I have been applying to several companies for a good paying job but all to no avail. There was a time that I even run out of count due to the numerous companies I sent my resume but none gave me a positive feedback. All hope was lost and on this very day, when I just decided to go check my email and there it was, there was a job offer. Of course it was the job of my dream, the biggest mining company in my country, and I could not hide my joy as I jumped into the arms of Deon to celebrate. Deon could not hide his joy either as he joined me while we both celebrated and everyone in the room started to look at us. We broke the news to them and the congratulatory messages started to flow. It was really a joyous moment for me, and it is now time to go home and break the good news to them as well.
On our way back home, Deon raised a concern in regard to the job offer. Not only was he worried about being a mining job, but the fact that it's in a different city and not the city where we reside. I was a bit sad about it, but it would be too early to reject or request for any sort of transfer since I have not started working with them yet. The working conditions in the mining industry always raise speculations of life-threatening conditions. Many people have died working in such mines, and the company I got my offer from is not an exception. Some of the deceased were found and others were not, and that has always been the center of our fears of working in a mining company. And the only way to ensure your safety is to have a higher position is these companies, as you will not be directed to go and work in the mines. With all these circumstances slapping me in the face, quitting at this desperate moment is not an option.
The situation at home is worse compared to when I exploded the news to Deon. Everyone at home is left speechless, whether to be happy or not, even though they all knew how desperate I needed a job to at least start to earn myself a decent living. Although it is a big company with sectors in almost every corner of the country, I was lucky to get the offer, but it was just a bit unfortunate to have been in a different city, even though it's just a few hours from the city of my residence. So far as it's in a different city, everyone thinks it's a different country and wouldn't be safe for me. It is the first time I am leaving the house of my parents to live by myself. This was to be a happy moment but quite unfortunate that it turned into a mourning stage. I could see the fear and disturbance in my father's eyes, but my mother was nowhere to be found in sight. She has locked herself up in the room and crying her heart out. We are talking about her favorite son, the one she thought will always be before her sight, now drifting slowly away . She was equally happy for me from the start, but her fears are unfolding right before her very own eyes. She finally came out of her hiding place and hugged me as if it was the last time we were seeing each other. She claimed not to be crying but rather praying for me, but it was obvious before everyone.
As all of these is happening in the house, my thought went straight to Nia. I start to think of how it will seat with her after telling her about the job, if she would be able to take it easily or not. My phone starts to ring and it was her. She called at the very minute I thought of ringing her.
"I was just about to call you", I said to her.
"I also do have something to tell you, but you go first", she said to me.
I insisted she tell me first before I say whatever I have to say to her. She then told me she wants to introduce her brother to me today, and that if I have some time to spare. She just wants him to get to know the man she has falling in love with, and that was something that really meant a lot to me. At least she is not hiding me from her family. That is what I said to myself.
I could not proceed to tell her what I had in mind, because it might break her and so I decided to let it slide at least for the time being, while we make the best of the moment we have now. So, I just said to her I will tell her when we finally meet during the day. The necessary reservations were made, even though I did not like the venue that much, I had to accept it that way because her brother had chosen that place, and she did not want to ruin his moment.
It has started to get me thinking about if taking the offer was the best thing to do, or probably forgo this offer and keep trying till I get one from my city of residence, but what if I let it side off my hands and end up not getting any other offer. That would be a total waste of opportunity, and I was not ready to let that happen.
It was time to meet up with her and the brother. I am all excited and nervous at the same time, but I said to myself,
[I am only going to see my girlfriend's brother, so no big deal about this]
They are all waiting for my arrival. It is a fancy place and not a place for someone of my status. It is the first time I will be eating in a fancy restaurant as well; I just have to keep my steeze and behave all gentle.
I finally arrived at the reception and to my surprise, my name was cancelled from the list.
"I was to meet up with Ms. Nia", I said to the receptionist, but he kept insisting my name had been cancelled from the list that was in his possession. I asked why and he said it was a direct order from Ms. Nia not to allow me inside. I could not believe what I was being told this. I stood there for a few minutes and then left the premises with shame written all over me. I could not believe I had to be sent out after we had agreed to meet up and get to know her brother. I was indeed heartbroken and said to myself that Deon was right all these whiles. We are just not compatible for each other and our story is going to end in heartbreaks.
I just could not accept the fact that she could give an order to get my name off the list, so, I waited behind a tree outside the restaurant while I waited for her to finish with all that she had to do, then I could question her myself before telling her my piece of mind.
After almost an hour of waiting outside the restaurant, I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. She is stepping out of the restaurant with Ermias and it seems they were cool and probably had some good time together. I got more furious as to why she would lie to me like this, and the least I expected from her was to call and tell me not to come to the restaurant anymore, to at least save myself of the embarrassment I met at the reception. The worse part of it all is that he had her neck scarf in his hands and tied it around her in such a romantic manner. I knew this was the end of us seeing each other, and I concluded by taking the job offer and going far away from her.
The shore has always been a place of contemplation for me and so, I start to walk toward that direction. My phone rang several times, yet I refused to even see who it was. It was obviously her, calling to tell some lies, and since I am naïve and ignorant, I would gladly listen to her and believe everything that comes out of her mouth. I was not ready to be fooled this time around and so I blocked her number and then turned off my phone so no one would disturb me with any sort of calls.
I have started preparing the canoe for our evening expedition, for our usual fishing expedition. She came to explain herself why she had my name cancelled from the reservation list. She claimed that something stupid had happened and did not want to get me directly involved in it, and that's why she has to cancel my name because she was left with no other option. I was really hurt and so I did not even turn to look at her, not to talk of listen to the excuse she had to give to clear her conscience. I got more angry while she kept explaining herself, and I started to say my mind to her as well.
"Did you not tell me to come so you introduce your brother to me?", I asked angrily.
"If you claimed a situation has happen, how was it hard to just pick up your phone and tell me what the issue was, other than get me embarrassed by cancelling my name on the list upon my arrival", I griped.
She claimed she did not want to get me worried over an unnecessary situation, and that it was not worth my agony. She did not want to hurt me, but it was obvious she hurt me.
"All I wanted was to protect you and not hurt you. I will never put you through any situation willingly, because you give my life a meaning and that's all that matters to me", she said.
I got so jealous that I thought she had lied to me about not having a boyfriend. I told her I saw them both at the entrance of the restaurant as they both came out in a sentimental situation. I told her how he was wrapping her scarf around her neck in an affectionate way. She then said it wasn't what I think that he is the person bothering her all these years. She claims not to have an iota of love for him but just for me.
As we were debating, her mother appeared out of nowhere and screamed her name. She asserted that she was just passing by and saw her, but she did not believe it was her daughter. Her mother asked who I was, but Nia immediately interrupted and told her mother I was her boyfriend. The mother smiled and said to her that she knew her daughter must be joking.
"For sure, you must be joking right", her mother said.
"No, mother, I am not joking. And there is nothing doubtful about this situation. I wanted to meet him and so I came here", she said to her mother.
"Listen to me, this is very bad. Knowing the end and giving people false hope is the worst thing to do. Pull yourself together and follow me back home", her mother continued.
The pain I felt at this point was nothing I have ever felt in my entire life. It was so bad that I thought of drowning myself in the water and not living anymore. Her mother continued by telling her not to be late for dinner since she refused to follow her back home, and that Ermias and his family were coming over and she wouldn't want her to miss it.
I began to step back while Nia told me not to move but hold on for some minutes, while she ran towards her mother who was already walking away from us. She instructed her mother to come apologize to me for all that she said, and of course, as always, she refused and then drove away from our sight.
At this point I decided to tell her about the job and that I would be going away for some time. She could not believe her ears but still was persistent. She promised to go with me, being it far or near. She promised me heaven and earth, and that she will stick with me through it all till I get on my feet. I tried to have some sort of believe at this point and then we walked home to Layla's place.