed with a warm smile from Nike. ‘’Colleague. What’s up?’’
‘’I’m good. I can see you’re enjoying yourself.’’ Uju said beamingly.
Nike tried to introduce the two, but they made her know they were familiar with each other. Of course they were.
There was a day Peter was expecting a payment from Los Angeles. One of his internet scam victims had sent him money through Western Union around 8am US time.
He got the notification at 3:45pm here in Nigeria. It was not unusual for magas (the term used by Peter and his colleagues in the internet scam industry to refer to their victims) to change their minds shortly after sending money.
Peter was the biggest fan of the phrase ‘Delay is dangerous.’’ He made his way to the bank immediately , but he didn’t get to the front door until 4:10pm. The man in a security uniform refused to let him in. His power of persuasion that works for his magas disappointment him as the security man, who look like he was in his forties, acted as if denying Peter entrance would earn him double promotion.
Who uses a pensioner as a security anyways? Peter thought.
Luckily for Peter, Uju and Amanda were just coming from one of the in-branch ATMs they had to check due to the fact that the machine was just trapping the users’ cards. They met Peter on their way in and after a short conversation Uju allowed him in.
Back to the buffalos. Peter and Uju made their way to the escalator after Nike excused them. Knowing he owed Uju for her kind gesture the other day, without wasting much time Peter agreed to transfer the N405,000 to Uju’s account, but not until he had strangled a promise out of her. She had to promise to keep the issue away from his date.
Peter was incognizant that keeping the matter away from Nike’s attention didn’t depend on Uju alone. She made the promise regardless.
Just like many other organisation, Royalty Bank has a grading system in which it uses in appraising its staff depending on their department. For the marketing department, once a marketer meets 80 percent of her target there is possibility of being promoted that year. But when the target is surpassed, the promotion is inevitable.
In a couple of weeks of joining the bank, Nike had surpassed her target for the year by over 300 percent. SLOT Nigeria Ltd was the leading mobile phone dealer in the country with over 30 branches nationwide.
Moving such accounts was a big deal for the bank, and of course Nike. She started her career at a very good pace. Her future in the banking system was indeed brighter than many of her colleagues.
The development didn’t seem to go down well with Doyin. She has been with the bank for over three years and the only time she got promoted was in her dreams. She had dreamt of bringing the account of a major organisation to the bank and as a result, got promoted. The only difference between her dream and reality was that her new colleague brought the account not her. The same colleague was about to be promoted not her. With this, Nike made a grand entry into Doyin’s hate list. She would do anything to bring the new bee down.
So when Deji’s mother came few days ago to make an offer, she gladly accepted. Ireti was even kind enough to give a clue. ‘’Keep a close tab on her and my son,’’ was enough hint for her to deliver her own part of the deal. If bringing Nike down would earn her promotion as Deji’s mother had promised, she would end up killing two birds with a single stone.
Nike was quick to notice a change in Doyin’s demeanour when it comes to her. She didn’t let that bother her, as she took her time to get accustom to the bank’s products. This she was doing till late in the evening one Thursday night.
Suddenly she heard footsteps coming from the stairs, and as it came close she glanced towards the direction. Her eyes met with Deji’s.
Uju had called in sick earlier in the morning. This naturally meant Deji would cover for her. They couldn’t finish on time until some minutes past seven. Deji had permitted Aishat, his second assistant and a mother of two, to go while he finish up. By default, cashiers and the customer care staff do leave the office before their supervisor, so they were all gone when Deji was ensuring all system were properly shut down. The bank had a policy on ensuring all electrical appliances were switched off after the day’s work, with exception to the ATM.
He was done and was heading for the exit door when he noticed a light was still on through the staircase. So he decided to check it out.
Going up the stairs to turn off the lights, he met Nike. They both stared at each other for a moment before Deji finally spoke, ‘’urm…. I just came to check why the lights were still on.’’ he said and immediately turned back.
Nike simply nodded with her gaze directed at him. She wanted him to just go. She really did, but it seemed like her mouth was against that wish.
‘’Deji please wait. ‘’ she instructed not knowing why she did that.
Now Deji was facing her, expecting her to say something next. She hesitated, then said, ‘’can you please help me on how to get information on credit cards?’’
As he came close, Nike moved to the nearby seat while Deji occupied hers. He actually did what she requested, unaware she was just staring at the monitor screen but her mind was far away.
Deji’s presence had always tormented her. Penetrated her. She tried to fight it but came second. She tried to deny the fact that the olfactory sensation of his cologne was affecting her breathing but the attempt was unsuccessful. Just as she was about to place her left hand on Deji’s hand that was busy moving the mouse pad up and down like what was happening to her didn’t matter, Deji stood up and announced.
‘’Go through this pdf, that’s all you need to know about Royal Credit Cards.” He tried to look at her but was quick turn her gaze the other side. ”Good night.’’ He said as he rose from the chair.
She barely nodded and made an incomprehensible comment that even she could not understand.
Like the ’good night’ in Deji’s last sentence was as useless as the ‘p’ in pneumonia, he stopped walking just when he was just 3 feet away from her desk, turned back and said ‘’I might not be in the position to tell you this but you just need to hear it.’’ He paused looking like he was thinking of the most polite way to express himself, while Nike’s gaze was fixed on him. He went on, ‘’dating Peter Brian is a bad idea for you.’’
‘’You have to be kidding. Deji Adelowo is giving me a relationship advice.’’ she responded with and utterly nonchalant facial expression. And just like that, her breathing gained normalcy.
‘’I’m serious. You should….’’ Deji tried to make a statement but she cut him short.
‘You can’t be. You are in no position to advise me on who I am to date or not.’’ She argued with her voice raised.
Deji’s face look like he already chucked up the sponge just few minutes after starting the conversation.
‘’I should’ve known you would not even listen to me. Of course, you two will make a great team as you’re both liars.’’ He uttered disgustingly.
The comment hit her to the marrow that she stood to her feet hastily and in a swift movement landed a slap on the branch manager’s chick before he could make an attempt to stop it.
Furiously, he raised his hand in an attempt to hit her back, but something strange occurred. He obviously employed Aremu to drive his car. Fine. Whom or whatever was driving his act that moment must have been employed behind his back.
His hand that was on a slap mission turned out to be caressing Nike’s cheek making her breathing status to return back to the state it was some minutes back.
His second hand found a way to her other cheek. Nike just stood there like a statute doing absolute nothing to stop him. He moved closer and slowly covered her lips with his. Her response was like a shot.
Deji could bet his next comment didn’t come out from his mouth, ‘’come with me,’’ he instructed. Releasing his hands and breaking the kiss, he headed to the door adjacent to the marketers’ office.
Like he used an Oduduwa charm, she tried to fight it but her second position welcomed her again. She followed him to the door which had a bold inscription on it LADIES.
TBC
