Back to work

Getting ready to go to work again feels bittersweet. It's been a month since I set foot in my workplace. I can't imagine that after all the rumors about the nature of my attack, my workers won't be curious. I just know their eyes would track movements all over the place, as if that would be enough to prompt me into speaking. The thought alone is getting me irritated and I'm not even there yet.

I decide to make a quick stop at Julie to weave my hair.

"oh my God Tobi, I heard what happened to you." She cries immediately I walk in, rushing to give me a hug. She pulls back and cups my cheeks. "I heard you were in an accident, how come?"

I gently pulled away. "you know how it is. Wrong place, wrong time." I say half heartedly, not wanting to go into the topic. She must have sensed it because she quickly pulled herself together turning back to her professional self.

"What are we doing today?" she asks.

I shrug. "anything. You know what fits me best."

She smiles. "Of course I do." She says proudly before directing me to washing area.

Within an hour, my hair has been washed, dried, and weaved into four neat cornrows with some kind of zigzag lining. It's cool.

I bring out my card to pay but she pushes my card back to me.

"No no, this one is on me." She says. "this is my treat for you, after what you went through."

I cork a brow. "You know I'm rich right?"

She rolls her eyes. "who doesn't know that. I know you can probably buy this building if you want. I just want to do this for you, as a friend."

Friend. Never really thought of us as friends.

"Thank you. I'm grateful."

She smiles. "You're welcome" closing the gap between us she leans up to whisper in my ear. "are you sure you're been careful? The gossips are getting louder." She says with concern.

I tilt my head. "what do you mean?"

"you know what I mean. You need to be careful. There are sharks waiting to tear your family apart."

Mal.

She's warning me about my relationship with Mal.

I nod. "I'll be careful. Thank you."

Yes, I expected the stares, fucking gawking at me. What I did not expect as I walk into the building is the murmurs, the fucking whispers. Did they think because I had an 'accident' I would become meek or stupid? Had they forgotten how I was before?

As I pass by the reception area, after greeting me, the girls behind the counter whisper something to themselves and shake their head. The sight makes me fucking furious. Did they think I got blind in my right fucking eye? And was that pity I sensed?

"what was that?" I ask calmly.

"Sir?" the other one asks. "What sir?"

I point my finger at their general direction. "What the fuck did you just say about me?"

Their eyes widen. "sir, no, we were not talking about you o."

"do I look stupid to you?" I glare at the three of them. "tell me what you just said or say goodbye to your jobs." I snap. The nerve, thinking they can gossip me in my presence. It seems absence causes disrespect not make the heart grow fonder.

"Ah sir please o, we were not talking about you o. Please sir!" the middle one begs.

Seeing as they were not ready to talk, I turn to the direction of my office bypassing the fitting room and general consultation room. If they were not willing to talk, they can kiss their jobs good bye.

"Sir sir" I can hear them running and calling after me, probably trying to save their jobs. Feeling partly forgiving, I stop, just few steps to my office and turn to face them.

"are you ready to spill?" I ask.

Both three nod.

"So?"

"um, we felt so-

"no" I cut them off. "I don't give a shit about how you felt. I want to know what you said."

"I said the accident really changed you." One said before pointing to tall and lanky "Mimi said at least the it c-calmed you down." Mimi gasps looking betrayed. Confessor ignores Mimi and points to tall and big. ""mercy now said she feels sorry for you that's why we shook our heads."

"Why would you assume the accident changed me?" I ask, curious.

Mercy answers. "you were usually happy or overly angry when you come to work. Either you greeted all of us or you shout at us when you walk in. Today, you just felt off when you came in and we got worried."

Well, I was definitely lost in thought, concerned about Julie's warning. I sigh. "As much as I appreciate your concern. Please let that not repeat itself again. I don't need your pity okay? I have enough people in my life to do that for me, and if you must, do it in secret."

They all nod. "okay sir, we won't repeat it."

I look at Mimi and I see her wither. "if you don't like the energy I exude, the door is wide open. Let this just be warning. When you're here, if you're not working, you should be working. If you don't put yourself in line you will find yourself in line out there looking to get a new job." i snap.

They nod jerkily.

I turn and head into my office, Chi already in there waiting for me.

"Good morning sir. I hope you had a good night rest." She says, looking really happy to see me.

"Good morning Chi, is this my table? I can almost see my reflection."

She laughs. "yes sir. We've all been anticipating your return. Welcome back sir."

"thank you." I sit on my chair and check the documents arranged in the table. "where are those sketch work I asked you to print out during weekend? And I need to see my schedule for today."

She hurries out and comes back in within two minutes. I often wonder how she manages to walk around in those impossible heels. And she's fast with it too.

"Sir, here it is." She places a tab and a file on the table. I pick up the file first and open it. The sketch I did last week of a new suit design looks a lot better printed out. I pray it looks even better when I sew it.

"have you been able to purchase the material I asked you to get?"

"yes sir. It was delivered yesterday."

I flip through all the angles, Impressed with the design.

"Have others submitted their designs?"

"yes sir. They're all on your desk." She points to a folder on my table.

"okay. That's good. I'll go over them later." I open the table, well, to say my schedule is full will be an understatement. It seems I'll be here till five today.

"I guess I have a client coming in the next twenty minutes." Chi nods. "okay, please go set up the place."

"okay sir." She turns to go but then stops. "Um, sir, the envelope that was delivered last week is in your drawer."

Oh yeah, that.

"Okay, I'll check it out. Thank you."

As she leaves, I open my top drawer, since it's the only one Chi has a key to. A blue slim envelope sits in there. I pick it up turning it around. There, at the lowest left, it says to give this only to Mr. Tobi.

I roll my eyes. But of pathetic idiots.

I rip open the envelope and unfolded the hand written letter. They couldn't even type and print. Then I read the brief letter.

Mr. Tobi, you don't know me, but I know you.

Of course idiot, you know me, I'm literally a celebrity.

You have bitten more than you can chew and it's time for you to dance to the beat of the drum.

When have I ever bitten more than I can chew? Has he/she ever seen me eat?

The attack on your life will be mild compared to what I'll do next if you don't call off the police.