Chapter 24. New Projects 12

I was twenty-five years old, and Edna, twenty-three years was happy to be my girlfriend. She expected everything that a boyfriend and girlfriend do to take place between us but she was disappointed.

Some of our friends got married and began to have children, but she could not say why I was not talking about marriage or children. Unknown to her, our relationship was just to be accepted by society. In fairness to her, she lacked nothing. I provided everything she needed and ensured that her parents and siblings were comfortable.

Reuben's appearance brought out my real sexual identity. I admired him and wished to kiss and have sex for the first time. Edna's call came in at that point. Since, then, I have been avoiding her. She had sent messages to me and visited me but I instructed my men to lie to her that I was out of town.

I don't know Reuben's sexual identity, but I was aware that Denise had a thing for him, just like me.

"Will he agree to love me back?" I often asked myself.

Nevertheless, my love for him grew stronger when we began to eat together. Apart from that, I have never heard him speaking with any man or woman.

"I love you, Reuben. I will wait for the right time to take the rightful position in your heart," I concluded.

Meanwhile, it was over two hours that I left his office and he had not called me as he promised.

"We had a deal that I will call him if he fails," I said to myself and dialed his number.

Mr. Zenith's Office 

While relaxing and waiting for the details of the applicants, a beautiful smile flickered across my face.

"Why was Julie not in the program?" I asked myself for the umpteenth time and my thought wandered about.

"Has he gotten a job? Will he come back to me? Will he forgive me and return in search of me?"

I was relishing the moment when my phone buzzed. Seeing the caller made me sad and I overlooked it.

"I promised to call him and not this," I cried out but he kept calling me.

From the look of things, he was ready to keep calling until I answered him. Then, I recalled that he promised to call me if he did not hear from me.

"Ha! He was not like this before. When did he change? I am not the only friend he has," I said to myself and waited for his call to time out.

Before he could call again, I beat him to it and called him.  While waiting for him to pick up the call, I thought of the mild scolding I would give to him.

"Hello, Reuben," he greeted me enthusiastically.

"I promised to call you. Am I right?"

"Yes, you did."

"Why did you not wait for me?"

"I did not hear from you so I called as I promised."

"Huh! So, what do you want?"

"Just checking on you."

"We just had lunch together."

"Yes. Is it absurd to check on you every minute?"

I laughed at his answer and asked him, "Why me? Am I your wife?"

"Yes, of course," he answered me and I laughed my heart out.

He laughed as well. Somehow, I began to enjoy the call. Then, I asked him, "Now, that you have gotten me, what do you want?"

"Can we visit the job fair tomorrow?"

Since it was a no-go area for me, I answered him immediately, "No. I don't need them."

"I don't need them too but just to see things for ourselves,"

"No. I'm not interested."

"We can have lunch there. What about that?"

"Huh! I am a shy person. I can't eat in public."

"You? When did you change?"

"After I withdrew from social life."

"Never mind. I will cover you with my jacket, and no one will see you eating in public," he said and rendered me speechless.

"I don't want," I refuted rudely hoping to get him angry but he was patient with me.

"I give up. What about visiting a cinema. You won't say no to this," he said and put me in a precarious situation.

I have found out that he was a jolly good fellow and did not deserve to be hurt.

"I give in but I have not visited one in a long while. I hope I won't miss my steps."

"You won't. I will be there to guide you," he promised me.

"It's okay. Permit me to ask. When are we doing that?"

"Coming Saturday would be okay by me. What do you think?"

"It is all right by me," I answered him.

Nevertheless, I was disturbed about his marital status and love life. 

To allay my worries, I asked him, "How many of us are going?"

"Just the two of us. Do you want to come with anybody?"

"Not at all. See you then," I said hoping that we were through.

"Hold on, Reuben. Today is Wednesday. We will see before Saturday for lunch," he pointed out conclusively as though he owned me.

I had no choice but to accept his proposal, "It is all right by me."

"I like that. See you tomorrow."

"It's okay. Good night."

The call occupied me, and I did not know that the day was getting dark and my staff members were waiting.

"Gosh!" I screamed in regret.

I looked at the clock and it was 6 PM. Instantly, I pressed the intercom and my secretary picked it up at once.

"Good evening, Mr. Zenith," she greeted me.

"You should have let me know that the day had gone."

"Pardon my oversight, Boss."

"It's all right. You can close."

"I got it. Good night."

"Good night," I responded and continued to wait for the General Manager.

I mulled over my chats with Johnson and smiled within me. It eased off the tension that would have enveloped me while waiting for the applicants' details. Since the GM had not communicated with me, it means they were not ready yet.

Now, I lacked what to do and wished to continue chatting with Johnson.