SCARS TO HEAL
SOLELY WRITTEN BY EWATOMI ABIODUN
EPISODE 6
Ever since Vivian left, my workload suddenly doubled overnight and I have been mourning the good ol' days ever since. I missed her so much. I knew a day like this is coming but I didn't wish for it to be sooner. I know she was going to leave in two months but I was not prepared mentally, physically, and emotionally to let her go.
I know deep down there's no secretary that can be like Vivian and I think that's why is so hard for me to let her go. I was supposed to have started accepting interviews for a new secretary or personal assistant before she left so she can hand everything to her but I keep postponing it until it's too late.
Oh! Vivian!
She was typically the younger sister I never had. She knows what I like and dislike. Damn! What am I even saying? This girl knows me like the back of my palms. She knows when it's time to work and when to play. I never thought I would trust a secretary with my life but Vivian broke that barrier. I'm never afraid to leave my office open anytime I am not around because I'm rest assured she will guard it even if it cost her life. Despite how my coworkers tried to get information about me from her, she never for once slipped. I remember when one of them offered her a million to steal vital documents that could implicate me at work. She turned down his offer and told me which I was so surprised because my previous secretary and assistant would rather backstab me than tell me despite how I treated them nicely.
Vivian is one of the best employees every boss should pray they have and I am so happy I got that privilege to be her boss. An employee like her is so rare. She delivers any work assigned to her as if it was her own company.
I can't believe her husband has told her to stop working ever since they got to know their baby was in a breech position but she refused saying she can't leave me alone knowing we have an ongoing project at hand.
Never in my imagination did I think I will ever cry for a secretary but when it comes to Vivian, I cried. I was so shocked when she told me tomorrow was her scheduled CS ( Caesarean Section). I hurriedly went back to my desk and brought out the two million check I had already prepared for her. I handed it to her as tears glisten in my eyes.
I would never forget the shocked expression on her face when she tore the envelope and saw a check for two million. She burst into tears and quickly went to her knees though I was quick to lift her up.
In her words " Thank you so much. Ha! This is for only me. How do I thank you boss " She said and burst into tears. I am going to miss you so much, boss. I wish I don't have to go. No one can be like you. You are filled with honesty, fairness, discernment, kindness, and good humor. A non-bossy boss like you is rare to find and working under you is a privilege I will forever cherish. You are a good listener who has an open door to the work team, making yourself available to hear out concerns from the work team and support the employees. I blessed the day I started working under you. I blessed the day I know you. Thank you so much for all you have done for me. You never for once treated me like a worker. You took me as your younger sister and corrected me with care when am wrong. I am always eager to come to work because I know I have a nice boss. You're a boss that serves her employee, listens to their complaint, never stop to appreciate and compensate for their hard work, and always ensures their happiness come first. I could go on and on to say or tell the whole world how good of a boss you are.
How do I repay you for all you have done for me. Miss Amyra, I am praying for you from the depth of my heart today that God will perfect everything that has been broken in your life".
" Amen!" I said as tears streamed down my eyes.
"Peace like a river, wealth as endless as the sea, love as big as the world, health as strong as a bullet, life as long as the distance between the earth and skies, and wisdom as huge as that of Solomon's are my prayers for you. You will continue to go higher and higher. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. Double, double promotion for you. If there's anything that has been making you cry in secret, I call unto God's name this instance that he turn it into happiness for you. You will never know a better tomorrow. From today henceforth, you will not know sadness again but happiness for the rest of your life. God will erase any darkness hovering in your life and turn them into brightness. You.. you. will... not .... " She couldn't complete her last sentence as her tears gets in the way.
"It's okay Vivian. Amen to all the prayers" I said as I embrace her into a hug because I was a crying mess myself.
I was in attendance the day she was scheduled for her CS because I just couldn't find the heart to stay in the office when my favorite and the best secretary is going to birth her son in a very complicated way. I waited till I was given the news that the mother and son are in good condition. I wired her another one million nairas as a push present before I left because her husband and she wanted to kill me with prayers and appreciation.
The toughest pill to swallow though is that Vivian has been gone for over 3months and hasn't been replaced. It's just hard for me not to compare her to every single person that came for the post of my secretary/ personal assistant. I keep seeing one flaw or the other in them during the interview.
I know am supposed to pick one among them because my work keeps getting overloaded as I have no one at hand to run some errands for me and I don't trust any of my coworker's secretaries and assistants to help me out till I get mine because I know they are all leeches.
I'm always loaded with so much work as each day passes by. I don't even remember the last time I left my office on time. I am always skipping meals and my nightmares are not helping the matter at all. I have lost so much weight and I know if care is not taken I might collapse anytime soon. I don't have any break at work and I don't get to sleep at night because am scared of having that dream again. The nightmare I keep having these past days are so intense and I don't know if it was because am stressed.
It got to a stage I had to stab my lap with a knife which left me limping for days. My wrists are battered with cuts to the extent there was no more space for me to cut and I had to result in my laps.
I become so afraid of the night because I know there's no way I am not going to see that monster in my dream. Those voices I hated the most. They keep tormenting me every now and down in my dream.
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It's been over six months now and I think have got so accustomed to the overload of work that I hardly see it as work. It's 6 am already as I wipe the blood from my lap due to the cut I inflicted on myself.
I dressed the wound and take my shower making sure water doesn't get on the wound. I came out of the bathroom naked since I was the only one in my apartment and dried myself with my towel as I start getting dressed.
I don't know why I feel so happy and energetic today. I hummed to one of my favorite songs as I pick out the dress to wear. After much contemplation, I decided to go for a long sleeve burgundy midi bodycon dress with matching black heels and a bag to match. I styled my new hair in a Beachy Half-Up Ponytail as I apply light smokey eyes makeup. I applied a natural wet pink lipgloss on my lips and I smile back at the image staring back at me as I put on my double-drop silver earrings.
I glanced up at the clock which says 7:30 am. I head downstairs with my handbag slung across my shoulder. I went into the kitchen and prepare some toast bread and tea. I took my food to the dining and sat down as I have my breakfast.
When it was 8 o clock on dot, I am already set to leave home. I step out of the living room to the parking lot as I walked toward my car. I pressed the unlock button on my key fob and opened the driver's seat as I stepped in and close the door.
I was about to start the car when a call came through my phone. A big grin spread across my face as I glanced up at my phone which was mounted on the windshield. I quickly plugged my AirPods into my ears as I navigate out of my compound as the gate automatically opens.
" Are you not supposed to be on the assembly by now, Bubba?"
" I just wanted to hear your voice, mom," He said making me smile.
" Hmmm," I drawled. " What do you want mister last time I checked we spoke yesterday night so why did you want to badly hear my voice this morning," I said with a smile as I concentrate on the road.
He let out a chuckle. "Mom!".
" Son!"
" I needed some money, mom ".
" You are just telling the truth. For what mister ?"
" It's a secret, mom. Can you please just send me twenty thousand nairas ?"
" Twenty what ?" I ask a little bit shocked. Kayden has never demanded that much amount from me. He only demanded money for Airtime and pocket money and it was not more than five thousand nairas.
" Is your beverages finished?"
" No, mom".
" Are they not feeding you well? "
" No, mom".
" Are your senior bullying you? "
" No, mom," He says getting tired of my interrogation.
" Then what do you need twenty thousand nairas for, Bubba? " I ask my voice laced with concern.
" Mom, can you just trust me and send me the money. You should know I never requested such an amount before ".
" And that's why am worried, Bubba".
" Please mom "He drawled. " I promise to tell you later what I used the money for ".
" Should I call your schoolmaster first? "
" No, Mom" He quickly answers. " Mom, please trust me. Send me the money. Please " He drawled.
" Ok. Okay . Have heard you . I will send you but if I later get to know you used that money for something irrelevant, I will be so mad at you ".
" You won't be, mom. I love you so so much Mom. I gotta go " He said and hang up.
I shake my head with a smile on my face as I unplugged my AirPods and continue driving.
I skillfully drive my car into the company's parking lot and turn off the engine. I picked up my bag which was sitting on the passenger seat beside me and stepped out of my car.
I locked my car with the key fob and headed inside the company's building. As usual, I keep getting that honorific greeting from every angle. I walked with my head high up swaying my hips unconsciously getting stares from both senior and junior colleagues as I stepped into the elevator to my office floor.
The elevator came to a halt as the door finally opens. I stepped out of the elevator and walk towards my office but stopped on my track when I noticed the entrance door is open.
Did I forget to close the door yesterday?
No, no. I shake my head negatively.
Did someone break into my Office?
These are series of questions I keep asking myself as I walked slowly to the entrance door. I stepped inside and almost had a heart attack when I saw someone sitting comfortably in my secretary's office engrossed in whatever he or she was typing on the computer screen.
I was boiling with anger as I dash inside and open the door to my secretary's office.
" Who the hell are you ?" I roared.
He raised his head up and calmly stand up not fazed by my show of anger.
" Good morning, ma'am".
I ignored his greeting and scanned him from head to toe with a disgusting look. Six feet and 6 inches tall, dark, and lethally good-looking with an air of power. That's the man standing in front of me. He must have spent all his years in the gym to work out this body.
He stood there in his tall and intimidating glory cowering my 5'7" frame. I don't know why but I suddenly grew some hatred for him because he seems to be the first male who was not fazed by me and that's a problem.
" Who the hell are you ?" I asked again, my eyes blazing with anger as I look up at him.
" I'm your new secretary," He says, his voice still rough, deep, masculine perfection.
TBC............
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