Victor was going to resume school the following week as well as Rufi.
This morning maria and Rufi left for work together, because maria wanted to ask Henry for a more suitable work schedule for Rufi since she wouldn't be able to do the mornings anymore.
As they walk hand in hand towards Henry's office Rufi felt like like a baby whose mother was following to school.
As soon as they opened the door Henry looked up from his desk and welcomed them with a smile,kind of unlike him though but lately you could not predict him.
"Good morning ladies" he greeted while gesturing for them to sit down.
"Good morning sir, how's the family, I heard you went to Accra to see them" she conversed.
The last time maria entered his office was after the rape episode when she'd brought him the letter to sign.
"Oh true! I did go to see them,and they are doing well, thanks" he picked a pimple on his forehead "Rufi told me you wanted to see me?"
"Oh yes!" Maria said straightening up in her chair "its about her shift"
"What's wrong with her shift?" He asked with question in his eyes
"Nothing!" She said seeing he misunderstood her "the thing is, she wants to resume school and I was thinking if you could change her to the evening shift"
"Whao!" he exclaimed obviously impressed, then he spoke in a fatherly way "I'm really impressed by your strive to go on, you see not everyone try to fix the broken glass in their lives but you are. About your shift no problem, if ever you feel your workload is getting too much just let me know OK?" He directed at Rufi
"Yes sir, thank you"
"you're welcome dear"
"thank you very much Mr McKenna, I really appreciate everything"
"Don't mention" then jokingly "I don't know for how long I have to say this 'my name is Henry not Mr McKenna' its already like a rhyme"
"OK Henry! Thank you" she laughed
"That's more like it,you're welcome"
Soon Rufi was seeing maria off "The guy is weird" she said
"Which guy?" Rufi asked
"Henry! Who else?" She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah! Since he came back from Ghana he's changed"
"Maybe he want for brain transplant"
"Heart transplant is more like it"
"Silly you! He is your Boss"
"A really weird Boss" Rufi laughed as she watched maria cross the street "bye"
*************
As victor and the 'cute lady' drove into the university of Ibadan after all the protocol has been duly observed, Maria's call came through.
"Hello love " he eyed the cute lady teasingly
"Hi, Good morning , how are you"
"Can't say I'm not fine but I've felt better"
"Sorry, that must be because of the stress of putting everything in place"
"Yeh! thank God you helped me out"
"Hmm! Have you gotten to school?"
"Just got past the gate"
"So how was the ride"
"Boring" that earned him a push from the cute lady and he couldn't help but laugh
"Hey! Why are you laughing?"
"Don't mind me, its just a silly scene going on here"
"Ok! I just wanted to say hi"
"Thanks, and the fact that you called just when I drove past the gate is a good omen"
"You are too superstitious" she laughed
"I love being that way"
"Alright!, I've got to go, you take good care of yourself OK?"
"Definitely"
"Bye!" She cut the connection
"Why did you push me?" He asked the cute lady
"Why did I push you? silly question" she feigned irritation
"But that was the truth, if Maria had followed the journey would have been much more interesting".
"Sorry oh! Mr lover boy" she smiled knowing her boy was really in love.
"Bet you and papa's was more than ours" he smiled as memories flooded his mind.
"Oh definitely" she smiled remembering her husband "But I didn't rub it in my mothers face like you are"
"But you did rub it in your friend's face"
"How sure are you?" She asked laughing, she always feels this way when she thinks of her 'dude' as he loves to be called .
"One just has to sit with you two and hear what you call yourselves, who ever calls his wife 'cute lady' and whoever calls her husband 'dude' except for my old parents
"We love to be unique"
"Hmm! Unique"
A comfortable silence followed until they got to the admin building where they submitted his payment slip and other necessities.
"To fulfill all righteousness" the cute lady had told him.
.............
Rufi had convinced Maria to allow her enter the school as a senior school 2 student on the condition that she would pass the entrance exam.
She did pass it and that earned her a big hug from Maria.
"That's my baby" she said patting her back.
"Hmm! How sweet, calling me a baby" she replied in a childish voice "and I do feel like one right now"
"You better get used to it" Maria smiled at her "I have two babies' you and Ana-Blaire"
"Then we're in for a competition"
"So far its an healthy one"
"Most definitely"