Chapter 2 Mrs Babatunde

Living in a city that never sleeps will prove to be a never-ending task that will humble you. As the saying goes, if you can't be smart in Lagos, you can't be smart anywhere else. And that theory has proved itself to Amaka on several occasions.

"Emeka. Turn off that television and pick up your bag, you'll be late for school."

Amaka waited until she heard the footsteps of her son as he carried out her instruction. She was late for work. Again. She couldn't afford to lose her job. Jobs were hard to come by these days and she had a six-year-old son to care for. One that must be taken care of.

She quickly grabbed her son's lunch case from the kitchen and led them out of the two bedrooms flat they lived in, after securing the locks and herding her over-active seven-year-old into the backseat of her Honda civic vehicle, she began navigating Lagos traffic. It was still relatively early and she had made sure her son schooled nearby to avoid her getting stuck in traffic on her way to and from work.

As soon as she dropped him and gave him her love, she was back in the traffic. She looked at the time every three seconds as she drove, so much so that she almost brushed another vehicle.

Amaka thought the car looked familiar but that thought disappeared when the driver rolled down his window and began yelling profanities at her. She responded in kind but the match soon stopped when his boss sitting at the back seat told him to keep driving.

Amaka was already riled up, she didn't need any more negative vibes. She got to work successfully and thankfully, no one had even noticed that she had arrived late. She worked at a logistics company as the CEO's assistant. The office was really busy, more than usual. Amaka power walked to the receptionist's table and tapped Esther on the shoulder.

"Esther, what is happening?"

"You know that rumor that was going around that our boss wanted to sell this company?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"My dear turns out it is true."

Amaka covered her mouth and stared into space, the thoughts of all the things that could go wrong for her with this takeover going through her mind.

"So, did they say anything about us?" Esther instantly understood what Amaka was trying to say, it was the question that was ringing through the minds of every employee at that moment. It was why everyone was bustling around doing their best that they don't be the ones to lose their jobs.

"My dear, I don't know. No one has said anything to that effect."

"But who exactly is our new boss?"

"That would be me."

Amaka froze when she heard that voice, the very one that had broken her heart into pieces almost seven years ago and had given her tremors since then. She could already feel her heart beginning to respond to him and didn't want to turn because she knew her voice would betray her. Amaka took deep breaths to calm her racing heart and finally turned to the source of the voice.

"You must be Amaka, my assistant?" The way he said Personal didn't quite sit well with her and if this was how he wanted to play this, she was game too.

"Hello sir, yes I am Amaka. Would you like me to show you to your office?"

"I already know where it is but comes with me anyway, we have much to discuss."

Amaka grudgingly followed him into his office, waiting for him to walk around his desk as she stood in the room waiting. Instead, she felt his presence behind her, she steeled her body and her heart to obey her and not respond to him.

"Mr. Babatunde..."

"Amaka, please call me Dolapo. I feel like we've known each other in another lifetime."

"You're my boss now, sir. I have to address you properly."

"Oh." Dolapo began walking towards Amaka as she moved back until her back hit the door and he was standing in front of her. She tried to open it and run but Dolapo slammed his hand against it and turned the lock. Amaka stayed facing the lock as she felt his body slide up behind hers, molding himself to her. She felt his breathing close to her ear and tried to push back the memories that this very position held for her, she could feel her throat begin to tighten at the thoughts.

"Amy... I remember a time you used to love calling me by my name."

"That was a long time ago, please don't make this hard for either of us."

"Oh, I remember how hard you made me back then and how much you loved it."

Dolapo blew a light breeze at the crook of her neck and bit down gently on the spot before suckling on it. Amaka bit her lip to hold back a moan and bent her head to the side, giving him more access to her neck. Dolapo held on to her waist and pulled her back into him, her backside snug against him.

"There was a time you used to crave this..."

That was what was needed to restore Amaka to her senses, she pushed back against him with as much force as she could muster and was able to push him back enough for her to unlock the door. Before she left, she turned to him.

"You are right, Dolapo. There was a time I used to crave for you but then you decided that she was more important than us. And here we are." Amaka took a deep breath to regain herself.

"Welcome to Gobe Logistics, Mr. Babatunde. If you need anything, my office is right next to yours, and you could always use the intercom."

Amaka closed the door as gently as she could and walked to her office, as soon as she closed the door behind her, she ran to her desk and cried her eyes out. She had tried over the years to forget him, forget how she saw them on that fateful night, in their bedroom. Seeing him brought back memories, good and bad memories.

And he's been here brought a really big problem for her. What to do about Emeka? He looked too much like his father, if Dolapo ever saw him, there was no doubt that he would know that Emeka was his.

Amaka quickly pulled herself together. She had left Abuja immediately after their divorce to come to settle in Lagos, she would take it one step at a time. He would never find out about Emeka. He must not. Amaka sat up straight in her chair and began her usual tasks for the day, she knew Dolapo wouldn't give her any breathing space because of their history, she would have to work just as hard as anybody else. If not harder. Not up to ten minutes later, Dolapo called her into his office and listed off the things he needed her to do for the day.

Amaka had been right, he didn't take it easy on her. She had worked throughout the day, even though her lunch break. As she was about to finish, he brought more. Even some she recognized as ones she had done before the takeover. When she had gone in to tell him she was going for her lunch break, he had told her off.

"Amaka, do you think this job is a joke to you?"

"No, sir."

"Have you finished your work?"

"No, sir, but I'm almost done with..."

"Almost there is not there yet, Amaka. I don't want to have any reason to believe that you do not take your job seriously." And so she had gone back to her office, but as she closed the door, he called her on the intercom.

"Yes sir?"

"One more thing, Amaka. Don't close your door. You're to leave it open at all times."

It was almost 5:00 pm, almost time to pick up Emeka from his extra classes and thirty minutes past her closing hour. She heaved a sigh, gathered up her courage, and went to tell Dolapo that it was time for her to go home.

"Sir..." Dolapo sighed and raised his head from his computer and looked at her. Amaka felt like he was staring into her soul.

"Yes, Amaka. What do you want now?"

"It's past my closing time. I need to go home."

"But we're not quite finished yet."

"I know, but..."

"But you don't. You don't know what it takes to be a PA. You can only leave when the job is done, Amaka. Is that clear?" Amaka choked back the sobs that wanted out. Since she had known him, he had never spoken so harshly to her before, she could feel the venom in his voice. And it unnerved her. But then again, seven years is more than enough to change anybody.

"Or maybe...there is someone who is waiting for you to come home?"

He was baiting her. She knew it but didn't know how to answer the question. If she said yes, she will have to tell him about Emeka or he would assume that she had a lover, and he would keep her there even longer. If she said no, then she would have to formulate a lie about why she needed to go home so bad. Amaka was a terrible liar. Dolapo knew that about her.

"Umm..." Amaka's mouth opened and closed like a fish in the ocean, she didn't know what to answer him, and luckily, she was saved from having to provide an answer by a knock on the door. Dolapo looked at her for a few more seconds before asking whoever it was to come in.

"Good day, sir."

"Come in, John."

Amaka quickly stole out of the room, she didn't know she was holding in her breath until she sat down at her table. She took a few seconds to collect herself before picking up her phone to call her sister. Janet picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Janet, I need a favor."

"Good evening to you too, Amaka. What is it?"

"I need you to pick up Emeka from school, please. I won't be able to make it in time." There was silence on the other end of the line for some time before Janet spoke up.

"Why won't you be able to make it?"

"It's a long story, I'll tell you all about it I promise." Amaka's voice broke a little at the end but she cleared her throat and coughed. But, that was enough for Janet. She agreed immediately and after making a promise to spill everything on the weekend, she went to fetch her nephew.

Meanwhile, Amaka bent her head on her table and silently swore at the universe.