Chapter 61

Three years had passed.

Gloria and Esau completed their studies at the university after hard work and extensive research. They were now in their mid twenties and had passed their final examinations with upper second class honors degrees.

The two lovers went back to their parents' homes to start looking for jobs after their graduation ceremony. Gloria lived with her parents at Changamwe on the mainland.

But she had hinted to Esau she would move to her own house once she got a job. She felt she was an adult woman and had to live on her own to be self-reliant and ensure privacy.

Esau went on living with his father at Nyali on the island. But the two lovers would meet occasionally in town and discuss their unemployment situation over drinks.

Then, a month later, Esau received an offer of employment. He was appointed as a trainee manager for an international shipping company called Maersk.

Esau was quite happy as he broke the news to Gloria when they sat at Blue Room Restaurant, where they always came for drinks.

"Gloria, my love," he began, "I'm so thrilled. I've been offered a job as a Trainee Shipping Manager."

"What's the name of the firm?" She asked.

"It's called Maersk International."

"Good luck to you! How much are they offering you?"

"I'm still a trainee. But they'll double my salary once I am confirmed in their employment as I'm still under probation. They're offering me only twenty-five thousand shillings per month."

"Not bad. At least you've something to see you through the months. But as for me, I'm still nowhere. I'm not sure whether to go for a job in the public service or not. It's the only alternative for me." Her tone was full of disillusionment.

As she was still talking, Esau's mind walked into the past to that day when they went for a dance at Garden Square Restaurant after the tutorial group discussion in Professor Al-Ghazzal's office

They were seated at a table with Monica, who had come along with her fiancé, a male student called Rick, when they saw Brian enter the restaurant with a group of other campus colleagues.

"Look, who's just come in!" Gloria had said when she saw them first.

Esau's eyes gazed at Brian, and when their eyes met, he saw a look of hatred in his eyes. Brian led the group of students, numbering five to a seat at the corner.

"I think the guy just doesn't like me," Esau complained. "I saw the look in his eyes."

"But why is that?" Monica had queried.

"I don't know."

"May be he's jealous of our presentations that often receive praise from Al-Ghazzal," Gloria suggested.

"That's quite possible. But I think there's more to it than meets the eye," Esau had observed.

Then they had danced to the songs the Orchestra Les Mangelepa played on the stage. As Esau held Gloria tightly on the floor while Monica and Rick danced close by, he saw Brian watch them coldly as he sat with his friends.

The man is up to something, Esau had thought, as the song came to an end, and they went back to their seats. Then the orchestra began playing another song, and Monica and Rick went to the floor.

Esau and Gloria were still seated as they watched their friends dance when suddenly Brian came towards them and stopped at their table.

"May I now dance with you?" Brian had touched Gloria's hand as he talked.

"No, please!" Gloria reacted sharply. "Can't you see I have my partner?"

"Okay, we'll see about that later," Brian left feeling humiliated.

The dance went on for a while, and then Esau had gone to the gents' for a short call. When he returned a few minutes later, he found Brian pulling and holding Gloria as he tried to force her to dance with him.

Esau came rushing and pulled Gloria away from him. He growled, "What's the matter with you? Can't you see the lady doesn't want to dance with you?"

"Who says so? You aren't her husband, anybody can..."

"Go away, leave Gloria alone..."

Esau saw the punch coming and ducked low as it whistled past him. Then he swung a powerful left that landed on Brian's jaw, and he collapsed almost immediately. But Brian's five friends had seen what was going on and came swarming, buzzing and darting like bees on the spot.

Esau sent a powerful right to the taller of the guys, and the man went down on his knees. Two flying kicks and several combinations of punches sent two others on the floor.

Then Rick appeared on the scene and hit the other two men with powerful combinations of jabs and left hooks as uppercuts, and these too joined their friends on the floor.

The security men, who had watched from the distance, moved in.

"What's going on here?" The tall, burly security man in red uniform snarled.

"It's this guy here," Gloria said, pointing at Brian. "He started it all. He wanted to force me to dance with him, yet I have my fiancé here. Then, his friends joined in the fight."

The security men had restored order. Brian and his friends were frog-matched out of the dance hall for their uncouth conduct.

Esau's mind cracked from the past, and as he sat there listening to her disillusioned voice; he knew he had to comfort her as she had stood with him in difficult moments.

"Don't worry, darling. You'll get a job. Do not despair because that's the worst situation that could ever happen to anyone. You believe in God, don't you? Despair is the heavy price one has to pay for not being a believer?"

"But it's very boring just staying at home doing nothing." She protested.

"Well, you could keep yourself busy going to the gym which I know you like. Remember how you used to keep fit during those days at campus? Well, give it a try." Esau suggested as he recalled how he had often accompanied her to Annabelle Gym thrice a week in Nairobi in the evenings where she used to do her exercises.

"It's a wonderful idea, my love. The beauty of it is that it helps me keep in shape. I will do as you suggest as I wait for an opening."

Then together they walked out of the restaurant as they went to the bus stop where she took her bus home.

That evening, Esau told his father about the employment offer. Alfredo's response was quite reassuring when he remarked, "Maersk International is quite a well paying company. Don't be discouraged by the initial salary they are offering. If you just stick to the job for the next five years, you could be earning well over a hundred and fifty thousand shillings per month, excluding the allowances."

Alfredo paused as he regarded his son and then continued: "And to a young man like you, that is a lot of money. In fact, it's very good money."

Esau took up his new appointment quite zealously. He usually left very early for the office and worked until very late hours.

Then he would go for evening classes at the Mombasa Polytechnic, where he had registered as a student for the Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers examinations of London.

If he thought the university was the end of examinations, he would find himself once again reading for examinations in life. But he realized they were not as difficult as the university exams he had taken as an undergraduate.

The chartered exams were easy exams to him even if others found them difficult. He was used to academic exploits and would now pursue professional training and development as well as exploits. He was used to reading books.

He read; he studied.