"Buzz buzz buzz", the alarm rang into Ceci's ears.
"Oooh oohh", Ceci groaned as she stretched lazily on her bed, "I'm not going to work today. I've got to let Mr. Edwards feel my absence today, maybe he'd know the essence of my presence tomorrow, son of a bitch!", she thought as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen. She has been working in Escos Logistics and Supply as a secretary since February yet, her boss, Mr. Edwards, still thinks she's not yet capable and efficient for him.
"Yuck!!!", She screamed as she remembered what he had told her the previous day when she spilled his coffee over his table because she still finds it difficult to walk comfortably in high heels everyday.
Mr. Edwards made sure he changed her sour taste of fashion to being an elegant looking secretary which she finds very hard to cope with. She wears very high heels, tightly fitted dresses, well braided hair and very strong cologne of which she sneezes most of the time after use. She has been trying hard to fit into this lifestyle, yet, Mr Edwards still calls her clumsy, clumsy! and she hates that word with passion, and now she's going to make him realise she defines perfection.
She took her cup of coffee to the living room, sat in the couch and tuned the TV to her favorite show. "Uhm, my coffee is the best in the world", she moaned as she sipped some. As she was sipping her coffee, her phone rang. It was her boss, Mr Edwards. She hissed and picked the call. "He-hello boss, erm..", she coughed out.
"And would you speak up and tell me what the fuck is up with you that you're not yet at work", her boss yelled.
"I'm not feeling well, Sir".
"I know you're feigning that and let me know if you're fed up of this job already, there are thousands out there that would kill to be my secretary", he said and Ceci rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious, boss. I'll try to come tomorrow Sir", she said.
"It would be better if you come tomorrow. The new investors from Japan have signed the contract and they'll be here tomorrow", he said and hung up.
"Ugrhhhh! Why does he always have to be a jerk? He already made this coffee taste bitter in my mouth. Yuck!!". She collapsed on the couch to watch the TV. "Wow.. Joe finally professed his love to Maria! Awwn.."
"I've loved you all along but I wasn't sure of it 'cause I've made a promise I'd never fall in love again after Tara broke up with me and I've kept to that promise and being a jerk until I met you. I actually tried to fight it but I just couldn't stop loving, instead, I keep falling really hard for you. So Maria, will you be my girl?", Dave said smiling at Maria.
"Of course, of course, I love you so much", Maria said as she cried in joy.
Ceci cried hard as she remembered Joe. He was her first and last boyfriend, but, he was killed in a bomb blast during the last civil war in Liberia. That was what made her come to Nigeria. She lost her mom, friends and her love in the bomb blast, in fact, she lost everything even her dad. Although, he's still alive but he's as good as dead to her because it was only her and her father that were able to escape from the bomb blast.
On that fateful day, she went out with her dad to watch a match at the stadium when they heard that their street has been bombed with no survival. They relocated to Nigeria thereafter. Life became unbearable for them but they survived through it all. Not long after the bomb blast, the war was settled and the President compensated those that lost their properties and loved ones in the blast with millions which was enough for her dad to start his textile industry in Nigeria.
Her father discovered that Nigerians import most of the textiles used in the country while working with a company that has its textile industry in Spain. The company in Nigeria was just like the distribution company because the textiles were actually made in Spain and brought to the Nigeria branch to supply throughout the country. Though, it was hard for her dad's company at the start because the Nigerians so much preferred what's imported. They viewed it has being of more quality than those produced in their country and they didn't like it that it's even a foreigner making the textiles. But her dad's company sailed through those hard times, when he consulted a business counselor who advised him to make a native the manager of the textile company. He did as advised and that marked the beginning of trouble between Ceci and her dad as their relationship began to fall out.
Mr. Garnahweh, Ceci's father, employed Chioma as the manager of his company and the company began to thrive. Chioma made sure the HR employed the natives that are well known in their communities to be each community's marketer and the people started accepting their products and the company started having shareholders. Ceci was still in her first year in the University when she found out something suspicious has been going on between her Dad and Chioma apart from making her one of the boards of directors. She then decided to confront her dad during her break from school. Then, Chioma had just left for her own house after spending a week with them in her father's house.
"Dad, I don't think there's any need for your employee to come to our house. Business stuffs should be done at the office and she even spent a week here distancing me from you", Ceci said bluntly.
"Darling, you know that I'm always alone when you go back to school and she has always been there for me when you're gone. She helps me to cook and do other stuffs", her dad said.
"Dad, if it's about that, then, employ a cook or house help. There's enough money to even employ ten of them", she suggested.
"You can't tell me what to do, Ceci, I am your father and I'm the one to dictate here not you".
"Oh, that whore is not only taking you away from me she's making you hate me too!"
"Never ever call her a whore again, you're the one with problem here. It's been two years since we lost your Mom and I need a woman in my life".
"Then, go find an adorable woman, any woman, dad, but not Chioma. She's so arrogant and saucy. She even looks at me like we're competing already. Find any other woman not Chioma".
"You're going beyond limits Ceci, you know you're not too old to be spanked?".
"Dad try to understand, I've lost enough I can't bear to lose you too. That whore will distance you from me!".
"It's now I know that you didn't only lose your Mom, you lost your manners too. If you call my woman a whore again then, you'll have to go and look for another father because I can't be a father to a brat".
Ceci broke down in tears. "You said all that to me, dad?".
Mr. Garnahweh took his car keys and left the house.