Chapter 32

JOURNAL OF A LAGOS PLAYBOY (32)

"You've been avoiding me." I heard Nike's voice say.

"What?" I said looking up. She was wearing a grey skirt suit with a black blouse. Her short skirt gave a generous view of her light skinned and spotless legs. She looked stunning as always.

"No, I'm not. Just got a lot on my mind lately." I said. I was sitting in the cafeteria having a cup of coffee as I went through the morning's paper. I woke up feeling chills and a bit slow so I figured some caffeine in the system would help. I was so engrossed in what I was reading that I didn't bother to look up when I heard the clack-clack of her heels in the tiled floor until she spoke.

She pulled a chair and sat close, staring at me. I could feel her eyes on me but I chose not to react. When she saw I wasn't willing to say anything, she spoke.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked. I looked up from my paper.

"How?"

"You've been avoiding me…"

"I…" I tried to cut in but she wouldn't have it.

"… And don't say you haven't. I know when someone doesn't want to talk to me. I wasn't born yesterday."

I sighed and leaned back on my seat. It was a few minutes past 8am and the buzz of office activity was just picking up. I was hoping to get a few moments of quiet before attacking the files on my desk but it wasn't to be.

"You promised me we'd hangout and I've been waiting for you but it seems you're not interested any more." She continued, visibly agitated. I remembered that we'd spoken a few times since she returned from Kenya and I only made the offer for us to hang out on the premise that she would head back before we had a chance. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be heading back any time soon so unconsciously, I'd been avoiding her.

"Its not that." I said.

"Then what is it? You've never even dropped by my office to say hi…when we're at meetings, you totally ignore me…after such meetings, you disappear before I have a chance to recover…"

"A close friend died." I said, cutting her short. I watched as her expression went from sadness to shock, then sympathy. I was even surprised how those words came out from my mouth. I had received word last week about the passing on of a former neighbour. We weren't that close but he was a cool dude.

"I'm so sorry." She said taking my hand with genuine care in her eyes. I gave her most solemn look as I nodded sadly.

"Were you close?" She asked, her voice laden with concern.

"Like brothers." I lied, soaking up her sympathy greedily and putting up my most mournful face. She drew her seat and closer and caressed my back.

"I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me? I feel so insensitive coming here complaining. What can I do to make it better?" She asked.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll be ok." I said unconvincingly.

"Come on, just tell me…I'll do anything." She insisted in the most sincere way that I found sweet.

I hesitated. "I wouldn't mind a few days off. I'd like to travel to pay my respects. I took a few days off last month so I know it may seem awkward asking for another this month."

"Done." She said smiling and caressing my hands. I managed to smile back when on the inside, I felt like bursting. She was a darling of the director and besides, she once headed the HR Department so she still had a lot of clout there.

"Thank you, Nike." I said gratefully caressing her hands when Malik barged into the cafeteria.

"Dude, what are you doing here…" He stopped when her saw Nike and I holding hands.

"Morning Nike." He said, his voice sounding a bit stuffed as he attempted miserably to hide a smirk. She withdrew her hands from mine immediately and stood up.

"Malik." She nodded before left the cafe. Malik waited for her get out of ear shot before he spoke.

"Mickey, Mickey!" He said, grinning mischievously. He sat down where she had just left and leaned back and surveyed my smiling face.

"What's this smile for? Was she proposing to you?" He asked, laughing.

"Nope. I just got a few days off." I said, grinning from ear to ear like a satisfied Cheshire cat, totally impressed with myself.

"How? You took a few days off like a month ago. Director no go even consider you at all till next year, wallahi!" He said.

"We shall see." I said smiling confidently. "Why were you looking for me?"

"There's a guy who wants to see you. He's been at the waiting area for the past ten minutes." He said excitedly. "People are saying he's that Nigerian basket baller who plays in the NBA."

"Huh?" I was dumbfounded.

"Suzanne is all over him right now."

He said laughing. I didn't believe a word of what Malik said but I poured what remained of my coffee away and rushed towards my office with Malik struggling to keep up. Would that dude have the nerve to show his face here, I wondered.

I got to the waiting area in front of my office but the long chair was empty, so was the rest of my section. I felt cold rage grip me. Did he enter my office uninvited? I didn't even look back to ask Malik where he was. I opened the door with anger expecting to see his intimidating form looking around my private space and tampering with my property but my office was just as I had left it.

I sighed in relief because I had no idea how I was going to react. I wasn't sure that I would be able to stop myself from smashing my fist into his face. As I took some time to calm and regain my composure, I heard his infuriating baritone call my name.

"Well, if it isn't the non-dancing Michael Jackson where he ekes out a living." He said with derision.

I closed my fist regretfully, wishing we could just settle this thing he had for me with our fists once and for all. I turned around and looked at him.

Suzanne and Phoebe, both basketball afficionados were fussing around him, giggling with such adoration that I found extremely silly. Malik and a few other colleagues barged into my office snapping away with their phones, tablets and iPads.

"You have a very bad habit of popping in places where you're not wanted, don't you Kunle?" I said quietly as I strode to my seat.

"Oh, I think I'm wanted here." He smiled at Suzanne and Phoebe who both giggled foolishly. Malik who had been watching with surprise moved into the office and extended his hand to Kunle.

"I'm Malik. I'm Mickey's friend and most trusted colleague." He said shamelessly.

I shook my head in disgust. He was a star and those who had seen him on TV never failed to remind him what a star he was. He shook hands with Malik while he gave me a ridiculous look.

"Would you excuse your groupies now? I haven't got all day." I said, switching on my laptop.

He sighed regretfully at Sue and Phoebe and bade them farewell. They blushed and giggled like kids who just got candy; it was infuriating. As the little crowd exited my office, Malik stayed on.

"You too." I said, nodding to Malik.

"Come on!" He exclaimed disappointedly. He headed for the door and stopped when he stood next to Kunle. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen. Malik was about 5'7 and looked like a Lilliputian where Kunle stood.

"I'll be honoured to give you a tour of the office when you're done here." He said in his most patronizing tone.

"Malik!" I called again and he skipped out of my office shutting the door respectfully. Kunle watched all this with amusement on his face.

"Interesting people you work with." He remarked.

"What do you want now?" I asked exasperated. "You don't seem to have an ounce of respect for other people's privacy."

"Aren't you going to offer me a seat." He asked.

"Sit down if you want to and get on with it." I said impatiently.

"Why are you being so mean to me? Ok, I took Çhristy from you but not many guys do that and provide you with a soft landing cushion, eh?" He said, grinning knowingly, and sitting down across my desk.

I raised my eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

He leaned forward and smiled. "I'm talking about Chloe my man! You think I dunno you've been hitting that?"

"Hitting what? Dude, some of us actually have to work for a living…not chase a leather ball around so if you don't mind…" I said.

"Ouch!" He said leaning back. He looked at me for a while in silence.

"Ok man, you win. Whatever I had with Christy, you've destroyed." He said, sighing.

It was my turn to be amused. I was exceedingly glad at this but I told myself not to trust this dude.

"Boo-hoo. So you've come to cry to me." I said with disdain. He smiled.

"You're still mad at me. With good reason too." He said.

"Oh, I'm overjoyed with you." I said with sarcasm. He stood up.

"I won't take much of your time. She didn't send me here but I know she still loves you." He paused and looked at me. I was flipping through some papers without seeing them as my heart thumped like it was going to jump out of my chest. I was acting like I wasn't interested in what he was saying but my ears were working at full capacity.

"I'm just trying to show good faith here. I care about her and I just want to be sure that you'll treat her right…"

"Get out." I said quietly, looking up at him. He stared at me for a few seconds, smiled and left. I leaned back on my chair and smiled from the bottom of my heart in a long time.