Thrills of a Lagos Babe (Episode 9)

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I was even more surprised that throughout the night, he did not attempt any coital act. In the morning, he kissed me good morning the way a loving husband would kiss his wife. This Mola was a character.

‘How was your night?’ he asked.

‘Fine. What about yours?’

‘I feel refreshed. Thanks for that massage.’

I smiled. Did that mean my only mission was to give him massage?

I went to the bathroom to have a good bath. I had come with an extra cloth which I changed into.

‘You’ll get alert soon,’ he said, smiling at me. ‘Don’t forget my offer.’

I smiled back. ‘Of course, I won’t forget. Good bye.’

‘See you again.’

I nodded and left. I would have to fund my taxi fare today, I thought and grinned. From Ikoyi to Berger was moving against the traffic. Within forty minutes, I was at Comely Hotel. It was few minutes to eight.

‘My baby,’ Tina gushed, hugging me. It was at that moment Mola’s transfer entered my account. I checked the amount. It was twenty thousand naira. Wow, twenty k for a massage of few minutes.

‘Give me your account details,’ I told Tina. ‘I want to send some money to you.’

‘Wow, Simi is a big babe now. A big, Lagos babe.’

I smiled. ‘Courtesy of you, Tina. I owe it to you.’

We hugged briefly again.

‘How was the place? I hope he’s treating you better by the day.’

‘You know what? He’s asking me to come and work for him as his P.A. He said he would pay the double of my current earnings.’

‘How lucky you are! Miss Simi Akolade, P.A. to Mr. Damola Koku.’

We laughed briefly. ‘But then, I can’t take it,’ I said.

Tina gazed at me. ‘Why?’  

‘I can’t just leave Mrs. Shitta like that. She’s like a mother to me.’

‘You can explain things to her. I think she’ll understand.’

I still shook my head. ‘I told Mola that I’ll think about it, but really, there’s nothing much to think about. My mother will be livid in anger if she gets to know that I’ve stopped working for Mrs. Shitta. And then, no, I can’t even walk up to Mrs. Shitta and tell her such a thing.’

Tina shrugged. ‘Well, it’s okay if that’s what you feel. But really, Simi, you’re moving up.’

I got Tina’s account details and transferred half of what I just received to her. I felt she really deserved it. Two days later, I got a call from Mola.

‘Thank you for the other day,’ I said.

‘Oh, it’s nothing,’ he said condescendingly. ‘So, when are you going to resume as my P.A?’

I thought fast. ‘I’m still thinking over it,’ I said.

He laughed shortly over the line. ‘You know what? The longer it takes you to consider the offer, the more I am convinced that you’re the one for the job.’

I laughed too. ‘Really? There are many ladies that are qualified for the job, sir. Some are even better qualified.’

‘You’re the one I’ve shortlisted for it. You’re the one I want to take up the job.’

I nearly said I would, but when I imagined what the countenance of Bimbola Akorede would be, and how disappointed Maria Shitta would look, I withheld my assent.

‘Give me a little bit of more time,’ I said, wishing I could take it up. The money was tempting, but sometimes, other exigent matters override pecuniary gains.

 ‘The job will wait for you,’ he said. ‘I know you’ll still take it up.’

Later, I told Tina about the man’s persistence.

‘You’re very lucky, aren’t you? Many ladies will be praying to be in your shoes.’

I nodded. ‘Yes, but the fact remains that I can’t take it. I think I’m the one wasting time over this matter. All I have to do is tell him straight forward that while I appreciate his kind gesture, I can’t take it.’

‘Wait a minute,’ Tina said. ‘What if I tell him that I’m willing to take it up?’

I stared at her in surprise. ‘Are you sure about what you’re saying?’

‘Of course.’ She smiled. ‘Since the offer is better than what I have now, I don’t mind. What do you say to that?’

I thought briefly. ‘But you’re just about four months on this job. You mean you’ll just leave it like that?’

‘Why not? Mola owns an oil marketing firm. He is swimming in money. Why should one not be willing to be part of that affluence? Tell him, that you cannot take up his offer, but that I, Tina, am ready.’

I suddenly shrugged. ‘Okay. I’ll tell him.’

Later in my office, I put a call to Damola Koku.

‘Good afternoon, Mola. I hope all is going very well.’

‘All is well. There’s no problem, my dear.’

‘I called you in respect of that P.A offer.’

‘Good. When’re you starting?’

‘No, I’m not the one taking it. It’s my good friend, Tina that is humbly willing to accept the offer.’

There was a long pause and I wondered if the line had disconnected.

‘Hello? Are you still there?’ I asked.

‘Yes, I’m here. How could you tell that Tina will be a good P.A?’

‘I think she will. First, she’s my boss here, and she’s doing very well. Two, she’s good in coordinating and organizing things.  In simple expressions, she combines beauty with brain.’

There was another long pause. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to take the job?  If you want me to increase the pay, I will do so, right now. Besides, remember there are many other perks that you will enjoy. I will ensure you get the best that is obtainable in the industry.’

‘See, sir, (yes, I used ‘sir’ that very moment) the main obstacle is the fact that my present employer is a good friend of my mother and is like a mother to me. She was the one that brought me to Lagos, from my Ibadan base. I can’t just leave her and the job within few months of working for her.’

There was a short silence. ‘Alright. I understand, now. It’s okay. But for Tina, I will have to give her written and verbal test before I can be convinced that she’ll be suitable for the job.’

I smiled. ‘Okay, oga Mola, I’ll tell her.’

‘When are we seeing again?’

‘Tell me when you want to see me.’

There was a brief silence. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow to let you know.’

‘Okay, love.’

I told Tina about what he said.

‘If he wants me to write a test, no problem. I will call him to know when I can go to his office.’

Tina called him and he asked her to come for the test and interview the following day by ten in the morning.

‘I’ll go there straight from my house,’ Tina told me. ‘You will have to cover up for me. Tell madam I went to the bank.’

‘No problem.’

She did as she said. It was almost 1.30 p.m., when she came to work. Thankfully, since I was up and doing, madam did not notice her long absence.

‘How did it go?’ I asked.

She nodded. ‘All went well. I did the written and verbal tests and came out in flying colors. He says he will get back to me within twenty hours.’

I looked surprised. ‘Get back to? Why can’t he employ you immediately?’

Tina smiled wryly. ‘I wonder o.’

The following morning, Tina got a call from Mola and gave her the message she had been yearning to hear.

‘He has said I can come around to pick my letter of employment. I’m to start the work next Monday.’

‘Ah, congratulations.’ I hugged her.

Then, it suddenly dawned on me that she would be leaving me at Comely Hotel. ‘Wait a minute, Tina. Are you really going to leave me alone, here?’

She hugged me again. ‘Don’t you worry, baby. We’ll arrange for how we’ll be meeting. Tina will never abandon you, Simi darling.’

I was very much comforted by those words.

About four p.m., Mrs. Shitta called me to her office.

‘Tina said she has got another job, and she would be leaving by Sunday,’ she said.

I nodded. ‘She told me so.’

She sighed. ‘She has been doing well since we started this business,’ she continued. ‘There’s no doubt she’s an asset to us and we’re going to miss her. Well, such is life. There’s no way I could stop a young woman from progressing in life.’

I nodded but wondered if she would say the same thing if I were to be the one that had given my notice of resigning.

‘You’re going to be the acting Business Manager. If you handle the position well, I will only employ someone to assist you. Otherwise, I will get another Manager. But, I trust you. I trust that you will do well.’

I beamed in smile. ‘Thank you, ma.’

Later that evening, late in the night, Tina and I were in my room. As soon as we entered the place, she was all over me, kissing and caressing. Several minutes later, we snuggled to each other in bed, gladdened that we had satisfied our desire.

‘I can’t leave you,’ she said. ‘The fact that I’m changing job does not mean end to our relationship. We’ve got to be seeing, and you have to be the one to be coming to my house.’

Her house was not far away. With a bike, I could get there within five minutes.

‘That will be no problem,’ I answered.

‘And of course, I’ll be coming here too - once in a while.’

On Monday morning, the reality hit me that Tina would not be coming to work for Comely Hotel again. She had gone to resume as P.A to Damola Koku, the CEO of Coccus Oil and Gas. I wished her the best. I had no qualms that I declined taking up the appointment. My earnings in Comely were not bad and if I planned well with my income, I would continue to live comfortably.

She called me about mid-day. ‘Hello, baby girl.’

‘Hello, Tina. How’re you?’

‘Cool. I’ve started the work as P.A to Mola.’

‘Yeah. How’s the work?’

‘Cool. I’m sure I’m going to enjoy it.’

She sounded excited and, again, I wished her the best.

That evening, Mola called me. ‘Let’s meet in that hotel suite,’ he said.

‘Okay,’ I answered. ‘But I may come a bit late. Now that Tina has left, I have more work to do.’

He was silent for some seconds. ‘Like what time will you be leaving the place?’ he asked.

‘Maybe by nine in the evening,’ I replied.

Again he was silent briefly. ‘I’ll send a driver to come and pick you,’ he said. ‘His name is Manu. That will save you the stress of coming here late in the night.’

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