Straight And Retound

Episode 8

The presence of Stanley helped curtail Beverly’s excessive teases. But, I doubt if it would now that Beverly is waiting downstairs at the reception. A few minutes ago, I recieved a call from the front desk about someone by the name Beverly asking to see me. Of course, I knew nobody else with the name Beverly except the one in my house. I rounded up the remaining things I had doing for the day while shutting out all the whys that came with the presence of Beverly. When I was ready to meet her; I headed downstairs.

“Tay, what’s up?” She stood up and gave me a really tight hug like friends who had not seen each other in years.
“What brings you here?” I managed to ask, it was like she had compressed the air in my lungs. She was all smiles and negligible about the way I felt by her impromptu drop by. I hope she leaves soon.

“I was around here checking for a space when I remembered Tiana showing and telling me your office was here.”
“How nice of you to drop by.” I took a quick swipe over her before pulling her to sit. This is the first time I would see Beverly dressed in something not obviously appealing, her long sleeved buttoned-down acrylic gown stopped lower than her knees.
The patio sliding door in my line of sight creaked then opened. Ruby had exciting smile when she entered, within a second, a grin, then a frown; Beverly must have come into view as Ruby walked up.
“Hello, Mr Taye?” She greeted.
“Ruby, how are you doing?”
“I am okay.” Her voice sounded strangely pitched when she replied. Without stopping in her stride, she turned right and I watched her trot down the corridor.
“I thought to pay you a surprise visit and hitch a ride home.” Beverly said or I would have kept watching Ruby amble off.
“I doubt if you can wait.” I tried to convince her to leave.

“I can.” She read the time on her cartier watch. It’s almost five.” She countered.
I could see an image at the end of the corridor behind the gap between the wall and the door. Suddenly, Ruby materialised from behind the door and walked passed us. She took a sit behind the desk next to the plump receptionist, picked up the handset of the landline on the desk. She kept glancing at intervals, she would avert her eyes just in time so that it is not obvious to me.
“Okay, let me see if I can rush over what I have doing. But, if you can’t wait you may leave.” I secretly prayed that she left but at the back of my mind there’s no doubt she would stay put.
“Don’t you wanna give me a sweet ride, Tay?” She baited her eyes at me. I just realized that she don’t call me Tay except when we are out of Tiana’s earshot.
Ruby slammed the handset in place, and startled us. She jumped off the seat like a roach was on it, walked past us again and disappeared towards the staircase.
“It’s not like that Beverley, but if you would wait there’s no problem.” I stood up, made to leave, she put her hand on my thighs and slurred “Don’t keep a lady wetting.” Dont keep a lady wetting? That’s what she said right? Frankly, this woman is intimidating except when she is flashing me and that created a crooked grin on my face, it should have dissolved into a smile but Ruby chanced upon me at the staircase.

“Mr Taye, that woman is not your wife?” She stated as a question.

“What?” I wonder where this is coming from. I walked past her and continued climbing the narrow stairs while she followed closely beside.

“Definitely, she is not your wife.” She said a little too loud in my ear, and sq££zed past me as we were reaching the landing. I thrusted forward my hand and pulled her to a stop.
“What made you assume such?” I asked. She wore a large smirk on her face.
“Then she’s your girlfriend or someone you sleep with.” She cooed. What the? This girl wan put me for trouble? She tried using her other hand to loosen the grip I had on her hand.
“No, she is not my girlfriend, she is my wife.” Now that it is out of my mouth, it sounded ridiculous and it created the opposite effect to what I had envisioned..
Ruby bursted out with a loud roar of laughter that rebounced off the walls of the hall. It drew the attention of everyone including Mr. Balogun whose office was the end of the hall.
“Ruby, what is it?” He asked when he got closer to where we were.
“I’m sorry dad.” She turned to the staffs “I am sorry for the…” But her father cut her off.
“That’s not what we want to hear.” He turned to the staffs behind him some of whom were standing, sitting and stretching their necks. They nodded an approval and he asked.
“Let us in on the joke, let’s have an uneducated laugh too.”
I almost laughed never saw that coming but which kind whahala be this?
“It’s nothing dad, it’s just a joke Mr. Taye shared with me.” To say I was shocked was an understatement, her response was brilliant.
“Oh, I see”

“Oya, Taye come on we are waiting.” I looked from the expectant Mr. Balogun to the smiling Ruby. I am in a tight corner indeed, what joke can I remember?
“Share the joke.” he asked again
I couldn’t think of a joke fast enough before I knew it he asked again and again and made forget one I had remembered, the staffs began asking too. Like they had planned this moment, they started chanting; share the joke, share joke, like a bunch of protesters.
“Honestly, guys I can’t remember the joke.” I blurted out.
“Were you wooing my daughter?” The question birthed a deaflike silence. “I ask again, Mr. Taye were you wooing my daughter?”
“No sir, of course not sir. You know I am a married man.”
Ruby again burst out laughing, turned and fled down the stairs.
“Did you guys see his face? Mr. Balogun asked no one in particular. He began laughing and soon the whole room was filled with laughter. When they had calmed. He said
“Taye don’t sweat it.” Really, I was already sweating. “I believe you are a good lad and would not do such.” He tapped me on the shoulder and began walking back to his office, then he turned again towards me.
“By the way, are you done with the Tandi Guarana’s illustrations?”
“Yes, I am”

“Good, You may drop them with Mr Ocheuwa, the advert needs to be ready for pitching before Friday.

I thought to wait Beverly out but with what just happened she must get out of here before someone else sees what Ruby saw that made her think she’s someone I am sleeping with, moreso many of my colleagues attended my wedding.
I packed the papers in a folder and dumped them on Ocheuwa’s table.
In a few minutes, I was on my way to the ground floor. My intention was to pull Beverly up and race to the car, but to my outmost surprise, Beverly and Ruby were having colloquial banters like some old friends would.
Beverly joined me in the car as soon as I got in the driver’s seat. We pulled out of the parking area few minutes before five; the earliest time I ever left. Thankfully may impatience to leave paid off, nobody saw us.