Hotel Palava - Episode 7

Adesuwa's POV

 Lilian and Michelle walked into me writing on a stool. "What are you doing?" Lilian asked,  and i stood up hiding the paper at my back.
"What?" She insisted.
"What are you hiding?" Michelle asked, and i brought out the paper. 
Michelle dragged it from me then she scanned through it.
"Is this a resignation letter?" She asked, "No oh, love letter. What else do you see written as the heading?" I snapped.
"Have you found a job yet?" Lilian asked, "No, but I know I will"
"Why now?"
I made a decision to tell Mr. Henry the truth.
"I'm about to go to the manager's office to tell him the truth" 
 Lilian shook her head. "You don't have to" 
Urgh! That reply almost made me go mad, what should I do, if telling him is wrong and keeping up with the act is also wrong, then what Is the right thing to do?
"What truth and what does the manager has to do with anything?" Michelle asked, She seemed lost. 
"I heard you two had lunch together. Babe, what's going on between you two?" She continued and i sighed again. 
"Nothing, just lies." I answered looking at Michelle.
"Can you guys explain in plain English, what the hell is going on?" "I gave the manager the impression that I was dumb and now I've been faking it"
"That's messy Adesuwa

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. This has to be the most stupid thing you've ever done and I know you've done a lot of stupid things. This one wins it for me" she commented and I rolled my eyes.
"Just talk to him,don't tell him you want to resign or he'll just accept it" Lilian advised and I rolled my eyes once more.
Mummy B walked in and we all kept quiet. 
"Gossip would never cease from you guys mouth. You were probably gossiping about me"
"We have better things to discuss about, it's not as if we lack what to discuss on" i blurted out in anger.
 Mummy B folded her hands. 
"Even the fan hanging from the ceiling is a better topic. So as you can see madam, we don't lack topics"
"Do you have any idea that I'm your superior?"
"Only the three thousand naira difference nah" I answered and Michelle laughed.
"I'm older than you in size, in age, what are you saying, I have two kids" "Two kids?" I laughed. 
"Belle na just nine months oh, all I need na sp*rm" i pointed out, Michelle and Lilian laughed.
"I no say if I wan go report to Mrs  Haruna, she go forgive you but Adesuwa bet me, oneday I go watch you commot from this hotel" she promised and then scoffed leaving the room. 
I won the argument like I usually did.
 I don't enjoy insulting Mummy B, but I hated feeling defeated. The B in her name may stand for 'Bisi', for me it's 'bully' cause she's nothing but a bully.

 
Henry's POV 

"What a rudie!" Jummy yelled after Adesuwa refused collecting the money from her. 
 I was still yet to get over the whole scenario and the fact she referred to me as her boyfriend. I never got the memo that we were dating.
"Did you see what she just did?" Jummy sat down where Adesuwa sat. "She just made me look like a complete fool" she continued.
"You're causing a scene" i whispered.
"Why did you refer to me as your" he didn't complete his sentence when she asked that her friend Emmy leaves us both to talk.
"I take it she doesn't know we're not dating"
"I may have told everyone that we had sex the night I slept over at the house."
"Jummy we're not dating"
"Why? Henry we used to be so good together?" "That's the issue, we used to be, there's a thin line between used to and now. That was in the past"
"Henry I love you, I really do. I just wish you can open your eyes and see how much I love you"
"What you just displayed"
"Is an affection of how I really feel about you. I was jealous seeing you with her."
 "Why are you here?" He added trying to avoid the topic.
"My friend Emmy, you know her Shea? She needs a job. I heard there's still a slot left for the assistant"

I checked out her resume and I realized she's not even up to the requirements. She had a third class degree and she in no way had the characteristics I wanted.

***
A call from mom was enough to ruin my day. She asked that i employ Jummy's friend. I didn't intend on employing her since her qualifications didn't meet up with my expectation.
Someone knocked on the door twice then i saw Adesuwa walked in with a letter.
 "Hey" I said trying to smile. I was in no mood to smile or joke about anything.
"Can you come back later, now's not a good time"
Just as she turned to leave, i remembered the way she was embarrassed by Jummy.
I deemed it fit to apologize to her. 
"I'm sorry" i said and she glanced at me once more.

Read " Palm lines " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. She was probably wondering what i was apologizing for.
"About the way Jummy spoke to you. She has never been that way. I know you must have questions" i paused, expecting she would open her mouth to say something. 
This was my cue for her to speak.
Nothing would give me more relief than a confession that very moment. Rather she faked a smile giving a gentle nod. 
Then she turned her back to leave.
"Your acting skills are laudable and superb. You almost had me going if I wasn't too inquisitive to be fooled"
Adesuwa paused for a moment she was probably wondering what I meant by that statement.
"I know you can talk...stop with the act, it's becoming annoying."
A scoff escaped her lip, loud enough for me to hear.
She turned towards me with her hands raised in surrender. It dawned on her that i knew already.
"I guess i'll be fired then" she said, my first time of hearing her voice. For a wierd reason, i badly wanted to know how she sounded.
 Not bad, i thought to himself. 
 "How long have you known?" She asked, "Today would make it the second day"
Adesuwa nodded her head. "Who told you?" She asked, "I didn't need to be told, like I said I was inquisitive" 
"So I've been making a fool of myself this whole time, great" she added sarcastically.
"So much for trying to keep my job." She added almost walking out the door.
"We're not done miss"
"Says who? You're not my boss, i've been fired"
"And who says you've been fired?" She turned towards me, "Why didn't you fired ne when you found out the truth about me?"
"Why did you do it? Why did you lie" i inquired in a subtle tone. 
"I asked you a question first" "Well I'm your boss"
"I don't owe you or anyone any explanation"
"I was lied to"
"You'll get over it, i'm not your girlfriend"
"But i'm still your boss"
"Take the job if you want...u wan force me talk?" She blurted out in attempt to leave the office.
"So i take it you're the kind to walk into men naked instead of doing your job. 
"That..... was a mistake" she answered without facing me.
"And lieing...i take it that's a hobby for you." I continued, "What about publicly rejecting marriage proposal? Is it that you love the attention, or you're a just a horrible person"
Suddenly she turned towards me rolling her eyes.
"You have no idea who i am...or what i can and can't do. I'm going to advise you to mind your business" she pointed at me then she placed her hands on the table bringing her face close to mine while balls of tears rolled down her cheek.
"Whatever i chose to do with my life, it's my life not yours...not Chidi's not..." She paused covering her face this was followed by a loud sob and a sniff.
"I better leave" she added turning her back to leave.
"Let's talk Adesuwa, like civilise people without the lies" i proposed feeling sorry about making her cry. Instead she dropped a letter then she walked out of the office.
"Adesuwa!" I called out.