‘Why would I hearfrom him? Claire asks genuinely confused. ‘He is meant to be busy with Lara notme!’
‘Oh gosh. You trulyare a blonde stuck in the wrong skin aren’t you’ I smile cheekily whilstgrabbing the last bread roll on the counter and stuffing it into my handbag. Itis laced with Polony and sends a divine scent from my handbag. Gosh I don’t knowhow I manage to keep all this hunger satiated! It is amazing that I havemaintained a good size for a while but this is just going all over the place. Perhapsit is the stress of worrying about Claire and her mother. Aunty is still in bedand enjoys the luxury of waking up around nine hours whilst Claire runs around likea headless chicken fetching this that and the other for her.
‘Diana, peoplein glass houses should not throw stones!’
‘Oh spare me! Youare beginning to sound like your mother with all the folktale chat’
She laughs and reshuffles little Daniel on her lap. I have to admit I have become attached tothe little bugger. He is absolutely divine and at least the nurses are notgoing to give us hell this time at the under-five clinic. The last times we have been there, his weight has been down but never up. Except for the time hewas born. My gosh, he was the definition of a bouncing baby boy! At leastduring that time our Mohammed Ali decide it was time out on the boxing. We all thought it was going to get better what with the baby coming and what not. Foolme once shame on you but fool me twice, then I guess I am just a fool for love.Or just a fool really. I grabbed my bag and kissed my godchild goodbye. I justhope that nappy gets changed on time before his mother gets a day dreamy on us.
Today is meantto be a terribly busy day and sitting in my car stuck in traffic is not how I envisioncustomer care! Today is turning out to be a total nightmare! I am meant to behaving a meeting at half past 9 and the one thing I hate is having to runthrough my pitch to a client. With everyone wanting to know about internetbanking, the bank has seen an influx of customers and a smaller workforce! Meaningthe bulk of the workload falls on me. I look at my watch and already startdreading the long drive to Solwezi in the afternoon. Shit! Solwezi! I forgot mysmall suitcase!
‘Beep!’ I accidentallyslam my fist onto the horn pissing off the driver behind me who sets off hishorn in a rampant rage of his own! Yep, Mondays have that effect on people. Finallythe traffic starts moving and steadily flows but without stopping. The heatsaccompanies me uncomfortably inciting beads of sweat to collect in my armpit. Great!As if this could not get any worse and I am in a white blouse! Just charming. Notto mention I am supposed to work with Dominic this morning.
Thirty minuteslater, I arrive at the office and thank goodness for African timing, my clientis not here yet. I head straight to my desk. I figure if there is anything elseoutstanding it will pop its ugly head on my screen. And there she is. Mrs Mwabamy 9:30 arrives at 9 hours instead. How did I forget her unforgivablepunctuality! Thank God the other person has forfeited their slot.
‘Mrs Mwaba howare you?’ I ask her short cute rounded frame. Her glasses weave is in a bobstyle and frames her big cheeks so that she looks almost like a dumpling. She isdressed in a fine African attire that clings to her body and shows off everyfold. It is a wonder she is still able to carry that weight when she is sotiny. I should have known however that her punctuality stems from her living witha white man, or rather cohabiting. She claims she does not want to marry himbased on the trauma from her previous marriage. Yes I know, I thought it wastoo much detail as well. I motion her to a seat in front of my desk and shewiggles her behind with every ounce of grace that she has mastered over theyears.
‘Jerry likes todrop me off early for appointments you understand?’ she says proudly as thoughthe name Jerry is supposed to awaken a fire within me. I smile cordially andset up my computer to go to her account. I do not really have time for chitchat especially listening to her posing the question- you understand after everystatement. ‘It is not easy being married to a muzungu you understand?’
I set off explaining to Mrs Mwaba how to use her e-banking but with all the years ofbeing with a muzungu, her internet knowledge is definitely not understood byher. She stares at me blankly. I begin to run out of patience and think I shouldoffer her another appointment.
‘No I need to understandit today you understand. The thing is my white man will not- well he needs meto know how to manage that money online so that I may transfer money when mykids need it at boarding school.’
Looking at heraccount almost knocks me out of my seat! It is as fat as she is and I bet thatis her pocket money. It hurts me that she only uses it on fabric when there area lot of Gucci’s I can think of buying ta this rate. I am truly gettingfrustrated with her because she does not get anything I am saying.
‘Need any help?’a deep smooth velvety voice says in almost a whisper. I know it too well and I amfamiliar with its egocentric self. Mrs Mwaba turns and looks at the whole lotof him. To her I bet he seems like a giant. I sit up boldly and play his game. Iam no damsel in distress!
‘I am fine thank you Dominic’ I say trying to disguise a pang of shyness that is creeping up. He smiles and pulls out a bouquet of 32 roses that he was awkwardly hiding behind him and the whole room erupts in a happy birthday song. I lean back inmy chair seriously touched and I guess it is too late to hide it. Why oh whydid this man have to be my senior! At least when we worked at differentbranches it was easy to avoid him but since he got promoted, the man is relentless. I take the roses and thank him.
‘Don’t I get akiss from madam?’ Mrs Mwaba stands up and stands next to him.
‘Most definitely you understand!’ she says looking at him like the whole of his chocolate self ought to melt and pour all over her! He laughs and turns towardsme. I give him the cheek and thank him.
‘There is more where that came from’ I do not blush. I put up my strongest front and do not allow him to melt me like a bloody candle….but since when do I find him so- so-divine? I play bold but my inside right now is waxy! Damn Claire done got to mewith that foolish love talk!
‘You are in love child. He is a good man and a keeper!’ Mrs Mwaba says when he turns to goto his office. Like hell I am! I sit ask her to sit down but she refuses. ‘Oh no dear, your man already sorted it out for me with my other account. I can loginto this account with the username that was set up. This appointment was justset up so I could stop you seeing other clients.’ She flashes a million dollar smile and picks up her handbag. I am shocked at all the lingo she just threw at me. ‘He just wanted to surprise you. Stop playing hard to get and take the man already’. She wiggles away and out the door. I can’t believe I forgot my own birthday! His was a bold move and I fear he may be winning….
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