broken and bruised episode 9&10

BROKEN AND BRUISED

Episode 9

It has been five days ever since the ugly experience took place with no one apart from Tobi, Mel and Tobi's friends only been the ones who know about it......Tobi had spent the rest of the week at home with his phone broken, he couldn't communicate to know how the office was running, everyone who wanted to talk to him would call his mother but he made it clear to her that he didn't want to speak with anyone and it so happened like that......he was locked up in his room all this while with maid Lisa serving his barley touched food in the room......so today is Monday, Monica is seated at the dinning for breakfast all by herself like it has been lately but all of a sudden she feels Tobi's presence when his perfume filled up the dinning room, she looks up hopefully and just as she imagined, Tobi who has become a shadow of his old self, is slowly descending the stairs with his bag in hand, Monica didn't know how she did it but she quickly rose to her feet and walk over to receive him, she takes the bag from him and pulls his chair, she feels his head

"How do you feel now" she realises he really doesn't have fever

"I'm fine mother..."

"Where are you going with this bag"

"To the office...I need to take care of my company and there are things there I need to solve"

"Can't you wait till when you're fine...I mean we should call the doctor home to come check you up before you do this"

"I'm not sick mother..... if you're saying this because of what happened the other day just relax, it won't ever happen again"

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

"About what..."

"What really happened that day, where did you spend the night that day, what made you drink yourself like that"

"Mother, have you ever heard about something called past?.....I don't wish to talk about that experience, not today, not tomorrow and not ever"

"But you were in a very bad state"

"You think I didn't know that?....maybe I made a mistake coming down for breakfast, I should have grabbed something on my way"

"I'm so sorry son.....but I don't think that woman you're seeing is a woman you should be with.......she's a very bad example, she couldn't even come see how you were doing all this while" Tobi now is quiet because he just knows his mother will not stop no matter what he says, he concentrates on his breakfast on silence till when he is done, he gets up from his seat and wishes his mother good day without their usual kisses, he leaves...........

Melanie wakes up very early but she's just so tired of staying locked in her room all these days, everyday has been sleeping and waking up, the longest trip she has made must be the bathroom.... her mother has begged and begged her to tell he what really happened to her but she has been able to keep her ugly encounter from everyone, she intends to keep it that way, she had contemplated reporting her ordeal to the police but she knows no one will even believe her story after all she has nothing to prove her allegation.... and what's important is that she's still alive....she just feels so broken and bruised, she wishes to forget that night but she wakes in the middle of the night just feeling his touches and hearing his voice of satisfaction....... now she can't be locked up in here forever, she has to pick up her broken pieces and move on.......Ron has gotten over his anger and visits her everyday, she's not sure if she wants this relationship anymore but she just doesn't have the heart to break Ron's heart after all that he has done to her.... for the very first time in five days, she finally steps out of the house feeling so light and weak, her mother was pealing, sweet potatoes in front of their small kitchen, Ofelia drops the knife down on sighting her

"Fina...."

"Good morning mother"

"How do you feel now" her mother asks and she sits down next to her, she forces a smile from the corners of her dry lips

"Getting better mum"

"What really happened"

"I just ate something that really didn't agree with my stomach"

"Did you have a running stomach"

"Yes, it was terrible but I'm fine now"

"I think we still need to see a nurse"

"No mother, we can't....Ron already got me some tabs" her mother smiles

"Ron...that boy will make a very good husband for you my daughter, he loves you a lot and I'm so happy you will not have the ugly fate your mother here had" Mel looks aside

"I think you should give him a call to tell him you're OK finally"

"No mother, he will come I'm sure"

"You should take a walk, you can't be stuck here all day"

"I shall do that in the evening" she sits there and suddenly goes quiet, just starring in space her mother watches her as million things run through her head..............

Mrs Pope sits in her beautiful flower garden and wonders why things are not going according to plan, those boys had promised to send her the incriminating pictures immediately and yet they have not fulfilled their part of the deal and this relationship is going on like nothing ever happens, she's so worried because in two days time her husband will be back and the engagement will hold....she suddenly gets up and paces up and down with her phone in her ear, Perry who has been watching from a distance wonders what her evil mother is up to, she can swear to God that her mother is up to no good but really can't tell what she's planning, she intends to find out...........

The works in the big offices are going on so wonderfully well even in Tobi's absence, few staffs have been asking questions and wondering why their boss wasn't in office all these days but Jane doesn't get tired of saying he is on a trip, yet deep down, she's also having her own worries about why Tobi is not working, they sit for their morning departmental meetings and after thirty minutes, they settle for the head meeting in the conference hall to plan for the week since it's Monday......

Tobi drives up to the front of the big tall building in a break neck speed, he packs the car well and grabs his bag in hand, it's the first time he's walking past everyone without saying hello, first it was the gateman and now the receptionist, he gets up to the reception desk and the lovely lady gets up with a smile

"Good morning sir" she greets him but he ignores her greeting, he looks around to see if Jane was there waiting for him in the reception area like she always does but she's not there

"Where is Jane"

"She's for a meeting in the conference hall" she says still with a wide unending smile

"Welcome back Sir" he walks away faster than the speed he used for coming in and the Lady is so shocked, Tobi continues to walk like he still has a long way to go, every person he passes greets him with so much respect and happiness still he doesn't even reply any of them..... he finally gets to the conference and opens the door ajar, everyone turns to the door and they are all surprised

"Good morning Sir" they all echoed and got no response from him

"Jane....come with me" that was all he said and Jane quickly collects her files and takes on her heels, she catches up with Tobi in the corridor

"Sir, we did pretty great since Wednesday last week, we were able to get two new orders and one new investor.... you were supposed to meet with hajji Badru on Friday but the appointment was cancelled and rescheduled for tomorrow, but today, you have....."

"STOP..." he turns abruptly and she also stops

"I'm so sorry sir"

"Come with me and don't talk" she nods and she follows him in silence just, they reach the entrance of his office and at this point, Everyone is watching them and whispering from ear to ear, Tobi must have realised this because he suddenly grabs Jane's hand and pushes her in to his office and shuts the door closed, Jane still fighting for her breath is even more stunned

"Sir.... what's going on"

"Too many questions Jane.....too many questions" Jane stands still

"Sit....sit don't talk but listen" she obeys

"I don't want to know how things have been running here, I do need that report but not now..... is David and his friends in their offices"

"You mean Clement and Edmond"

"Damn...which other friends"

"Sorry... yes they are in"

"Go get them and don't come back here until when you see them leave this office... and tell those nosy staffs that unless any of them is so ready to loose his or her job...they should mind their business that's making my offices run....no one, I mean no one is to cross the door of his or her office....understood" she doesn't know what is happening but she sure can predict what's coming up for those three pretentious guys" she exits his office as everyone asks her what's going on but she just repeats Tobi's statement that they might loose their jobs if they are not careful, they all back off and she proceeds to the three...........

Tobi sits still but one can just tell that he's unsettled, these guys are taking forever to get here... he continues to impatiently wait and finally he sees them come all smiling from ear to ear, he's maintaining a strick face though

"Buddy....you're finally back" David who sits on the table says to him

"We have been calling but your number mysteriously wasn't going through... what happened, how did it go.... tell us because our ears are itching" all this while Tobi is just looking at their faces and he can finally see they are nothing but devils in disguise

"That damsel...oh men! you really had so much fun"

"Where did you find her from"

"She's a student of royal institute, we just wanted to proof your manhood...we have been doubting you for so long now but men!... we were so wrong"

"Can I have your tags please?" the three are surprised and more so is David who has been doing all the talking

"You tags...and I need all those projects you are working on to be handed over to Jane...."

"Meaning" Eddy finally asks and this question gets Tobi off his seat

"Meaning all of you are fired" he leans closer to David

"Hahahaha.....you can't do this to us, you can't fire us" Clems says

"Sure it's my company and I decide who should and shouldn't work for me so at this point, I don't need your services anymore...."

"You won't get away with this Tobias Akankwasa"

"Neither will the three of you....I know the policy of my company here, I'm the one who is terminating your contracts and you shall get all the compensation but I don't want to have anything to do with any of you, I don't want to see you three ever again"

"Are you truly doing this Tobi" David asks

"I should have done this a long time ago but it's not too late"

"Oh really?.... why? just because of a useless girl you don't even know... we all don't know her and there in no reason to get all emotional over a cheep little bitch" this angers him and it earns David a very heavy blow in the face

"I curse the day I met the three of you, I'm going to correct this huge mistake I made and I'm starting with you three"

"You don't even know her...let's just pretend this never happened and move forward with life"

"You stand here and have the guts to tell me this nonsense, get out of my office and my company right this minute" his voice is getting higher and they are about to get physical with David but the other two restrict them getting in the middle

"Let's leave this loser, he's not worth our energy" Clems says but the other two swear that's not all, Tobi will pay for this humiliation

"I'm not afraid of you three, you have betrayed me in the worst way possible and still have the guts to threaten me"

"What are you going to do...you can't report us to the police because you have no evidence and instead we have something against you, so be careful Mr Tobi because we are watching you....let's go" they leave his office throwing the tags in his face but Tobi is not moved, he's not afraid of them and he shall do the right thing...... to be continued

Episode 10

Tobi spent the whole day in his office practically doing nothing after making it so clear to Jane that he didn't want to see anyone and no client should be told he's in office and Jane really covered up so well for him, the time for closing office came and everyone of the staffs closes their offices for the day leaving only Tobi and Jane in the big building, she really wanted to go home but couldn't because it's not advisable for a personal assistant to leave the office before the boss does....she so impatiently sits in the waiting area of the reception and continues to check he phone after every single minute but no sigh that he was coming out soon....she remembers her sick mum at home who needs her attention because time for her medication is fast approaching so she wants to go ask for permission in his office yet she just can't go because he's not in his best moods, she sits still and just then her phone begins to ring, she checks the collar's ID and on seeing it's her boss, she just takes to her heels instead of receiving, she gets in the office in no time

"You called me"

"Yes but not like this...I called your cellphone"

"I was close by so I just decided to come here"

"Or run over here....sit" this was the last thing she needed right now but who is Jane to question her ever gentle boss, Tobi might have seen her sudden reluctance so he has to say it again

"Sit Jane.....which part of that didn't you understand" she finally sits and he faces her

"Do you have a boyfriend" the question took her by surprise so she doesn't know how to even answer him and Tobi had to raise his eyebrows and wave his hands to get her attention

"Hello.... do you or do you not have a boyfriend"

"No I don't have..."

"OK Jane... I'm going to ask you something and I need you to be very honest with me"

"OK....."

"Would you forgive someone who has hurt you so much but unintentionally"

"Boss..."

"Answer me"

"Well it depends"

"On what"

"On what exactly the person did"

"What if he or she seeks you out and tries to explain what really happened...would you give him the chance"

"Of course how would I know why or how he did what he did if I can't hear him out...wait why are you asking me all this"

"You don't need to know Jane, at least not now but tell me something, am I really a very horrible person"

"Hahaha Sir, if you are asking this because of what you did to those three idiots this morning, then you should not worry, I would have done worse if you had given me the opportunity, their stay here has been long overdue in fact I would have flogged them before firing them so stop torturing yourself" Tobi quietly observes this Charming and funny side of Jane he has never seen before, this twenty year old girl is truly something else and she looked innocently beautiful when she demonstrated how she would deal with those guys, Tobi couldn't hold back his laughter and he bursts out finally and Jane suddenly realises she's talking to her boss yet Tobi can't stop laughing

"That was so funny Jane..... hahaha"

"I'm glad I finally made you laugh"

"Yeah you did" he suddenly tries to look serious and Jane asks if she can go home now and this gets Tobi to check the time

"Oh my God! it's getting late and I made you over stay here.... I should drop you home and don't say no" she wanted to decline this offer but knowing him so well, she didn't say anything and they just leave together........ after fifteen minutes of driving in the busy street, they arrive into the small but average neighborhood where Jane stays, she invites Tobi in for coffee but he declines saying he would the next time......Jane gets out of the car after saying goodbye and goodnight but turns catching Tobi off guard, she looks him in the eyes

"Tobi you're a very good boss and a very marvellous person, I'm sure if you ever hurt anyone it would be by mistake or it would be because we are only but humans, you're so incapable of hurting any one intentionally so don't let whatever it is that you're going through or you have done to paralyse you...get out of it and correct your mistake by doing the right thing and seek for forgiveness if necessary.... be cheerful and happy always, if you ever wish to share whatever it is with anyone or need help, I'm here..... I still want to work with the old Tobi so take care and drive home safe" Tobi is so bewildered, she was so on point and he wish he could just tell her what he did but he's afraid that's going to change the image she has of him............

"Can I at least get a hug from you" he says to her and she gladly gives him the hug

"Thank you my friend" he whispers and watches her walk away, he then starts his car and heads home........

Ron had paid Mel a visit but he only spent a few minutes since it's getting late and he needed to be home early, he was happy finally Mel is out of bed though she's still the shadow of her old self, she's a little cheerful today except she goes silent sometimes in the middle of saying something and it bothers him, she has refused to see a doctor insisting she's very fine....today they talked a lot in his very brief stay but he made it clear to her that he needed to start planning their marriage..... she walks him over to the car but then hopes in with him, he drops her by the market that's just across the street and he leaves, Mel steps into the market to purchase a few vegetable for dinner, she's greeted cheerfully by her customer venders who were all concerned she disappeared , she tells them she wasn't feeling well by now she's OK.....after purchasing what she came for, she heads direct home because she still feared to walk or be alone in the night even though the market was just next to her home, she felt as if those guys guys who kidnapped her are somewhere close by Ready to grab her, she's so sure the people who kidnapped her were so different from the person who violated her she still has those panic attacks and those nightmares she would give anything to forget, she walks faster this time timing herself that in three minutes time, she should be next to her mother at home..............

Tobi pulls his car near the route leading to the small home, he doesn't know why he even drove here instead of going home but he just couldn't stop himself, he needed to see how she's doing.... he's about to get out of the car when he sees someone come, he sits still and tries to make the face in the darkness, she looked familiar and when she gets closer, he was able to tell it's truly her, she's holding a paper bag in hand, and walking home, he freezes, he just continues to stares at her, he could see she still walked with fear and she's frightened he wonders if she told anyone about her ugly fate that night, he wonders how much the young girl must be carrying in her heavy heart and yet try to appear strong and brave, he wonders if she even seeked medical help... he watches her till when her back disappeared in the darkness to her home and he finally lets out his tears even after promising he would not cry again.....

To be continued