I walked into the empty staff room and let out a loud yawn. It had been a long day and I was looking forward to spending an hour alone marking scripts and preparing for tomorrow's class. There was something about the relative silence, the absence of another human being that makes me work more efficiently.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Odina." A cheery female voice said from behind me. I hoped it wasn't who I thought it was. No such luck. I turned around and gazed upon the speaker.
"Good afternoon, Miss Ogumanki." After the confrontation from the principal, I had spent the whole day worrying about Marge and I. I kept going over our conversations, trying to recall if I had ever said something that can be constructed to show an inappropriate relationship between us. So far, I have come up with nothing, but my mind keeps gnawing at me about a looming danger.
"Nke a iru gi di otu a... Long day?" She asked, folding her hands in front of chest, under her breast, pushing them out from underneath the white shirt she wore with the green letters 'NYSC' printed on it.
I swallowed nervously. What kind of temptation is this? I hadn't noticed this before. Prior to the occurrence, she had been an engaging companion. Nothing more. Now, the principal's words have thrown a switch in me. The mouth doesn't water for what the eyes doesn't see.
I dropped my shoulder bag on the table and started packing books into it. There was no way I was staying here with her lest the principal bumps into us and decipher something inappropriate. "Yes, it's been very trying."
"Oh." The word sent shivers down my spine. I heard her chair scrape against the floor and the echo of her boots against the 'german' floor. "Did something out of the ordinary happen? Wasn't it just another day with block-head students and monotonous work?"
I chuckled. She had gotten close, so close I could smell her. "It was just the usual."
"So what did the principal want?"
I was momentarily stunned. "Want?"
"Yeah... When he called you in the morning. He was quite persistent. It must have been something important."
"Oh. That..." I wondered if I should tell her about the accusation. Tell her the truth and..what? We would start avoiding each other like teenagers who had just broke up? It would be much too embarrassing. I cherished our friendship as it was now. She was my only other friend apart from
James. We could chat and laugh in ways I couldn't with the other staff. "It was nothing. Just telling me that there has been a slight hold up on our salaries."
She nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. So, you are already packing up?"
'You bet!' I thought to myself. "Yes, Marge. I think I should get home and have a good rest. Then see about finishing up on these assignments. Moreover, I am sure my wife has prepared a delicious meal..."
She gave a nervous laugh. It sounded nervous to me. "She is very lucky to have you."
My hand stilled on the zipper of the bag. What did she mean by that? Yesterday, those words wouldn't have troubled me, but with what's happened, I wondered if it meant that she was jealous of Uche? I silently cursed the principal for ruining the cozy thing I had going for us. "As lucky I am to have her." I replied with a smile.
She chuckled. I snagged the handle of my bag onto my shoulder and turned to squarely face her, and the door. Her face directly in front of my chest, her breasts...
'Banish such thoughts, Magnus.'
Suddenly she embraced me. One second we were standing there looking at each other, an uncomfortable silence between us, the next second, she had wrapped her hands around me, her breasts punching into my chest through the thin shirt, her styled hair beneath my chin.
I really didn't want to, I didn't plan on it, but I wrapped my arms around her and returned the embrace. You mustn't judge me, but I rested my head against hers and I inhaled her scent; something lavender and arousing. I closed my eyes and felt blood rush through me. I must cherish this moment, store it away. It might as well be the last time I will hold her like this. I felt good. Better. I felt like a weight has been hefted off me.
In that moment, I forgot all about the financial problems facing me, I didn't care that my child had insulted me yesterday, and I forgave Uche for what she had done. It's been a long time since I last hugged someone like this. Physical contact so beautiful, so pure.
Then the moment was ruined. Someone cleared his throat from the doorway. We hastily separated, our eyes finding targets but ourselves. She adjusted her shirt, letting her hands run down her sides. I looked up at the doorway to where James Egwu stood.
"James, my man!" I called. James was my best friend. He had been the best man at my wedding, his family usually came over to my place on Sunday's for brunch and a long chat. "Kedu?"
He grinned. "Things are great. Just perfect! Hello, Marge! How do you do?"
Marge turned to face him. She smiled weakly. "Good afternoon, Mr. Egwu." She turned to me, "See you tomorrow, then."
I wanted to ask why she hadn't returned James' pleasantries, but I merely said. "Yes... Bye, then."
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